Wednesday, May 15, 2024
ADVT 
Reviews

2023 Honda Civic Si Saving the Manual Sport Compartment

Benjamin Yong Darpan, 30 Nov, 2023 11:56 AM
  • 2023 Honda Civic Si Saving the Manual Sport Compartment

Eleven generations in, Honda continues to provide a stick-enabled, factory-tuned Si version of the popular Honda Civic. Completely redesigned last year, the sedan — coupes are discontinued, sadly — returns unchanged for the 2023 model year.

“The Civic Si has achieved iconic status because it continually offers exhilarating performance at an affordable price,” says Steve Hui, Honda Canada assistant vice president, in a press release. “The latest Si brings that along with a standard manual transmission that makes it even more exciting to drive. It’s clearly the best and most dynamic Si we’ve ever produced, and it’s built right here in Canada.”

Growing 33 millimetres in length compared to the outgoing vehicle, the new one, in many ways, resembles an Accord down to the stretched LED headlamps and, as a result, loses some of the sleekness from before — particularly since the two-door is cancelled. On the upside, the previous busy front fascia is cleaned up and now wears simple dark upper and lower mesh grills and matching side intake bezels, complemented by black 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels.

Similarly at the rear, the odd bumper cut-outs are gone, leaving only a pair of red reflectors, and conventional horizontal LED taillights replace the old C-shaped units. A contrast gloss-black spoiler sits flush on the trunk lid, and the lower aero piece houses dual oval exhaust tips.

One of the benefits of a longer chassis and wheelbase is increased rear passenger space. Even with a child seat installed in the second row, toddlers have lots of legroom, which certainly wasn’t the case in previous iterations. The body-stabilizing black-and-red-coloured sport seats boast built-in headrests. They are super comfortable and supportive, particularly in the thigh area, due to the front lower cushion being raised 12.7 millimetres.

Modern Honda and Acura infotainment systems aren’t the most intuitive, but the nine-inch touchscreen looks nice next to the 10-inch fully digital instrument panel. The wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality works well, and the standard 12-speaker Bose stereo is a significant upgrade.

Engineers massaged the familiar 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mill so the same 192 lb-ft of peak torque comes on 300 rpm earlier for punchier acceleration. Strangely, the tune has reduced the horsepower down five to a round 200, though the output is held better towards the upper end of the rpm range between 6,000 and 6,500 rpm.

Having driven and owned various SIs of the past, I admittedly do miss the high-revving, naturally aspirated VTEC days of old. This Civic at least still sounds sporty thanks to the Active Sound Control system creating an artificial exhaust note through the speakers. And the manual-only six-speed gearbox, featuring 10 percent shorter throws, shifts pretty crisply, and the Type R-inspired leather-wrapped aluminum knob feels good in hand.

Handling is what the model is known for, and things like a stiffer body and spring rates, thicker stabilizer bars and a 12-millimetre wider track create a tangible improvement in the corners. The Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance technologies is also updated, utilizing a new wider-angle forward-facing camera, computer processor and software to identify objects quickly and more accurately.

All the changes come at a cost, however. A 2023 Honda Civic Si will run customers north of $37,000 MSRP.

Highlights (base):   

MSRP: $37,693

Motor: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Horsepower: 200 @ 6,000 rpm  

Torque (lb-ft): 192 @ 1,800 rpm   

Gearbox: six-speed manual   

Layout: front-engine, front-wheel drive   

Fuel economy: 8.0 L/100 km mixed city/highway (observed)

MORE Reviews ARTICLES

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys 4xe

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys 4xe
Zero emissions and off-roading are usually mutually exclusive, but not if Jeep has anything to say about it. Cue the 2023 Wrangler Willys 4xe, an extra-rugged variant of the PHEV honouring Willys-Overland Motors that manufactured World War II and later military vehicles. And as if the special Electric Blue detailing isn't eye-catching enough, the optional bright Punk'n orange exterior colour should be.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys 4xe

Honda Accord Hybrid

Honda Accord Hybrid
The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid emerges 70 millimetres longer and more athletic-looking than the outgoing version, showcasing the brand's contemporary design ethos that has the four-door somewhat taking after the modern Civic. Retaining the fastback profile, the hood is stretched out, and the sedan appears to sit lower, while smoked headlight housings, dark 19-inch alloys, and near-full-length LED tail lamp bar add to the newfound sportiness. 

Honda Accord Hybrid

Edmunds: Suffering from gasoline price anxiety? These are the Top 5 hybrids of 2023

Edmunds: Suffering from gasoline price anxiety? These are the Top 5 hybrids of 2023
In many cases, the price difference between hybrid and non-hybrid models is small enough that the hybrid will pay for itself or save you money after just a few years of ownership. But which hybrid models are the best? To help you in your search for the top fuel sipper, Edmunds’ car experts highlighted five of their highest-ranking hybrids in a variety of prices and body styles.  

Edmunds: Suffering from gasoline price anxiety? These are the Top 5 hybrids of 2023

5 new eco-friendly vehicles from AJAC Eco-Run 2023 

5 new eco-friendly vehicles from AJAC Eco-Run 2023 
The navigation system is equally intelligent, and route planning accounts for current energy reserves, traffic, topography, temperature and even how busy a station is in real time to calculate whether a proposed destination is realistic. Leather upholstery is standard, and there's a decent amount of storage space — sometimes a rarity in the segment. 

5 new eco-friendly vehicles from AJAC Eco-Run 2023 

Edmunds answers the most asked questions from first-time EV buyers

Edmunds answers the most asked questions from first-time EV buyers
As sales of electric vehicles continue to grow, so do the number of questions curious shoppers have when considering making the switch to a fully electrified car, truck or SUV.  To help first-time EV shoppers, the automotive experts at Edmunds address the most common concerns car shoppers have about going electric.

Edmunds answers the most asked questions from first-time EV buyers

In a battle of electric SUVs, the Nissan Ariya takes on the Ford Mustang Mach-E

In a battle of electric SUVs, the Nissan Ariya takes on the Ford Mustang Mach-E
The Nissan Ariya is an all-new electric SUV for the 2023 model year. However, it’s also going up against many recently introduced SUV competitors, one of which is the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Which one of these small electric SUVs is the better buy? Edmunds compared them to find out.  

In a battle of electric SUVs, the Nissan Ariya takes on the Ford Mustang Mach-E