The 2017 Honda Civic Si Underwhelms a Bit in its Debut

Well, it’s finally here… After what seems like an eternity, Honda has finally unveiled the all-new 2017 Civic Si.

Available as either a sedan or coupe, the Civic Si’s looks are just about what we expected: virtually identical to the prototype that debuted earlier. Of course, it carries the same basic design as the standard 217 Civic, but with all the Si touches fans would expect. These include a sporty black rear wing, an exclusive front fascia with wider air inlets, 18-inch alloy wheels with a two-tone finish, and a chrome, center-mounted polygonal exhaust outlet.

Inside, the Si gains bolstered front seats with red contrast stitching and red Si logos, red contrast stitching on the door panels, steering wheel and leather shift boot, an aluminum shift knob, red driver’s TFT meter and stereo system illumination, aluminum pedals, and Dry Metal Carbon instrument panel trim.

The first ever turbocharged Honda Civic Si (Credit: © Honda)

While its looks are nice, what folks have really been waiting on are the powertrain details. Well, it’s not as awesome as many (myself included) were hoping, but it’s decent. The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumps out 205 horsepower (same as the last-gen Si) at 1,300 rpm and 192 pound-feet of torque at 2,300 rpm (18 pound-feet more than the last-generation Si). This power will head through a six-speed manual transmission with a short-throw shifter on its way to the front wheels.

While that power is well under what some were expecting, it is far more accessible (read: lower in the rev band), which should make it more fun to drive and responsive than the last-gen Si. What’s more, its fuel economy should see a healthy boost.

The chassis also underwent serious upgrades. It all starts with a sport-tuned suspension system with adaptive dampers, stiffer springs, a 30% stiffer front stabilizer bar, a 60% stiffer rear stabilizer bar, solid front and rear bushings, and the Type R’s rigid front upper control arms. Also upgraded are the 12.3 inch front rotors, its more-rigid body, and dual-pinion adaptive electric power steering.

The 2017 Civic Si also boasts two drive modes: normal and sport. In sport mode, the dampers , throttle, and steering all tighten up a bit.

The first ever turbocharged Honda Civic Si (Credit: © Honda)

The Si’s standard features will mirror those of the EX-T models, including an electric parking brake, walkaway door locking, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and rain-sensing wipers. Also standard are a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, app-based navigation, and a 450-watt 10-speaker audio system.

Both the Civic Si Sedan and Coupe will hit showrooms in May. Prices will start in the mid-20,000 range.

Stay tuned for updates.