2022 Honda Civic Si Revealed: Performance Enhancements And A Sophisticated Shape

After a one-year hiatus, Honda has revived the Si trim level for the 2022 Civic’s ground-up redesign. A turbocharged engine, six-speed manual transmission and sport-tuned suspension come standard, alongside subtle Si-specific design cues.

The new eleventh-generation 2022 Civic lineup benefits from a return to Honda’s long-standing commitment to a cohesive, holistic design ethos, and the Civic Si’s interior takes a noticeable step forward with a more vertical dash, improved connectivity features and enhanced safety tech, all in an attractive package. So equipped, the 2022 Civic Si is poised to continue Honda’s 36-year history of delivering lightweight, agile driving dynamics in a simple, affordable package.

The 2022 Civic exterior represents a clear departure from the extreme angularity of the outgoing generation, exemplified in its most extreme form by the aggressive wings, aero inlets and splitters of the Type R. The Civic’s revised profile improves aerodynamic efficiency and is available in both sedan and hatchback form. Offered in nine different trim levels, the 2022 Honda Civic Si, however, will only be offered as a four-door, whereas the previous-gen Civic Si could be had in coupe form. (For what it’s worth, teasers for the upcoming 2022 Civic Type R appear to indicate that it will be a sedan as well.)

Details unique to the Civic Si include a hidden front chin spoiler and a gloss black rear spoiler, as well as black mirrors and window trim to go along with an Si-exclusive Blazing Orange Pearl paint tone. In addition, redesigned rear taillights and a thoroughly reshaped rear bumper mark a significant change from the outgoing model. Dual exhaust tips hint at the Si’s mild performance enhancements. Speaking of which, the new exhaust system flows 27% more freely than the standard Civic’s. An Active Sound Control system supplements the organic exhaust, the tone tweaked for improved sound quality across a wider engine rev range than previous model years.

Despite pressure to switch to all-wheel drive, Honda steadfastly retains the Civic’s front-drive layout—even for the teased Type R—but that fact doesn’t bar out a range of driver-focused features for this economy car’s two sportiest trim levels. The base Civic employs a 2.0-liter inline-four engine producing 158 horsepower, but the Si takes the mid-level turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and bumps output up to a hearty 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Those 200 ponies are actually five fewer than the 2020 model’s 205 horsepower, though Honda promises improved response at the top of the rev range between the 6,000 rpm horsepower peak and 6,500 rpm redline. Additionally, peak torque now comes on at 1800 rpm, 300 earlier than before.

Where the lower-spec Civic sedans employ a continuously variable transmission—a stick shift is only available on hatchback models—the Si comes equipped solely with a six-speed manual transaxle. Several performance-focused details filter down from the Type R’s drivetrain to the 2022 Si, including 10% shorter throws for the shifter, a more rigid shift lever mounting bracket and even a rev-matching system that can blip the throttle in as few as 430 milliseconds. A significant 26% weight reduction for the flywheel should also help to improve throttle response as the trans routes power to the front wheels via a helical limited-slip differential.

In addition to a 13% stiffer torsional rigidity of the body structure, Honda worked over the Si’s suspension to improve the new generation’s driving dynamics. The wheelbase and rear track have been stretched by 1.4 inches and 0.5 inches respectively, while thicker sway bars (27mm hollow in front and 18mm solid in rear), stiffer bushings and revised springs reduce body roll and sharpen reflexes. Specifically, the spring rates are 8-percent stiffer in front and 54-percent stiffer in the rear compared to Civic Sedan, and the dampers are tuned to suit. 18-inch 235/40 size rubber is standard, and performance-focused summer rubber is a no-cost option. Bigger brakes augment driver confidence, and the Si also gets tighter steering thanks to a beefed-up steering torsion bar connecting the steering shaft to the rack and pinion.

A new Individual mode joins normal and sport for a total of three drive modes. Individual mode allows the driver to customize the engine response, steering weight, idle-stop system, rev-matching and even the instrument panel’s accent colors individually to fit their desired taste.

Somehow, despite all the revisions, the 2022 Civic Si only adds about 50 pounds to its predecessor’s curb weight, now tipping the scales at 2,952 pounds.

The entire lineup’s interior design looks much more modern, featuring a more vertical dash, fewer buttons and the expanded use of refined materials. The Si, particularly, receives sport pedals, contrast stitching, trim-specific cloth seats with red accents and a leather-wrapped aluminum shift knob (also sourced from the Type R) to differentiate it from lower-spec models.

Despite the return to quintessential Civic simplicity, the 2022 model year adds significant tech and safety features across the entire lineup. For example, the Si receives a nine-inch high-definition color touchscreen equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto connectivity. At the same time, a 12-speaker Bose sound system allows Honda to boast that the new car features “the best factory audio system in Civic Si history.”

The Civic Si is still a four-door sedan capable of injecting a little fun into the family commute, so safety still factors into the core design. Safety improvements include a new single-camera Honda Sensing suite of driver’s aids that can identify pedestrians, cyclists, other vehicles, road lines and signage. In addition, a total of 10 airbags surround the cabin, utilizing a new donut-shaped structure for the front seats that cradle the head in the event of a collision. Rear airbags come standard.

The new Civic generation also employs Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body designed with stiffer construction at nearly every angle and built to route crash energy around the cabin rather than through it. The beefed-up ACE tub doesn’t sacrifice visibility, however, a crucial detail that so many manufacturers seem to ignore but that Honda couldn’t allow to detract from the Si’s sporty driving experience.

Improvements to the Civic Si’s design, tech, and performance should help to re-establish its unique market position for the 2022 model year. Most of the cars that could be considered competitors have, for the last few years at least, offered better style, more power or different drivetrain layouts, but almost exclusively at a higher price point.

For comparison, the “outgoing” 2020 Civic Si started at $25,930 and the top-tier 2021 Type R cost just shy of $38,000. The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI, meanwhile, comes with a 241-horsepower inline-four but is only available in hatchback form and stickers for $29,545. The all-new 2022 Subaru WRX four-door also trumps the Civic Si in power output but is only available with all-wheel drive.

Nevertheless, with its manual transmission, fresh, understated styling and fun-to-fling demeanor, the 2022 Honda Civic Si should have little trouble carving a niche from the sport compact segment. More so if the base price remains under $27,000.

Honda did not reveal pricing, fuel economy ratings or delivery estimates for the 2022 Civic Si, so stay tuned for further announcements as the new model year rapidly approaches.