What's your final grade of this 10th Gen Si?

SichuanHot

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
115
Reaction score
61
Location
USA Midwest
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic Si Sedan
Country flag
After little over 3 years, my overall impression of the Si is that it's a solid car for the price. There aren't really many faults with it other what has been discussed ad nauseum. It is a solid car, but a compromised car. It does everything a sporty car needs to do well while being practical, but there's no denying a certain balance had to be struck, which results in an overall clinical experience driving the car. Things just feel kind of sterile and I haven't really felt the car "speak to me" even after 3 years.

This impression is on the intrinsic attributes of the car, so it is naturally subjective.
Also the climate control design is really annoying and not very ergonomic as mentioned earlier.
Sponsored

 

longthaitran91

Suiton20
First Name
Long
Joined
May 15, 2018
Threads
26
Messages
497
Reaction score
209
Location
Austin, TX
Vehicle(s)
2017 honda civic si
Country flag
Driving Characteristics: A

Comfort/Seats: B+ (My seats are starting to wear out where I can see the seat warmers behind the cloth. Cloth not torn

Fit/Finish: B+ the car comes with garbage tires so it drops the grade

Tunability: A ktuner easy install, prl cai install was a learning experience.

Reliability: B transmission currently getting replaced under warranty for a bad bearing. Battery going out in 1.5 years. Touch screen radio is meh

Dealer Satisfaction: (F- for round rock Honda.)
(B- for first Texas Honda)
the dealer at round rock Honda refused to diagnose my car unless I approve them to replace flywheel and clutch. Went to first Texas Honda shortly and they were more willing to diagnose my car and replace the transmission, but the reason I’m giving them a B- is because of their parts department not willing to sell me led fog lights that go on the 20-21 si and has a no return policy if I unwrap the parts from the bag to find out if the part fits or not.
This has been about the best “compact” (cannot fit in compact parking with coupe because doors) car I have driven. It has the perfect balance between power and mpg. Good space for me and drivers. Gone on a few road trips trouble free. 56k miles so far. I had a few reliability problems. I think that’s more of me having a luck of 1 or 2 on my Fallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L rating.
 

AudioSi

Member
First Name
Kaleb
Joined
Jan 6, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
33
Reaction score
13
Location
San Diego
Vehicle(s)
2020 Si Coupe, 2019 Hatch EX
Country flag
Driving Characteristics: A

Comfort/Seats: B+ (My seats are starting to wear out where I can see the seat warmers behind the cloth. Cloth not torn

Fit/Finish: B+ the car comes with garbage tires so it drops the grade

Tunability: A ktuner easy install, prl cai install was a learning experience.

Reliability: B transmission currently getting replaced under warranty for a bad bearing. Battery going out in 1.5 years. Touch screen radio is meh

Dealer Satisfaction: (F- for round rock Honda.)
(B- for first Texas Honda)
the dealer at round rock Honda refused to diagnose my car unless I approve them to replace flywheel and clutch. Went to first Texas Honda shortly and they were more willing to diagnose my car and replace the transmission, but the reason I’m giving them a B- is because of their parts department not willing to sell me led fog lights that go on the 20-21 si and has a no return policy if I unwrap the parts from the bag to find out if the part fits or not.
This has been about the best “compact” (cannot fit in compact parking with coupe because doors) car I have driven. It has the perfect balance between power and mpg. Good space for me and drivers. Gone on a few road trips trouble free. 56k miles so far. I had a few reliability problems. I think that’s more of me having a luck of 1 or 2 on my Fallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L rating.
The doors are one of the only things I hate about the coupe lol
 

Design

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2015
Threads
28
Messages
3,329
Reaction score
2,903
Location
Southern California
Vehicle(s)
09 MS3, 17 ABM Si Sedan
Country flag
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with 62K on the clock. I've had a few issues here and there:
  • Expansion valve and condenser replaced at 54K.
  • Some excessive rattling early on from the A-pillars.
  • Body panel alignments.
Below are my original thoughts. I still feel this is one of the best bangs for the buck. My impressions back when I first bought the car, are still just as valid today. Like my previous car, the "mute" exhaust has opened up considerably with some mileage.

Overall grade: B+

After talking and obsessing over a new car purchase for two years, I finally scored a decent deal on an outgoing 2017 Si. My plan was to hold until end of year. But pricing was too good to pass up.

