Has anyone driven both the Si and the CTR?

[DevonK]

I'm asking because a test drive in a CTR is not possible right now and maybe for a long time to come in this area. But I was able to test drive a new Si with 5 km on the odo a few days ago and came away mightily impressed with both the engine and the transmission. Handling seemed (based on the little I could judge on the test drive) to be very solid as well, although I did not notice much difference going from normal to sport mode other than a quicker steering rack. The ride quality was amazingly silky and sophisticated for what is basically an economy car - more like something you'd expect from a BMW.

So if you have driven both, any comments you could make on the differences you find between the Si and the CTR in ride, handling, shifting would be very helpful.

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[Gerothius777]

I’ve own a Type R now. I traded my 2017 Si in for it. What would you like to know?

 

[Ryden1315]

I drove both .. the SI was nothing special at all. Felt like a regular civic truthfully. The R is a whole new level.

 

[HKSeaN]

The Si is not worth getting imo. Unless you are wanting just a cheaper low new 20k semi sporty comuter.

 

[Gerothius777]

I totally disagree with the statement above. The Si is a great car. I also owned a 2017 Sport Touring.

The Si is responsive, quick and a great value. Handles great and very well put together.

The Sport Touring had all the luxury bells and whistles. It just felt soulless to me. No real driver interaction. For those who want the luxury items and are not looking for a sport compact this is perfect.

My Type R, well it’s an amazing car. It is a track car that you can daily drive. It’s exactly what real enthusiast would want to own. I will never get rid of this car. I lost my 08 Mugen Si in a divorce but that is another car I planned on keeping forever. Life happens though.

Hope this helps.

 

[PilotZero]

I test-drove an Si before getting a CTR and the Si is really good, frankly. Thought it had really good pickup and nice contact with the road. It's a nice light car. The CTR is over 300 lbs. heavier and in sport mode is kind of like a heavier Si with more power and better tires. It's when you use +R mode around corners at higher speeds that you know it's a very different car.

 

[stevescivic]

I test drove a 2017 Si sedan a week after I picked up my CTR and my initial impressions were that it resembled a "CTR light" edition. The dash layout and the ergonomics are fundamentally the same. The CTR is just everything the Si is but on some massive steroids. The CTR power wise is VERY noticeable. When the Si's boost kicks in it goes quick but the CTR goes "stupid" real fast. Cornering the CTR is much more sure footed and I would attribute that to the increase chassis stiffness, spring rates, fat sticky tires and electronic wizardry that goes on behind the scenes. The CTR especially in +R mode really lights up the car. I've owned a few Si's in my day from as far back as the EF chassis and there was a reason why I passed on the Si and went straight to the Type R. The thing I loved about the R so much is the power and the insanely good handling. I likely will not track my R like I did with my Si's but IF I did I know the CTR would best the Si in every way.

 

[DevonK]

Thanks all for the responses.

@Gerothius777 , here are a few specific questions:

1) How's the ride quality of the CTR compared to the Si's? Does its extra weight and stiffer springing make it crashier or harsher? (A salesman who's driven both said the Si in sport mode rode much like the CTR in its default mode - would you agree?)

2) How does the in-cabin engine/exhaust sound compare? The Si was very quiet unless you were really on the throttle - you'd never guess is was a "sports compact" when just cruising along. It did sound good for a turbo 4 under heavy throttle though.

3) The Si sedan I drove is at the limit in terms of size I could accept - despite its relatively vast dimensions it drives "smaller" than it looks. Is this also true of the CTR - or does the extra weight make that car more cumbersome and less tossable?

4) Is the CTR's shifter as good as the Si's (LOVED that Si shifter)? Is the clutch stiffer or does it need the same pedal pressure?

TIA.

 

[DevonK]

...The CTR is over 300 lbs. heavier and in sport mode is kind of like a heavier Si with more power and better tires.

Well the sedan Si I drove weighed 2906 lbs, the CTR is 3120 (Honda figures), so the difference is more like 214 lbs - but still significant.

 

[TypeRDoc]

Thanks all for the responses.

@Gerothius777 , here are a few specific questions:

1) How's the ride quality of the CTR compared to the Si's? Does its extra weight and stiffer springing make it crashier or harsher? (A salesman who's driven both said the Si in sport mode rode much like the CTR in its default mode - would you agree?)

