Here is the promised comparo. I would start with a clarification that I tested only 2-door coupes. 4-door sedans are just too boring for me!
The coupe has some sexy lines going down to the boot and the swooping shape strikes the eyes well. Car looks pretty good overall, especially with the new alloy wheels introduced by Honda. As I got into the driver seat, I found the cockpit quite roomy, while I was not impressed with the ride height which was a little too high (even at the lowest position). Rear visibility is hampered a little by those swooping C pillars and the smallish rear window.
The steering wheel is small and thick, falls very well on the hands. And the gear stalk is very well within reach. Dashboard quality has definitely improved from the last edition and that red-stitching throughout adds to the "zing" factor. However, it still cannot be termed "premium". It is however loaded with gizmos what with a back-up camera as a standard fitment! The rear seats are very coupe'ish and not the most spacious place to be in. The rear headroom is restrictive as well especially for tall people.
The Drive:
Having not driven a manual transmission for years, I was quite apprehensive about it. However, there is a conspicuous "easy" air about the Si and I started feeling at home quite soon. The shifter is a delight to use! It is the smoothest transmission I have driven till date. The shifts thunk into their slots like they have been eager all day long to reach home! The clutch feel is pretty good and predictable, without being too springy in action. The steering is quick, it could however do with a little more weight. I could not get an opportunity to take it through the canyons. But, the suspension setup says there will be some body roll in fast corners and yes, there is some nose-dive on hard braking.
The VTEC engine loves to be revved. It may not have the grunt that some of the competitors have, but keep it between 5K to 7K revs and it responds to throttle as if a baby dear has been let loose! The sheer eagerness of that engine to be abused and pushed puts a smile on your face. That is good, but also bad in certain aspects. It means you have to be pretty energetic in driving to have any fun. You will also need open and empty roads to allow the engine-speed climb that high. Lack of turbocharger means a lot of this grunt will be missed in high altitudes. Overall, a pretty responsive engine which makes a glorious noise, a brilliant gearbox and a quick steering to go with it. This car could easily win the "easiest to drive sports car in the world" contest!
Wide, planted and raring-to-go! That's what is communicated across when you eye the GTI. The low profile, those huge fat 18-inch wheels ooze "hot"ness like nothing else. Not without reason, it is called the gold standard in hot hatch category. At the same time, it does not go over-the-top with its look like the Focus ST. Step in, and you will be welcomed with class-leading interior quality which is echelons above the competition. While Honda's red-stitching looks funky, this one is best termed "sublime". It is not as generously equipped with gizmos as the competition though.
The seats are made for the twisties as they hug you with deep bolstering and brilliant lumbar support. All round visibility is best in class. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is the most delicious thing to hold on to. Even the gear stalk oozes class very unlike a typical hot-hatch. Moving on to the rear seats, the GTI is most spacious coupe in the industry along with the Scion tC. Being hatchback helps here.
The Drive:
I stalled the GTI right out of the parking lot (and again into it). It is not an easy car to drive for a novice. The clutch is very sensitive and those tons of torque coming out of that fire-cracker of an engine add to the difficulty. Once you get going though, it throws you ahead with the gusto of a muscle car. One tap at the gas pedal and your head is pushed back into the seat. The gear shifts are very confident, though not as smooth as the Si's. Once you are done revelling in the outright burst of acceleration (the turbo kicks in at a measly 1800 rpm!), throw it into a corner and the car shines through! It sticks to the road as does a caterpillar to a leaf! The chassis and the suspension are tuned for hard driving and it stays like that always. The steering is an absolute work of art. It is quick and weighs in delightfully with increasing speed. Exiting a corner is helped by the instantaneous torque from the turbocharged engine. You have to be however careful of torque steer. My suggestion - never shift up entering into a corner.
The "out-of-the-world"ness of the GTI swept me off my feet. It teases you to drive faster and harder. It doesn't lose steam even in the 6th gear! All this while, the gorgeous exhaust note keeps you entertained. Seriously, who needs to turn on the music! To sum it up, a true-blue driver's car which envelops you with its charms. It may not be as simple as the Si or as powerful as the ST, but as Ron Doron of autobytel said, "this is as much fun as you can have in a FWD sports car". While doing all of this, it does not sacrifice passenger comfort and that says a lot for this little hot-hatch!
Epilogue:
Both of these cars are enjoyable marvels of machinery. They try their best to take on the garb of a daily car and perform surprisingly well! However, they are not as practical as the ubiquitous Camry/Accord or the Corolla/Civic. They definitely do not come under the "fit and forget" category. These are cars that demand your attention and lots of care. In return, they reward you with dollops of entertainment every time you step into them. With that thought, I close my first ever car review :)
Civic Si (201 hp, 170lb/ft torque, 0-60 mph in 6.4 sec):
Feel:The coupe has some sexy lines going down to the boot and the swooping shape strikes the eyes well. Car looks pretty good overall, especially with the new alloy wheels introduced by Honda. As I got into the driver seat, I found the cockpit quite roomy, while I was not impressed with the ride height which was a little too high (even at the lowest position). Rear visibility is hampered a little by those swooping C pillars and the smallish rear window.
