What did you cross-shop and are you happy that you went with the Si?

skorj

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I actually sold my e46 BMW to buy the SI. The e46 was a fantastic car, but I wanted something brand new and the SI ticked all the boxes (except I still miss RWD).

I cross-shopped the Focus ST and the VW GTI. The Focus was just a Focus with some goodies, it was fun but still felt like a cheap Ford. I actually was really close to buying a GTI, but to get the same options as the SI - namely the LSD and sunroof - it was getting into the $30k territory.

The SI wasn't as fast in a straight line but it handled so much better than the other options, with better standard equipment and the best seats. I haven't had it on the track yet, but I'm betting it will set better times than my BMW did.
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Vegas Viking

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I cross shopped a GTI, Civic Sport, Corolla Hatch, Focus ST, and a Honda Fit (I have a thing for hatchbacks).

GTI - Loved the driving experience, but with the horror stories I've heard about VW reliability I didn't trust it to hold up for 200k miles, which is the minimum I keep cars.

Civic Sport - Great car, but lacked a sunroof.

Corolla Hatch - The TINY backseat was a deal-breaker for my family of four.

Focus ST - felt cheap.

Honda Fit - A nearby dealership had a blue Fit Sport with manual and with the full HFP package. Despite not having a sunroof, it was a blast to drive for what it was. Interior space was huge. Great practicality and reputation for reliability. THIS WAS A REALLY TOUGH CHOICE!!!

In the end, another Honda dealer gave me a price on the Si that I couldn't refuse. Love my car, but an Si hatch would be ideal.
 

aaaaah

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I traded out of an M235i to lower my monthly payment and to get a lease that I can hand back at end of term as I will be moving internationally.

I cross shopped to an Accord 2.0T 6MT but the one they had on the lot had 70 miles on it, and I got the distinct impression that they had used it as the dealer thrasher for those miles. It desperately needed an LSD and the gearshift was sloppy. Not what I was expecting.

Mazda 3 Hatch 6MT. I actually chose this as my preferred option as I prefer the looks inside and out. The interior is so far ahead of the Civic (or Accord) it is ridiculous. It felt like a side step in interior from the BMW, not a down grade. I had agreed to a deal but after six weeks the dealer failed to find me one, a second Mazda dealer then found me one but as I made plans to go up and agree, cut $4k out of my trade so I walked away.

The Si felt much tighter and sharper than the Accord, despite definitely being slower. It is a great car and excellent value, but it doesn't feel special to me. The driveline of the M235i just felt special and wonderful. I miss it every single day emotionally, though my brain knows that it was the right choice.

If I could justify it, changing out the stock tyres to full summers on the Si would make a huge difference, but it's just not worth it at this stage. I have to see how the Goodyears wear to see if i can stretch them for the duration of the lease.
 

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I traded out of an M235i to lower my monthly payment and to get a lease that I can hand back at end of term as I will be moving internationally.

I cross shopped to an Accord 2.0T 6MT but the one they had on the lot had 70 miles on it, and I got the distinct impression that they had used it as the dealer thrasher for those miles. It desperately needed an LSD and the gearshift was sloppy. Not what I was expecting.

Mazda 3 Hatch 6MT. I actually chose this as my preferred option as I prefer the looks inside and out. The interior is so far ahead of the Civic (or Accord) it is ridiculous. It felt like a side step in interior from the BMW, not a down grade. I had agreed to a deal but after six weeks the dealer failed to find me one, a second Mazda dealer then found me one but as I made plans to go up and agree, cut $4k out of my trade so I walked away.

The Si felt much tighter and sharper than the Accord, despite definitely being slower. It is a great car and excellent value, but it doesn't feel special to me. The driveline of the M235i just felt special and wonderful. I miss it every single day emotionally, though my brain knows that it was the right choice.

