2006 Honda Civic Si First Drive

Sometimes, even the great ones lose their way. Ernest Hemmingway, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain – all talented, tormented pop culture figures who met untimely ends. Neither fame, nor fortune, nor fan adoration could save them from themselves. The same could be said of the Honda Civic Si, which has “died” on three separate occasions in its short 20-year lifespan, despite being among the most loved, cherished and revered nameplates in the history of Japanese automobiles. Honda, known more for technological innovation, environmental responsibility, and relentlessly reliable cars and – more recently – trucks, falters infrequently. But after the sweet Civic Si Coupe, the pinnacle of the Si dynasty, was cancelled after the 2000 model year, Honda followed up with a funky looking, English-built hatchback that had its shifter jutting out of the dashboard, rally-style. No, this stumble wasn’t a hip crusher like the Civic CRX/del Sol debacle of the early 1990s, but the shine came off the Si badge just the same. Now, for 2006, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Civic Si, Honda unleashes a completely redesigned version of its performance icon, based on a two-door coupe body style and sporting enough fun-to-drive hardware that it instantly becomes the new standard by which sport compact cars must be measured.

Price and Features

Price and Features With the 2006 Honda Civic Si, it’s possible to get thrilling performance and a full load of equipment for less than $20,000. Incredibly, Honda expects the starting price of the 2006 Civic Si to be less than $20,000 when the car goes on sale December 1, 2005. That represents terrific value. From the Alliston, Ontario factory, the 2006 Honda Civic Si includes a list of goodies that separate it from the Civic EX coupe on which it is based. Performance features like a 197-hp engine with rev-limit warning light, six-speed manual transmission, helical limited slip differential, 17-inch wheels and tires, stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, snugger seats, rear wing spoiler, and throaty sport-tuned exhaust are included in the base price. The Civic Si also gets creature comforts like power windows with driver’s one-touch up and down, a one-touch open and close power sunroof, a 350-watt audio system with six speakers and an eight-inch subwoofer, an auxiliary input jack for an iPod or other portable music equipment, and red ambient lighting for the center console – just like in a BMW. Extra-cost items include the navigation system with XM satellite radio, the Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 performance tires, and any other dealer-installed items like 18-inch wheels and tires. Plus, as the featured car at the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) convention this November, you can bet on a wide variety of aftermarket parts to pimp this ride.

Nuts and Bolts

Nuts and Bolts The 2006 Honda Civic Si makes 197 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,200 rpm. Power flows to the front wheels through a six-speed manual and a helical limited-slip differential. Add 17-inch wheels and tires, specific suspension tuning, and upgraded brakes, and you’ve got a road rocket good for 31 mpg. Powered by Honda’s so-called K-Series engine, the 2006 Honda Civic Si has a 2.0-liter, DOHC, i-VTEC motor under the hood that makes 197 horsepower at 7,800 rpm and 139 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,200 rpm. Redline is 8,000 rpm, and a warning light flashes in the gauge cluster when that limit is approaching. Meeting LEV2-LEV emissions in the U.S., this engine is estimated to deliver 22 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. Premium fuel is required. For the first time in North America, Honda installs a six-speed manual transmission in the 2006 Civic Si. Power flows to the front wheels, where, in tight turns, a helical limited-slip differential transmits torque to the outside wheel to decrease the tendency for the inside wheel to spin and break traction. An automatic transmission is not available on the 2006 Honda Civic Si. An electric drive-by-wire steering system, with improved response and more natural feel, guides the 2006 Honda Civic Si’s front wheels. Standard tires are P215/45R17 Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 all-season treads, with same-sized Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 performance tires available as an option. With this optional tire, Honda says the Civic Si’s traction in the wet is equivalent to the standard rubber’s grip in the dry. Your Honda dealer can bolt on a set of six-spoke 18-inch rims and tires at extra cost. Keeping the 2006 Honda Civic Si glued to the ground is a MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension, fortified by a 28mm front and 17mm rear stabilizer bar, boosted spring rates, and less compliant dampers for a roll stiffness improvement of 30 percent. A capable four-wheel, vented-front, solid-rear, antilock disc braking system brings the Civic Si to a stop – thanks in part to front discs that are more than an inch larger than last year.

