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2006 Honda Civic Si Road Test

Worth the Money?

It was 3 am and I was filling the red Honda Civic Si up with gas for what seemed like the fourth time in as many days. The pump churned away as I watched the digital dollar counter rack up the price with the particular sense of hopelessness that accompanies acknowledging the fact that somewhere, an oil company exec was thinking of buying his fifth Ferrari. I, on the other hand was hoping I had enough change in my pocket for an chocolate bar. As the pump was clearing twenty-five bucks and I was starting to wonder when the annoying thing was going to stop, a Mark IV Toyota Supra Turbo pulled up to the pump across from me. The veritable god of all import performance cars, stories of 800 horsepower Supras prowling the streets

Believe it or not, the Sis is a factory wing that actually looks decent! (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

are the stuff of legend. As the young driver popped the hood to reveal a pricey (and powerful) single turbo swap, he glanced over at my suddenly inconsequential Civic; "Thats the Si right? Not too bad looking... how much it cost?" Having just looked up the price earlier, I responded, "They start at around 20 grand." His response was confident and quick; "You got ripped off."

Of course, thats easy to say when youre

Angry looking headlights cap off a somewhat snub-nosed front end, but from dead-on the look works. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

checking the oil on your ten-year old Toyota that still costs as much as a brand spankin new Corvette. But the sad reality is, he pretty much hit the nail on the head. Sporting fancy bodywork, a performance-oriented interior, harder suspension and a 2.0L i-VTEC equipped K20 motor, this new Civic Si is a valiant effort, but it simply doesnt satisfy (unlike the aforementioned chocolate bar).

When I first saw the car from across the street, I thought it looked great; lustrous

Definitely a draw to the boy-racer crowd, prominent decals are something of a departure for normally low-key Honda. Wheels are an acquired taste; kind of like mushrooms. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

red paint glistening in the sun, rear spoiler adding some shape to the somewhat bland silhouette, interesting 10-spoke wheels giving the car a nice stance, and racy (albeit somewhat boy racerish) i-VTEC decals on the lower valances allowing onlookers a hint of the performance to come. But after stepping up to the car I noticed something amiss. The panels didnt fit. Both the drivers and passengers doors were mounted a smidgen too high, interrupting the very tasteful (and noticeable) shoulder line. Granted, the difference

The interior is sportingly business-like, with seats that proudly display the Si logo. You know, in case you forget what kind of Civic you spent over $20 grand on. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

in fit was an eighth of an inch at most, but in this day and age panel fitment is simply not something that should be an issue, especially on a Honda. Thankfully, continuing my move around the car lifted my spirits, with the spoiler in particular being something of a guilty pleasure of mine. As an enthusiast, I generally loathe cosmetic spoilers, but for some reason the new Civics trunk simply looks bare without it, and the unique design of the Sis wing is a nice departure from the milquetoast spoilers found on other cars. As mentioned, the wheels took some warming up to; but thats a simple

Some colleagues have maligned the dual guage pods, but I liked the fact that it allowed both tach and speed to be prominently displayed. (Photo: American Honda)

matter of taste.
The pleasantries continued as I opened the drivers door and slid behind the wheel. Greeted by aggressive red gauges, the drivers seat was sufficiently sporting, although I immediately took issue with the seating position. I fiddled, slid, and ratcheted the seat up, down, front, and rear, but the sad fact is that the car never quite fit my lanky-like-a-monkey 6-foot, 1-inch tall frame.

The adjustable steering column certainly helped though, but I found only a small range of its tilt adjustment useful since moving it too high or too low would obscure the separated speedometer or tachometer sections of the dash. That said, theres little doubt in my mind that someone,

Small, substantial-feeling, and hooked up to a positively fan-diddly-tastic transmission, this is the best shifter Ive ever had the pleasure of abusing. (Photo: American Honda)

even just a couple of inches shorter, would have no trouble getting comfy in this car. Also on the plus side, the seats themselves are actually pretty cool; covered in a combination of faux-suede and black fabric that harkens back to Si models come and gone. Whod have thought a forward-look company like Honda had a retro streak in them? Also, the shifter, which is coincidentally lifted from an RSX Type-S, is in my opinion the best shifter on the market. Hooked up to a super-positive shifting six speed, it doesnt hurt that its perfect size, in the perfect spot, falls easily to hand, and looks great to boot, just like all the other controls.

On that note, its also worth mentioning that the stereo is excellent, incorporating a subwoofer that sounds like its enclosed in a sealed

For such a small car, the rear seats have plenty of legroom for lanky folk like myself. (Photo: Dan Fritter, American Auto Press)

enclosure because the bass response is so damn tight. Of course, it didnt do a whole lot for my Johnny Cash, but my girlfriend remarked on it while insisting on cranking the volume for the latest song from some rapper Id been blissfully unaware of until that moment. Even better, the stereo had an auxiliary input jack in the form of a headphone-sized input placed just below the radio itself, right next to a handy storage bin. That let me plug my MP3 player directly into the stereo and, using the steering wheel mounted radio controls, switch from the aforementioned rap song back to good ol Johnny. Shortly after discussing the fact that Johnny Cash was a better artist than any rapper ever could or would be (she kept saying that was my opinion; I kept saying it was a fact), she decided that for my personal safety, she would complete the duration of our journey to the bowling

The K20 has gained a reputation for being a stout motor that responds well to modifications. (Photo: American Honda)

alley in the back seat with her friend. I was then assured that there was a "surprising" amount of room back there, a fact I later confirmed (while cleaning the car out by myself, in my driveway, so dont get any ideas!). Honestly, it was shocking. While I couldnt straighten my ankle out while driving, I easily fit in the back of this diminutive coupe. Remember, Im six-plus feet tall.

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