2019 Civic Si vs Miata,BRZ,and WRX?

AUGM1

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I’ve been looking into everything from Si’s to WRX’s to even crossovers for several months now.
Can’t make up my mind to save my life as I keep my cars for a long time and want to be happy with it.
Anyway, have any of you been able to compare brand new Si’s to BRZ’s, Miata’s, or WRX’s?
While I like the looks and price of the Si, I’m not sure about the new engine, and they are too hard to find.
The other 3 cars are generally on the lot with 3 times the availability of the Si.
I’m also coming from a 2007 Si coupe that I had since new, so I want to give something else a shot this time.
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saiko21

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I’ve been looking into everything from Si’s to WRX’s to even crossovers for several months now.
Can’t make up my mind to save my life as I keep my cars for a long time and want to be happy with it.
Anyway, have any of you been able to compare brand new Si’s to BRZ’s, Miata’s, or WRX’s?
While I like the looks and price of the Si, I’m not sure about the new engine, and they are too hard to find.
The other 3 cars are generally on the lot with 3 times the availability of the Si.
I’m also coming from a 2007 Si coupe that I had since new, so I want to give something else a shot this time.
Depends entirely on you. What are you looking for? All rounder like fun to drive with some luggage space and better reliability then go for Honda Civic Si. I test drove BRZ, Si and Miata. I felt Miata is more driver oriented car and a fun toy with not much room in the trunk. you will enjoy the drive in Miata but it's not a daily driver car if you ask me. It's more of a weekend toy. you can't store more than a cabin bag in the trunk.

BRZ and Miata are rear wheel drive cars and different platform than Si.

BRZ boxer engine is prone to head gasket issues after some years. If you want more reliable car and you wanted to keep it forever then never look for BRZ. Also, BRZ is expensive compared to Civic.
 

JNRS

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If you need the cargo room, then Miata is definitely out of the question. If you want more of a sports car feel (seating position is amazing), then the BRZ will provide you with that, but you are going to have to downshift a lot to avoid the torque dip at around 4K. The Si is going to be the better all around daily driver, if that is what you're looking for.
 

etcsthorne

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I drove my 2016 MX-5 Miata for 18 months and it was a BLAST to drive - no issues either. However, stopping at the grocery store can be an adventure with a few bags of groceries. It's the day to day getting in and out, trying to carry things, etc.... that made it impractical for me in the long term. Haven't driven the WRX. The Si is the perfect mix of sporty and practicality in my opinion.
 

redfred

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My last car before my new Si was a BRZ. I put about 130K on the BRZ and had a few issues like throw-out bearing and fuel lines/pump that cost some $$. The heads never leaked though. The steering and feel of a BRZ is great, very responsive and tight. Keep the revs high to get the most out of the engine, low torque means shifting a lot (which I liked). It overseers though, something to watch out for when TC was off or during autox. It's a great car to drive, but not one that I could 100% trust b/c of oversteer. Locally, I could never beat the fast WRX's at autox but did beat the couple of CTRs that ran locally. I needed a sedan for work and chose the Si over a WRX b/c it's newer and more refined. The Si has a LSD too. Hopefully soon I'll have a chance to autox my new Si. Compared to my BRZ, the Si ride is so much nicer on the road. It's also a lot easier to get in/out of too. Hope this helps...
 


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Having owned a 17 si coupe and currently owning a 17 WRX (wife's car), I'd say the only reason to choose the WRX over the si is weather. If you have no snow, I think you'd be happier with the si. The WRX has no adjustable dampers, it's heavy and feels it, and the interior and seating position is not as good as the si. I do like my WRX but for daily driving I'd take the si.
 

sjd

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I'm waiting on my 3rd MX-5 to arrive and while I absolutely love them you have to be pretty dedicated to have one as your only car. How much you actually drive in a year is also a huge factor as I need my car every day. Mine have always been casual summer daily drivers for both my wife and I. But when it's raining or we need more space we have the option of leaving the MX-5 in the garage. My 2015 Si was a great daily to complement the MX-5 and I'm sure my soon to arrive 2019 Si will be the same.

Having said that, the MX-5 is an incredible car. Especially since all of mine have been modified so that the soft factory suspension is no more. There is nothing like driving a sports car. FWD sport compacts like the Si and sporty AWD sedans like the WRX aren't a substitute as fun, fast and practical as they are. It's like comparing a Porsche Macan to a Porsche 911. There is nothing like the pureness of an MX-5. It's such a visceral experience only offered by a light RWD sports car.

The BRZ is pretty close but its coarse engine and strut front suspension are a let down for me. I've driven both back to back on the street and at autocross and the MX-5 is the superior sports car. I'm still happy the BRZ exists though as there are very few lightweight RWD sports cars out there.
 

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I decided on my Si after looking at the insurance costs of a wrx. Plus I dont have to wait around for a timing belt to snap.
 

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I had a BRZ, get the Si if you plan on doing anything to the BRZ.

The BRZ and WRX has weak rods with its FA20 engine, and the STi has head gasket issues.

I would still get the Si over the WRX since there's a 4 door option for the Si.

Between the BRZ and Si (Both manuals, 2 door) the BRZ is more fun to drive and it does handle better but the Si has a turbo and has the low end power that the BRZ lacks.

Between the 2 though, I'd get the Si or wait until the next gen BRZ comes out and see what it has to offer and then make your decision.
 

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My gf WRX rips. Good power and tons of grip. We're in Ohio so that did play a small role in the decision making process. She looked at the Si and it was a close decision. The WRX won mostly because it had more of the features her previous car had, leather, power seats, etc. That said the Si is hard to beat as is and then you have a lot of aftermarket goodies. A quick tune gets you tons of power for a relatively small investment. Enjoy your Si.
 


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Si or CTR for practicality as a daily driver. Miata as a backup second car and weekend toy. All are reliable and fun to drive.
 

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SI by a mile, and not just because I own one. I actually planned on getting a Subie, drove it, and went with the SI.

The other two are not even close. The BRZ is overpriced and less reliable with a gutless engine, and the MIata is too small for a daily.

So is the SI just practical and no fun?

Au contraire, it is one of the best driving cars I have ever owned. Torque, grip, braking, chassis balance,
steering response, adaptable suspension, and one of the best manual shift levers out there make this a true driver's vehicle.
And 48,000 miles later, no issues and still drives like I just broke it in.

If you can't swing the up front for a CTR, or don't want to deal with ultra low profile tires that may not protect the wheels from damage from even a moderately bad pothole, than the SI is your car.
 

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Depends entirely on you. What are you looking for? All rounder like fun to drive with some luggage space and better reliability then go for Honda Civic Si. I test drove BRZ, Si and Miata. I felt Miata is more driver oriented car and a fun toy with not much room in the trunk. you will enjoy the drive in Miata but it's not a daily driver car if you ask me. It's more of a weekend toy. you can't store more than a cabin bag in the trunk.

BRZ and Miata are rear wheel drive cars and different platform than Si.

BRZ boxer engine is prone to head gasket issues after some years. If you want more reliable car and you wanted to keep it forever then never look for BRZ. Also, BRZ is expensive compared to Civic.
Where did you hear this from?
 

Jwolf

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