Civic Si Old-Fashioned Driving Fun

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CHATHAM, Mass. – The refreshed 2025 Honda Civic Si sport sedan provides the answer to anyone lusting after the exhilaration of a high-revving, manually shifted, low-to-the-ground sport sedan in today’s electrified performance automotive world.

This was how low-cost sport motoring once was presented, in a package which combined the efficiency of a small four-door sedan from a reliable manufacturer with the soul of a performance machine. It was a means to have one’s cake and eat it, too. No need to spend major dollars for the car or for its upkeep or its insurance. And, aside from the slick wheels, low-profile tires and discrete Si badging, this is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

The Honda Civic has been a pillar in the subcompact sedan market for 10 generations, often allowing its engineers and designers to show their performance chops without having to spend a lot of money; this 11th generation iteration of the Honda Civic Si builds on this legacy.

Turbocharging motivates

The Honda engineers specified aluminum for the block and heads of the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine to save weight. A double-overhead camshaft configuration with 16 valves and intercooling for the turbo helps achieve a – quoting Honda’s accurate description – snappy throttle response along with total power output of 200 horsepower and 192 pounds-feet of torque.

The driver has control of how quickly this power can get to the pavement through the front wheels thanks to the short-throw six-speed manual transmission (with light hydraulic-assisted clutch, a boon for my surgically repaired left ankle). According to Car and Driver, with a learned driver rowing the stick, the Civic Si can reach 60 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds. A combination of the vehicle’s small size, easy revving engine and distinctive exhaust means it sounds and feels even quicker.

Driving the Si aggressively; enjoying the challenge of shifting for myself, I was able to achieve 38-plus miles per gallon which compares very favorably to the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s rating of 31 overall (27 urban, 37 highway).

Performance married with efficiency – a Honda tradition and trait.

Platform a key part of the Si design

The powertrain is just one element which goes into engineering a fun-to-drive vehicle. The Honda engineers did yeoman’s work on the suspension to allow the driver to enjoy the engine’s capabilities.

The suspension components include MacPherson-type struts, coil springs and 27×4.5mm tubular stabilizer bar up front and multi-link setup with solid 18mm stabilizer bar in the rear. The dual-pinion, variable-ratio, electric-power-assisted steering has a quick 11.46:1 ratio and tight 2.17-turns lock-to-lock.

The power-assisted brake system features 12.3-inch ventilated rotors up front, 11.1 solid ones in the rear. The test vehicle included the optional ($300) stickier 235/40R18 summer high-performance tires mounted to alloy wheels.

The pieces work. This is a fun small car to drive and drive hard. The engine revs willingly and the exhaust sings sweetly in your ears; you just want to find some twisty roads and enjoy the ride. And I did, carving up the bay-side byways of Truro and Wellfleet on Cape Cod. I had a blast when I could unleash those 200 horses and maneuver the shifter, bringing back my early driving days (once-upon-a-time I owned a number of four- and five-speed small sedans like this Si).

Honda Sensing® ADAS adds to overall experience

The Civic Si received the latest version of Honda Sensing®, the company’s umbrella descriptor of its suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The suite includes the Collision Mitigation Braking System™; adaptive cruise control with lane-keep assist; forward-collision warning; road-departure mitigation incorporating lane-departure warning, and blind-spot information system with rear cross-traffic alert.

A simple, functional interior

The interior is simple, straight-forward, modern without frills. An environment designed for driving. The prominent side-bolster-equipped sport seats have three-level heating and red inserts (with red stitching throughout the interior).

Speaking of heating, the automatic climate-control system uses analog buttons and knobs to control all functions. The three large knobs for temperature, fan speed and air direction are flanked by buttons for air conditioning/recirculation as well as front and rear defroster. The upper vents are cleverly integrated into the mesh design of the dash.

Growing out of the top-center of the dash is a nine-inch color LCD touchscreen forming the heart of the infotainment system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a suite of Google services, including Google Maps with navigation and a sound courtesy of a 12-speaker Bose premium sound system with Centerpoint 2 technology and SurroundStage digital signal processing are infotainment highlights.

Unfortunately, the system does not include satellite radio (and it is not an option), a personal disappointment since no Cape Cod-area radio stations were broadcasting any of the Major League Baseball playoff games. This is a strange oversight in an otherwise very-well equipped 2025 model-year automobile.

Rounding out other features of the 2025 Honda Civic Si are the standard powered moonroof and leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter.

A value-packed performance machine

Honda offers the 11th generation of its iconic Civic in numerous flavors including gasoline and hybrid power. These variations range from $24,250 to $31,750.

The company separates the Si from the more reserved members of the Civic family, offering it in two versions. The basic Civic Si with all-season tires costs $29,950 while the one with the high-performance rubber (like I drove) comes in at $30,250 ($31,345 with the $1,095 destination charge). The test unit totaled $31,800 including the lone option, $455 for Urban Gray paint.

This is a car I enjoyed driving and if a small, sporting sedan is something on your wish list, the 2025 Honda Civic Si is worth a look.

Next week TBR Drives the 2025 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy three-row SUV

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The BRAKE Report Magazine
Mike Geylin
Mike Geylin

Mike Geylin is the Editor-in-Chief at Hagman Media. Geylin has been in automotive communications for five decades working in all aspects of the industry from OEM to supplier to motorsports as well as reporting for both newspapers and magazines on the industry.