Honda Civic Coupe / Civic Si 2006+

carfanatic007

I currently own a 2007 Honda Fit which is a great car for gas mileage, but not much fun to drive! I ordered a 2006 SI today, a black one with no options. It is supposed to arrive in Mid August. The Fit will be primarily my wifes car and the SI will be mine! Just curious, how do you poeple who actually own one of these hard to acquire cars actually like it?

rascale

carfanatic, I am 43 years old and I love my SI. I traded down from a BMW 3-series(2001) and I am very satisfied, so that should tell you something. I wanted a small, sporty, fuel efficent, comfortable, good looking (IMO), and reliable car. I enjoyed the "Jekle and Hyde" personality about the BMW and this car has the same characteristic. That is it is fairly comfortable and easy driving around town; but, when you want to let it rip it turns into an animal. Handling is not nearly as neutral and stable as the RWD bimmer but will satisfy most everyone. The gear box and clutch setup is the best - the BEST. Much easier to shift then the temperamental bimmer, and is a joy to snick through the gears in city traffic. On a more somber note the drive-by-wire is a bit weird and well documented on web sites. It is a bit annoying when driven slow. The DBW abrubtly cuts off fuel when you release the throttle, providing for a "jerkiness". A fix for this may be in a software upgrade soon from what I have read. Hope this help. Enjoy the car!

ohiocarguy

I had been looking at new cars for a few months. I can't say for sure, but I suspect my wife was considering strangling me. I like to talk about the cars I am considering. And about options. And colors. And advantages, and disadvantages, of each. You get the picture.

I wanted something fun to drive. I'm a Honda guy from way back, but I have to admit I took a hard look at a new Mustang GT. I think it's a great looking car, and it has that wonderful V8 rumble. But after driving one, I couldn't pull the trigger. It would be a great weekend car, but I wasn't sure I would be happy with it day in and day out.

Once I gave up on the Mustang GT and its 300 hp, I began to focus on the Civic Si. My dealer, like most, didn't have one to drive. I had driven an '06 EX coupe, though, so I thought I had an idea what an Si would be like. I wanted a relatively tame color, and decided on silver. I talked to the powers that be at my dealer, and asked how long it would take to get a silver Si with nav. The answer: nearly three months. What??? Does the phrase "instant gratification" mean anything to anyone other than me? Sure I talk about cars for months, but when I decide on something I want it NOW.

They made some calls, and allegedly pulled in some favors. Did I want a silver Si without nav (rats), and with high performance tires that I could have in a week or two? Well SURE I do! I figured I'd add a compass mirror to make myself feel better about the lack of nav and see what the tires were all about when I got the car.

I got the call just five days later: my car was in. Picked it up late in the afternoon. Wow. Very nice fit and finish, sleek look. Hit the road. It corners wonderfully. The 6-speeds is slick as all get-out, though 5th and 6th are farther to the right than you'd expect. And the exhaust note....what a sweet siren song! I stayed below 6k rpm for the first 600 miles, but it still sounded terrific. Not like a ricer with a coffee can exhaust, more of a Formula One inspired sound. And now that I wind it out, I can enjoy the multi-valve dohc harmony right up to the redline.

The two-tiered dash? I got used to it in a heartbeat. To me, it seems natural and logical to not have to take my eyes far from the road to determine my speed. And the dbw (drive by wire) throttle hang I've read about? I forgot all about it until late the first night, made a mental note to look for it the next morning. It's there, but it's not disruptive. The rpm's float downward when you lift off the accelerator, instead of dropping rapidly like you are used to. Not an issue, just different.

A 2006 Si with high performance tires retails for $21,040. I've owned and driven a lot of different cars in a lot of different price ranges. This does not feel like a $21k car by any stretch of the imagination. It's too well-finished. The steering and handling are too precise. The engine is too dynamic, and the transmission sublime. This is the real world, of course, so there are no heated leather seats or six-disc cd changer, etc. But it is a terrific car, and if it performs as my other Hondas have I will continue to be a happy driver.

cybergypsy

Should have waited for the Navi. Have a EX and the Navi and Xm and card slot are awesome.....enjoy your ride!

keithl

OK been driving V6's for 14 years and have moved myself slightly upscale into I30,I35 then 04 TL and then an 06 TL, but with Gas climbing all the time and $46 fill ups becoming the norm with $50 forseen by labor day I am thinking I have had it. Time to downgrade and get somehting with better MPG. The Civic Coupe with Navi seems to offer me many of the perks I have become used to, Navi, XM, 350 Watt sound the only thing missing is leather and power seats which I can live without. I drove the COupe and Sedan, personally I prefer the sedan ride, but Hona short changes the higher end sound and stuff in the Sedan. So I can live with the Coupe. I figure between car payment ($150-$160) and Gas ($60-$70) I will save $210 - $225 minimum a month. Anyone else been in similar situation? Any regrets?