Up until this week, my daily driver was a 2009 Mazdaspeed3. Before that, a 00 Si. I picked up the MS3 with 8 miles on the odometer with the intention of keeping 10 years for a growing family. Back then, turbo direct injection was relatively new in mass produced cars. But everything else about the Mazda had a fairly good track record. It wasn't until I hit 100K that I started having more frequent issues. Mostly involving the TCDI powertrain. The most devastating was the aggressive oil consumption from carb deposits.

In my hunt for the "perfect" family car, my criteria was pretty simple:
  • Must haves:
    • 6MT
    • Room for a growing family
    • Fun/sporty
    • Low cost of ownership
  • Nice to haves:
    • Sunroof
    • Factory HID/LEDs
I cross-shopped the Si with:
  • Accord Sport
  • Civic Hatch Sport
  • Civic Sedan EX-T
  • GTI Sport/SE
  • Focus ST-2
  • WRX Premium
  • And just for fun... the Elantra Sport.
Unfortunately, I drive too many miles to consider a lease, many used cars, or higher priced cars with sharper depreciation.

I discovered that every car had their charm for one reason or another. And had I not wanted to keep long term, the GTI would have been the clear winner. But the Si came out ahead when I factored price, features, ergonomics, driving experience, passenger volume, and long term projected cost of ownership. It's not the fastest. Nor is it the most refined. But it offers an unbeatable blend of practicality and performance for the price. The extra bits like the adaptive suspension and keyless entry were icing on the cake.

I've only put 170 miles on the car but I absolutely love it. The high points for me are the precision short throw shifter, composed & confident bi-mode suspension, bolstered & supportive front seats, 360* driver visibility, smart entry, and front/side profile styling. The low points have been a few issues with the body panel alignment, navigating the infotainment, "excessively plastic" rear door panels, and a relatively mute growl from the exhaust. To be fair, I expect the exhaust will get more pronounced after 500-1000 miles. And the dealer network's body shop will be addressing the panel gaps this Monday.

I'll plan to give a more in-depth review once I get past the break-in period. For now, I'll keep looking for excuses to drive. Thanks for reading. :cool:

20170824_175818.jpg


20170823_145320.jpg


20170824_172652.jpg
 

MoaRPowah

Senior Member
First Name
Mark
Joined
May 30, 2019
Threads
14
Messages
199
Reaction score
212
Location
Norcal
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si Sedan
Country flag
I give it a B+ just because of the clutch. Otherwise, it's easily in my opinion the best bang for the buck car in it's class for the price point.
 


SiR

Senior Member
First Name
nick
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Threads
4
Messages
138
Reaction score
62
Location
canada
Vehicle(s)
Civic Si, 2020 Civic Type R
Country flag
Performance: B
Quality: B-
Practicality: A+
Styling: B
Value: B+

I have really enjoyed both of my 10th Gen Civic Si’s (2017 and 2019). From a performance perspective, the engine is limited as a 1.5L; a detuned 2.0L would have been the better engine choice. For anyone that Had a prior Si, the lack of Vtec loses the desire to scream to redline. Sure, older models had zero torque, but with vtec and a turbo, the engine would have great performance numbers from 2k to 8.5k. It doesn’t have the scream and hunger of my 2000 EM1 Si from 4.5 to 8.2k. My biggest complaint is the overall gearing, it should take 3 shifts to reach 60mph. Although 0-60 isn’t the pinnicle of performance, I’ve found gearing to hinder road courses and performance in the apexi.

Quality has improved drastically since my 2017 and my current 2019. Still some cheapiness peaks through on the interior and exterior. The main complaint I experienced in 2017 was bots rattling everywhere in the car; especially in the pillars.

Practicality is top notch, room for 3 kids and plenty of trunk space.

Styling for me is not as bad as the Type R or I would have purchased the R over the Si. The Si is still a little too ricer, but for the most part, it is a decent package for the price point. The biggest styling issues have to do with the black vents, they look terrible and detract from the car.

Overall, the 10th Generation Civic Si is an almost perfect car but with limitations. You need to realize that this is a $25k car and Honda cut corners to keep this budget range.
Although I genuinely enjoyed my Si, I tend to agree with this more than the others just throw in As everywhere without consideration.

The performance is OK out of factory, but it can be an easy A with a basic tune; the tunability is great.

Quality is a bit lacking especially the fitting, some parts are hard to look at when close.

Styling feels at a good balance, not too loud like the R, but rice enough to separate from the other civics

Value is great, but not excellent, in this segment, with the veloster N, Toyota 86, BRZ, WRX... all being good alternatives.

