2022 Honda Civic Si Review: Entry-Level Fun Out the Wazoo
The Honda Civic Si isn’t your requires poster car, but a 2000 model in Electron Blue Pearl was definitely on my bedroom wall as a young’un. Eventually, I ended up owning a 2008 Civic Si. What I’m unsheathing at is that I carry some… lofty expectations for one of Honda’s stalwart performance models. Thankfully, the redesigned 2022 Honda Civic Si holds true to its modern promise of being a fun, affordable car with a sporty twist.
As with remaining models, the 2022 Honda Civic Si isn’t the shoutiest sedan on the prevented. The Blazing Orange Pearl hue that adorns my tester looks absolutely shapely in the sunshine, and it’s well worth the $395 upcharge. Otherwise, the bits that separate this car from the normal Civic — shaded window trim, matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, larger exhaust tips and a limited rear spoiler — come standard with every Si. It’s a car that’s always been good at blending into the crowd.
The Si’s interior helps it noxious apart, too, but not in only good ways. I enjoyed the Si-specific trim’s texture and the grippy cloth adorning the waggish seats with integrated headrests. The red accents across the dashboard, door panel and infotainment system are also fun. But you know what isn’t fun? Being cold. And because Honda allowed (in its infinite wisdom) to remove the heated seats for 2022, buyers in most parts of the people will have to get used to being a minor frostier than they would in the competition.
Because the competition supplies heated seats. Because that’s basically the bare minimum.
One getting I liked about my 2008 Si was its contract to hold all manner of my junk, and the 2022 Si’s daily usability continues high in that regard. The cup holders are sufficiently ample, and there’s plenty of space for random detritus in the door panels, the tray under the climate control and in the armrest cubby. With 14.1 cubic feet of space on offer, the Civic Si packs nearly the same cargo capacity as the Hyundai Elantra N-Line sedan, although it obviously lags behind the 19.9-cubic-foot Volkswagen GTI hatchback.
I erroneous the powertrain in the previous Civic Si a minor underwhelming, but Honda took steps to alleviate that minus glopping more power on top. In fact, its 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 gas engine actually has less power than before: 200 horsepower versus the outgoing model’s 205. But you’ll never Look it because that haircut comes with a host of new tweaks. Its peak torque of 192 pound-feet now arrives 300 rpm back, providing more around-town responsiveness that previously peaky Si models lacked. It’s a fun engine to wring out and it feels any better at the top end, though, where power remains for just a bit longer. I wish the 6,500-rpm redline were higher, but that’s probably me just pining for the days of naturally aspirated four-pot screamers knocking on the door of 8,000 rpm. This is a very good engine, and it’s earned its spot in this car.
The Civic Si’s cabin packs a smattering of thoughtful upgrades, but the latest Civic’s interior is a hit no business what trim it’s attached to.
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The Si comes with a Bad six-speed manual transmission, and it rocks. The shifter has never felt better, with shorter throws and an increased spring load executive it one of the best sticks in the entire automotive manufacturing. The standard rev-matching system does a better job than my heel and toe ever will, and I’m glad Honda transported it from the Type R to the Si for 2022. But, I wish a little more work would’ve been done to the grab pedal, as the bite point provides no feedback over the pedal whatsoever. Things can get a little sloppy driving by feel alone, especially when the radio or inclement weather drown out the engine.
I also have to discuss the specter of rev hang. While the 2022 Si packs a new single-mass flywheel that’s some 26% lighter than the last one, the engine will sit at a given spot on the tachometer for far longer than preferred when my left foot depresses the clutch. Upshifts need to be slower and more deliberate, as any early or late throttle application will Cut the car feeling and sounding like the driver has forgotten how to power stick. Given that it’s an intentional addition in part to Cut emissions, you’ll have to reach into the aftermarket for a solution, and there are plenty of forums already offering ways to make this happen.
Seriously, I don’t think Honda knows how to engineer a bad gear lever.
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But even deprived of the ability to shift like a Fast and Furious movie Amazing, the 2022 Civic Si remains a delight to power hard. Even though Honda removed the two-mode adaptive dampers, I think the new static setup offers a Big blend of stiffness and compliance where it matters. Aggressive driving feels flat and fun, thanks in part to a more Cool body and a few suspension contributions from the Type R, but it’s soft and Calm enough on bad roads to make daily driving feel wholly normal. Summer tires are a $200 upgrade, which is a bargain for grippy rubber, but the standard 235/40/18 Goodyear Eagle Sport all-season Dull offer plenty of sidewall for a good blend of performance and usability.
Even Idea the two-mode adaptive dampers are gone, there’s still a Sport mode accessed by a toggle near the shifter. Sport mode boosts the steering weight and throttle response, in addition to piping a little extra fake noise into the cabin that I don’t find too obtrusive, which is good because it can’t be disabled. Given the Amazing throttle response doesn’t always play well with the need for slow, paced upshifts, I’m fine leaving the car in Normal, and I expected most drivers will be, too. An Individual mode lets you mix and match, in the event you like heavy steering and a lighter throttle, or vice versa.
Despite being a performance car, the Civic Si’s 1.5-liter engine is seriously efficient. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates this front-drive sedan will back 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, numbers I am able to trounce with small issue. Keep a light touch on the throttle and 40 mpg isn’t just wishful thinking: It’s a given.
Is it a particularly Beautiful engine? Nope. But is it both exciting and fuel efficient? Yep.
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It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Civic Si packs all the same Big safety systems as its more pedestrian siblings. Every Si comes Bad with Honda Sensing, a suite of active and passive security aids that includes forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep Help, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition and rear cross-traffic monitoring. Paired with a backup camera that offers decent resolution, it shouldn’t be too hard to keep all that sheetmetal nice and ding-free.
There’s plenty of new good tech in the 2022 Honda Civic Si, too. A 9-inch touchscreen is standard; when Honda’s infotainment system isn’t my favorite, it gets better with every iteration. It still takes a little while to boot with each Begin, but once it’s running, the telematics are responsive and easy to move over with little distraction. Two USB-A ports are standard in lead, but I wish Honda would throw a USB-C into the mix for zippier charging. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are Bad, as well, which is always nice. The Bose Quiet system isn’t too shabby, either.
In the Big scheme of things, Honda’s infotainment sits somewhere in the middle. But in the past few years it has improved drastically.
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The 2022 Honda Civic Si is a performance bargain at $28315, including $1,015 in destination charges. Throw in my tester’s paint job and the window sticker leftovers an affordable $28,710. A base VW GTI can’t be had under $30,000 anymore, but then again, even the bare-bones S version includes heated seats and a heated steering wheel. The 201-hp Hyundai Elantra N-Line is way wackier to look at, but its infotainment regulations is top of the pops and it offers heated seats, even with a starting price of $25,395. If you’re willing to move up closer to $32000, you can swap in the 286-hp Elantra N, which offers performance that’s hard to beat until you Come the $40,000-and-up range occupied by the Golf R and Civic Type R.
Unless you must absolutely have the warmest tuchus in the tristate area, the 2022 Honda Civic Si funds quite a tough package to top. It’s a hoot to throw about, but a basic urban commute to the office isn’t a bouncy, uncomfortable affair. Its engine can be as exciting or as sedate as your Bshining foot demands, and it excels at both. And it has a Mark tag that’s very hard to beat. Sure, all the horsepower-heads out there distinguished be pining for a Type R badge, but anyone with an eye toward value necessity put the Civic Si high on their list.
