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
Hello, all. I picked up my 2020 Si Sedan in Platinum White yesterday evening. I originally was going to buy a Ralley Red 2020 Si Sedan, but it sold before I could get my drivers license switched over as I just recently moved to a new state. Luckily, the dealership had a Platinum White in transit that would arrive within a couple of weeks. I immediately put a deposit down on that one and began the wait. Luckily, it arrived a number of days before I had planned - last night. I told the sales person to NOT have it washed (I take great joy in detailing my own car) and to leave all of the plastic on the interior. The transaction was pretty easy - I arrived, looked it over quickly, signed the paperwork, handed over the check, and drove home all within say 35 minutes of arrival.
I plan to drive it semi-gently for the first full tank or two of fuel so the 18 mile drive home was pretty tame. I varied the rpms a bit on the highway and didn't drive over 70mph. To give a little context, prior to my previous car - 2014 Acura TSX - I had been leasing sporty cars (BMW 3 series, Cadillac ATS, etc) but wanted to get back to Honda/Acura for the value and long term ownership benefits. The TSX is now solely my better half's car so it's fresh in my mind as it was our shared family car up until yesterday.
The Good
The Looks - While looks are subjective, I'm really pleased with seeing the 2020 refresh in person. While the painted body colored trim added to the front and rear plastic pieces was literally an afterthought, I think it eeks by with a passing grade as it shrinks the amount of black plastic that jumps out at you. I remember seeing a then new 2016 Civic in early 2016 and thinking it was so 'weird' looking, now after seeing hundreds of them, I think it's very nice looking. The Si add ons (particularly the LED headlights and foglights) separate it enough from the non-Si lineup. Also, I was expecting to not like the matte black wheels at all, but I'm definitely warming up to them!
The Solidity - The 10th gen Civic seems to have been a return to form for Honda - a solid structure that is just fun to drive while checking all of the boxes for economical daily driving and great fuel efficiency. Driving over some rougher portions of the highway there were no creaks or rattles and the car just simply feels vert solid and connected to the road.
Safety/Tech - I suppose it dates me when I say that I remember the "good ole days" of economy cars not even being offered with ABS or even power windows or mirrors. The Honda Sensing suite is a no brainer and a cool addition to a car that can be bought in the low $20s/high $19K price range. Lane Watch is......interesting but really only highlights the lack of true Blind Spot Monitoring which I'll address in my list of negatives. I haven't even messed with the OEM infotainment system aside from plugging in my iPhone for Apple Car Play. It isn't the best system out there I'm sure but it isn't the worst for sure.
Power - My previous personal car was a 2016 BMW 328i M Sport 6MT. I modified it with the normal bolt-ons, a custom dyno tune, M Performance BBK, and some other random things. This car feels pretty close to what my 328i 6MT did stock. Maybe that's not entirely accurate, but the limited midrange felt like the 2.0T in the 328i. This car seems to be about 0.5 second slower in the 1/4 mile to the magazine times of 14 flat for the 328i was. I will say that the Honda definitely revs more freely; the BMW definitely did not rev as quickly as this 1.5T in the Si. All of that being said, the Si is not a drag racing machine, but I don't think it ever was meant to be in any generation.
The Bad
Lack of some tech - While Lane Watch is better than nothing I guess, it's inexcusable that this car doesn't have a true Blind Spot Monitoring System or Rear Cross Traffic Alert when most other cars in the class offer that stuff at least as an option. Also, a lack of a minimal power drivers seat is a miss. I'll be the only driver of this car 99.9% of the time, but I do miss the adjustability of a power seat.
Noise - While the car felt as tight as a drum going over some rougher pavement, it is markedly noisier on rough roads than our TSX and most of the previous cars I've owned/leased. This is probably a combo of the tires and just some cost cutting for noise insulation. Speaking of noise.....the engine sound - both real and amplified in Sport mode - is fine by me. I know some people consider it to be cardinal sin but I much prefer it to the actual small turbo four sound in most cars that sound like muffled vacuum cleaners.
The clutch - I've been driving a manual transmission for over 25 years and this is definitely one of the hardest clutches to drive smoothly when you just jump into it. I'm sure I'll get smoother with time but it feels "weak" and the engagement feels junky. Any clutch is better than no clutch for driver enjoyment but this one lets down the otherwise excellent shifter action. I don't plan on doing any power mods (probably) but even driving this car stock for a few years, I feel the clutch would have to be replaced/upgraded if you drive spiritedly a lot.
Summary
Barring the car completely falling apart or being a lemon, I can say buying this for a little under $26K out the door was a no brainer. My gf and I test drove a new 2020 Mazda 3 sedan a few weeks ago before I decided on an Si and despite all of the hype, I was totally underwhelmed by the new 3 driving wise. Yes, the interior is very upscale and can pull off a pseudo-luxury car impersonation whereas the Si has no luxury car leanings....but driving wise it was fairly gutless, was rather loud on the highway, and was otherwise uninviting to drive hard. A manual transmission is going the way of the dodo bird so the Si made it to my short list of cars to buy for a fun daily driver. Later in 2020 I plan on buying an additional car "just for fun" - probably a late model S2000 - so I don't have any plans to modify the Si other than Michelin PS4S tires come Spring and ceramic window tint. It's a car I plan on enjoying just the way it is for many years. I'm driving from Atlanta to St. Louis then back to Atlanta next week for Christmas so that will give me some seat time to really come up with my opinions of the car long term.
