When Honda announced that it was replacing the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in higher trims of the Civic with a hybrid powertrain, questions lingered around the fate of the Civic Si sport compact. Well, those questions have now been answered, and the answer looks more than satisfactory. The Civic Si is mercifully sticking around for 2025, and not only does it get a few key improvements over the pre-facelift car, its equipment list also looks a lot more like the one on the more luxurious outgoing Canadian-market car.
It’s hard to deny that the Civic Si is subtle. Up front, the 2025 car gets the front bumper from the regular cooking-grade facelifted Civic, with just a slightly different upper grille being the only real distinguishing part. Around back, things are more closely aligned with the pre-facelift car, thanks to a carryover rear bumper showing two bright exhaust tips. However, the subtly darkened taillights of the 2025 Civic Sport do port over to the new Si, keeping things understated.
The biggest visual change on the 2025 Civic Si is a new set of wheels, which look a bit dowdier than before. The old Y-spoke wheels have been replaced with a set of split-five-spoke alloys that look rather pedestrian, although since they’re still painted black, I suspect nobody will give a toss. Besides, it’s what’s on the insider that really counts on this updated mildly spicy Civic.
Under the hood, the 2025 Civic Si carries over the old car’s 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission, and helical limited-slip front differential, but that doesn’t mean it’s devoid of performance updates. A stiffer lower B-pillar and rear sill reinforcements are said to increase torsional rigidity, and the dampers have been re-tuned to take advantage of that. Speaking of advantages, the Civic Si is once again available with a proper set of summer tires for $300 more than getting one on all-seasons. For many enthusiasts, that’s $300 well-spent. Oh, and every 2025 Civic Si will now, if you enable the function, automatically rev-match downshifts all the way down to first, when the outgoing car would only self-rev-match down to second. Handy for autocross, or what have you.
Speaking of stuff that might be useful in a high-performance driving environment, the 2025 Civic Si gets a 10.2-inch digital cluster with shift lights, more or less the same one that’s been in Canadian-market models for years. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of gadgets being ported over, the music situation gets a vast improvement, with a Bose 12-speaker audio system replacing a seven-speaker system in the old U.S.-market car.
Mind you, new for 2025 is Google built-in, meaning Google Maps and Google Assistant are pre-loaded onto the actual infotainment system, then each Civic Si owner will get three years of complimentary data to have these programs work. It’s a neat gimmick, but in the age of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, their usefulness seems somewhat limited.
You know what sounds more useful than Google built-in? Heated seats. Yes, Americans can finally buy a Civic Si with heated seats, for long Minnesotan winters or cold desert nights. Granted, American-market 2025 Civic Si sedans don’t appear to get the heated steering wheel Canadians enjoy, but progress is progress. Oh, and speaking of progress, a nine-inch touchscreen replaces the old eight-inch unit.
By now, you’re probably wondering what all of this costs. Well, there is a price increase for 2025, with the updated Civic Si stickering for $31,045 including freight. That’s $850 more than the old car, and I don’t know about you, but $850 for a significantly better stereo, heated seats, and a few gadgets like shift lights and a bigger touchscreen sounds reasonably fair, all things considered. Expect the 2025 Honda Civic Si to roll into dealerships this summer, shortly followed by showing up at an autocross near you.
(Photo credits: Honda)
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If you’re only going to give me one heated touchpoint, it should be the steering wheel. In part because it’s easy to add a heated seat cover, but heated steering wheel covers are problematic aftermarket.
I guess I’m just old school, but for as good as this car certainly is, it’s hard for my brain to get used to a turbocharged Civic Si. IMO, it needs to have a high-revving naturally aspirated engine. My parents had an ’07 Si for many years, and I enjoyed the drivetrain in that car a lot, even though it was low on torque. It just had the right spirit.
I had a 2022 Si until it got crashed into, and I loved it, but I replaced it with an Integra, among other reasons, to get those heated seats! And it was worth it for that! I don’t love it like I did the Si, however, even though it’s an objectively better car in most ways (and exactly the same in others).
Still no hatchback, right?
Got to get an Integra.
I hate paying more for an uglier (IMHO – I hate the Acura’s face) version of the same car.
Mazda3 comes in a hatch, and they don’t have oil dilution issues.
But they won’t let you get the manual with the turbo.
I am feeling like Honda is letting the SI rot on the vine a bit to protect the Type R (kind of like GM preventing great cars because Corvette). I am really bummed, as some of us want the performance of a de-tuned Type R with more subtle styling. A SI with a 235 HP detuned 2.0T would be great.
If you want to be even more sad, think about how in the near 20 year lifecycle since the FA5 came out, it’s made a gain of 8 horsepower. Not 80, not 18… 8 horsepower. The Prius has made a bigger horsepower gain than the Civic Si has.
God that car was a ripper. I was working at a Honda dealership when it came out. That and the S2000 we’re on the lot. Also the 6 speed 3.0l Accord Sedan came out for 2006. We had the coupe since 2003.
To be fair though, it dyno’s 15ish whp more and almost 100 ft/lbs more than the 8th gen.