Design

Design You can tell this is a 2006 Honda Civic Si by its special wheels, rear wing, and subtle trim differences. To distinguish the 2006 Honda Civic Si from other Civic coupes, it gets a functional rear wing spoiler that cuts drag and reduces lift, a chrome-dipped oval exhaust tip, a red-lettered “Si” badge on the decklid, and a decal just forward of the rear wheel wells that reads “i-VTEC DOHC.” Up front, the 2006 Honda Civic Si receives subtle changes to announce its performance-tuned intent. The headlights get amber-colored trim, the lower air dam is reshaped to direct cool air to the brakes, and the wheels are an appealing twin-spoke design. Color choices include white, black, silver, and gray, plus two exclusive colors: Habanero Red Pearl and Fiji Blue Pearl. The only interior color is black.

Interior

Interior The Honda Civic Si’s interior includes sport seats with stiffer bolsters, a 350-watt audio system with iPod input jack, and an optional navigation system. It might look radical, but the 2006 Honda Civic Si’s interior layout is extremely functional. Gauges are split between a digital display located at the base of the windshield and a traditional cluster viewed through the steering wheel. In the digital display, which acts much like a heads-up system, vehicle speed, remaining fuel, and engine temperature are shown. A rev-limit indicator located here will flash when revs pass 7,400 rpm on the way to the engine’s 8,000 rpm redline. Located front and center is a huge tachometer that blinks when the 2006 Honda Civic Si’s engine revs beyond 7,400 rpm and then goes solid red when the driver exceeds the 8,000 rpm redline. Warning lights for various vehicle functions are hidden in the darkened fields on either side of this single gauge – we wish Honda supplied a conventional analog speedometer, too. Shown in this photo is the optional navigation system with voice control, which works easily enough but groups the stereo and navigation functions together. Plus, it has small buttons and sun glare from the standard power moonroof washes the screen out completely. We prefer the standard knobs and buttons for the stereo, which work as simply as those for the heating and air conditioning. However, with 350 watts of premium sound flowing from six speakers and an eight-inch subwoofer, combined with handy controls on the steering wheel spokes, an ability to play music straight from a flash card, available XM satellite radio, and an auxiliary input jack for an iPod, nobody can claim that the Civic Si is lacking for audio entertainment. New seats with stiff bolsters, special suede-like trim, sporty red stitching, and an “Si” logo embroidered onto the backrest do a terrific job of holding the driver in place during hard cornering. The driver’s seat features a manual height adjuster, and with the standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel, it’s easy to find a perfect driving position. Getting into the back seat from the passenger’s side is relatively easy, thanks to a tilt and slide front chair and a large door opening. But for larger adults, the Civic Si’s rear quarters should be used only for short distances.

Safety

Safety With standard dual front, seat-mounted side, and side curtain airbags, the 2006 Honda Civic Si should prove its crashworthiness when the NHTSA and IIHS conduct testing later this year. The 2006 Honda Civic Si focuses as much on safety as it does performance. Standard equipment includes dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags; seat-mounted front side airbags; front and rear side curtain airbags; antilock brakes with independent electronic rear brake distribution; and active head restraints. Plus, the new Civic Si was engineered using Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Body Structure (ACE) principles, which dictate better crash energy absorption through multiple load paths that limit structural penetration. What does this mean to you? Honda expects the 2006 Civic Si to receive five-star frontal crash-test ratings from NHTSA and a “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the 40-mph offset crash test. Furthermore, Honda predicts that the Civic Si will get a ‘Good” rating from the IIHS for side-impact protection, with NHTSA assigning a four-star front occupant side-impact score and a five-star rear occupant side-impact score.

Driving on Road

Driving on Road What a blast it is to drive the 2006 Honda Civic Si. Acceleration is thrilling, handling is impressive, the brakes work perfectly, and the transmission is a joy to row. Wow, the 2006 Honda Civic Si is really nailed down. Honda sent us out on the closest thing resembling a twisty road that northeastern Illinois contains, and while the loop pales in comparison to our usual testing grounds in the Southern California mountains, there were enough whoop-de-doos and hairpin turns to comfortably make that assessment. During acceleration, the 2006 Honda Civic Si’s power band feels flatter than the Acura RSX Type S, with more torque coming on earlier in the game, and the blinking rev-limiter light is a nice touch. The helical limited-slip differential effectively scrubs understeer in tight corners, and the summer performance tires stick to the road like Rove on Bush. The six-speed gearbox is tighter and more pleasurable to use than the EX Coupe’s five-speed unit, and the pedals are set up for easy heel-and-toe action. Steering feels better too, quicker and with added heft off-center, though the electric drive-by-wire nature of the system produces little actual road feel. In terms of braking, the Civic Si feels like it can stop on a dime, and the suspension provides a taut ride, producing excellent communication with the road. Finally, the exhaust tuning produces a terrific sound, inside and outside of the car. This new 2006 Honda Civic Si is a slick piece of work for less than $20,000.

