2024 Honda Civic Si (11th gen.)

[meep]

As a prior Subaru owner, and prior 1.5T owner, I’ll agree with the power and features advantage to the Subaru but generally state the civics stayed tighter after hard living. I don’t see myself owning another Subaru (had 2, and my brother had 3), while we’ve also had just as many civics in the family - and they seem to not be as needy after years of DD and hard driving. I’m not against Subaru - mine were GREAT and went through a lot - but after the same sorts of beatings, the civics “wheezed less.”

but, there’s a bit of a lux penalty for DDing a civic - they are noisy and have a lower tier interior.

I don’t have enough direct experience with VWs to compare, though their interiors certainly eclipse both, and the GTI has all of the goods. I suspect it’s similar to Volvo ownership - they will require more TLC than either the civic or the Subaru.

one thing I’ll give to Subaru hands down - while I have no numerical data, the bodies seem the most rigid and solid of the bunch.

all that said, I would not hesitate one moment to own another 1.5T. Great motor.

 

[shortyb]

And right on time, I get a teaser from Motor Trend about the new 2025 GTI. Pics of the refreshened car under a thin veil of bodywrap couldn't keep the details hidden very well. Then, pics of the cabin showed the steering wheel. Could it be? Real physical buttons? Could VW have listened to it's base and enthusiast following and actually stuff-canned those idiotic capacitive controls on the wheel? Apparently it has. Along with some more user-friendly changes to the displays and other controls. Hallelujah. My outlook for a new car purchase has dramatically changed.

 

[dgunay]

And right on time, I get a teaser from Motor Trend about the new 2025 GTI. Pics of the refreshened car under a thin veil of bodywrap couldn't keep the details hidden very well. Then, pics of the cabin showed the steering wheel. Could it be? Real physical buttons? Could VW have listened to it's base and enthusiast following and actually stuff-canned those idiotic capacitive controls on the wheel? Apparently it has. Along with some more user-friendly changes to the displays and other controls. Hallelujah. My outlook for a new car purchase has dramatically changed.

The capacitive controls are very annoying especially when they are on a steering wheel. When I drove the R and GTI, I accidentally turned on the heated steering wheel at least 5 times in one week.

However, I was expecting to see physical controls on the dashboard as well, it looks like they put a larger screen and called it a day.

 

[lizpat]

I was looking at one too for a possible replacement to the leaky Passat wagon. They are really nice cars that handle very well and still seem well built. The Si is one of the last with a manual trans still, which is a rarity. You're right, very nice shifter and I wouldn't mind going back to a row my own after 15 years of autos (well, DSG). Not hatefully expensive and usually flies under the radar with regard to demand. The first car I bought new was an 83 Civic Si. Would be rather ironic for the last one I buy new to be a Civic Si. We'll see.

15 years on a single DSG or several?

 

[shortyb]

15 years on a single DSG or several?

4 different cars with DSGs.

 

[MrWideTires]

My opinion based on owning a 10th gen Si, several STIs, and a MK7... I have personal experience with all.

Civic Si: amazing car, I miss it so much, they DO run well on 87 octane, it just cuts the power down to about 190hp. Driven aggressively I was able to get 37mpg with regular gas consistently, much higher (over 40mpg) when driven normal.

MK7: I had several poor quality issues (VW finally acknowledging it), and I would never recommend the Golf/GTI to anyone that needs space for anything, however the GLI is bigger, it should be a fine car if you get it without a moonroof. The Golf is the same size as the A3, which is considered a subcompact, I have no idea why the Golf is considered a competitor to the Civic or WRX, it's not.. it's incredibly smaller.

WRX: Big!, and pretty much the only one that can put power down in bad weather, the others just spin. I've been driving STIs for 18 years now, reliably, currently have over 400whp and it has been rock solid. However, expect the worst gas mileage from the Subbie.

 

[dgunay]

My opinion based on owning a 10th gen Si, several STIs, and a MK7... I have personal experience with all.

Civic Si: amazing car, I miss it so much, they DO run well on 87 octane, it just cuts the power down to about 190hp. Driven aggressively I was able to get 37mpg with regular gas consistently, much higher (over 40mpg) when driven normal.

MK7: I had several poor quality issues (VW finally acknowledging it), and I would never recommend the Golf/GTI to anyone that needs space for anything, however the GLI is bigger, it should be a fine car if you get it without a moonroof. The Golf is the same size as the A3, which is considered a subcompact, I have no idea why the Golf is considered a competitor to the Civic or WRX, it's not.. it's incredibly smaller.

WRX: Big!, and pretty much the only one that can put power down in bad weather, the others just spin. I've been driving STIs for 18 years now, reliably, currently have over 400whp and it has been rock solid. However, expect the worst gas mileage from the Subbie.

GLI is much larger than the WRX including the rear space and trunk (even with a sunroof). It is the largest compact sedan inside and out. The current-gen Jetta is much bigger than the previous generation as they no longer offer the Passat here in North America, so the latest Jetta also had to be the replacement for mid-size sedan buyers.

