Sleek new Honda Civic Si unveiled

The covers have finally come off the sporty new Honda Civic Si, a performance-focussed sports sedan to slot beneath the wilder new Civic Type R hot hatch in the US.

Sadly, like previous examples of the warmed-over sedan and the new Honda Integra, the 11th-generation Civic Si won’t come to Australia, where the all-new Honda Civic will be available only in hatchback form from next month.

Power for the manual-only Civic Si comes from a tweaked version of the same 1.5-litre four-cylinder VTEC petrol engine used in the previous model, but initial power figures suggest it won’t be as potent as its predecessor.

Peak power is now 149kW (4kW less than before) over 6000-6500rpm, while maximum torque remains unchanged at 260Nm but arrives 300rpm earlier at 1800rpm in a bid to boost the sedan’s acceleration.

Still, those outputs are higher than the 127kW/220Nm figures to be offered by Aussie-delivered Civic hatchbacks from launch.

Elsewhere, the new Civic Si will feature an upgraded six-speed manual gearbox with the same rev-matching tech found in the hotter Type R, as well as an aluminium gear shifter with 10 per cent shorter throws than before.  

Other additions include a lighter flywheel and a dual exhaust system with 27 per cent better exhaust flow compared to lesser Civics, along with standard equipment such as 18-inch matt-black alloy wheels, a limited-slip differential and tougher exterior styling.

The interior of the new Honda Civic Si is also a sportier affair than in regular Civics, courtesy of sports seats, red accented upholstery, aluminium pedals and a 12-speaker Bose sound system. A 7.0-inch driver’s instrument cluster and 9.0-inch infotainment unit are also standard.

Honda’s Civic Si is set to go on sale in the US before the end of this year, while the next-generation Civic hatch is due to arrive here in November.