cybergypsy

I have th Ex coupe, passed on a Si, because wanted better MPG, the navi is even better then on my TSX, and love the card slot, I have a 2 g and it works fine...going for microdrive, my friend has a 6 gi in the slot now...who needs a ipod? Congrats

cybergypsy

No Regrets , Have a EX coupe with navi, Had a TSX and it was not great on gas at allI average 35 MPG and Love the car and the MPG.
Go for it ! Had no problems with my coupe and am close to 5K in mileage, mt first oil change is still a bit away(shows 40% left) and I am a Happy Camper!

pat

Cybergypsy, please email me ASAP - pat AT edmunds.com.

pat

Honda Civic 2007 - What's coming? What changes do you want to see?

Come join in!

natenj1971

Has anyone installed leather interior? through their dealer or elsewear? I sat in an EX coupe with leather at a dealer in NJ, was grey and not so bad. Just wondering if others have gone for leather, how must it cost, and do you think it will still work with the side air bag set up?

Thanks

travis07

I ordered my galaxy gray 2006 civic ex AT back in june. should be taking delivery first week of August. Was getting worried by comments on the forum but will keep a close eye on these issues and get it back to the dealer if any signs.

riposte

Katzkin is a well-known manufacturer of auto leather:

Katzkin Leather

travis07

how are the headlights? are they very bright? how far would you say you could see on high-beams? i have a 00 civic now and the lights are pretty good but my friend has a jeep and the lights on that are horrible.

jce32

I am considering an 06 coupe and was looking at NHTSA crash test ratings. Both 06 and 07 coupes received three-star ratings for front seat side-impact collisions. Side-impact rear seat ratings received five stars. Looking at the data, it appears that a high score for a likely pelvic injury accounted for the three-star rating.

The sedans receive a four-star rating for side impacts in the front and five stars for side impacts in the rear.

I know that crash test ratings are only one element of the overall dynamics of accident avoidance and occupant safety, but it still concerns me that the front side-impact rating was only three stars. Anyone have any thoughts about how meaningful this rating is and whether Honda might attempt to address it.

jeffw330

I own a Civic with a black interior and it is somewhat more warm than lighter colors, however, it depends on whether the interior is in the sun or not. I put heat reflecting shields on the front and back windshields and it doesn't seem all that bad to me. Black would not have been my first choice for an interior color, but it is all that was offered in the Si model.

jeffw330

I really like my Si a lot. It is fun to drive, corners amazingly well for FWD - guess the limited slip differential and rigid body help. Great gear box and clutch, loves to rev, fair mileage (would be better if I drove like a granny), seats are excellent, 350 watt stereo with subwoofer, etc. Bottom line for me is that it is a whole lot of car for the money.

carfanatic007

Mid August was the last word. Getting inpatient!

carfanatic007

NOW the ETA Dealer Delivery date is around 9/1/06! I love the SI but Honda is P=====me off!

midnightcowboy

I had one ordered and they had screwed up my special order so I bought an S2000 at another dealer.

plekto

Gotta love the S2000. Sweet little car.

arkitect

I saw it last night at the dealer but it was closed so today I went to try it out and now I own it.

ohiocarguy

For those considering a new Si coupe:

I've had my silver 2006 Si for nearly three months, and have put 3,600 miles on it. Mileage for eleven fill-ups has ranged from a low of 26.9 to a high of 32.3 in mixed driving. I really enjoy the Jeckyl-and-Hyde nature of this car. I can drive around casually, accelerate gently, short-shift at about 2500 rpm, and get good mileage. If I want to run it to redline and go like stink, it's always ready. And no matter how you drive, it corners superbly. A whole lot of car for the money.

carfanatic007

Dealer called me yesterday! I will pick it up tomorrow at 2:30 PM. Will write a first impression after I take delivery.

ohiocarguy

Congratulations, carfanatic! I'll be interested to hear your thoughts upon picking up - and driving - your new car.

OhioCarGuy

blueguydotcom

I just drove a co-worker's 2006 Civic Si.

