We got excited when Honda unveiled its new 11th generation Honda Civic a few months back, and we were drooling like lunatics when Honda presented its Civic Hatchback, complete with its bespoke performance-oriented underpinnings. Imagine our anxiety (in a good way) when they lifted the curtains on the 2022 Honda Civic Si, the sportiest and most performance-oriented Civic to date, barring the imminent arrival of the all-new Civic Type R, of course.
Suddenly, all those generic-looking “sporty” crossovers became passé, at least in our eyes. “Civic Si is a performance icon that has offered affordable high-performance for four decades, and the new Honda Civic Si continues that legacy,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations, American Honda Motor Co.
2022 Honda Civic Si Powertrain: Less Is More
We’re sorry to burst your bubble if you expected tremendous amounts of power from the 2022 Honda Civic Si. It actually has less horsepower from its updated 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder than the outgoing Civic Si – five fewer horses, to be exact.
However, Honda promises a more responsive engine and heapings of low-end twists. Pumping out 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft. of torque, the latter arrives from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm, 300 rpm sooner than before. Meanwhile, peak horsepower comes between 6,000 to 6,500 rpm, ensuring you get the high-revving histrionics of Honda’s iconic early model VTEC engines. “It isn’t just a blast to drive; it’s hands down the best Civic Si we’ve ever offered to our customers,” Gardner added.
The engine also has a new single-mass flywheel that is 26 percent lighter than before, helping to reduce inertia by up to 30 percent to improve the engine’s throttle response. As usual, power goes to the front wheels courtesy of standard helical limited-slip front differential and an updated six-speed manual transmission with 10 percent shorter throws and a crispier shift feel.
Type R Components
Honda rummaged through the Civic Type R parts bin when building the Civic Si. It now has a rev-matching feature from the Type R with the same 430 m/s response time as the former in Sport mode, allowing even novice drivers to blip the throttle automatically when the system detects a downshift is in order. In addition, Civic Si inherited the Type R’s front compliance bushings (79 percent stiffer versus the Civic sedan), rear compliance bushings, upper arms, and lower B arms.
The Civic Si also has a 60 percent stiffer torsion bar, new springs (eight percent and 54 percent more rigid in the front and back, respectively), thicker front and rear stabilizer bars, and reinforced upper mounts for the McPherson front suspension units. It even gets larger brakes with 12.3-inch front and 11.1-inch rotors in the back. Standard equipment includes a new Individual drive mode, 18-inch wheels, and all-season performance tires.
Looking The Part
The 2022 Honda Civic Si has sportier front and rear bumpers, a subtle front spoiler, and a new rear spoiler to improve aerodynamics. It also has two large oval exhaust tips, black mirror caps and window surrounds, LED headlights, and LED taillights. The Blazing Orange Pearl paint finish you see on this page is exclusive to the Civic Si.
Sporty Yet Refined Cabin
Standard in the 2022 Honda Civic Si are body-stabilizing sport seats with built-in head restraints and thicker paddings for the shoulder and lower thigh side supports. Additionally, Honda raised the front lower seat cushions by half an inch to reduce fatigue while offering better thigh support. The sportiest Civic Si gets red contrast stitching on the tiller, doors, center armrest, shift boot, and the shift knob. It also has red trim on the metal honeycomb dash panel.
As expected, the new Civic Si has a nine-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.
2022 Honda Civic Si Safety Fetures
Safety-wise, Civic Si receives a standard Honda Sensing suite with a new single-camera and a more powerful processor like the sedan. Honda Sensing includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot warnings, and traffic jam assist, to name a few. And expect to see more advanced versions of Honda Sensing in the near future.
Warranty Coverage
All Honda vehicles have a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. And even though Hondas are among the most reliable cars on the market, it might be worth considering an extended warranty if you drive a lot of miles. Our comprehensive guide will show you the ropes.
2022 Honda Civic Si: Pricing & Availability
Pricing remains forthcoming, but you can expect the 2022 Honda Civic Si to start at a slightly higher base price than the old model’s sub-$26k MSRP. The first deliveries will arrive at U.S. Honda dealerships this fall.
You can find the best deals with our free and easy search tools* on a 2022 Honda Civic Si. It will help you compare prices so you can see which Honda dealers offer the most competitive discounts. When shopping for a new car, you should always try and obtain the invoice price, which that vehicle search tool will help you do.
Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
Photos & Source: Honda North America.
*Although always free for you, Automoblog and its partners may receive a commission when you use the services provided through that link. MSRP figures are subject to change.
