comparison of suspensions of 2015 civic ex 2015 Civic si and 2017 civic hatchback

[robotman2009]

So I'm wondering something...

Back in 2015, I bought a 2015 Civic SI coupe. The suspension killed my back. Fortunately my dealer had a thing where you could take the car back in for any reason if you weren't satisfied within 4 days. So that's what I did and got an EX. It's been great!

But now we've got the 2017 Civic Hatch. I love the way it looks. I was thinking of the EX. But wasn't sure about the stiffness of the suspension. In the suspension sections of all the Civic models it basically says Macpherson struts and multi link rear suspension and other stuff. I guess I'm wanting to know if anyone knows how to get the different strut stats for each model. I can't find them. I'm wanting to determine what kind of struts were on the 2015 civic si and then compare them to the 2017 civic hatch. I'm wanting to avoid having to take the car back if I get the hatch.

I noticed the stabilizer bars seem to be bigger all around in the 2017 civics of all models.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

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[CivicChina]

you cannot compare on paper, the final behaviour of the car depends on many factors, not just the type of the components installed. If your main concern is confort i would suggest a sedan or hatch Lx with 16" wheels, but don't focus on data only, you have to test drive it anyway!

 

[batman900]

So I'm wondering something...

Back in 2015, I bought a 2015 Civic SI coupe. The suspension killed my back. Fortunately my dealer had a thing where you could take the car back in for any reason if you weren't satisfied within 4 days. So that's what I did and got an EX. It's been great!

But now we've got the 2017 Civic Hatch. I love the way it looks. I was thinking of the EX. But wasn't sure about the stiffness of the suspension. In the suspension sections of all the Civic models it basically says Macpherson struts and multi link rear suspension and other stuff. I guess I'm wanting to know if anyone knows how to get the different strut stats for each model. I can't find them. I'm wanting to determine what kind of struts were on the 2015 civic si and then compare them to the 2017 civic hatch. I'm wanting to avoid having to take the car back if I get the hatch.

I noticed the stabilizer bars seem to be bigger all around in the 2017 civics of all models.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I owned a 2015 Si and now have a 2017 EX hatch. This hatch is in a different world of comfort compared to that Si. It's kind of amazing that for such a small car, I don't hardly feel any bumps, dips, rocks etc. It soaks up everything like a larger luxury sedan or crossover. As for the specific specs I have no idea. Just make sure the seat works for you as this gen seems to be harder than the last but suspension shouldn't be an issue.

 

[BarracksSi]

It's not a "small" car. It's the size of my wife's old '05 Camry (or maybe bigger), and it looks a little longer than our new '17 CR-V.

My EP3? That was a "small" car -- smaller than a Fit. But still bigger than a CR-Z, too.

 

[batman900]

Irrelevant to the topic and entirely subjective.

 

[BarracksSi]

Well, when we actually have a question, then we can get on topic.

What's the OP's question anyway? Spring rates? Shock bound/rebound tuning? Sway bar stiffness? Geometry differences? Weight distribution?

All of the above?

 

[exyia]

This thread just confuses me. This is what test drives are for

You can't just compare individual suspension components like spring rates or shock valving between two different chassis to judge "comfort"

 

[inv4zn]

Seriously, why not just take it for a test-drive.

 

[HatchPanda]

It's not a "small" car. It's the size of my wife's old '05 Camry (or maybe bigger), and it looks a little longer than our new '17 CR-V.

My EP3? That was a "small" car -- smaller than a Fit. But still bigger than a CR-Z, too.

I thinks crazy how Honda made the hatch 3 inches shorter than the civic sedan but it looks the biggest!

 

[HatchPanda]

So I'm wondering something...

Back in 2015, I bought a 2015 Civic SI coupe. The suspension killed my back. Fortunately my dealer had a thing where you could take the car back in for any reason if you weren't satisfied within 4 days. So that's what I did and got an EX. It's been great!

