We got excited when Honda unveiled its new 11th generation Honda Civic a few months back, and we were drooling like lunatics when Honda presented its Civic Hatchback, complete with its bespoke performance-oriented underpinnings. Imagine our anxiety (in a good way) when they lifted the curtains on the 2022 Honda Civic Si, the sportiest and most performance-oriented Civic to date, barring the imminent arrival of the all-new Civic Type R, of course.

Suddenly, all those generic-looking “sporty” crossovers became passé, at least in our eyes. “Civic Si is a performance icon that has offered affordable high-performance for four decades, and the new Honda Civic Si continues that legacy,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations, American Honda Motor Co.
2022 Honda Civic Si Powertrain: Less Is More

We’re sorry to burst your bubble if you expected tremendous amounts of power from the 2022 Honda Civic Si. It actually has less horsepower from its updated 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder than the outgoing Civic Si ? five fewer horses, to be exact.

However, Honda promises a more responsive engine and heapings of low-end twists. Pumping out 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft. of torque, the latter arrives from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm, 300 rpm sooner than before. Meanwhile, peak horsepower comes between 6,000 to 6,500 rpm, ensuring you get the high-revving histrionics of Honda’s iconic early model VTEC engines. “It i...