TO THE POINTWhat’s New? With 197 horsepower flowing through a six-speed manual gearbox to a helical limited-slip differential and 17-inch Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2 summer tires, does it matter what else might be new on the 2006 Honda Civic Si? Selling Points: Sleek styling, sophisticated engineering, comfortable front seats, lots of standard safety equipment, reputation for reliability, amazing performance Deal Breakers: Cramped back seat, funky dash design Our Advice: Honda unleashes a redesigned 2006 Civic Si, equipped with enough performance hardware that it sets the new standard by which sport compact cars must be measured.
SpecificationsThe 2006 Honda Civic Si’s primary competitors are the Acura RSX, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford Mustang V6, Mini Cooper S, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Saturn Ion Red Line, Scion tC, and Volkswagen GTI.
Test Vehicle: 2006 Honda Civic Si with summer performance tires
Estimated Base Price: $19,995
Engine Size and Type: 2.0-liter inline four with variable valve timing
Engine Horsepower: 197 at 7,800 rpm
Engine Torque: 139 lb.-ft. at 6,200 rpm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Curb weight, lbs.: 2,877
Estimated EPA Fuel Economy (city/highway): 22/31 mpg
Length: 174.8 inches
Width: 68.9 inches
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Height: 53.5 inches
Leg room (front/rear): 42.6/30.3 inches
Head room (front/rear): 37.8/34.7 inches
Max. Seating Capacity: Five
Max. Cargo Volume: 11.5 cubic feet
Competitors: Acura RSX, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Ford Mustang V6, Mini Cooper S, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Saturn Ion Red Line, Scion tC, Volkswagen GTI
Photos courtesy of Honda America
About Christian Wardlaw Christian Wardlaw joined Autobytel's Automotive Information Center (AIC) in January 2003, and current serves as Manager of Content Development for Autobytel. Previously, Christian spent eight years as Editor-in-Chief and Director of Automotive Data for Edmunds.com. A writer, editor, and automobile aficionado, Christian is a different sort of car enthusiast. His passion lies in the vehicles that people most often buy, rather than with high-performance sports cars or ultra-luxury sedans. “Given the choice to spend an hour with a Dodge Viper or a Honda Accord, I’ll choose the Accord,” he claims. Unless, of course, the driving venue is a racetrack. Christian has been a car enthusiast all of his life, uttering “car” as his first word while growing up in Detroit. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he holds a bachelor’s degree in English. His daily drivers include a 1994 Mazda Miata, a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata, and a 2005 Nissan Murano.
