Turning 21 can change one's outlook on life. Doors open, responsibility comes calling. Pints are sipped at a bar, not chugged in the back yard. For the Honda Civic Si, the occasion has been both a return to form and an opportunity for growth. The current, sixth-generation Si - based on the eight-generation Civic - abandons all that was wrong with its immediate predecessor, makes more power than any other Civic, and, in a first for the U.S. market, is available as a sedan.

Still, today's hot Civic enjoys a following not terribly different than that of the original Si, based on the third-generation Civic. Like that car, the 2007 model appeals to gearheads, autocrossers, and dedicated Honda enthusiasts. The first and most recent Sis are bookends to a collection of stories of trials, tribulations, and big, silly spoilers and exhaust pipes. We've gathered examples of these two in one place to take a closer look at the Civic Si's coming of age.

FULL STORY...

I still miss my 87 integra

I hope that guy holds off the motor conversion permanently.

Good deal on the comparo. These kinds are meaningful to me.

Passatworld Mrs 1.8T
CarDomain Blog
Bolt. Recaro recovery, bow headliners, Cabriolet fixin's and other misc hard and soft goods for VWs

Quote, originally posted by Motive »

Standard stability control would also be a welcome addition that the Si does not yet provide. Purists and track rats may not grouse over the absence of the latter, but systems such as these have proven their worth in daily driving conditions.

VSA is standard on all Civic Si's from 2007 on.

Thanks for the catch.

Quote, originally posted by atomicalex »

Attilla the Pun. Good deal on the comparo. These kinds are meaningful to me.

"Rice" is an interesting one. The word is so widely used in this car's past, that it warranted a mention. That said, while funny to some, it's offensive to others. I didn't want to use it in a way that promoted it.

The 1984 Civic 1500S was not the first "sporty trim" Civic. In 1983, Honda released a batch of second-gen Civic 1500 "S" cars. They were sold in two colors - black and red - and both had black interiors with two-tone black-and-red seats. Price was $6495 plus the usual mandatory dealer pinstripe and cassette deck.

I know that car fairly well because I convinced my mother to buy a black '83 1500S as a "city car". It was the only Civic model sold by our local dealer that didn't have ADP written on the sticker; most Civic buyers couldn't see any reason to choose it over the 1500GL or even more popular 1300FE.

It served her pretty well until it was hit by a Seville at about 45mph, putting the right half of the back seat more or less over the empty passenger seat and turning the whole car into something vaguely resembling a pinstriped Coke can that had been squeezed very hard.

I imagine there are a couple of '83 S-cars running around on the West Coast, but they, like most Hondas built before 1990, had about a six-year lifespan in Ohio before the "Japanese metal beetles" took care of 'em.

He stood the furious Foe, the timid Friend/The damning Critic, half approving Wit/
The Coxcomb hit, or fearing to be hit;/Laugh’d at the Loss of Friends he never had,/The dull, the proud, the wicked, and the mad.

After seeing Zarrella's Si, I started looking at AutoTrader to see what was on the market. I've always liked the sedan body style from that generation. The good news is they're cheap. The bad news is they're not terribly common. I did find a low mileage (86K) white sedan at a dealership in MD (the good news). The downside, it was a slushbox non Si with red mousefur interior. Woulda been a cool project, but I don't need any more projects in my life.

I've had Honda Civics...the older ones....light nimble simple, easy to work on, fantastic gas mileage...up to 50 mpg on gasoline.

Now, we have video-game-biplane dashboards, and 1500 extra pounds and (having) to create stop-gap hybrids JUST to ameliorate all the power tampax pullers that Honda has added. Thus producing cars that are less efficient than a twenty year old car.

This is NOT progress.

I spent a decade as a mechanical engineer in the aircraft industry...
If BOEING was building aircraft in the same bloated mode....they'd be SHIPS.

Sorry Honda..I used to be a customer (had 3)...LIGHTEN UP!

They should compare it with the initial coupe 1993 model too though.

PS Our family's old 1986 Civic has long since died also.

Highway fuel consumption is only 1mpg off of the old car.

So it gets better gas mileage than a Diesel????

The Si models never got great gas mileage. My '90 Civic Si struggled to get close to 30 mpg on the highway, and that was in the days of the 55 mph speed limit.

To fully appreciate an '86 Civic, you need to compare it with an '86 Crapalier or Escrotch or Omnirizon. Those cars were steaming piles of poo by comparison. There was a good reason people were paying over MSRP for Civics in those days.

I didn't get to log more than a few hours worth of time on the older car, so I'm relying on my research for figures. Basically reviews of the '86 Si as no one really has the published specs on those cars anymore. During my research I found it reported as low 30s for the '86 Si hatchback as reported in a road test at the time. Your results in your VX may be different.

My new 06 Civic gets, on average, 5-7mpg more (thats about 15-20%) in mixed driving than my old 95 Civic did.

My 1992 Si gets ~38 avg MPG since I've owned it. I've had 40+ on a tank and I'm chasing 40 for the average.

Modified by redshift at 10:46 AM 9-20-2007

What are you on about?

The new Civic is lighter than most of its competition and is very fuel efficient. It's not as nimble as the 1990's models, but what car is? I'm actually amazed that Honda was able to keep the weight down and handling good while making a much more substantial car that meets today's safety standards. I had a 1995 Civic, and the difference in highway driving is night and day.

Also, the weight gain isn't anywhere close to 1500 lbs. This 50 mpg VX you speak of made 92 hp and had extremely long gearing. With hybrid technology, Honda can make a car that's actually pleasant to drive while still providing great fuel economy.

Aspies for Ron Paul

The VX wasn't all about gearing and lightness; the stripper CX with the same gearing and same curb weight, and less power than the VX, returned fuel economy numbers about 15-20% lower. The VTEC-E engine was a marvel.

Modified by AKADriver at 2:07 PM 9-20-2007

For those mentioning fuel economy, I don't even try to get good mileage on a normal basis - the hot cams are too much fun. I drive through the mountains everyday on my commute, and I stay right at 28-29mpg. I got 33mpg once - but if I was concerned about economy I would have bought the EX, not Si.

"Some men are Baptists, others Catholics; my father was an Oldsmobile man."
~ Ralphie, A Christmas Story

To Dan - I reminisce about my 88 LS, too. I loved the old IPs.

Passatworld Mrs 1.8T
CarDomain Blog
Bolt. Recaro recovery, bow headliners, Cabriolet fixin's and other misc hard and soft goods for VWs

As someone that has a deep-seeded hatred with those three letters... what exactly does that mean in your statement?

My dad had a '91 integra (200K+)

Girlfriend had a '91 CRX (190K)

Those cars ran forever with no maintenance. Most fun handling cars too