Better Tires
The “HPT” in Honda Civic Si HPT stands for “high-performance tires,” and the rubber in question is a set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 summers. Those tires used to come standard on performance vehicles like the Ferrari California and Porsche Boxster, but now they're available on a sub-$30,000 sports sedan. And we really like the Civic's new wheels.
The standard Civic Si’s Goodyear all-seasons don’t have enough grip to keep up with the otherwise sporty underpinnings, but the additional stickiness in the HPT model seems to alleviate some of those issues. There’s noticeably more traction in the corners, which makes the punchy turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder shine even brighter. But as with any summer tire, you will have to swap them out when winter rolls around.
Fast And Fuel Efficient
The Civic Si’s turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder produces 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, which is plenty of pep for the compact sedan. That’s less than the Volkswagen GLI (228 horsepower) and Subaru WRX (268 horsepower) comparatively, but the lightweight Civic Si feels just as punchy in a straight line, and that slick six-speed manual is an absolute joy to use.
But in true Honda fashion, the company doesn’t sacrifice much fuel efficiency for performance; the Civic Si still gets a good 26 miles per gallon city, 36 highway, and 30 combined.
Performance Bargain
The Honda Civic Si Sedan with the HPT option costs just $25,400 to start. That's very affordable for a car that has 205 horsepower and a standard limited-slip differential.
By comparison, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI starts at $26,245 and the all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX costs $27,495. Only the Kia Forte GT ($22,490) and outgoing Hyundai Elantra Sport ($24,150) are cheaper. Our tester costs a total of $26,130 with $930 worth of destination and handling fees.
Losing Its Charm
Maybe it was Florida's boring roads or the recent influx of very good alternatives, but the Honda Civic Si just doesn't feel as dynamic to drive anymore (though other Motor1 editors might disagree).
As we mentioned, the 205-horsepower sedan is still a good performance car for the money and one of the few options in the class that comes standard with a limited-slip differential – but the 268-hp Subaru WRX has much more power for not much more money, and the Volkswagen Jetta GLI feels more modern. The Civic Si falls a bit flat by comparison.
Loud On The Highway
We put nearly 300 highway miles on the Honda Civic Si HPT, and it was a good companion for the most part. But like a lot of cars in this class, the Civic is loud. The wind and tire noise that penetrates the cabin is irritating, and when it rains, you can barely hear your passenger over the combination of droplets hitting the windshield and the inexplicably loud puddles that splash onto the car’s underpinnings.
The Civic could use some better sound deadening.
Outdated Infotainment
This is a problem that plagues nearly all Honda products, but the Civic Si’s infotainment system is severely outdated. The graphics look like they were ripped from the early 2000s, and the 7.0-inch screen’s touch responsiveness isn’t great. At least it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, and there’s a volume knob again. But if you want to scroll through radio channels, there’s no tuning knob.