If I could justify it, changing out the stock tyres to full summers on the Si would make a huge difference, but it's just not worth it at this stage. I have to see how the Goodyears wear to see if i can stretch them for the duration of the lease.
I forgot about the Mazda3. I cross-shopped it as well. The dealer was unwilling to budge off the sticker price, so I said see ya.
 

bugboy32337

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I cross shopped:
Hyundai Veloster Turbo and N-type - good power, but gas mileage was almost 10 mpg lower than the Si, the interior was cheap feeling everywhere (except the steering wheel) and it was like sitting in a coffin.
Mazda3 - considerably nicer interior than any Civic, and a bit quieter. However, manual only available on the top tier spec (wasn't available for me to test drive), and not as sporty feeling to drive.
Civic Hatchback Sport - decent power (only about 20 ponies fewer than the Si), decent seats, same wheels (with crappy Conti's wrapped around them) and the CVT wasn't horrible ... but I really wanted a manual with the better (more bolstered) seats.
 


rive

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The Si is a fun car, much more so than 90% of cars out there. But you are correct that it, like the GTI, is not pure fun. It always feels like you're an upgrade away from achieving that perfection, which is both rewarding and infuriating.

The Abarth is fun. It is like someone stuffed a terrific sounding engine into a shopping cart and then somehow it got legalized for road use. Don't get it unless you are okay with little things constantly going wrong after awhile, though. I'm in a local car group where several of us had them, loved them, and will never own another. A Pontiac GTO (or Chevy SS, for that matter) has always been on my list but I'm afraid I have no first-hand experience driving or owning one.

But at the end of the day, if you don't need rear seats, M.I.A.T.A. (Miata Is Always The Answer)
 

905Civic

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I love my SI and really you can’t beat the value Honda brings for such a low price.

BUT...

I might get some flack for saying this and I can’t really believe I’m saying it myself... Hyundai and Kia.. I love the push they’re making into the entry level sporty sedans/hatches. I wish I cross shopped the Elantra sport (2017-2018 models). You get so many features and the car looks like an Audi S3 + you can get it with a DCT. Even Kia releasing the new Forte GT. The car looks amazing and the interior looks great, comes with 201hp and weighs lighter than the SI. I still can’t get over the thought of driving a Hyundai or Kia but I truly think they’re going to take over a large chunk of the sedan/hatch market. They bring a lot of competition for Honda all while being $2-3000 cheaper.
I used to say the same thing about Hyundai/Kia. However, after what's been about 9 months of Kia Telluride ownership, I have nothing but great things to say. If other Kia cars are built anything like the Telluride, I wouldn't hesitate. I hope they come out with a hot hatch one day.
 
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I love my SI and really you can’t beat the value Honda brings for such a low price.

BUT...

I might get some flack for saying this and I can’t really believe I’m saying it myself... Hyundai and Kia.. I love the push they’re making into the entry level sporty sedans/hatches. I wish I cross shopped the Elantra sport (2017-2018 models). You get so many features and the car looks like an Audi S3 + you can get it with a DCT. Even Kia releasing the new Forte GT. The car looks amazing and the interior looks great, comes with 201hp and weighs lighter than the SI. I still can’t get over the thought of driving a Hyundai or Kia but I truly think they’re going to take over a large chunk of the sedan/hatch market. They bring a lot of competition for Honda all while being $2-3000 cheaper.
I'm in the process of finding a blue Si sedan, having decided on the Si, but I did test drive the Elantra GT N-Line (very similar to Forte GT) - Hyundai has nailed the quality feel and refinement of a GTI, it drives and feels inside like a quality car. I didn't find it much fun to drive though, Honda has nailed the driving feel with the Civic. The N-Line has a stiff ride and good power, seems faster than my Sport, but it doesn't have the involvement or steering feel of my Sport, which I prefered. Also the seats were a little hard and the material isn't nice like a GTI. But Hyundai is probably one generation from nailing it. Hopefully they won't screw up the styling in the process, their newest designs look awful to me.
 

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I love my SI and really you can’t beat the value Honda brings for such a low price.

BUT...

I might get some flack for saying this and I can’t really believe I’m saying it myself... Hyundai and Kia.. I love the push they’re making into the entry level sporty sedans/hatches. I wish I cross shopped the Elantra sport (2017-2018 models). You get so many features and the car looks like an Audi S3 + you can get it with a DCT. Even Kia releasing the new Forte GT. The car looks amazing and the interior looks great, comes with 201hp and weighs lighter than the SI. I still can’t get over the thought of driving a Hyundai or Kia but I truly think they’re going to take over a large chunk of the sedan/hatch market. They bring a lot of competition for Honda all while being $2-3000 cheaper.
I won't give you flack for Kia or Hyundai - they have stepped up their offerings. But you say DCT like it's a good thing. Please mail in your Save the Manuals membership card at once. And refrain from discussing transmissions again. Okay, laying it on a bit heavy, but I always thought the availability of a slick shifting manual was a huge plus in an enthusiast car. Unless you are driving something so fast that you can't keep up, which does not apply to any Honda product short of the new NSX, no real excuse for not having three pedals.
 

