Honda claims the sporty sedan handles more smoothly than ever.
The new Civic Si has been designed to be a symbol of affordable performance. Despite being slightly less powerful than its predecessor, it still delivers more bang for your buck. It now makes 200 horsepower and is five more powerful than the predecessor model. The horsepower numbers don’t necessarily tell the whole story. Engineers have discovered other ways to improve this sporty sedan.
The previous-generation Civic Si’s 192 pound-feet (260 Newton meters) of torque now kicks in at 300 rpm sooner, at 1,800 RPM. This should result in more powerful acceleration. Honda claims that it has improved the engine’s power output between the peak 6,000 rpm and the redline 6,500 rpm.
As previously announced, 2022 Civic Si will be a manual-only affair. It features an upgraded six speed gearbox with rev matching tech borrowed from Type R. This is enhanced by an aluminum shift knob with leather modeled after the Type R.
Honda has created a dual exhaust system that provides 27 percent more exhaust flow for the latest VW JettaGLI competitor. The single-mass flywheel of the Civic Si is 26 percent lighter and the engine has a 30% faster throttle response due to the flywheel’s inertia.
The standard equipment includes a limited-slip differential and multi-link rear suspension. The Si’s brakes are larger than the regular Civic’s, with 12.3 inches at the front (+1.2 inches) rotors at 11.1 inches at the rear (+0.9 inch). The 18-inch wheels have a 10-spoke design with a matte black finish and are only available for the spicy model. They come wrapped in 235/40 R18 all season performance tires or optional summer rubber. Blazing Orange Pearl paint, which we first saw on the Civic Prototype in November 2020, is only available for the Si.
Exterior styling is a subtle but more aggressive evolution of the regular model. The trunk lid spoiler has been finished in glossy black to match the darkened surrounds and side mirror caps. The Si is identified by the underbody spoiler located at the front. This badge was taken from the 2022 Civic Hatchback.
Interior design has been mostly unchanged from the 2022 Civic Sedan. However, it features a lot of red accents, aluminum pedals and two sporty seats with integrated headrests. It features a 7-inch digital driver’s screen and a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly. The Si comes standard with a 12-speaker Bose soundsystem and a subwoofer.
Honda has removed the coupe body design from the Civic’s 11th generation. There won’t be another Si. The sedan will be available before the end of 2019, and the Type R hatchback will follow in 2022. Next year will see the Acura Integra, a five-door sporty liftback with three pedals. It is presumably related to the Civic in terms of underpinnings.