2) How does the in-cabin engine/exhaust sound compare? The Si was very quiet unless you were really on the throttle - you'd never guess is was a "sports compact" when just cruising along. It did sound good for a turbo 4 under heavy throttle though.

3) The Si sedan I drove is at the limit in terms of size I could accept - despite its relatively vast dimensions it drives "smaller" than it looks. Is this also true of the CTR - or does the extra weight make that car more cumbersome and less tossable?

4) Is the CTR's shifter as good as the Si's (LOVED that Si shifter)? Is the clutch stiffer or does it need the same pedal pressure?

TIA.

Pretty easy here. Type R destroys the SI. Its all about your budget. You want the "cool" "fast" car that looks good and can handle like a racecar then the Type R is for you. The Si will never give you that. I was on the highway yesterday -- got a thumbs up from a dude riding a motorcycle -- downshifted to 4 going 80 mph and got it up to 125 mph in about 3 seconds. It was a blur. It felt amazing and it handled that high speed without any issue and I was confident it would handle it. An Si at 125 mph I'd be worried about. That's the difference between the two cars. Your call bud.

 

[boosted180sx]

1. Ride quality of the CTR in comfort mode is super comfortable. Feels like a normal SI or even more softer than that.
2. They are both rather quiet and produce similiar volume imo.
3. CTR is a hatchback so it does have a lot more storage capacity if that is what you need.
4. CTR has a much better shifter feel imo. As close as you can get to a S2000 shifter in a fwd set up imo. Clutch is a little more stiffer than the SI but it's still super soft. SI clutch felt like i was just pushing on air.

 

[Gerothius777]

1) How's the ride quality of the CTR compared to the Si's? Does its extra weight and stiffer springing make it crashier or harsher? (A salesman who's driven both said the Si in sport mode rode much like the CTR in its default mode - would you agree?)

It is a harsher ride but comfort mode in the R is very suitable for daily driving. Also the R has 30 series tires compared to 40 series found on the Si. That does affect the ride also. Sport and R mode are firmer compared to the Si.

2) How does the in-cabin engine/exhaust sound compare? The Si was very quiet unless you were really on the throttle - you'd never guess is was a "sports compact" when just cruising along. It did sound good for a turbo 4 under heavy throttle though.

The R is louder but I don't mind it at all. The Si was quiet a bit quieter IMO.

3) The Si sedan I drove is at the limit in terms of size I could accept - despite its relatively vast dimensions it drives "smaller" than it looks. Is this also true of the CTR - or does the extra weight make that car more cumbersome and less tossable?

The CTR hands down handles better. It may be heavier but it has more HP and torque to compensate. Its also a more rigid car due to the suspension and other goodies.

4) Is the CTR's shifter as good as the Si's (LOVED that Si shifter)? Is the clutch stiffer or does it need the same pedal pressure?

The clutch is heavier and the shifting in the R is more direct. Both are great though.

 

[DevonK]

Thanks all for the detailed responses. It sounds like the CTR has an agility that belies its larger size.

I know it's impossible, but my ideal would be to have it feel as nimble and "on its toes" at say 5/10ths as the current Miata. If the CTR is boring and pedestrian except when going all-out, there will be very limited opportunities to enjoy it here thanks to the Toronto area's LA -like traffic and urban sprawl.

So a final question for those that have owned their CTRs for a while now - does it remain engaging in everyday driving once the novelty of the power etc. wears off?

 

[warrendeath]

I took a spin through our auto mall, saw about 6 or 7 Si's...that was enough for me. Type R's have been out for forever, and I'm the first one I've seen with one driving around. The attention it gets, added to the value, the performance, the MPG and overall look, can't be touched by the Si.

I told my wife years ago my biggest pet peeve with car buying is buying anything at MSRP. I went as far as saying I'd never buy a car at MSRP. I bought my Type R at MSRP and rolled off the dealership with the biggest smile on my face. I've driven M3, M4, GT350, Mercedes, Camaro's, you name it, this feels as good...at a cheaper price than all of those. I don't think the Civic Si is a bad car, but I would go as far as saying it felt too mundane for me.

 

[Dicecube]

MPG

Interesting. I've been watching a lot of civic type R reviews and videos and everyone says the mpg is terrible coupled with a small gas tank which they have to gas up often.

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