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I cross shopped a WRX, Veloster N, Focus RS, and settled on the '17 SI. Best all arounder, yes. But that is not an indictment of the fun factor, which was huge. Made me look for excuses to drive it. I thought the steering, brakes, shifter, clutch and overall chassis balance were and still are easily ahead of most of the competition.
Killer mileage, bulletproof reliability.
Only the Type R, with better seats, a hatchback, and an even better engine finally got me to trade this year.
If I could go back in time- I would buy that SI all over again.
 


SHAYN3R

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I won't give you flack for Kia or Hyundai - they have stepped up their offerings. But you say DCT like it's a good thing. Please mail in your Save the Manuals membership card at once. And refrain from discussing transmissions again. Okay, laying it on a bit heavy, but I always thought the availability of a slick shifting manual was a huge plus in an enthusiast car. Unless you are driving something so fast that you can't keep up, which does not apply to any Honda product short of the new NSX, no real excuse for not having three pedals.
I’ll always take a manual as my number 1 choice. I’m just saying in terms of value - the fact they can offer a DCT at the price point is pretty remarkable.
 

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In the end I was down to the Si and a John Cooper Works Mini. The Mini was faster (stock) and more tosable and fun. But the value per dollar and the horrible reliability of BMW/Mini made me go with the Si. After a TSP stage 1, it's faster than the Mini now, at least in a straight line.
 

GotBoost?

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Recently most of my cross shopping has been a 3 way--E36/E46 BMW or another impractical RWD car, a fun sensible FWD car, and an oddball choice.

After 2 blissful years with the GTI, I'm fairly close to a sale. I'm willing to sell at a little lower price just to experience different cars. Plus, my new commute is only 15 minutes so an impractical choice isn't a too big a burden to bear.

The frontrunner is a ND Miata. Light, really does "slow car fast" well and it's not even that slow.
The second choice is a Civic Si sedan. Not as fun or frenetic as previous gens according to some, but I would enjoy a car that I can cruise on the highways and also give it some beans from time to time.
The oddball choice is either the Fiat 500 Abarth (love how they look and sound, haven't driven one) or a Pontiac GTO.

I'm curious what everyone else cross-shopped and how the Civic Si has been since signing on the dotted line.

I needed to stay under $30 at the most most max for my budget. Read car and driver like crazy. Liked the GTI and Veloster but again $25-30 was my number and also needed 4-door. Honestly I only drive the 19 WRX. I had an 09 wrx and LOVED the awd. but for the 8 snow days I get in Philly I thought the extra $5k on a 2019 base wrx was ill spent for lazy steering, sloppy long shifs, and turbo lag feel due to either the turbo or the extra 600 pounds. Plus the Si has a limited slip differential, push button adaptive dampening/steering, push to start, sunroof, 10 speaker premium sound w 8in sub, kick ass seats, and a sleeper look that is so much fun to surprise people with. So $23,800 in Aug '19 for a '19 brand new was a good deal. Before I even bought the car I planned to drop another $G on PRL cobra+Ktuner, rear motor mount, front strut bar, LED lows (all black Friday) and now have a fun, swift, fast(ish), safe, budget friendly, insurance friendly ride that should last rears.

This is the best value $23,800 feature packed performance sedan w a car and driver 10 best award multiple rears running. And with 4 years into this generation it has now worked out the kinks and refined consumer preferred details including simple things like a volume knob, adaptive cruise control, etc.

2 doors, all wheel drive, leather seats, full HD navigation, steering sensitive headlights... Sure would love to have. $23,800 got me where I needed to be.
 

theslowest1

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I was cross shopping between the 2017 VW GTI and the 2019 Honda Civic Si. I've heard great things about the ability to tune the Gti a good amount and the dual clutch transmission is intriguing. Overall I fell in love more with the style of the SI and the the customization you can do to it. I'm curious to try out a STI since I've heard they are good cars.
Same 3 were on my radar, went with Honda because of my history with them and just overall customization. The STI was also a bit out of my comfortable price range.
 

69L46Vert

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Almost went with a Toyota 86. SI was a lot better deal. Have to say I like the looks of the 86 better than the SI but value wise SI wins no contest.
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