2026 Honda Civic Si Review

In an ever more expensive market, the 2026 Honda Civic Si is still something of a bargain.

OK, it’s tough to consider any compact car that creeps this close to $40,000 affordable. But all this Honda has to offer — not just in terms of performance, but amenities and everyday usability, too — means the math is easy enough to make sense of. While there are at least a few other entries like it that are worthy of consideration, none is as approachable, sensible, or enjoyable to drive, especially not for this kind of cash.

Value 7 / 10

With a price tag of $38,430 before tax but including freight ($1,830), the 2026 Civic Si is a little more expensive than its truest competitor, the Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which rings in at $37,045 including its own delivery charge ($2,050). That price is the same with either of its available transmissions, by the way, while the Civic Si stays true to its roots — if not the times — with a six-speed manual handling gear changes and no automatic option offered.

Features 9 / 10

Viewed another way — and, admittedly, one that puts it in an even more favourable light — the Civic Si is exactly $1,000 cheaper than a top-of-the-line Civic Hybrid sedan. Yes, it burns more gas and it goes without leather seats, but it’s infinitely more enjoyable to drive. Otherwise, just about everything is the same, right down to the 12-speaker stereo they share, along with the heated front and rear seats.

Fine, the Civic Sport Touring Hybrid has power-adjustable chairs up front while the ones in the Civic Si are moved manually. But then the touchscreen is the same nine-inch unit with Google built-in functionality — think apps, maps, and more — plus there’s wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless charger, dual-zone automatic climate control, and proximity door locks.

Safety 9 / 10

The advanced safety suite is robust, too, with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control, all of which work well and without too many early warnings, which isn’t always the case with Honda’s systems. There’s also rain-sensing wipers, automatic high-beam control, and traffic sign recognition.

Styling 8 / 10

Some of the best sport compacts are the ones that don’t look much different than the economy cars they’re based on, which is certainly the case here. Sure, the black accents have been applied a bit more liberally, and they give the Civic Si a slightly sinister look; but if not for the tiny Si badges front and back, or the twin exhaust tips poking out from beneath the bumper, there’d be no telling of this sedan’s intentions.

The interior makes them a bit more obvious, although the space stays on the good side of garish. While the purple-ish red upholstery on the front seats and door panels clashes a bit with this tester’s shade of exterior paint, the rest of the contrast accents have been tastefully spread throughout the front half of the cabin. If anything, the back seats could use a bit more colour beyond the barely-there red stitching.

Comfort 8 / 10

The fixed headrests on the front seats are very much in keeping with this car’s aims, although they’re less than ideal for tall occupants. But then those buckets are decently comfortable overall, plus there’s enough lateral support to keep bodies of varying types from sliding around during spirited driving sessions. Best of all, they aren’t aggressively bolstered to the point of proving difficult to climb in and out of.

Driving Feel 9 / 10

Similarly, the suspension setup is stiffer than what underpins more pedestrian Civic trims, but not punishingly so. This is the kind of car that’s meant to be driven every day and it shows, with nicely dialled spring rates that are firm enough to keep the car flat when cornering aggressively, and all without the need for the number of a good chiropractor to go along with them. Meanwhile, turn-in response is sharp even if steering feel isn’t abundant.

When it comes to getting the torque to the ground, the limited-slip differential means even mid-corner throttle application can be handled tidily. And then there’s the manual transmission that’s outstanding in its own right, with quick and crisp action from the gear lever and a well-weighted clutch. And while some purists will bemoan the inclusion of auto rev-matching, there’s no denying that this system is well executed. (It can also be disabled.)

Power 10 / 10

With a turbocharged 1.5L four-cylinder under the hood, the Civic Si makes 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. The latter figure is considerably less than the 232 net hp the Civic Hybrid spins up, although that’s a credit to the electric portion of its powertrain. Besides, there’s an excitability to the way this one’s engine-transmission combination comes together that makes it properly quick as it pulls hard all the way to its 6,600-rpm redline.

Fuel Economy 8 / 10

Here’s where this sporty Civic comes up short of its gas-electric sibling, although that shouldn’t be a surprise. But while it’s officially rated to burn 8.3 L/100 km in combined conditions — it’s good for 9.1 in the city and 7.4 on the highway, for those wondering — this somewhat truncated test turned in an impressive indicated average of 7.3 L/100 km across a total of about 300 km. Premium-grade gas is recommended.

Practicality 8 / 10

Sedans like this one might not be the most practical when it comes to moving people and stuff, but the current Civic sets a new standard for the compact class. The space is divided up nicely between the front and rear seats, while the 408-L trunk isn’t much smaller than the one on the backside of the bigger Honda Accord (473 L). The rear seats can also be stowed for extra cargo capacity, although the process to do so is a little arduous.

User-Friendliness 9 / 10

Stowing those seats first requires levers in the trunk to be pulled before lowering the seatbacks manually from inside, although that’s about the only frustration to be found here. The cabin is packed with easy-to-understand switchgear — including an entire bank of buttons and dials for climate control with a dedicated display — and the infotainment system makes quick and simple sense. Meanwhile, the touchscreen is responsive to inputs.

The Verdict

There’s something to be said about a car that can be so enjoyable to drive without breaking the law — something that’s less true about the 2026 Honda Civic Si than it’s been in years past. But in an era of increasingly quick and powerful cars, this one remains as humble and fun as ever. It delivers just enough in the best possible ways, and not just when it comes to performance but as far as features and functionality, too.

Straying this close to $40,000 might take some of the value out of the Civic Si, but it remains a bargain against the backdrop of ever-increasing car prices across the industry as a whole.