TESTED: 2022 Honda Civic Si Is Slower but Great to Drive

• The Honda Civic Si was redesigned for 2022 and its 1.5-liter turbo engine now makes slightly less power.
• At the Edmunds test track, the Civic Si turned in a disappointing 7.7-second saunter to 60 mph.
• Braking and skidpad figures are among the best we've seen from a front-wheel-drive car.

Testing the 2022 Civic Si

According to Honda, the 2022 Civic Si's revised engine tuning trades a smidge of peak power for more torque at lower revs. We verified that from the driver's seat — the new Si feels more responsive while on the move, even if it's not nearly the sprinter that its predecessor was. Specifically, it needed a leisurely 7.7 seconds to hit 60 mph from rest, whereas the slowest previous-generation Civic Si we tested — a 2020 sedan — did the deed in 7.2 seconds. Interestingly, the new car closes the gap by the quarter-mile mark, trailing that 2020 sedan by 0.2 second there and managing a higher trap speed (91.5 mph vs. 89.8 mph). But the fact remains that if you're operating within American speed limits, the old Si is objectively quicker.

We also tested a 2017 Civic Si sedan, by the way — same generation as the 2020 — and that one smoked the 2022 version, taking just 6.8 seconds to hit 60. In the middle was a 2020 Civic Si coupe, which hit 60 in 7.1 seconds. Here are a few Civic Si comps from the Edmunds Tested archives; as you'll see, the Civic Si has been maintaining a consistent level of straight-line performance for quite some time.

For comparison's sake, the chart includes Edmunds' testing figures for the 2022 Civic Touring, which is also significantly slower to 60 mph than its predecessor but surprisingly close to the new Si given that the latter is rated at 20 more horsepower (200 hp vs. 180 hp). We've additionally included test results for the Volkswagen Jetta GLI (228 hp, 258 lb-ft) and the Hyundai Elantra N Line (201 hp, 195 lb-ft), both of which line up nicely against the Honda in terms of price and features.

How about braking and handling?

The new Civic Si's improved braking performance is certainly worthy of discussion. Notably, our test vehicle was equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 size 235/40 R18 95Y performance summer tires, a $200 option. That's a good deal considering a full set of identical tires would set you back more than $500 if you had a tire shop put them on. In short, there's never been a better-braking Civic Si — 106 feet from 60 mph means serious stopping power, although as the table shows, the 2020 examples we tested, which were also shod with summer rubber, weren't too far behind.

As for handling, this 2022 Civic Si sedan with summer tires beats the 2020 Civic Si sedan by 0.02 g on the skidpad, although it loses to the 2020 Civic Si coupe by 0.01 g. That's a whole lot of stick no matter which way you slice it. Here are our notes on the 2022 car's handling from the track sheet:

"Hot damn. Nearly a full g, and it actually pulled 1.01 going counterclockwise, though it averages out to 0.99. It feels good, too, with predictable and easily mitigated understeer at the limit. Just back off the gas to tuck the nose in. There's no need to work the wheel, which has decent (though not amazing) feedback. It's heavy, but it gives you a good sense of the car and is quick enough to feel nimble. Body control, too, was kept well in check. Stability control minimal, with only slight intervention at the limit. It was easy to hold it right at the threshold. Fun and lively."

Edmunds says

The 2022 Civic Si might be slower than the last one, but improvements in drivability, braking and overall refinement make it plenty compelling nonetheless.