The torque might have increased, but it’s still lacking compared to all of its competition whether it’s the Elantra N, GTi, or GR86(when the engine is blowing up). Not to mention the 1.5L engine in the Civic Si isn’t exactly proven for track duty or high stress situations like the GTi or Elantra N engine.
It’s 100% under powered compared to the other options in its class, but is also the cheapest one by not an insignificant amount. My 2022 was $30,300 OTD with TTL and the $400 add on I had to get. A base GTI was $3k more without dealer add ons, and imo the Si is better to drive and as a daily. Performance wise, even as underpowered it is, they are still faster in the stock autocross class over the MK7 or MK8 GTI and can fit a wider tire. I sold mine and went to a Type R anyways though.
I was hoping you said it now has the 2.0T….
Why on earth did Honda not just offer it this way from the start?? Also echoing others in being disappointed you can’t get the Si with the hatch, but then the Type R and Integra only come as liftbacks, who on earth thought this made sense?
Small cars like this without a hatch are just way less useful, especially since a Civic is probably the typical buyer’s only car. It’s made even worse because the hatch version already exists and the manufacturer just chooses not to offer it. I thought car companies want to sell as many cars as possible?
For example, when the original Camaro Z28 came out, Chevy made as many as possible and didn’t make you jump through hoops to get one. Seems like manufacturers these days choose car selling strategies just to make us hate them even more.
The only negative is car seats. The hatch has rear leg room. At least in the last generation.
My 2019 Si has heated seats. Did they go away or something? What am I missing here?
Yeah they went away when this generation started for some odd reason
Huh. Ok, thanks!
I was going to say the same. We have a ’19 that has heated seats. And was a few thousand $ cheaper than the new one.
Is Honda following the Apple playbook? “we took away a feature and raised the price, so that later we can re-introduce the same feature at a marked up price!”
A top-spec Civic Hatchback Sport Touring 6M is about the same price. Slightly less performance, more cush options, fewer boy-racer add-ons. Is that the better choice? I mean, if they refuse to give us the Si 6M hatchback we deserve?
Also, why is the Integra cargo liftover height so damn tall? It’s not like that on the Civic!
Remember back in the 80’s when Ford gave us the Fox-body Mustang LX but also with the 5.0 as an option? Or the 2009-only Jetta Sportwagen VW offered up with the GTI’s 2.0T engine?
I think we all want the 2024 version of that. Best engine, hatchback, no stupid “sporty” red trim badges. Factory sleeper.
The Civic Sport Touring was definitely like a hidden sweet spot, just a couple grand more than an Si with way more content, and 5k less than an Integra just with a limited color palette. But it’s gone for 2025, so the Si and Integra are the only manual options now.
This is what I ended up going with, partly because I wanted the hatchback, partly because I didn’t want to have to fill it with premium, partly because I wanted to be a less aggressive driver, and finally, partly because I don’t have a reason to have the spicier Civic variant anymore, despite having loved all the Civics Si I’ve owned over the years. I drive like 8,000 miles a year now, mostly to shuttle my kid back and forth to school or to get groceries, and the occasional five-to-eight-hour road trip. There’s no fun in that. I’d rather have comfort-related amenities than sport-related ones if the road I drive has no twists. And the Civic Sport Touring hatchback is pretty daggum nice and makes me wonder what the point is in the Accord.
I’m pretty sure the Si power is a quick tune away, too. No LSD, but being that low on power and for the weight, is it really needed all that much?
That’s the Civic I was looking for a few years back. Ended up paying less (and that’s not including Honda markup) for a GR86 and got exactly what I was looking for down to the color.
Mazda3 can have a turbo and AWD, and is easily the more “mature” vehicle. A connoisseur’s choice.
I suspect Honda benchmarked the 3 for the updated civic, especially the interior. Lots of copycat similarities.
2024 Civic Length: 184″
1993 Accord Length: 185″
This is dumb. That’s an accord.
And the new civic is wider by like 3-4 inches.
I’m actually surprised it isn’t longer.
https://shorturl.at/IdP7a
Nice! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that with my response.
I believe this also now has the cool shift lights that were only available to our friends up north as well, which is an added bonus. Anyway, as I said in my comment below I think these are very compelling buys at MSRP, especially if you’re extremely passionate about manual transmissions as I know a lot of folks here are.
But unfortunately Honda dealers mark SIs up, and once you’re in the mid 30s you’re at Elantra N or GR Corolla money.
Unsurprisingly I can’t say I’d choose an SI over either of those, but if the single most important thing to you is a manual transmission then this one has the best in the game.
The Si did already have the Bose sound system, so suppose it’s good that they didn’t decontent it in the process. I too wish for a hatch, but once the 2025 specs were leaked for Canada, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. If Honda holds true to their product cycles, the Integra is up for a facelift next year. Which speaking of, seems like used 6MT Integras are going for close to new Si money.
