On the market in various iterations for more than 26 years, the Honda Civic Si is still perched at the zenith of the ubiquitous automaker’s lineup of ubiquitous cars. Refreshed in 2009, the Si is the enthusiast’s Civic. Can it be yours?

Offered as a sedan and in the case of our tester, a coupe, it follows the old tried and true method of putting an engine with some power in a small car and making magic. Is the 2010 Si the real deal or is it the automotive equivalent of a candy bar with empty calories?

What is it?
A four-place coupe, with actually usable rear seats, the Civic Si coupe is a starting point for tuners or an end point for those seeking reliable, fun to drive transportation.

With its exclusive 197-horsepower transverse mounted four-cylinder engine, and a stellar six-speed manual gearbox, it fills the bill for both kinds of users.

The current Civic is most of the way through its life cycle, but it’s still a hot seller for Honda – and a perennial favorite among America’s diverse drivers.

What’s it up against?
The Civic Si’s coupe configuration is somewhat unique nowadays; put it up against the Scion tC and Volkswagen GTI if you’re looking for rivals.

Expand your list to four door models and you’ll want to cross shop the Mazaspeed3, Subaru WRX and Volkswagen Jetta GLI.

Any breakthroughs?
With this generation Civic Si (FG2 as it is known internally and by enthusiasts) continuing the tradition of performance and value, not much has changed since the first appearance of this eighth generation back in 2006.

Minor nips and tucks here and there have managed to keep it progressing in a forward motion. Oh, wait. One thing that we found innovative back in ’06 that we still kinda like: The terraced instrument pod which features the digital read out speedometer on the upper level, atop the analog tachometer, located just below. It’s a love-it-or-hate-it affair, but at least it’s different and seems to fit the car’s character.

How does it look?
Since 1986, there have been eight different versions of “The Civic Look.” Seen everywhere in the movies (TheF&TheF, 2F2F, TF&TF: Tokyo Drift, F&F, and the upcoming FastFive – we’re out of breath now), the current car probably the best and most cohesive looking of the Si models since their initial introduction.

Along the way, through conventional three box and two box/hatch versions, there have been some certain hits – and misses.

Our test car is a futuristic take on a coupe. Also offered as the mondo-slick four door sedan, this coupe features a laid back grille area leading over the hood to an impossibly laid back windshield, continuing over the top to the short overhang trunklid with deck-mounted spoiler. The wheels have been pushed out, both front and rear, in an effort to extend the visual length of the car.

For 2009, a slightly revised grille and front fascia appeared. They have been carried over in the 2010 model year.

And on the inside?
A utilitarian fabric interior with suede (or is it Alcantara?) accents the driver and passengers seats, along with door panels. The bolsters do a great job of firmly keeping you in place when hanging the tail out around a quick right-hander. There’s not a hint of power anything in this cabin, save for power windows and mirrors. But that’s okay. The split-level gauges at first took us a while to get used to. Now it’s second nature.

A word on the long reach over the dashboard to the base of the windshield. Carry a stick with a wad of chewing gum on it. Chances are that when your eyeglasses or a pen rolls forward, you’ll need such a tool to pull it out.

Tons of cubbyholes are around the cabin to hold water bottles, maps, ipods, key cards and other items that would otherwise find themselves lost under seats forever. A 6.5-inch video monitor displays the navigation system and audio listings. Push a button and the screen rises to show off the single CD player located behind it. Below the screen are the simple manual climate controls. Finally at the bottom of the center stack is the unusual placement for the emergency brake and one of the best short throw shifters in the business.

In typical Honda fashion, everything is screwed together using solid but not luxurious materials. Honda isn’t a big “soft touch” fan, but the company certainly knows how to line up panels with precision. We’ll forgo the fancy urethanes for quality construction.

But does it go?
With a 16-valve, 2.0-liter inline four cylinder engine under the hood, that produces 197-horsepower, and 139 lb-ft of torque, this aluminum alloy four-banger offers much in the in the way of oomph for a car this size. Mated to one of the best short throw six-speed manual transmissions we have driven, it provides secure and precision-like shifts to get through the gears quickly.

But a slick-shifting gearbox does not a hot rod make.

As with most Hondas, the high-performance 2.0-liter iVTEC engine features variable valve timing electric lift control through movable lobes on the camshaft. These engage at higher RPMs, which yields better around town mileage because it doesn’t engage the higher fuel-suck mode until the engine is in the buzzier section of the power band. At that point, a helical-type limited slip differential enhances traction and performance.

The Si’s suspension kit with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link set up in the back, has undergone various tweaks, including firmer springs and dampers, as well as a larger (28mm front/17mm rear) set of stabilizer bars. The result of the upgrades, over the standard Civic, is substantial and make for a fun time behind the wheel. Speaking of wheel, the electric assisted rack and pinion setup transmits very good feedback and road feel through the Alcantara covered steering wheel. The 2,895-lbs. coupe is a very tossable kit, and the EPA tags it with mileage ratings of 21 city/29 highway. We saw similar numbers, although it’s worth noting that the Civic Si requires premium fuel.

During our drive along our super secret test loop, we found the Civic Si to be very entertaining especially when we stood on the gas. Road noise was actually well controlled and we could hear a nice, if high pitched, grumble coming from the factory mufflers.

We often found ourselves trying to cause the rear to break away but that didn’t always happen. At the end of the day, though, the Si did make us want to push it through the turns with a big boot on the go pedal.

The end result was as smile inducing as any ride we have ever been on. The Civic Si is a high rpm screamer, but at least it knows its place.

Why you would buy it:
Because, given the chance, you’d like to show Vin Diesel a thing or two about being so fast and furious.

Why you wouldn’t:
Despite the refinement, it’s still a boy-racer and that image turns you off.

Leftlane’s bottom line:
We like our power to appear instantly rather than waiting for the gerbils under the hood to spin up the wheel (no Kia Soul jokes intended), but for fun handling and great fit and finish, the Honda Civic Si is a tough act to beat.

2010 Honda Civic Si Coupe Navigation base price, $24,255. As tested, $25,005.
Destination, $750.

source