2009 Honda Civic Si user reviews

Pros 1) Fun and sporty - likes to be revved (redline at 8500) 2) Reliable 3) Affordable 4) Great factory stereo 5) Nice looking 6) Can add mods 7) Great gas mileage 8) Available as 2 or 4 door

Cons 1) Road noise/ cabin poorly insulated 2) Seat comfort/sport suspension - make this less amenable to long drives 3) Not really a fast car per se - but feels fast due to high revving engine

Summary Great car. Definitely recommend it to anyone on a budget.

Pros I liked the road handling and acceleration.

Cons I didn't like the 'Beam me up Scotty' display which was far too confusing. i particularly didn't like the way the rev counter reflected up into the windscreen when I was driving at night. This is a clear design fault and needs fixing.

Summary This was quite an enjoyable car to drive in daylight but as soon as the sun went down it became nightmarish. The rev counter display is bright blue and large and is not covered properly so when you are driving at night on counttry lanes it reflects in the front windscreen and makes it impossible to drive. It it quite a dangerous design fault and I'm amazed that the car was released with such a basic design error. I was thinking of using some gaffer tape on the one I hired just so I could get home safely. In addition for some reason only known to Honda, they decided to put a plastic bar across the back window. Not only is this pointless but also dangerous as on hilly terrain such as country lanes 'white van man' disappears at the vanishing point and then reappears when you least expect him to. This is also quite a dangerous feature. I would not advise anyone who lives anywhere near a country lane or is planning to drive on one to buy this car or anyone who is planning to drive after sunset. Luckily the one I hired broke down and I managed to change it. Something to do with the complicated engine management system.

Pros Handles sharp,shifts smooth,plenty of pockets for phone,gloves,etc. Just recently got 30 mpg with mixed driving which is great! I went with the sedan w/o navigation.With the added aux in I can channel my garmin portable through the stock stereo.

Cons The cons for me is the paint has a few flaws from the factory, and the lack of xenon headlights. Also has the annoying rev hang between shifts. Oil changes are a pain if you DIY like me which requires removal of front wheel to access filter

Summary Bottom line great,fun car for the price with the Honda reputation for reliability with only a few small flaws I can live with and I am very picky.

Pros Great engine/tranny combo. Will make you scream with excitement, yet can drive like any other honda around town. Out handles many cars twice it's price. Makes you forget about the terrible 02-05 civic si. Faster than the new European type-R

Cons Need to rev it hard to wring out all the power, not for everyone (if you want comfort but a GTI or a basic civic)

Summary Hands down the most fun Honda since the demise of the Integra Type-R. Yes, I have the audacity to say type-R in the same sentence, but it's true. The civic si walks a fine line between daily driver and it's boy racer alter-ego. Not only does it putt around town like a basic civic coupe, it can light your pants on fire with a quick down shift. By far the best honda car built in the last ten years (performance oriented obviously, otherwise what's the significance of the FCX clarity and insight)