I sure hope the Integra gets the hybrid powertrain but I wouldn’t put money on it. But you’re correct, and Integras depreciate more than SIs as well since they’re the depreciation monsters known as luxury sedans. The Integra also has an automatic option but unfortunately it’s a fucking CVT and you can only get the differential with the manual car anyway.
I wish they’d offer the DCT from the ILX and the SI’s differential in the Integra because it would be a mighty compelling buy for a lot of buyers…but if they did that they couldn’t lock the stick behind multiple packages and charge you thousands more for it.
I wish they’d just kill the Integra and let it stay dead until they let an actual honda enthusiast design it.
I wonder if there are any therapists out there who specialize in helping Honda fans….
With the Civic Sport Touring manual gone (a surprisingly decent value against the Integra if you just wanted a nicely appointed manual daily, and somehow seemed more common in inventory around me than the Si for a while) there’s theoretically room for a lower end Integra manual now. I know the paywall is the way RCR puts it but the entire Civic line and its variants are just pricey. An LX Civic is $25k with hubcaps and single speed intermittent wipers. The Integra line as a whole seems like a tough sell against the top Civics and moreso now with the Civic hybrid trickling out unless you’re set on leasing I guess but they seem to move them all.
I don’t know why they need so many speakers; it seems like tons of 90s cars sound great if you put in 4 3 day 6.5s and a sub. Why do modern cars need so many? Or are they counting multi-way speakers as individual speakers?
“Why do modern cars need so many? ”
Because REASONS!!
It’s all about numbers, just like horsepower and cup holders. Nevermind that you’ll rarely, if ever, use all those numbers.
My 2013 Fit is really showing its age and I’ve been thinking about cars I would get if I needed to replace it–likely due to an accident, I’ll keep it running as long as I can–and this is definitely near the top. The only caveat, as mentioned by others, is no hatch.
The Fit has just been a damn useful vehicle in the 12 years I’ve owned it; being able to throw the seats down and transport a whole lot of stuff has come in incredibly useful, far more useful than a Sedan could ever be. That said, I also have a minivan now, so some of the Fit’s usefulness has been replicated elsewhere, so I could maybe get by.
As someone in New England not being able to option heated seats was a nonstarter when I was car shopping about a year ago. That coupled with Honda dealer’s markups and general availability really soured me on the brand as a whole. It’s a shame too because I still like what they have to offer.
I can’t complain though, I’ve had my BRZ for two months now and it’s been a perfect weekender.
Here I was expecting a basic Civic hatchback with 1.5T and LSD.
And I leave here disappointed.
I like everything but the black wheels. The interior upgrades are a marked improvement. Demand outstripped supply in my area for the old car, and I’m sure there will be no change in that regard for this new one.
Yeah those wheels look terrible.
Man, I love the new Civic. I really want an Si.
Too bad no Si hatch though. And why don’t they give it the 250 hp 2.0T from the previous Accord?
The lack of a hatch was the deciding factor in me not buying a Canadian market Si a couple years ago. I have no desire for the price or insurance premium of a Type R, I just wanted a hatchback Si for some sporty daily driver action.
Having a hatch is a deciding factor on what vehicle I purchase.
Looking at you, Subaru. Where’s that WRX hatch?
What’s availability like for these now? In my metro area (population ~1.3M) there’s never more than like three Si’s available, total. And the dealers all want top dollar.
Honda, make some more of them please.
These still sell for over MSRP in my area, which I think is completely insane. This car makes sense when it’s undercutting its competitors price wise. It has a great chassis and what’s widely considered the best manual transmission offered at an affordable price…but it’s dramatically down on power. For a couple thousand more (aka the price of a markup) you can have an Elantra N that has 76 more horsepower and has an available DCT if you don’t want to row your own.
You’re also in GR Corolla territory at that point or even Integra money…which is the same damn car but with a hatchback and more luxury appointments. You have to REALLY want an SI to pay that much for one. While I never would personally, I understand why people pay obscene sums for the Type R. But paying a penny over asking for a car that’s this down on power compared to its competitors doesn’t make sense to me…although I know Manual Gang is as rabid as ever and for some people it might be worth it to pay more for this solely for the transmission.
Honda people are weird. When I shopped for my FE1 dealers were surprised I wouldn’t jump on the opportunity to have the first with ADMs ranging $5-8K. I just laughed until I found a dealer that sold me one for MSRP + Mats. I sold that car for almsot MSRP with 40k miles on it too.
Granted I’m the same type of wierd Honda person and just bought a 2018 Type R for $30k
It looks like my local dealer has two in stock, and even two Type Rs in stock as well. However, as a friend pointed out recently, this dealer bends people over by apparently throwing in a $4000 “Brandon Honda protection package.” He was helping someone shop for a used car recently and they were throwing this in on used cars as well. It does not appear to be avoidable if the vehicle is already in inventory. Looks like that dealer has been crossed off my list when it comes time to shop for my wife’s next vehicle.
Dealer near me puts window tints and some “paint protection” on every car, like they are doing you a favor.
Don’t mention it on their website though.
I can’t find the forum post off hand, but Honda has actually sold more FL5 Type Rs for the US than they have FE1 Si