But now we've got the 2017 Civic Hatch. I love the way it looks. I was thinking of the EX. But wasn't sure about the stiffness of the suspension. In the suspension sections of all the Civic models it basically says Macpherson struts and multi link rear suspension and other stuff. I guess I'm wanting to know if anyone knows how to get the different strut stats for each model. I can't find them. I'm wanting to determine what kind of struts were on the 2015 civic si and then compare them to the 2017 civic hatch. I'm wanting to avoid having to take the car back if I get the hatch.

I noticed the stabilizer bars seem to be bigger all around in the 2017 civics of all models.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Well the new 17 si have a "sport mode". One of the things it does is stiffen the suspension for performance purposes and you can turn it on/off when you feel like..But the hatch does share the same body as the Type R which has a "comfort mode" as well as the "R mode". Yeah regardless of which one you get, all the 10th civics will be more comfortable than your 9th gen si. Search reviews on youtube. These guys test drive cars for the internet and give some detailed explanations with how each car drives. I am curious of the specs and their differences. Care to post if anyone comes across them

 

[robotman2009]

Everybody,

Thanks for the replies. Ive been away on vacation since posting. Im probably going to make the decision to hold on to my 2015 or get a 2017 this week.

Since test drives are quite subjective, and dont measure how stiffness might affect my back over time, Im looking for some objective figures to compare. So i was wondering if someone knew the actual spring rates between the models or other pertinent suspension components. It woukd be interesting to know if there is a way to know the spring rate differences between the si sport mode and non sport mode. Or for that matter it woukd be informative to know the difference between the spring rates between the different modes on the type r

I was just at the honda dealership today to get my wifes car maintained. Talked to the gm (her cousin) but didnt take a test drive. I saw that sport mode button on the si today that hatchpanda mentions. Interstingly my wife hd a 2012 mdx that didnt bother my back. But that 2015 si sure did. Taking it back was painful at least emotionally. But the physical relief i experienced from driving home the ex was more than enough to make up for it.

From batman 900s comments it seems maybe some of the technology from the mdx made it into the ex hatch. My wifes 2012 mdx always seemed to have a stiff suspension but comfortable ride.

 

[From_Tochigi_With_Love]

You should test drive the cars, that will be the best indicator for you. From an engineering standpoint, since they made the chassis more rigid, they can probably have slightly softer suspension settings, since the chassis isn't wriggling around as much. The adaptive damping for the si seems to really exhibit differences between comfort and sport modes. I myself have a sport 6mt, and I am a young guy, and like to feel the road, but I recognize the difference between sporty, and poorly tuned suspensions that the engineers just cranked the spring rates up on. The sport 6mt transmits the surface features of the road, but won't punish you, it isn't jarring. A pothole is more noticable but not punishing, and speedbumps of course. On regular models I can barely feels any potholes. I think another thing you should consider for your not so great back is the amount of lumbar support you would need, that would massively help in any car to properly support your spine even through bumps, this can be integral to the seat, or through the use of an external aid that is sold in a lot of places.

 

[robotman2009]

Cool thanks....

So what are the components that lend to the stiffness of the ride? For example on the 2015 si it seemed like my back was just getting compacted from top to bottom. This caused all kinds of symptoms and issues. Once I got the regular civic they all went away.

 

[repeet]

My girlfriend had a 1990 Nissan 300ZX at the same time I was driving an 1985 Corvette. Even though her car bounced up and down more than my 'vette, it was harsh and sharp riding. My 'vette on the other hand moved up and down less, but ate all of the sharpness and harshness.

What my 'vette had was size and weight. With a longer wheelbase. That's what the new civics have. Longer wheelbases. I find the ride in my 2017 Si to be slightly softer than the 'vette was in the normal mode. And maybe the same or slightly harder in the "Sport" mode. Harder but not harsher.

Unfortunately only you can tell what type of movements aggravate your back. Talk to your wife's friend and arrange a test drive.

 

[robotman2009]

That's part of the reason I stay with sedans....a long wheelbase. The 2015 si I owned was a coupe...as a result it had a shorter wheelbase.

I think the only way to really make a decision is to look at the components. I appreciate everybody saying take a test drive. But I don't want to take the car back again like I did last time. So unless I can take a four day test drive, the only way I can get a feel for what is going to mess with my back is to look at the components.

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