Honda Civic Si 6-Speed Manual – BREEZE ON DOWN THE ROAD

Honda Civic Si 6-Speed Manual

BREEZE ON DOWN THE ROAD

So, it’s available in Blaze Orange with a 6-speed manual trans. Yee Ha! There’s just no way to ignore Honda’s Civic Si, whether you see it on the road or you’re behind the steering wheel looking out over the hood. It’s simply stunning. And, at least in my opinion, well worth the additional $395 for the Blaze Orange color.

The 2022 Honda Civic Si 6 Speed manual, at $28,910 including the optional blaze orange exterior and another $1015 in destination and handling fees, makes this car a perfect pick, especially if you have a young family and lean toward performance. You’re giving up nothing, and with the (current) price of used cars nearing that of new cars, it’s a deal.

Not only do you get a 200hp, 1.5L turbocharged 4 cylinder with direct injection, you’ll also get that butter smooth 6 speed manual trans and a 3-mode Normal/Sport/Individual drive system that is easy to select on the fly. And on top of all that, there’s a limited slip differential, struts up front paired with a multi-link independent suspension in the rear, and my personal favorite: Hill Start Assist. It’s not flashy, but it’s there when you need it.

Over the course of seven days I ran the Civic Si through the 500+ mile, 3-drive program I like to run everything through (300-350 miles single day Hill Country road test, 100 miles of Interstate Highway, and 50-75 miles of slug-and-chug city driving). In the Hill Country the Civic Si swallowed hills easily, and swept through curves like a Texas tornado. Popping out of the driver seat at the end of a long solo day, I was as relaxed as when I got in that morning. Out on the highway the Si rolled along effortlessly and comfortably. In the city, the manual transmission was no hindrance, and allowed me plenty of time to play with the 12-speaker Bose Premium Audio System. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Integration are included, as you would expect, along with Sirius XM Satellite Radio. (Free activation and the first 3 months, anyway. After that, you’re on your own.)

The Civic Si came equipped with 18” alloy wheels running 235/40 R18 High-Performance Summer Tires, a One-Touch Power Moonroof, and Blind Spot Information System. Beyond that was Collision Mitigating Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist and Road Departure Mitigation.

Everything but that Blaze Orange Paint color is Standard Equipment, at no extra cost.

Fuel economy numbers of 27 City and 37 Highway yielding 31 mpg average means that the EPA/DOT folks think you will spend an extra $750 over 5 years driving this car relative to the competitive segment. Maybe so. But that wasn’t my experience. I found – on average – better fuel economy. In any event, a 31 mpg average isn’t bad. And it comes with a lot of fun included.

The 9” touch screen is larger than I prefer, which is distracting. But to be honest, I find all touch screens to be distracting. Like it or not, we are so programmed to look at screens today your eyes can’t help but drift in that direction. But I did love the multi-view rear camera.

In sum, you can haul the groceries, haul the kids, haul the dogs and haul ass with this car. It’s just an all-around fun drive at an affordable price, and comes with Honda Roadside Assistance and a 3yr/36,000 mile warranty.

One final note: Honda wants you to know that the High-Performance Tires included on the 2022 Honda Civic Si will wear more rapidly than normal passenger car tires, and, they are not designed for winter driving. No surprises there, really. But fortunately, we don’t have a lot of winter driving here in Texas.