Doug DeMuro got his hands on a new Honda Civic Si. He starts by praising the Japanese carmaker for removing the option of an automatic gearbox but ends up dismayed by the horsepower figure - and many other things.
The new Civic Si might come with just a manual option, a new exterior design, and a cool new color scheme but the 200 HP it boasts are nowhere close to exhilarating. The “Si” badge meant this should’ve been a sporty, cult-like car. As DeMuro finds out, it seems like the magic is gone.
With MSRPs starting from $27,300, the new Civic Si sports a 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine and a manual gearbox that borrowed Type-R’s rev-matching system. It had a good recipe to begin with. Being affordable was a great start. Now it looks like the carmaker might have made a little mistake.
As DeMuro points out, the previous Civic Si had 205 HP. The upgrade to new looks also means losing 5 HP apparently. Honda argued that the upgrades done to the powertrain meant the car will have a more dynamic behavior.
They changed the power curve, the throttle response is a little stronger and it feels quicker but this doesn’t change the fact that Civic Si competes with minivans when it comes to 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) times.
The YouTuber says Honda has the price and consumption advantages. But these are not traits you look for when you want to buy a performance vehicle. A daily driver with 18-inch blacked out wheels might look cool, but it won’t make you happy when an older Civic passes by you on the Interstate.
DeMuro also points out the exterior changes aren’t enough for the new Civic Si. He even jokes about the car having a big spoiler and dual exhaust for a 200-HP car.
Taking all of this into account, the new Civic Si still remains an option for those Honda customers that want a sportier-looking car and none of the drawbacks of a really powerful one.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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