Although the Honda may be losing power, can it overcome the DSG-equipped Jetta with its superior engine?
What number of Civic-versus Jetta races have you seen over the years? For 40 years these old rivals have fought for the front-wheel drive world. In 2022, that rivalry will be alive and well. The Civic Si, the current generation, is only available as a sedan. Both have turbocharged four cylinder engines. Both engines only turn the front wheels. Both models are advertised as performance models. Both are priced at close to $30,000.
It’s not a good look for Honda and that’s what happens in real life. We use generally because Civic Si makes a strong showing against the German sedan. It pulls out small leads in three races. Two roll races are shown with one at a stop, with the Honda clutch-operated Honda gaining a slight edge in each case. Although it isn’t clear if the Jetta’s GLI capabilities were fully utilized, the brave Si did not give up easily.
However, make no mistake. Each race was lost by the Honda . The 200-pound weight advantage is not enough to make up for the 28-hp difference, let alone the torque boost. The DSG can change gears in an infinitely faster manner than any human could hope. This is when you use the manual gearbox to begin a roll race. The reason Si was able to jump to a short lead in the last run was because the Jetta had only to do a quick downshift after the race began. The Si was already in the correct gear, with the revs up.
It didn’t matter at the end. Volkswagen is the sole winner of this victory. That could change when the new Civic Type R arrives.