Honda Civic Si (2014)

Honda Civic Si (2014)

Test Drive Notes Library
  • Pros

  • This is coupe version of the Honda Civic, with an upgraded engine, and sportier handling and feel. As a result, it’s fun to drive.
  • The engine is peppy. The six-gear manual transmission had closely-spaced gears, so we found ourselves shifting a lot.
  • It handles well, and is fairly nimble.
  • It’s a Honda, so it’s going to be reliable.
  • Ventilation controls are knobs, and worked well. Nice, large tachometer that’s easy to read.
  • USB power outlet, which is nice touch.
  • Cons

  • The touch-screen system for the radio controls is absolutely horrible-- well worse than most, and in our opinion it’s so bad that it’s a reason not to buy the car. It’s a complete pain in the tuchus to change any setting on the radio, with every audio control available only through buttons on the screen-- even the volume. And guess what? There are no presets for your radio stations.
  • To make matters worse, we found the screen to be not particularly responsive. You need to look carefully to make sure you’re pressing the button in exactly the right spot on the screen.
  • The touch screen is slow to start up, too—it felt like forever, even after we had driven the car for just a few days. Honda needs to stop screwing around, and put in a volume knob, a tuning knob, and some presets.
  • It’s a two-door vehicle, which is really a drawback, in our opinion. On the Civic Si, though, there’s not even a handle on the top of the front seats to move the seat forward, as there are in many two-door vehicles. You need to bend over to reach the lever. Most two-door vehicles also have seating controls with a memory, so your seat returns to its prior position. Not the case, here. Honda, what were you thinking?
  • Visibility is a bit poor, particularly out the rear corners. The poor view is mitigated by a good backup camera.
  • Most people will find it a little twitch in its performance, which is the appeal for someone who wants sporty performance.
Test Drive Notes Library

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