The 8th-gen Honda Civic Si offer the perfect driver’s car models, complete with enticing driving dynamics and immense practicality.
The Honda Civic has always been one of the most complete driver’s cars around, graced with the perfect mix of comfort, practicality, performance, and in some cases, even good looks. Better yet, its consistently low starting price is another reason why it’s such a popular buy, with more than 300,000 sales in many of its model years.
The Honda Civic Si is a sportier version of the regular model with significantly enhanced performance, that currently finds itself competing against the likes of the Hyundai Elantra N and the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Yet, despite the outgoing Si’s prowess, we’re looking a bit further in the past.
Rewind back to 2006, and Honda would be selling the 8th-generation Honda Civic Si, which was a jack-of-all-trades sports car that’s one of the best used driver’s cars you can buy used today. Here’s everything you should know about the 8th-gen Civic Si before getting one for yourself.
The 8th-Gen Civic Si Is Powerful
While the regular eighth-gen Honda Civic – which debuted in 2005, came with either a 140-hp four-cylinder or a 93-hp hybrid, of which neither provided sufficient performance for avid drivers, the 2006 Si steps things up significantly. It sports a variation of Honda’s internationally revered K20 2.0-liter four-cylinder – a K20Z3 with dual-overhead camshafts and i-VTEC. It delivers a maximum output of 197 horsepower along with 139 pound-feet of torque, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that sends power to the front axle. Furthermore, it features revised gear ratios for enhanced performance, and the 8th-gen Civic Si can blast from 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds.
But the Civic Si’s K20Z3 isn’t just special due to its base power, and in fact, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Not only does it redline at a howling 8,300 rpm, but the way it puts down power is immensely smooth and consistent thanks to its i-VTEC technology. This combination also makes the Civic Si extremely susceptible to power tunes, and you can easily get 500 horsepower out of it if you know what you’re doing.
The 2006-2011 Honda Civic Si Handles Amazingly
For the eighth-generation Civic Si, Honda wasn’t contempt with just giving it a boost in power, and it threw plenty of other welcome enhancements into the mix. Despite being front-wheel drive, it features a helical limited-slip differential that greatly boosts its cornering ability and overall handling. Furthermore, the Civic Si incorporates 40% stiffer spring and damping rates over the regular 8th-gen Civic, truly making it a performance-oriented vehicle.
The Eighth-Generation Honda Civic Si Is A Practical Performer
Honda did a wonderful job at maintaining the practical nature of the regular Civic when sporting up the Si. For the North American market, it was only available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan. The coupe provides ample passenger space up front, while the rear bench might feel somewhat restrictive for larger adults, who would appreciate the more spacious accommodation provided by the larger Sedan Si. Trunk space with all seats in place adds up to 11.5 cubic-feet, but lowering the rear bench allocates significantly more area if needed. Lastly, fuel economy is impressive considering the 8th-gen Civic Si’s performance credentials, especially for an older vehicle. Models from 2006 to 2007 deliver an EPA-estimated return of 20 mpg in the city and 29 mph on the highway for a combined economy of 23 mpg. Thanks to a few engine revisions, Civic Si’s from 2008 to 2011 do slightly better with 21 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway, for a combined estimate of 21 mpg.
The 8th-gen Honda Civic Si Comes With Plenty Of Standard Tech
As one of the Civic’s range-topping models at the time, the Si received a wide array of desirable tech as standard. Some of the most important features came in the form of keyless entry, ambient lighting, a power sunroof, power-adjustable side mirrors, improved quality trimming and upholstery, and several aggressive exterior enhancements. Honda also offered a special 2008 Civic Mugen Si specifically for the sedan. It added even more sporty exterior styling cues, such a larger adjustable rear wing, larger side skirts, bumpers, and a rear diffuser. Performance-wise, it received a sport-tuned exhaust system and larger wheels with BFGoodrich summer tires. It’s also worth mentioning that the entire Civic range received a facelift with minor styling changes and a few tech updates in 2009.
That’s pretty much everything you should know before pulling the trigger on a used 8th-generation Honda Civic Si, which we’d definitely recommend as a loyal daily driver with enticing performance. It delivers relatively good long-term reliability and low maintenance costs if inspected routinely.
