2012 Honda Civic Si First Drive reviews

2012 Honda Civic Si First Drive reviews--Honda opted for the safe route, which could prove unsafe if the Civic doesn't meet expectations. Honda wanted the new model to be instantly recognizable as a Civic. Inside, Gen 8's twin-tier dash was kept, albeit significantly revised, to carry on the well-liked and well-established design theme. Controlled via a steering wheel-mounted keypad, i-MID shows information for audio, Bluetooth phone/audio, fuel economy, clock, and upcoming navigation turns.
Length (177.3 inches), width (69.0), and height (56.5) for the sedan are all the same as before; only the wheelbase, at 105.1, has shrunk 1.2 inches.

After you see the commercials for the 2012 Honda Civic Si, you might think the car was built by over-caffeinated Japanese animators for equally restless gum-chewing teenage girls who dabble in ninja work when they tire of hanging out in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park. Truth is, the 2012 Honda Civic Si doesn't look a whole pin different from its predecessor. Character lines run across the beltline and rise up from the door sills, giving the Honda Civic Si a windswept look.

They're subtle changes that fire up the Civic's static profile enough to rekindle interest, without making noisy statements or reinventing the segment. The Unbearable Lightness
Smooth clutch. The small-diameter leather-wrapped steering wheel, thick seat bolsters and stylish red stitching throughout highlight a cabin otherwise trimmed with dull, hollow plastics. While the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra have raised the standards for interior refinement, the Civic has inexplicably fallen behind.

Set deep in that massive cowl is Honda's two-tier dash and driver interface, which now includes the intelligent Multi Information Display, or iMID. The digital speedo, fuel gauge and schticky (but kinda cool) VTEC shift lights sit in the upper portion, in the sight line above the steering wheel rim.

The iMID shares the upper tier adjacent to the speedometer and displays audio and hands-free phone functions, trip information and maintenance minders.
Struts Are Here To Stay
After arriving at FedEx Field, we put the 2012 Honda Civic Si through its paces on an autocross course and nearby city loop.

The Civic's electric power steering and a 16.1:1 ratio feel right, while its composure through corners is confidently flat. Purists lamented Honda's switch from front wishbones to MacPherson struts in the 2002 Civic Si, and fretted again when they carried over to the next generation in 2006. The 2012 Si's 11.8-inch brake rotors up front and 10.2-inch discs in back offer decisive and immediate bite. More Midrange, More Miles

The 2012 Honda Civic Si offers just a small 4-horsepower boost over its predecessor, raising it to 201 hp. At 22 city/31 highway mpg, the new Si beats the former on both counts.
Nearing 40, Close to 30

The 2012 Honda Civic Si coupe and sedan goes on sale this May, about a month after its standard Civic counterparts. An Si coupe with all the trimmings — navigation, satellite radio, and summer tires — will sticker at $24,655.

Closing in on its 40th anniversary, a loaded Honda Civic is still an impressive deal priced well below $30,000. The Civic Si's low-end power boost, fast reflexes and subtle design evolution cement its place in that company.

Here's the fuel economy tale of the tape: Using a tweaked version of the 1.8-liter four-cylinder, in most cases, the Honda Civic will get 28 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway; a HF high-efficiency gas version adds 1 mpg city and 2 mpg on the interstates, while the hybrid — now with lithium-ion batteries — will go 44 mpg city and highway.

Top horsepower only rises 4 ponies to 201 hp, reached at the 7,000 RPM summit as Mr. Honda himself often intended. Combined with the sweetness of the Honda six-speed manual transmission - and let the record reflect that the Honda Civic Si is the only mass-market sedan upon these shores available solely to those who know what a third pedal is for - the Honda Civic Si can spin some sugar. In a tight corners where its all-seasons give out before its multi-link rear suspension, the Civic Si echoes the call-and-response hellraising of Sochiro Honda's youth.
Soichiro Honda famously said ,the value of life can be measured by how many times your soul has been deeply stirred.