I plan to drive it semi-gently for the first full tank or two of fuel so the 18 mile drive home was pretty tame. I varied the rpms a bit on the highway and didn't drive over 70mph. To give a little context, prior to my previous car - 2014 Acura TSX - I had been leasing sporty cars (BMW 3 series, Cadillac ATS, etc) but wanted to get back to Honda/Acura for the value and long term ownership benefits. The TSX is now solely my better half's car so it's fresh in my mind as it was our shared family car up until yesterday.
The Good
The Looks - While looks are subjective, I'm really pleased with seeing the 2020 refresh in person. While the painted body colored trim added to the front and rear plastic pieces was literally an afterthought, I think it eeks by with a passing grade as it shrinks the amount of black plastic that jumps out at you. I remember seeing a then new 2016 Civic in early 2016 and thinking it was so 'weird' looking, now after seeing hundreds of them, I think it's very nice looking. The Si add ons (particularly the LED headlights and foglights) separate it enough from the non-Si lineup. Also, I was expecting to not like the matte black wheels at all, but I'm definitely warming up to them!
The Solidity - The 10th gen Civic seems to have been a return to form for Honda - a solid structure that is just fun to drive while checking all of the boxes for economical daily driving and great fuel efficiency. Driving over some rougher portions of the highway there were no creaks or rattles and the car just simply feels vert solid and connected to the road.
Safety/Tech - I suppose it dates me when I say that I remember the "good ole days" of economy cars not even being offered with ABS or even power windows or mirrors. The Honda Sensing suite is a no brainer and a cool addition to a car that can be bought in the low $20s/high $19K price range. Lane Watch is......interesting but really only highlights the lack of true Blind Spot Monitoring which I'll address in my list of negatives. I haven't even messed with the OEM infotainment system aside from plugging in my iPhone for Apple Car Play. It isn't the best system out there I'm sure but it isn't the worst for sure.
Power - My previous personal car was a 2016 BMW 328i M Sport 6MT. I modified it with the normal bolt-ons, a custom dyno tune, M Performance BBK, and some other random things. This car feels pretty close to what my 328i 6MT did stock. Maybe that's not entirely accurate, but the limited midrange felt like the 2.0T in the 328i. This car seems to be about 0.5 second slower in the 1/4 mile to the magazine times of 14 flat for the 328i was. I will say that the Honda definitely revs more freely; the BMW definitely did not rev as quickly as this 1.5T in the Si. All of that being said, the Si is not a drag racing machine, but I don't think it ever was meant to be in any generation.
The Bad
Lack of some tech - While Lane Watch is better than nothing I guess, it's inexcusable that this car doesn't have a true Blind Spot Monitoring System or Rear Cross Traffic Alert when most other cars in the class offer that stuff at least as an option. Also, a lack of a minimal power drivers seat is a miss. I'll be the only driver of this car 99.9% of the time, but I do miss the adjustability of a power seat.
Noise - While the car felt as tight as a drum going over some rougher pavement, it is markedly noisier on rough roads than our TSX and most of the previous cars I've owned/leased. This is probably a combo of the tires and just some cost cutting for noise insulation. Speaking of noise.....the engine sound - both real and amplified in Sport mode - is fine by me. I know some people consider it to be cardinal sin but I much prefer it to the actual small turbo four sound in most cars that sound like muffled vacuum cleaners.
The clutch - I've been driving a manual transmission for over 25 years and this is definitely one of the hardest clutches to drive smoothly when you just jump into it. I'm sure I'll get smoother with time but it feels "weak" and the engagement feels junky. Any clutch is better than no clutch for driver enjoyment but this one lets down the otherwise excellent shifter action. I don't plan on doing any power mods (probably) but even driving this car stock for a few years, I feel the clutch would have to be replaced/upgraded if you drive spiritedly a lot.
Summary
Barring the car completely falling apart or being a lemon, I can say buying this for a little under $26K out the door was a no brainer. My gf and I test drove a new 2020 Mazda 3 sedan a few weeks ago before I decided on an Si and despite all of the hype, I was totally underwhelmed by the new 3 driving wise. Yes, the interior is very upscale and can pull off a pseudo-luxury car impersonation whereas the Si has no luxury car leanings....but driving wise it was fairly gutless, was rather loud on the highway, and was otherwise uninviting to drive hard. A manual transmission is going the way of the dodo bird so the Si made it to my short list of cars to buy for a fun daily driver. Later in 2020 I plan on buying an additional car "just for fun" - probably a late model S2000 - so I don't have any plans to modify the Si other than Michelin PS4S tires come Spring and ceramic window tint. It's a car I plan on enjoying just the way it is for many years. I'm driving from Atlanta to St. Louis then back to Atlanta next week for Christmas so that will give me some seat time to really come up with my opinions of the car long term.
