cammyfive
Senior Member
- First Name
- Ed
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2019
- Threads
- 59
- Messages
- 369
- Reaction score
- 403
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 6MT
- Thread starter
- #1
As some of you know, I made the decision to replace my 2020 Si about a month and a half ago after realizing my driving style and desire for road trip comfort was a little higher than what this car offers/was designed for. A friend of mine that does some very high end detailing work did a paint correction and ceramic spray coating on the car in St Louis and I drove it home over the last couple of days. The car has just under 10k miles and the 27WON CAI, PRL Intercooler w/ Charge Pipes, and the Phearable Tune w/o "God Mode". I thought I would share some thoughts on this car over my last 10 months or so of ownership:
* Power - Like any proper tune on a turbo car, the Phearable Tune really wakes this car up. On the stock tune, I was a pretty non-aggressive Si driver, typically shifting around 3500rpms. With the tune, I found myself shifting much higher and using 75% of the throttle most of the time. It definitely changes the character of the car with a nice surge of torque in the mid-range; 2nd and 3rd gear is really where this car shines. First, because of the small displacement, doesn't feel a lot different than stock. Now I have to say something that will be a minority opinion here - modifying this car past a few bolt ons and mild tune is kinda silly, IN MY OPINION. I guess I look at it from a cost per total value of the car perspective. I know there are more than a few folks here who have every bolt on available, performance motor mounts (I cannot imagine driving this car with that amount of vibration and noise), a high ethanol blend, big turbos, etc but that has never interested me. In fact, If I were to go back in time, I wouldn't have done much of what the mild stuff I did to the car (more on that later).
*Handling - This is really the area where the car shines. Sure you can make the car close to a 300whp car and kill your day to day drivability but out of the box, with the factory LSD and very low curb weight, this car is a very fun handler. I never got a chance to take it to Tail of the Dragon (thanks, COVID) but just replacing the OEM tires with Michelin PS4S summer high performance tires made this car a force to be reckoned with, relatively speaking. The steering, with the upgraded tires, was so direct and there was not an ounce of slop in it. While there is some body roll, it's really only there to let you know how your weight is transferring. The LSD is something you can actually feel working and encourages you to take the next corner set faster. Replacing the OEM tires was, and would be again if I had to start over, is one of the best modifications you can make on this car.
*Ride Quality/NVH - Here is where I will show my age a bit (I'm 41) by saying that the ride isn't necessarily super uncomfortable, but it is a bit too choppy for me on broken pavement. Again, compared to other cars in it's class, it's a well riding car, but I guess I'm looking for more. As far as NVH goes, well, the car had zero rattles for me over the last year and the build quality on it was pretty upstanding, but the engine noise on the highway combined with road noise was really what pushed me over the edge on replacing this car. It's not even because of upgrading tires, the stock tires were noisier still. 80mph on the highway is around 3200 or so rpms and you definitely notice it unless you have the stereo turned up a good bit.
Features - Apple Car Play is nice with Waze being more valuable than most radar detectors. The adaptive cruise control, forward collision braking, and active lane keep/steering are all great. There have been a few times where going around a long sweeper on the highway with the ACC on that it thought the car in the next lane but ahead of me was actually in front of me and slowed the car down dramatically, but other than that, I enjoyed the features and used them almost all of the time. The BIG let down to me was the stock sound system. Wow, it's, well.........terrible. Distorts easily at med/high volume, had harsh treble, flat midrange, and a bloated loose bass. If were to keep the car, I would definitely have to upgrade this. While not as truly terrible as the stock Civic sound systems from the 90s when I grew up, it's definitely nothing Honda should brag about and call "premium".
If I had it to do over again - This is a tough one. And hindsight is obviously 20/20, but if I went back in a time machine and had just bought this car, I think the only mods I would do would be the Michelin PS4S tires and upgrading the terrible sound system. Of course, I would still do what I do to all of my cars - window tinting with Xpel XR Prime+ Ceramic, paint correction and ceramic coating, etc. The tune is a lot of tune, but apparently there is a throttle padding issue with Ktuner and the 2020s that makes the car feel very jerky when coming off the throttle and getting back on it. The intercooler is a necessity when you add more power but you can tell it's an aftermarket unit in the way you have to make it fit and the bracket that was added in the latest version to hold it steady never lined up for me. I actually *had* to get the 27WON CAI since the stock airbox would not bolt all the way down/flush with the bigger charge pipe. The 27WON CAI is probably the ideal design as far as safety against hydro lock but it does increase the sound enough that you hear it on the highway while cruising. Trust me, I totally get that probably 90% of you will love that, I didn't. Looking back, not much of this is the cars fault. It's more on me as I'm probably 15 years outside of the Si's target market. 20 years ago I bought, as my first car straight out of college, a 2001 Honda Prelude 5spd and it was the first car I modified. With the AEM CAI, Mugen header and exhaust, APEXI VTEC controller and the super short gearing of that 5spd, it droned on the highway as it was turning well over 4K rpms at 80mph. The young me LOVED that; I can't imagine driving that car modified that way daily now.