The steering wheel is small and thick, falls very well on the hands. And the gear stalk is very well within reach. Dashboard quality has definitely improved from the last edition and that red-stitching throughout adds to the "zing" factor. However, it still cannot be termed "premium". It is however loaded with gizmos what with a back-up camera as a standard fitment! The rear seats are very coupe'ish and not the most spacious place to be in. The rear headroom is restrictive as well especially for tall people.
The Drive:
Having not driven a manual transmission for years, I was quite apprehensive about it. However, there is a conspicuous "easy" air about the Si and I started feeling at home quite soon. The shifter is a delight to use! It is the smoothest transmission I have driven till date. The shifts thunk into their slots like they have been eager all day long to reach home! The clutch feel is pretty good and predictable, without being too springy in action. The steering is quick, it could however do with a little more weight. I could not get an opportunity to take it through the canyons. But, the suspension setup says there will be some body roll in fast corners and yes, there is some nose-dive on hard braking.
The VTEC engine loves to be revved. It may not have the grunt that some of the competitors have, but keep it between 5K to 7K revs and it responds to throttle as if a baby dear has been let loose! The sheer eagerness of that engine to be abused and pushed puts a smile on your face. That is good, but also bad in certain aspects. It means you have to be pretty energetic in driving to have any fun. You will also need open and empty roads to allow the engine-speed climb that high. Lack of turbocharger means a lot of this grunt will be missed in high altitudes. Overall, a pretty responsive engine which makes a glorious noise, a brilliant gearbox and a quick steering to go with it. This car could easily win the "easiest to drive sports car in the world" contest!
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| Courtesy: autoweek.com |
GTI (200 hp, 207 lb/ft torque, 0-60 mph in 6.4 sec):
Feel:Wide, planted and raring-to-go! That's what is communicated across when you eye the GTI. The low profile, those huge fat 18-inch wheels ooze "hot"ness like nothing else. Not without reason, it is called the gold standard in hot hatch category. At the same time, it does not go over-the-top with its look like the Focus ST. Step in, and you will be welcomed with class-leading interior quality which is echelons above the competition. While Honda's red-stitching looks funky, this one is best termed "sublime". It is not as generously equipped with gizmos as the competition though.
The seats are made for the twisties as they hug you with deep bolstering and brilliant lumbar support. All round visibility is best in class. The flat-bottomed steering wheel is the most delicious thing to hold on to. Even the gear stalk oozes class very unlike a typical hot-hatch. Moving on to the rear seats, the GTI is most spacious coupe in the industry along with the Scion tC. Being hatchback helps here.
The Drive:
I stalled the GTI right out of the parking lot (and again into it). It is not an easy car to drive for a novice. The clutch is very sensitive and those tons of torque coming out of that fire-cracker of an engine add to the difficulty. Once you get going though, it throws you ahead with the gusto of a muscle car. One tap at the gas pedal and your head is pushed back into the seat. The gear shifts are very confident, though not as smooth as the Si's. Once you are done revelling in the outright burst of acceleration (the turbo kicks in at a measly 1800 rpm!), throw it into a corner and the car shines through! It sticks to the road as does a caterpillar to a leaf! The chassis and the suspension are tuned for hard driving and it stays like that always. The steering is an absolute work of art. It is quick and weighs in delightfully with increasing speed. Exiting a corner is helped by the instantaneous torque from the turbocharged engine. You have to be however careful of torque steer. My suggestion - never shift up entering into a corner.
The "out-of-the-world"ness of the GTI swept me off my feet. It teases you to drive faster and harder. It doesn't lose steam even in the 6th gear! All this while, the gorgeous exhaust note keeps you entertained. Seriously, who needs to turn on the music! To sum it up, a true-blue driver's car which envelops you with its charms. It may not be as simple as the Si or as powerful as the ST, but as Ron Doron of autobytel said, "this is as much fun as you can have in a FWD sports car". While doing all of this, it does not sacrifice passenger comfort and that says a lot for this little hot-hatch!
Epilogue:
Both of these cars are enjoyable marvels of machinery. They try their best to take on the garb of a daily car and perform surprisingly well! However, they are not as practical as the ubiquitous Camry/Accord or the Corolla/Civic. They definitely do not come under the "fit and forget" category. These are cars that demand your attention and lots of care. In return, they reward you with dollops of entertainment every time you step into them. With that thought, I close my first ever car review :)
