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Civic coupe is appealing two-door

By Scott Wasser carguysw@aol.com
Executive Editor

I love my mother but have always hated her taste in cars.

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The Si is the sportiest model in the redesigned Honda Civic lineup, aesthetically and mechanically. The author tested a 2012 Civic Si coupe, but the Si also is offered for the first time in a four-door sedan version.

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Inside, the Si features a 360-watt AM/FM/CD premium audio system with seven speakers, including subwoofer along with a USB audio interface and MP3 auxiliary input jack.

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NUTS AND BOLTS

WHAT IS IT? 2012 Civic Si Coupe, a sporty compact that's practical and fun to drive.

WHAT'S IT COST? Civic Si Coupe starts at $22,205. Add $1,500 for the Navi/XM model tested plus $770 for destination and delivery fees. A sedan version, offered for the first time, costs $200 more.

WHAT I LIKED BEST: Engine delivers an energy surge when it's allowed to rev, accentuating the driving fun.

WHAT I LIKED LEAST: Revs fall slowly; test car had two less doors than I like.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS: 2.4-liter, 16-valve, VTEC in-line 4-cylinder engine delivers 201 hp, 170 lbs-ft of torque. 6-speed manual. 103.2-inch wheelbase. 2,897-lb curb weight. 22 city/31 highway mpg (EPA). 0-60 in 6.3 seconds (stopwatch). 11.7 cubic feet trunk.

She currently owns a minivan because of its practicality, but Mom would rather be seen in a two-door coupe.

It's been that way for as long as I can remember. We owned a succession of large coupes when I was growing up: a Dodge Coronet, a Chevy Impala and an Oldsmobile 88. Later, Mom drove a couple of Cadillac Coupe de Villes.

I could never fathom why. Getting in and out of a coupe's rear seat is a nuisance, and a two-door's small rear windows can induce claustrophobia.

If a car has two rows of seats, it should have four doors.

A shrink might blame my "coupe-a-phobia" on spending too much time trapped in the back seat of one as a child. But to me it's a matter of practicality. I've got an active 12-year-old, and a chocolate Lab who is about as lithe as a hippo. Transporting either one in a coupe is a pain.

I'm sharing this because it puts what comes next into perspective: After spending a week driving a 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe, I was reluctant to return it.

The Civic Si is fun to drive. It's economical. And, thanks to its hatchback design and 11.7-cubic foot cargo compartment, it's pretty practical.

Practically speaking, it's hard to beat a hatchback. The Civic Si's big hatch and 60/40 split folding rear seatbacks provided as much cargo capacity and versatility as I needed, even when it was time to haul my son and his massive hockey gear bag to games.

When the games were on the road, I appreciated the Civic Si's fuel economy. The Honda averaged over 30 miles per gallon on the highway and around 27 mpg overall during my week behind the wheel.

The Civic Si was quiet and comfortable enough to provide pleasant transportation during a couple of two-hour trips -- which isn't always a given in an affordable compact with a sporty personality.

It's that personality that is particularly endearing. The Si's steering system is a bit lighter and less communicative than I prefer, but its responsiveness and precision are beyond reproach.

That's true of the Si's handling as a whole. Point the Civic where you want it to go, and it gets there without balking. There's no body lean, and it takes a lot of speed and a very sharp curve before the Si suggests that you're asking too much of it.

At that point, it gently understeers to help an over-aggressive driver avoid trouble.

The Civic Si's peppy engine contributes to its fun quotient, but it would be even more fun to drive if the engine didn't have one annoying habit: Unlike most engines, the Civic Si's 2.4-liter VTEC four-cylinder balks at allowing its revs to drop between shifts.

This quirk is not terribly noticeable when accelerating at full throttle and shifting quickly. During leisurely driving, however, the sensation is disconcerting because it feels like something is amiss under the hood.

But Honda reportedly designed the engine to operate that way to deliver smoother shifting and reduce stress on the powertrain.

The longer I drove the Civic, the less its quirk bothered me because the engine is otherwise such a delight. Mashing the throttle and letting the tachometer needle climb to its 7,000-rpm redline (which is also its 201-horsepower peak) delivers a visceral treat that begins at around 5,000 rpm when the engine transforms from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.

A snarl fills the passenger compartment and a series of lights on the dashboard ignite as Honda's VTEC technology tweaks valve timing and lift to deliver maximum thrust. There's a noticeable surge -- not unlike the sudden boost felt in some turbocharged vehicles -- as the Si claws at the pavement.

You enjoy the same experience every time the engine is allowed to explore its entire rev range. The Civic Si's six-speed manual transmission (the only transmission offered on the Si) encourages such exploration.

Each gear shift provides an opportunity to admire the short, quick and precise movement of the lever and the effortless but positive and progressive action of the clutch pedal.

If you enjoy driving, this experience alone is worth the $23,000 Civic Si's price of admission. And I enjoyed it enough that I was sorry to see the Civic Si go.

Nevertheless, something nagged at me throughout my evaluation. I kept wishing Honda had sent me its new Civic Si Sedan instead of the Coupe.