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Honda Civic Si hatchback coupe revived in sporty new version
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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SEATTLE, Washington -- Here comes something different from Honda: A long and tall hatchback coupe with rakish lines, sporty manners and a high-tech engine sandwiched behind that stubby prow.
It rides on a platform that also supports Honda's compact-class Civic series of coupes and sedans and shares suspension elements.
Yet the powertrain is unique to this new car, and so too is its sheetmetal styling and the spacious cabin layout.
Honda dubs it the Civic Si, namesake of a former Civic hatchback that was souped and slammed and sometimes even sparked with nitrous-oxide elixirs among street-racing daredevils who crafted fabled pocket rockets.
The name traces back to 1984 in Honda lore with the introduction of the Civic S hatchback. When fuel injection was added in 1986, the badge became Si, with the lower-case i indicating the injection. Other Honda innovations followed, including the first North American application of Honda's VTEC wizardry of valve control.
Last Si issues appeared in 1999 and 2000 but faded with the introduction of a new seventh-generation platform for Civic's sedan and coupe in 2001.
This new version of the Si looks too cool in a format that's a radical departure from the conventional stubby hatchback of previous Si iterations. The sleek shell and sturdy mechanical equipment may serve as a blank canvass that invites after-market modifications to build unique wheels defining individual personalities.
In a three-door format inspired by diminutive European hatchbacks, Honda's new Si seems stout and stretches long over a wedge-shaped profile.
Up front, its bold face features large headlamp clusters as triangular accents on corners with a deep chin spoiler below and mesh covering both air intake port and grille.
Flanks appear flat and unadorned, and door pillars go black to exaggerate the horizontal sweep of tinted windows.
In back, the roofline adds a spoiler lip before falling away past the hatch window to a low spoiler skirt integrated into the body-colored bumper.
A new structure was forged expressly for the Si.
Overriding concept was to constrict the length of the body but maximize cabin space for riders and cargo.
Starting with Civic's chassis, Honda's designers abbreviated the engine compartment and pared the wheelbase, then raised the roof.
Compared against the Civic sedan, wheelbase on the hatchback decreases by 1.9 inches and the length comes up nine inches short, with the roof rising by 1.4 inches.
These structural modifications set up a vehicle with active and agile manners -- thanks to the curt wheelbase and a powertrain directed to front wheels -- and an expansive passenger compartment that contains seats for five plus a flat-floor cargo bay measuring almost 16 cubic feet.
Civic's stiff structural system supports a suspension with control-link MacPherson struts mounted in front and a double wishbone design at the back tailored for high-performance handling and stability when cornering.
Our dynamic driving tests, conducted in foothills of the Cascade Range east of Seattle in the state of Washington, indicate that the Si can take a hard tack through a curve set and hold it, with little concession from a tall body to lateral forces of physics.
Ride quality feels smooth and comfortable, yet firm in a sporty manner, thanks to the torsional rigidity of the platform and some tight tuning of the progressive-valve gas-pressurized shocks.
We also observe a keen quality of quietness in Si while underway. The stiff structure, in conjunction with special noise and vibration-damping insulation stuffed into body cavities plus asphalt sheeting lining the floor, work together to tone down sound and vibration, while wind noise has been negated by streamlining the vehicle's shell.
The Si packs a rack and pinion steering system that draws power assistance through an all-electric device. It eliminates the conventional hydraulic apparatus along with the power losses of an engine-driven pneumatic pump.
Strong brakes stem from a big disc at each wheel and linkage to computerized anti-lock controls and electronic brake force distribution.
A new powertrain is another unique asset to the Si.
The high-output dual-cam four-cylinder engine displaces 2.0 liters and supports the latest version of Honda's VTEC valve control technology.
Labeled i-VTEC to signify intelligent variable valve timing and lift electronic control, the system continually adjusts phasing of the intake camshaft with changes in valve lift, timing and duration.
Net effect: Higher power in a smooth flow with reduced emissions and enhanced fuel efficiency.
The plant produces 160 hp at 6500 rpm and torque numbers of 132 lb-ft at 5000 rpm.
Coupled to the engine is a close-ratio five-speed manual stick, the only transmission offered on this sport-skewed vehicle.
The shift lever, mounted at the base of the center pod on the dash, extends upward to a point near the right side of the steering wheel. You can shift it quickly in the style of rally racers without moving your hand far off the steering wheel.
This unusual placement for the shift stick sets the tone for an uncluttered but functional cabin design.
Seat plan amounts to twin bolstered sport buckets in front of a bench that can hold three but works best for two.
The dashboard focuses on a large center pod in the shape of an inverted triangle. It houses air vents at the top, large rotary dials stacked center left for controlling the climate system and audio components clustered at right center, with the pointed bottom section reserved for the transmission lever. The pod is clad in plastic designed to look like polished aluminum, with the metallic finish repeating in accents on side doors.
Big black-on-white analog gauges mount beneath an arching brow in the instrument panel.
Honda trims the Si with significant standard equipment. The list ranges from a power moonroof and dual power mirrors to a keyless entry system, air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2002 HONDA CIVIC SI Specs |
| Description: |
Compact two-door hatchback coupe
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| Model Options: |
Compact two-door hatchback coupe
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| Wheelbase: |
101.2 inches
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| Overall Length: |
165.6 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 2.0-L I4 i-VTEC
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS/EBD
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + opt. 2 (side)
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| Gas Mileage: |
M/5: 26/30 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 19,000 |
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