2002 Honda Civic Si
What's special about it?
When Honda introduced the new 2001 Civic, enthusiasts whined about the car's general softening, as well as the discontinuation of the hatchback and the high-performance Si Coupe. Was Honda really abandoning its heritage of affordable and sporty cars? The answer, based on what the company showed at the New York Auto Show, would be a resolute "no." The Civic Si returns in full force for 2002, this time in hatchback form. It's very similar to the Civic Type R shown at this year's Geneva Auto Show. Built in England, the Si comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a close-ratio five-speed transmission. This engine features Honda's new i-VTEC variable valve timing system and spins out 160 horsepower. While some might notice that this is the same amount produced by the previous Si's 1.6-liter engine, the 2.0-liter produces significantly more torque. Acceleration from zero to 60 is said to be about 7.5 seconds. To handle the extra power, Honda gives the Si a sport-tuned suspension and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. Inside, there are sport seats, a standard moonroof and a rally-style shifter that is mounted on the dash instead of on the floor.
Why should you care?
If you are a Honda fan, you should have plenty of reason to care. While the Si has the same MacPherson strut front suspension design that the sedan and coupe have, its handling and performance should be far sportier. Honda says it will build 12,000 of them, with the first arriving at dealers in early 2002. Interestingly, this will also be the same time that other high-performance vehicles will be on sale, such as the Ford SVT Focus, Nissan Sentra SE-R and Mini Cooper S. It looks like budget enthusiasts should have plenty to choose from. --Brent Romans

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nadia2 says:
05:33 PM, 01/06/2010
Curiose design..