Driving on Track

Driving on Track Though not quite track ready – the suspension isn’t stiff enough for racing out of the box – the 2006 Honda Civic Si withstood 15 minutes of high-speed abuse without complaint. Give Honda props for turning journalists loose on a 1.5-mile road course in the new 2006 Honda Civic Si for 15-minute lapping sessions. We never quite got to 100 mph on the 1,045-foot front straight, but the Si’s digital speedo did flash a high of 98 mph on one pass before gearing down for turn one. On the twists and turns at the Autobahn Country Club near Joliet, Ill., the stock Civic Si’s body dove, squatted, and leaned more than a track-ready set of wheels, taxing the Michelin summer tires to some degree, but these character traits detracted not at all from the fun and aren’t discernable on real roads in the real world. And to the car’s credit, we drove it as hard as we could and experienced only a hint of brake fade on the final two laps – and then only when braking hard from near triple-digit speeds. We even checked the Michelins’ front sidewalls after the flogging, and the shoulders of the tread still looked great. Heel-and-toe shifting is easy, the shift lever falls readily to hand, and there aren’t any uncomfortable spots on the center console or the door panels where the driver’s legs brace for turns. The Civic Si’s thickly bolstered seats hold you still at the limit of adhesion, and sightlines are good even if the A-pillars are a tad thick for track work. And, the car will even rotate a bit if you trail brake into a tight corner. Overall, the Civic Si isn’t quite as tossable as a rear-drive sport coupe, but you’d never guess it’s a front-driver if you didn’t know any better. It sounds terrific, and only lacks the pushed-back-in-the-seat feeling of a turbocharged engine for maximum grins.

Si History

Si History In its 20-year history, the Honda Civic Si has cultivated a reputation for performance and reliability. With the introduction of the 2006 Civic Si, Honda celebrates the performance model’s 20th anniversary. The Civic Si first debuted as a 91-horsepower hatchback in 1986, riding on 13-inch, 70-series rubber. That first model was also distinguished by a rear stabilizer bar, and rode on exclusive 175/70R13 Michelin tires. A 1989 redesign brought a 108-horsepower engine and 14-inch wheels running P185/60 tires. Next up was the 1992 model, which rode on those same size tires, stopped now with four-wheel-disc brakes and powered by a 125-horsepower motor equipped with VTEC technology. The 1999 Honda Civic Si Coupe – the best of the breed until this year – whipped up 160 ponies and included a sport suspension riding on P195/55R15 treads. A larger exhaust system was also part of the package. The 2002 model returned the Si to its hatchback origins, adding ABS and 16-inch wheels to the mix. The motor didn’t make more horsepower, but torque was greater and peaked at lower rpm. The 2002 Civic Si also had a funky console-mounted shifter, like a rally car. Now, for 2006, the Honda Civic Si has 197 horsepower flowing through a six-speed manual gearbox to a helical limited-slip differential and 17-inch Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 summer tires, making it the best Si model ever produced.

Specifications

Specifications The 2006 Honda Civic Si’s primary competitors are the Acura RSX, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford Mustang V6, MINI Cooper S, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Saturn Ion Red Line, Scion tC, and Volkswagen GTI. Test Vehicle: 2006 Honda Civic Si with summer performance tires Estimated Base Price: $19,995 Engine Size and Type: 2.0-liter inline four with variable valve timing Engine Horsepower: 197 at 7,800 rpm Engine Torque: 139 lb.-ft. at 6,200 rpm Transmission: Six-speed manual Curb weight, lbs.: 2,877 Estimated EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 22/31 mpg Length: 174.8 inches Width: 68.9 inches Wheelbase: 104.3 inches Height: 53.5 inches Leg room (front/rear): 42.6/30.3 inches Head room (front/rear): 37.8/34.7 inches Max. Seating Capacity: Five Max. Cargo Volume: 11.5 cubic feet Competitors: Acura RSX, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford Mustang V6, MINI Cooper S, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Saturn Ion Red Line, Scion tC, Volkswagen GTI

Photos courtesy of Honda America