2012 HONDA Civic Coupe Si 2.4L i-VTEC 6MT (204 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Honda introduced the ninth generation of the Civic Coupe in 2012, and the fans expected its most potent version, the Si.

While the Europeans received a turbocharged TypeR, Honda left the U.S. customers with a naturally aspirated four-pot unit, which was slightly more powerful than the eighth-generation Si. At least, it was available as a coupe with independent suspension in all corners, unlike its European sibling, which came with a torsion beam at the back.

The exterior look was a step ahead of its predecessor, but it wasn’t a masterpiece. For the Si range, Honda installed an aggressive-looking bumper with a broad grille that sported a honeycomb pattern. A pair of fog lights adorned the side-scoops. From its sides, its unique 17″ light-alloy wheels and the VTEC decals placed on the rear quarter panels confirmed the boy-racer look of the vehicle, while the small wing mounted on the trunk’s lid completed the sporty image.

Inside, Honda worked hard on improving the car’s interior with new technologies. Behind the steering wheel, the carmaker installed the tachometer and moved the speedometer and other gauges on an upper instrument cluster at the bottom of the windshield. The infotainment unit was on top of the center stack, which was tilted toward the driver. Like all Civics Si before it, the ninth generation model featured a set of sport bucket seats at the front with Si red stitching on the seatbacks.

Under the hood, Honda dropped the former squared 2.0-liter engine and replaced it with a 2.4-liter unit carried over from the Accord. It won only four horses when compared with the Civic’s eighth-generation, but it gained more torque. A six-speed, close-ratio, manual gearbox was the only option.