Bold would be an adequate way to describe some of Honda’s design choices in recent years. Ridgeline? Bold. Element? Bold. Civic? You guessed it – bold.
Honda took a giant leap of faith when redesigning their popular small vehicle lineup a short while back, but that is what the automaker has been doing well over the past couple of decades – taking giant leaps of faith followed by success of nearly all of those choices.
As energy prices soared ever higher, droves of consumers headed down the model lines to units they probably once sought to intimidate from behind the wheel of their behemoth SUVs. Many now embrace the world of four-cylinder power and fuel economy as boasts of high horsepower ratings are replaced with fuel economy figures and tailpipe emissions tales.
I was thankful to see the most recent makeover the Civic lineup received and glad that Honda has decided to offer a variety of models to appeal to a wide range of small car buyers, be they earth-friendly eco-drivers or tightly wound tuner heads. From hybrids to hotrods (sort of), the Honda Civic lineup has much to offer.
Inside and out, Civic has some bold strokes to it. Outside, the bodylines seem to blend together front to rear in a fluid motion up and over the passenger compartment. Inside Honda sets apart the Civic from the rest of the crowd thanks to a two-tier instrument panel emitting cool blue rays of light, with all eyes being drawn to the central, large tachometer downstairs and digital speedo aloft.
The base powertrain for the Honda Civic is the 140hp 1.8-liter i-VTEC. Our recent Si Coupe tester was anything but base. Si models roll in with a spicy 197hp 2.0-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder engine whose performance is further enhanced thanks to a slick six-speed manual gearbox with short-throw shifter.
Honda engineers also add a sport-tuned suspension to the Si and throw in 17-inch alloy wheels with performance tires, sport-tuned exhaust, a rear wing spoiler and sport-trimmed seats with added bolster support.
The Honda Civic is a tight little car that delivers great fuel economy, a solid ride, Honda value and quality plus all of the latest in automotive and safety technology.
Pricing for the 2010 Honda Civic Si Coupe begins at $22,055 with fully-loaded Nav-equipped models starting at $24,255. Fuel economy ratings are 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.
Fun is around every corner in a Honda Civic Si, just wind it up and watch it go.