What type of quality issues have you had with the MK7 Golf? If you are talking about interior quality, the MK7 Golf has better interior quality than the MK8 and pretty much anything else in its class. It is important to remember Mercedes delayed the w205 C-series 1 year just because they had to match/beat mk7 Golf's interior quality (the w204 interior sucked and was heavily criticized back in time.)

Also, the Golf is a bestseller hatchback in European countries, and it is more appealing to European consumers. Not to mention there are smaller "compact" hatchbacks available like the Mazda 3 and Corolla hatchback, so the Golf is pretty "average" in its class. The problem is the Civic, Elantra and other entries just got bigger for the North American market because we wanted bigger and bigger. The current generation Civic is bigger than an Accord from the 2000s.

Just out of curiosity, are you pushing a reliable 400-wheel hp from a stock EJ25 engine (with OEM internals)?

 

[M1Accord]

1.5 liter for a SI! No thanks. And I would rather have a great auto with paddle shifter that they started with the Fit.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I didn't even finish building one on the Honda site. Black wheels only? Nah.

W

 

[MrWideTires]

GLI is much larger than the WRX including the rear space and trunk (even with a sunroof). It is the largest compact sedan inside and out. The current-gen Jetta is much bigger than the previous generation as they no longer offer the Passat here in North America, so the latest Jetta also had to be the replacement for mid-size sedan buyers.

What type of quality issues have you had with the MK7 Golf? If you are talking about interior quality, the MK7 Golf has better interior quality than the MK8 and pretty much anything else in its class. It is important to remember Mercedes delayed the w205 C-series 1 year just because they had to match/beat mk7 Golf's interior quality (the w204 interior sucked and was heavily criticized back in time.)

Also, the Golf is a bestseller hatchback in European countries, and it is more appealing to European consumers. Not to mention there are smaller "compact" hatchbacks available like the Mazda 3 and Corolla hatchback, so the Golf is pretty "average" in its class. The problem is the Civic, Elantra and other entries just got bigger for the North American market because we wanted bigger and bigger. The current generation Civic is bigger than an Accord from the 2000s.

Just out of curiosity, are you pushing a reliable 400-wheel hp from a stock EJ25 engine (with OEM internals)?

The reason I recommend getting one without a moonroof, it's because that's where a lot of the issues are. You can have three different types of issues with them, and two of them are due to poor materials chosen.
Yes the Jetta is big and comparable to the others! But still, the Golf is small compared to the others and it's something to be considered. I've taken all in road trips and the Civic, WRX, and Jetta can fit 4 adults and checked-in luggage, plus carry ons. The Golf can't do this, no way.

My 2015 STI: I have the original engine, but before slapping a bigger turbo in it and pushing 408whp, I upgraded the pistons and bearings (it was cheap and I plan on keeping the car forever), I kept as many stock parts as possible, heck my engine bay looks relatively stock.
I did own an 05 STI from new until about 2014 when I ordered my 2015, that one was only tuned, sold it with 170k all original.

 

[dishdude]

I don't know about the Civic Si, but the Integra is complete garbage. I got sucked up in the name revival and bought something that was nothing more than a warmed over ILX. That 1.5 is a garbage engine, and everything about the car screamed cheap. The passenger seat was the worst, it felt like you were going to fall through the back of it. It was like a lawn chair with metal on either side and fabric strung between them.

 

[nickaluch]

Since we started buying in the 1980s,(according to the magazine publications) they’ve always had the best manual trannies with snick-snick shifters and great clutch take up and pedal placement for heal-toeing. Many publications called them the world’s best and even compared & included the high performance cars from Europe. Of what I read or watched from the publications, Mazda comes close or matches Honda and that’s saying a lot. You can always count on a Honda or Mazda for great manual transmissions.

I bought a new first generation civic si the 5 speed and clutch was incredible . I was stunned by the quick shifting smoothness plus the high revving motor was not the normal then was even more addictive

 

[skyactiv]

I didn't even finish building one on the Honda site. Black wheels only? Nah.

View attachment 199611
W

What if it came with bronze wheels?

 

[CharBaby]

I don't know about the Civic Si, but the Integra is complete garbage. I got sucked up in the name revival and bought something that was nothing more than a warmed over ILX. That 1.5 is a garbage engine, and everything about the car screamed cheap. The passenger seat was the worst, it felt like you were going to fall through the back of it. It was like a lawn chair with metal on either side and fabric strung between them.

I am really surprised that ACURA came back with the Integra nameplate when SUV/CUV are what's selling.
I really thought that ACURA would introduce an offshoot of HONDA's HR-V for the ACURA lineup as their entry level vehicle as I think that this would make more sense in todays market.

