What Makes the 2017 Honda Civic Si So Ex-Si-ting?

[Civic Si News]

Easily the best-handling front-wheel-drive car on the market today, Honda's latest Civic Si coupe was a natural invite to our annual Lightning Lap track test. To see how the incredibly green-colored coupe (it's available in other hues) fared at Virginia International Raceway, you'll need to check out our lap-time roundup. However, as a testament to how well sorted the Si is, it was the only car in this year's test to gain speed through VIR's treacherous uphill ess-curves. To see what sets it apart from the regular Civic, swipe on!

Let's get this out of the way up front: Honda's latest Civic Si lacks VTEC, otherwise known as variable valve timing and lift electronic control. In Civic Si cars dating back to the late 1990s, VTEC has famously registered as a character switchover at higher engine speeds, when a more aggressive cam profile took over and gave the four-cylinders a rowdy bawl and more power. In its place, the 2017 Civic Si's 1.5-liter engine uses a turbocharger and direct fuel injection to kick out 205 horsepower?exactly the same amount as its VTEC-equipped, non-turbocharged, 2.0-liter predecessor.

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