My biggest complaint about the car is the 1.5L, it would have been perfect with a 2.0L variant with 250hp+, which doesn't struggle going uphill at low speed. Also the clutch, they should have used the R clutch on this performance car, not like the rest civics. I wouldn't mind paying a bit extra for a 2.0L trim Si. Those are the things pushed me eventually to go for the R, otherwise the Si could have been perfect to mod on.
 

bugboy32337

Senior Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jun 10, 2019
Threads
17
Messages
1,504
Reaction score
2,661
Location
Tallahassee
Vehicle(s)
2019 Civic Si Coupe (MSM)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
exterior: A (I have a Coupe, and am sad to see them discontinued, but I understand economics)
Interior: A- (A Pillar rattle is my only knock)
Performance: A
Handling: A
Technology: B (my 2019 lacks sensing (which is good, in my opinion) but AndroidAuto SUCKS)
Reliability: A (typical Honda)
Overall: A
 

arpypat

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Threads
38
Messages
2,661
Reaction score
3,900
Location
⛔️
Vehicle(s)
Civic
Build Thread
Link
Vehicle Showcase
1
CategoryGradeNotes
ExteriorA-I don't have issues, but ppl have noted thin paint and panel gaps
InteriorA-My biggest gripe is the center console armrest sandpaper cloth...
PerformanceA-Engine performance is on par with similarly-priced vehicles, but the efficiency is phenomenal!
HandlingAPleasantly surprised when I drove this for the first time!
TechnologyB+I actually love Android Auto, but I have gripes with the audio quality of the "premium" system overall
ReliabilityA2019 with 18k miles. So far, so good!
Mod PotentialACivics have always been known for this
OverallASee Below


Judging this car as a $25k car during a time when the average cost for a new vehicle is just about $40k, I have to give this car an overall "A" for value.

Whatever minor gripes people have of this car is due to the fact that it's $15k cheaper than the average car... Honda gave us a lot for what it is - a sporty econobox. Obviously, there will be compromises in some places, but not in the places that make the Si special, like handling, performance and driving dynamics.
 
Last edited:

skottharrison

Senior Member
First Name
Skott
Joined
Oct 10, 2020
Threads
15
Messages
215
Reaction score
142
Location
South Florida
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic SI Sedan, 2021 Subaru Crosstrek
Country flag
In my honestly,
Fit and finish, including paint shows how Honda built the SI to meet a certain price point.
(My) 2020 SI was built in Ontario, which I believe all are, and the Alliston plant leaves much to be desired.
From what I can tell, the engine is built above par (Plastic head cover is a disappointment, doesn't hold oil well), Suspension and Wheels are very good, Interior shows cost cutting but still very well above acceptable, attention to detail is good and more...
Sticking with the theme of this post, I give (my) Civic SI a B+, A-...

We all need to keep in mind, the panel gaps, rattles, paint et cetera are why it's a Honda and not an Acura... I would love to hear any Acura owners comment if the build quality, especially those out of Canada, are any better.
 


Annexed

Senior Member
First Name
Austen
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
341
Reaction score
617
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si
Country flag
Exterior looks: B
Interior looks: B
Infotainment: D very slow. It's 2021
Performance: C (IMO 26k can get u a 2.0t in every other company slightly used)
Comfort/Seats: B
Tunability: B (WRX, GTI, are all super tunable as well)
Reliability: B (engine is good, the rattles not so good)
Overall Value: B/C

Alot of people fell in love with their SI and I didn't click with mine ?.
 

jakdotdot

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
861
Reaction score
721
Location
Cali
Vehicle(s)
2018 SI
Country flag
Exterior looks: B
Interior looks: B
Infotainment: D very slow. It's 2021
Performance: C (IMO 26k can get u a 2.0t in every other company slightly used)
Comfort/Seats: B
Tunability: B (WRX, GTI, are all super tunable as well)
Reliability: B (engine is good, the rattles not so good)
Overall Value: B/C

Alot of people fell in love with their SI and I didn't click with mine ?.
If you are going to bring up used cars, why stop at a 2.0T? 26K buys you all sorts of turbo I6's, V8's, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with your letter grades themselves.
 

Annexed

Senior Member
First Name
Austen
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
341
Reaction score
617
Location
Wisconsin
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic Si
Country flag
If you are going to bring up used cars, why stop at a 2.0T? 26K buys you all sorts of turbo I6's, V8's, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with your letter grades themselves.
True ? I was thinking in a box. But you brought the warehouse.
I was comparing it to similar in class I guess but great point ?
 


 


Top