Gallery
Pros
Cons
The first car I ever bought was a bright red 1993 Honda Civic Si.
At the time — and even looking back with the benefit of hindsight — there was no better choice for a young, cash-poor driving enthusiast. Its sleek coupe profile was stylish and well-proportioned, its handling was dialled-in for backroad curves, and the harmonious way its zippy little engine and crisp transmission worked together meant it was properly engaging. But best of all, it was cheap to fuel and asked for nothing but the most basic of maintenance.
The Civic Si has been a constant offering in Honda’s lineup ever since, always exclusively equipped with a manual transmission, front-wheel drive, and a price tag predicated upon strong value. After 32 years, the time was right to climb behind the wheel of the 2025 Honda Civic Si to see if it still has the same sort of charm I remember.
Power 7 / 10
The Civic Si has never been about big output. My old car had barely more than half the power of this new model, but the 2025 version’s 200 hp isn’t just less than key competitors from Hyundai and Volkswagen make, but it’s also five short of what the Civic Si delivered a decade ago. Back then, a screaming 7,000 rpm were required, but now peak output is achieved with a thousand fewer revs. More notable, this Si’s 1.5L four-cylinder is turbocharged, which not only gives it a bunch more torque — 192 lb-ft, to be exact — but it’s available at barely above idle.
That means the car is more driveable for around-town duties and when zipping past dawdling traffic. The 2025 Civic Si builds its speed smoothly and effortlessly compared to earlier generations, but needing a little less than seven seconds to reach 100 km/h from a stop guarantees the Hyundai Elantra N-Line and Volkswagen Jetta GLI will show this Honda their tail lights.
Fuel Economy 7.5 / 10
One of the Civic Si’s best tricks has always been doing double-duty as both a sporty car and one that’s miserly. That remains mostly true, with the 2025 model rated at 8.7 L/100 km in the city, an impressive 6.4 on the highway, and 7.7 combined. Those numbers beat the Jetta GLI, but the Elantra N-Line is more efficient overall; plus, the Civic requests premium-grade gas versus regular for its two closest rivals.
Driving Feel 8 / 10
The Civic has certainly grown in size (and mass) over the decades, but its steering is still quick and its chassis tuned for a great blend of well-mannered handling with a decent ride. Body motions are controlled when it’s thrown into turns at speed, and the steering allows for precise inputs to help make corrections mid-corner if needed. Grip from the sporty all-season tires is decent, but there’s not as much road feel communicated back to the driver as I’d like.
Honda’s engineers are legendary for creating exceptional manual transmissions that offer short, precise throws, and this one is no exception. The only disappointment is that, as with a few other modern direct-injected engines, there remains some rev hang during shifts, preventing gear changes from being as smooth as they should be. The competitors have largely figured out how to fix this problem, and even Honda has, too, with the more powerful Civic Type R. Honda did take the time to engineer an automatic rev-matching feature.
Styling 7 / 10
The current Civic is a handsome car that tones down the pseudo-futuristic design elements of the previous generation. It’s also extremely common, with Honda’s compact continuing to be a huge seller, softening its visual appeal somewhat. The Si spices the look up a tad, in this case with bold red paint contrasted by blacked-out trim, wheels, mirror caps, and rear spoiler. In Civic Sport trim, the more pedestrian car looks pretty similar, but keen-eyed spotters will notice the little red badges on the grille and trunk lid. It takes an even keener eye to notice the reshaped fascia, redesigned wheels, and smoked tail lights for 2025.
The interior has a similar treatment, with the majority of the dashboard shared with other Civic trims, but with some snazzy red accents around the dashboard-wide mesh vents, red stitching on the steering wheel and shifter, and red inserts on decently-bolstered front seats. Weirdly, the rear seats don’t get the same red inserts, making it look like a budget decision to save a few bucks.
User-Friendliness 9 / 10
The current Civic has exceptional ergonomics, and the Si benefits from the same switchgear as its siblings. The driving position is great, with the steering wheel, shifter, and sightlines all just where you want them. The steering wheel feels great and offers intuitive toggles, buttons, and roller wheels for operating essentials without the need to take your hands off the wheel — or your eyes off the road. The climate controls are sensible dials and buttons, and the infotainment screen — while not the largest in the class — is within clear view of the driver and presents crisp graphics, easy menus, and even a volume knob.
Features 8 / 10
This year, the infotainment system has been updated with Google Built-In, offering a smart and responsive voice command system with Google Assistant. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included, and both offer wireless connectivity.
There’s wireless phone charging, too, plus a 12-speaker stereo. Other standard features include a power sunroof, a heated steering wheel and front seats, a few different drive modes, and a digital instrument display.
Safety 9 / 10
The Civic Si gets Honda’s usual treatment of adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking both front and rear, and automatic high-beam control. The sensor system has been tweaked for 2025 to better recognize pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2025 Civic a Top Safety Pick rating, while the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also awarded it a top five-star rating in its crash testing.
Comfort 8 / 10
Although tuned for sporty firmness, the Civic Si’s suspension is refined enough to filter out the sharpness of most potholes and road imperfections. The seats offer decent bolstering without causing claustrophobic anxiety, plus they’re supple enough to be comfy for long highway stints. The rear seat offers decent space for two adults, and a seatbelt to fit a third in the middle when needed. Road and wind noise are also decently suppressed, and engine noise is artificially enhanced to give a sportier feel, but can be toned down through the infotainment controls.
Practicality 7.5 / 10
For a sporty car, the Civic Si offers a lot of practicality between having a spacious cabin for occupants and a trunk that’ll swallow 408 L of stuff, which is slightly more than both the Elantra or Jetta offer. But the combination of sensible interior design, good fuel efficiency, and a reputation for excellent reliability makes the Civic Si a fun car that’s very easy to live with as a daily driver.
Value 7.5 / 10
At an MSRP of $36,100 before freight ($1,830), the Civic Si offers a lot of car for the money. Its competitors are aggressively priced, too, and while an Elantra N-Line is cheaper, it can only be had with a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI offers a lot of features, too, including a lot more power for the money, and costs $1,000 less than the Civic.
The Verdict
Reminiscing fondly about my old Civic Si, I was struck by how much this new car still embodies so much of what has always made Honda’s little sport sedan (and coupes and hatchbacks) so endearing. They’re a wonderful balance of fun and frugality, offering lively handling, and slick-shifting gearboxes, and all without breaking the bank at the fuel pump. Knowing the Canadian-made 2025 Honda Civic Si is also renowned for its build quality holds promise for an ownership experience as trouble-free as mine was 32 years ago.