Highs:
Snappy short-throw 6 speed
Eager little engine
Light car

Lows:
Awkward design makes dash seem long and hard to see out of car (gen 2 and gen 3 integra designs were far better)
Rough ride on all but smoothest pavement
Lots of chassis flex and shake over uneven pavement
Buzzy exhaust
Cloth interior
Lack of xenon
High rpm at mild speeds (80 mph)

Seems like a decent value at 20k. Found nothing special about the handling: FWD - LSD be damned - robs the car of fun. Not sure why it gets so much praise. I'm a RWD person though, so maybe i just felt the understeer in the car was a tad much for me to be comfortable with. This could have been related to the seating and my inability to find a comfortable position for heel-toeing. The car never felt like it was a part of me. I felt more like I was riding on a skateboard. BMW's Mini feels the same way to me - dettached.

carfanatic007

I have read some of your previous reviews. I am interested in how you compare the SI to the new VW GTI. Comments?

carfanatic007

I notice that most of your lows are about cosmetic things such as "cloth interior", "Lack of xenon". As far as rough ride, well it is a coupe, with sport suspension. High RPM, well, it's an IVTEC, not a turbo. New dash design, well, you either love it or hate it. I like it!

blueguydotcom

Tough call. The Si seems the more sporting of the two. It's more direct, visceral, low slung and just racer-x-ish. You know every second that you're in a more performance-leaning car with the Si.

The GTI's got the buttoned-down interior, creature comforts and docile around town feel. Plus that 2.0T pulls like a monster anywhere in the rev range while the Si's engine screams to life above 6k rpm. At high speeds the GTI's quiet and composed - plus it returns better mileage.

In the end I think the Si's more athletic but offers a bigger compromise: loudness, rougher ride, must beat on the engine. Day-to-day I think I'd rather a GTI that I can mod for better handling and have the ability to take long, leisurely drives, more comfortable interior and an engine that responds near instantly. If one is willing, the DSG tranny is insanely fun too.

Of course, the Si has amazing resale (check autotrader and some folks have Sis for above sticker used. And it will probably be very reliable.

carfanatic007

First impression: Very impressive. Interior quality seems top notch. Short throw shifter will take some time to get used to after driving my wifes Fit, but I think I'm getting the hang of it. Power seems fantastic, but I'm being conservative because of the 600 mile break in. Radio is great. Looks are a real head turner. This car looks 100 percent better than a boxy VW GTI anyday! I'll give a further review after about 1,000 miles or so!

slowness

Hello, I have read in all comparos that the 06 Civic Si is quieter than the 06 GTI on the highway from 60mph upwards by at least a couple dBa (5 dba in this review! http://myfastgti.com/vwgti/index.php/topic,607.0.html)

How come in the written story, though, there is no direct reference to the Si being quieter, though? They always say the GTI is more refined...etc, blah blah

No one ever mentions that the Si is quieter on the freeway?

Could it be because the sound meter measures the loudness of the GTI in frequencies that the human ear is insensitive to?

Has anyone driven both these cars and can say which one is quieter on the highway?

From what I have read, the Si has more road noise but the GTI more engine noise @ highway? Then if this is true, is road noise more objectionable than engine noise or whatever it is that is registering louder on the 'more refined' GTI?

Also, is the Si significantly more bumpy on the highway than the GTI on 17 or 18 wheels?

Thanks cya

carfanatic007

I just read the forum you linked. It is a VW GTI Forum so naturally all of the opinions will be biased towards the GTI. I can tell you that I have noticed no lack of power in the SI just driving around town. The six speed is awesome. The exhaust noise, well, you have to experience it. This is a great car. I am still in break in stage, but I can tell this car has alot of power.

guy1974

Would be interested to know what you think about the upcoming Mazdaspeed 3 which blows the Si away for torque (280lb/ft vs 140!). I was considering either an Si or a GTi but the MS3 sounds interesting and will be close to the Honda for reliability.

rrwitt

Has anyone installed the factory kit of Fog lights? How hard was that to do?

Bob

homerj_1

Hello I have a 06 Civic EX and I installed the factory fog light kit on my car myself. You will have to remove the front bumper, which sounds hard but it is not and it reinstalls just as easy, there are 4 screws in the grill and the rest are the push pin type, seeing yours is the SI it will already have the wiring connectors, once you remove the front bumper you will have to trim the light inserts out and screw the lights to the inside of the bumper, connect the wiring harness to the lights and then to the harness next to the windsheild washer reservior, and then reinstall the front bumper then you will go inside underneath the dash and install the light switch it will plug into the connectors as well, if you are buying factor lights it will have a step by step instructions with pictures to show you exactly what needs to be done, it took a total of about 2 hours to install them I hope this helps,

blueit

Any idea when the 2007 SI coupe will be available??
Thanks!

cybergypsy

In 60 days the 07's Release.......

carfanatic007

I like Honda better than Mazda. I believe that the SI handles better. For brute strength, of course the Mazda with 250 HP and 280 lb torque will be a brute, but the SI has all the power I require. If I just wanted brute power, I would have bought a GTO with 400 HP!

guy1974

I agree it isn`t just about brute power. The base Mazda 3 has a reputation in both Europe and the US for being a good handling car. Maybe better than the base Civic, thereby giving Mazda a solid basis on which to improve upon for the MS3.

