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| Cato on
canadacar
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| Nov 9 1999
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 HONDA OFFERS RACY VERSION OF CIVIC Si
Stomp on the gas and hang on to each gear until you hit the 8,000 rpm redline. That's my advice for a truly satisfying drive in the raciest
$23,000 Honda Civic you can buy, the Civic SiR. Oh, and pick a lonely, out of the way stretch of road.
Because this
Civic flies through the gears like a four-wheel motorbike and it has the
kind of stiff suspension that will have you darting around corners.
Folks, what Honda has done is deliver a hopped up factory version of the Si coupe that boasts 160 horsepower (100 horsepower per
litre!), alloy wheels, plenty of up-town features (power windows/door locks/mirrors,
sunroof, cruise control, CD player et al) and an engine that literally
sings. It is the kind of tricked-out car you might see screaming along one
of the freeways of Los Angeles.
The heart of it all is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams and variable valve timing. You might call this powerplant an
affordable--very affordable--racing engine. The magic you get here comes
from Honda's experience winning six consecutive Formula One Constructor
Championships (1986-91) and three of the last CART Manufacturer Championships (1996-99). What Honda has learned in racing is very clear:
ho w to create high
output in an engine that feels smooth and free of vibration. It's a Honda
signature.
In the SiR, things really start to happen around 5,000 rpm. Credit variable valve timing which, in essence, does a fantastic job of packing inas much air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber, then directing
ignition with superb efficiency. By the time this engine hits 7,000 rpm,
it's signing like Pavarotti going for the High AC.@ Mind you, to truly appreciate this engine you really need to work
the five-speed manual transmission aggressively. Fortunately, this shifter
goes from gear to gear with a flick of the wrist. Motorheads call this kind
of gearbox a "close ratio" unit.
The gears are spaced to maximize acceleration, so while stoplight getaways are a hoot, you'll find highway cruising relatively noisy as the
engine turns over at 3,500-plus rpms. A sixth gear would be nice for such
occasions. By the way, there is no automatic available.
The suspension? A typically Civic double wishbone layout both front
and rear. But in the SiR it's firmer thanks to beefier front springs and a
brace between the front shock absorbers. Add in special gas shocks and you
get a pretty firm, but very responsive ride.
Talk about tight. There's no slop in cornering response and the steering is like a razor. Yes, it's a front-wheel-drive layout, so the true
enthusiasts out there will know the SiR's limitations--terminal understeer
or plowing when pushed hard in a corner. Still, only Michael Schumacher and
a handful of other talents have what it takes to drive the SiR to the edge
safely. The rest will themselves over their heads long before the SiR runs
out of balanced grip.
So, it's a pocket rocket, but is it one you can live with comfortably, day after day? No question.
As with every Honda, the instruments and controls are dead simple to find and operate. To run the heating and ventilation system, just dial
in the three knobs placed vertically along the radio. The electric controls
do their magic smoothly and precisely.
In fact, you can twist them without even taking your hands off the
steering wheel. The horizontal layout of the radio controls makes sense
too, although some might find the buttons a bit small.
As befits a sporty car, the front buckets are a snug fit, with firm padding. The cloth covers breathe nicely in hot weather and they look and
feel very durable. Don't plan to carry full-size adults in back, but there
is room for two small kids and the 60-40 folding seatback offers up all
sorts of cargo-carrying versatility.
Now any engine that revs like this begs all sorts of questions about durability and reliability. Well, beg all you want, but what you get
is Honda's sterling reputation for quality--from any testing/research
agency you care to mention. Tune in the car racing on Sundays and you get
the picture: the Honda-powered cars finish, unless they crash.
So what we have in the SiR is nothing less than a Civic hot rod. That's something we haven't seen since the del Sol Si VTEC took its leave a
couple of years ago. The young speed-mavens in Southern California--18-25-year-old echo boomers--have a word for cars like the SiR
which have been modified to the hilt. They say the car is "slammed."
That would make anyone who takes to the road in the SiR a slammer.
Has a ring to it, don't you think?
 1999 HONDA CIVIC SiR 2dr coupe.
Engine: (front engine/front-wheel) 1.6-litre I4; 16 valve; double overhead
camshaft (DOHC); sequential MPI w/variable valve timing, motronic ignition;
160 hp at 7,600 rpm; torque rated at 111 lbs-ft at 7,300 rpm.
Transmission: five-speed manual.
Steering: power rack-and-pinion w/engine speed-sensing
assist.
Brakes: 4wheel disc w/4 wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS), front & rear vented
discs.
Tires: front P195/60VR16 AS radials.
Fuel economy(litres/100 km): 9.5 city/7.0 hwy.
Wheelbase: 2,620 mm (103.1 in).
Curb weight: 1,182 kg (2,605 lbs).
Price: (MSRP base) $23,400; freight $260.
Key standard equipment: power glass sunroof, power heated side mirrors,
silver alloy wheels, 60-40 folding rear bench, cloth seats w/vinyl
side/back, leather gearshift knob, cargo light, AC, AM/FM stereo CD w/six
speakers, cruise control w/steering wheel controls, 1 power accessory
outlet, power door locks, tilt leather steering wheel, power
windows.
Options: various dealer.
J.D. Power & Associates Initial Quality Study (number of owner-reported
problems in first 90 days; lower number is better):
Honda vehicle line: 137 (industry average 167)
Consumer Reports Predicted Reliability: Good (recommended).
Performance in 0-100 km/h: 7.6 seconds.
Safety: dual airbags; anti-lock braking; front pretensioners seatbelts;
four stars/four stars rating for driver/passenger crash test rating; two
stars/three stars rating for front/rear side impacts; average rating for
collision claims; average rating for comprehensive claims; marginal rating
for headrest effectiveness (new); anti-theft device.
Warranty:
Basic: 3 years or 60,000 km.
Major components: 5 years/100,000 km.
Rust perforation: 5 years/unl. km.
Roadside assistance: none
Pros:
* Astonishing high-rev engine performance
* Balanced, responsive road manners
* Above average quality history
Cons:
* High-revving engine may be too much for all but the most enthusiastic
driver
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