Now, I am more of a sedan, hatchback/small car guy than an SUV guy(even though I have an SUV) but this isn't about me, it's about marketing. I just don't think that the Integra is what ACURA needed right now. Maybe in other world markets but not here in North America. I think that the CIVIC & TypeR is enough...Am I wrong?

 

[WylieCoyote]

I am really surprised that ACURA came back with the Integra nameplate when SUV/CUV are what's selling.
I really thought that ACURA would introduce an offshoot of HONDA's HR-V for the ACURA lineup as their entry level vehicle as I think that this would make more sense in todays market.

Now, I am more of a sedan, hatchback/small car guy than an SUV guy(even though I have an SUV) but this isn't about me, it's about marketing. I just don't think that the Integra is what ACURA needed right now. Maybe in other world markets but not here in North America. I think that the CIVIC & TypeR is enough...Am I wrong?

Personally, I'm glad to see some companies standing their ground on the sedan front, but for me, the new Integra is a fail. I was absolutely obsessed with the first generation Integra, it was my dream car when I got my license in 1986. Yes it was rooted in the Civic platform, but didn't share much of its looks. It had a very exotic look to it for the time, in my opinion. It wasn't until this iteration of the Integra that you could blatantly see Civic written all over it. And no coupe offered. Not a fan. In my opinion, Acura has made a few missteps since the Legend and Integra names were ditched, and I believe they've been hurting as a result. Now they want to put an Acura grille on a Civic and bring the Integra name back from retirement? It's a slap in the face. If you were never a fan of Acura or the Integra, I'm sure this is a perfectly fine car. But I'm uncomfortable seeing the name "Integra" on it. I would just as soon buy a nicely appointed Civic.

 

[dgunay]

Personally, I'm glad to see some companies standing their ground on the sedan front, but for me, the new Integra is a fail. I was absolutely obsessed with the first generation Integra, it was my dream car when I got my license in 1986. Yes it was rooted in the Civic platform, but didn't share much of its looks. It had a very exotic look to it for the time, in my opinion. It wasn't until this iteration of the Integra that you could blatantly see Civic written all over it. And no coupe offered. Not a fan. In my opinion, Acura has made a few missteps since the Legend and Integra names were ditched, and I believe they've been hurting as a result. Now they want to put an Acura grille on a Civic and bring the Integra name back from retirement? It's a slap in the face. If you were never a fan of Acura or the Integra, I'm sure this is a perfectly fine car. But I'm uncomfortable seeing the name "Integra" on it. I would just as soon buy a nicely appointed Civic.

The problem is that Acura has a limited budget, and this should not be the case for a premium/luxury brand. Integra should have come with the detuned 2.0T engine in all trims, not just the Type-S.

The current generation Civic is really good as a compact vehicle, it feels premium, and we did not need another Civic with an Integra nameplate.

Their product managers live in a different world. They put louder exhaust on the Integra Type-S, which is supposed to be the premium version. Civic Type-R is a great vehicle, and it is supposed to be the more dramatic one with exhaust pops and cracks, but they didn't do that. The Type-R feels more special than the Type-S, it should be vice versa.

At least Acura should have offered a dual-clutch transmission option with the Integra and the Type-S, but they still insist on using a CVT in a base Integra.

They need to find a way to differentiate the Acura brand from the mainstream brand, and so far they failed to do so at least with Integra.

 

[CharBaby]

[dgunnay]“The Type-R feels more special than the Type-S, it should be vice versa.”

People will speak with their dollars and that’ll show whether or not the Acura is worth it. To me it’s just too much money. For that kind of money I’d rather just have something else even if less performance was involved.

My daughter has a 2022 Civic LX in my signature and it’s enough. There’s nowhere to drive it fast. I suppose if you have multiple cars and you want something for performance maybe the Civic Si / Type R or the Integra type S could fit the bill but I’d still rather have something else. And for the money about the top-of-the-line 2024 Acura Integra Type S cost(starting at $50800) I‘d simply want something else entirely.

 

[dgunay]

[dgunnay]“The Type-R feels more special than the Type-S, it should be vice versa.”

People will speak with their dollars and that’ll show whether or not the Acura is worth it. To me it’s just too much money. For that kind of money I’d rather just have something else even if less performance was involved.

My daughter has a 2022 Civic LX in my signature and it’s enough. There’s nowhere to drive it fast. I suppose if you have multiple cars and you want something for performance maybe the Civic Si / Type R or the Integra type S could fit the bill but I’d still rather have something else. And for the money about the top-of-the-line 2024 Acura Integra Type S cost(starting at $50800) I‘d simply want something else entirely.

As a daily driver that never goes to track, you are right. Instead you can get a nice 3-row SUV for that price and can haul your stuff/family comfortably for 50k.

If you like going to trackdays or autocrossing, they are worth the premium. There aren't many -brand new- vehicles that can go faster on track around 50k range. They can also be a nice daily driver and one car solution if you want to do it all.

Different products for different audience.

 

[buster]

K20c2 is a great little engine. Port injection too.