My main concern on an Si is the in everyday driving you will have to rev high and hard. This is great for back roads or the racetrack but everyday commuting could be tiring. Fun is of course key but other cars like the GTi and MS3 are fun without being tiring for everyday use.

carfanatic007

To answer your questions on everyday driving. No, you don't have to rev high and hard. This car has ample power throughout the rev range. I have to lay off because this car revs quickly with no effort. The only way to experience it is to test drive one. Good luck.

guest

Well, the Mazdaspeed 3 does have a lot of power, but getting the power down to the ground is where, I think, Mazda goofed. Why not make the Mazdaspeed 3 AWD like the MS6? Even with an LSD on the FWD Mazda, launches will be tricky with that amount of power.

dpierson

I drove the 06 yesterday, awesome car! But I'm thinking with the 06's going for MSRP now, I might as well wait for the '07, which is supposedly going to be 530 more (according to the dealer I went to yesterday, who seemed like a pretty straight shooter).. any help?

drjon

Got my 06 si in 2/06 and have had only two problems so far. We've had some 104 degree days in northern California this summer and I use reflectors under the windshield which are supported by the sun visors in the down position. When the sun visors get hot they soften, and when I rotate them back to the folded up position, they are so soft that the driver's side vision splits in half. Had it replaced but the new one is doing the same; have to hold it together when rotating to keep it from splitting along its seam.

Also noticing heat discoloration in spots on the rear windshield where the defroster electric lines enter the defroster grid in both upper corners. You know, that kind of bubbling or mottling appearance in auto glass sun screens when they have broken down in the sun. Haven't shown this to the dealer yet. My impression is the car isn't quite engineered for American heat/sun.

Nuff said-Car runs like a dream. So happy with it. I'd buy one again anytime. Great driving experience!

nj2pa2nc

When I went to a local dealer the other day to ask about the 07 civic si sedan the only info he gave me was the brochure. He had no other information to give me at this time. He said he did not want to give out wrong info.

guy1974

Reading the first drive review in MT and from other information Mazda are aware of the potential for problems with handling 280lb/ft through the front wheels and have come up with a torque reduction system which functions in first through to third gears.
All three fast compacts (Si, GTi and MS3) are good cars and the MS3 is at least based on a good handling compact. Honda obviously realised consumers also wanted practicality with their performance hence the 4 door sedan version of the Si to compete with the more practical GTi and MS3.

nofeer

'm thinking of a civic ex or si, but concerned about the si seats, if they are any more "bolstered" i'd have trouble getting in and out, are the ex and si seats different or what let me know. it's hard to find a si to test.

msnbadger

Anyone know if its possible to get the rear deck lid spoiler that is standard on the hybrid as an accessory part for the regular sedan. I want to add a deck lid spoiler to my upcoming '07 sedan but I like the way the one on the hybrid is "up" completely on the rear deck lid as opposed to the pictures I see of the accessory lip spoiler for the sedan - in the brochure at least it appears to actually fit over the entire corner of the read deck lid.

Curt

pkarnig

I picked up my new black Si last week. I am lovin it. Having owned several 911s over the years, I really really like the light weight and decent horsepower ratio. I am getting used to the front wheel drive and am slowly getting the hang of it.

Now I want to do some mods - Does anyone here have advice or experience on the following:
1. power mods (perferably non turbo or blower related)
2. suspension (slight lowering and something to help the frontwheel drive pull)
3. wheels + tires (What is the best performance option here?)

Any help is greatly appreciated.
pete in half moon bay

pkarnig

i bought my new black si in the san francisco bay area and paid 22,700. this was standard wheels and tires, no nav. included the paint and interior protection, wheel locks and some theft deterrent thing that i could have done without.

i put in the honda music link thing which is definitely not worth the price but convenient.

love the car

drexelnet

Hello everyone,

I just bought my new Civic EX coupe, and only have 1020 miles on it, but there were some scratches on the rear bumper. The scratches were deep enough that you could see the black paint. Do anyone know if the dealership is willing to fix it. Is that cover under my 3 year warranty?

Thank you very much

cybergypsy

Ws it new or used???