In conclusion, if I were a young person straight out of college looking to buy my first new car, the Si would be an ideal choice if I also needed great fuel economy and tons of room. I'm not that person anymore so my new car - Lexus GS350 F Sport is a much much better fit for me. Just for fun, I'm attaching some pics of my Si freshly detailed and coated a couple of days ago my GS350 after it's first hand wash last weekend. They're both a pearl white and sedans but that's about where the similarities end.
* Power - Like any proper tune on a turbo car, the Phearable Tune really wakes this car up. On the stock tune, I was a pretty non-aggressive Si driver, typically shifting around 3500rpms. With the tune, I found myself shifting much higher and using 75% of the throttle most of the time. It definitely changes the character of the car with a nice surge of torque in the mid-range; 2nd and 3rd gear is really where this car shines. First, because of the small displacement, doesn't feel a lot different than stock. Now I have to say something that will be a minority opinion here - modifying this car past a few bolt ons and mild tune is kinda silly, IN MY OPINION. I guess I look at it from a cost per total value of the car perspective. I know there are more than a few folks here who have every bolt on available, performance motor mounts (I cannot imagine driving this car with that amount of vibration and noise), a high ethanol blend, big turbos, etc but that has never interested me. In fact, If I were to go back in time, I wouldn't have done much of what the mild stuff I did to the car (more on that later).
*Handling - This is really the area where the car shines. Sure you can make the car close to a 300whp car and kill your day to day drivability but out of the box, with the factory LSD and very low curb weight, this car is a very fun handler. I never got a chance to take it to Tail of the Dragon (thanks, COVID) but just replacing the OEM tires with Michelin PS4S summer high performance tires made this car a force to be reckoned with, relatively speaking. The steering, with the upgraded tires, was so direct and there was not an ounce of slop in it. While there is some body roll, it's really only there to let you know how your weight is transferring. The LSD is something you can actually feel working and encourages you to take the next corner set faster. Replacing the OEM tires was, and would be again if I had to start over, is one of the best modifications you can make on this car.
*Ride Quality/NVH - Here is where I will show my age a bit (I'm 41) by saying that the ride isn't necessarily super uncomfortable, but it is a bit too choppy for me on broken pavement. Again, compared to other cars in it's class, it's a well riding car, but I guess I'm looking for more. As far as NVH goes, well, the car had zero rattles for me over the last year and the build quality on it was pretty upstanding, but the engine noise on the highway combined with road noise was really what pushed me over the edge on replacing this car. It's not even because of upgrading tires, the stock tires were noisier still. 80mph on the highway is around 3200 or so rpms and you definitely notice it unless you have the stereo turned up a good bit.
Features - Apple Car Play is nice with Waze being more valuable than most radar detectors. The adaptive cruise control, forward collision braking, and active lane keep/steering are all great. There have been a few times where going around a long sweeper on the highway with the ACC on that it thought the car in the next lane but ahead of me was actually in front of me and slowed the car down dramatically, but other than that, I enjoyed the features and used them almost all of the time. The BIG let down to me was the stock sound system. Wow, it's, well.........terrible. Distorts easily at med/high volume, had harsh treble, flat midrange, and a bloated loose bass. If were to keep the car, I would definitely have to upgrade this. While not as truly terrible as the stock Civic sound systems from the 90s when I grew up, it's definitely nothing Honda should brag about and call "premium".
If I had it to do over again - This is a tough one. And hindsight is obviously 20/20, but if I went back in a time machine and had just bought this car, I think the only mods I would do would be the Michelin PS4S tires and upgrading the terrible sound system. Of course, I would still do what I do to all of my cars - window tinting with Xpel XR Prime+ Ceramic, paint correction and ceramic coating, etc. The tune is a lot of tune, but apparently there is a throttle padding issue with Ktuner and the 2020s that makes the car feel very jerky when coming off the throttle and getting back on it. The intercooler is a necessity when you add more power but you can tell it's an aftermarket unit in the way you have to make it fit and the bracket that was added in the latest version to hold it steady never lined up for me. I actually *had* to get the 27WON CAI since the stock airbox would not bolt all the way down/flush with the bigger charge pipe. The 27WON CAI is probably the ideal design as far as safety against hydro lock but it does increase the sound enough that you hear it on the highway while cruising. Trust me, I totally get that probably 90% of you will love that, I didn't. Looking back, not much of this is the cars fault. It's more on me as I'm probably 15 years outside of the Si's target market. 20 years ago I bought, as my first car straight out of college, a 2001 Honda Prelude 5spd and it was the first car I modified. With the AEM CAI, Mugen header and exhaust, APEXI VTEC controller and the super short gearing of that 5spd, it droned on the highway as it was turning well over 4K rpms at 80mph. The young me LOVED that; I can't imagine driving that car modified that way daily now.
In conclusion, if I were a young person straight out of college looking to buy my first new car, the Si would be an ideal choice if I also needed great fuel economy and tons of room. I'm not that person anymore so my new car - Lexus GS350 F Sport is a much much better fit for me. Just for fun, I'm attaching some pics of my Si freshly detailed and coated a couple of days ago my GS350 after it's first hand wash last weekend. They're both a pearl white and sedans but that's about where the similarities end.