All Honda Civics face certain expectations. They’re small, four-cylinder cars, so they should be practical and fuel-efficient. The stakes go up for the Si performance sedan. Not only should it be a Civic at its core, but it also has to be fun. Honda upped the ante on itself by calling the updated 2025 model the “most fun-to-drive Civic Si ever.”
Honda has made nine different versions of the Civic Si since 1986. I haven’t driven all of them, so I can’t say if the newest one generates the most smiles per mile, but I do know that every Civic Si I’ve driven has delivered what was expected of it. Back in 2007, my buddy Jake and I took our cars (his 2002 Honda S2000 and my 1998 Acura Integra LS sedan) to an autocross event. A friendly competitor had a 2002-2005 Civic Si hatchback and offered me a chance to ride shotgun through the course. He loved his car, but it was hard to tell from the way he drove as he absolutely hammered the throttle. At every turn, he wrenched the wheel from side to side. Each shift of the five-speed manual gearbox was either a violent yank or forceful shove. Despite my internal organs being rearranged, I was thrilled.
A few years ago, I had a blast driving the 2022 Honda Civic Si through the winding back roads outside of Peoria, Arizona. It was addicting to wind up to redline, and the gearbox was so enjoyable that I found myself downshifting and stepping on the gas—not because I needed to, but because I wanted to. It was such a satisfying car to drive hard.
When I saw a 2025 Civic Si on our list of upcoming review vehicles, I was filled with excitement. I would have been perfectly happy with a carryover model but, for 2025, the Si receives several cosmetic and functional updates. In addition to installing a new front fascia and grille mesh, Honda’s design team also tinted the LED taillights and tweaked the look of the black 18-inch wheels. My press car was equipped with the optional $300 235/40 Goodyear Eagle F1 summer tires which, along with the new-for-2025 $455 Urban Gray Pearl paint, raised the as-tested price to $31,800.
Inside, the Civic Si is more comfortable and convenient thanks to updates such as heated front seats, shift indicator light, Google built-in with Google Assistant, and a pair of USB-C ports up front. Even the six-speed manual gearbox makes life easier than before because its rev-matching function now operates in the 2nd-to-1st downshift. The second row offers a shocking amount of legroom but, beyond that, it’s relatively sparse. It doesn’t have the same two-tone upholstery as the front buckets, and there are no HVAC vents or charging options.
Honda went even further, making the Civic Si more rigid with new lower B-pillar and rear door sill supports. To fully capitalize on that increased stiffness, it tweaked the shocks accordingly.
The thought of driving the Civic Si in Phoenix’s stop-and-go traffic initially made me feel a twinge of dread, but that soon faded. The clutch pedal was firm enough to feel engaging yet light enough that my left leg never felt overworked. Although the suspension was stiff, it stopped short of being harsh. None of my frequent stops were at a gas station thanks to the Civic Si’s fuel economy ratings of 27 city, 37 highway, and 31 combined mpg.
So the Civic Si was easy to live with Monday through Friday, but what about the weekends? I expected it to be as lovable as the 2022 model, and it was . . . mostly. Curvy back roads allowed me to completely indulge in the turbocharged 1.5-liter I4’s 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque without fearing for my safety or insurance rates. The more I pushed the Si, the smaller it felt. Even when I entered a bend at an “enthusiastic” speed, the suspension kept the car level and on the right line. Once again, I found myself downshifting just for the sheer joy of it. Getting deep into the rev range to extract maximum power is always fun, but doing that is even more satisfying with a gearbox like the one in the Si. Honda nailed it. The gates are closely spaced together and only require short throws to put the notchy shifter where it needs to be next.
As I zipped by the desert vegetation, the L15CA’s raspy buzz trailing me the whole way, I realized something was off about the new Civic Si: even when the drive mode was set to Normal, the electric power steering was heavy on-center and slower to respond to inputs than I expected. Its weight and lack of urgency only increased in Sport mode. On one hand, that solidity made the Civic Si feel planted and mature; on the other hand, the steering’s lack of playfulness seemed at odds with the car’s character, as the Civic Si is supposed to be fun and lighthearted, not so serious and buttoned-down.
Overall, the 2025 Honda Civic Si struck the delicate balance between practicality and performance. Its combination of technology, comfort and convenience features, and interior space made it useful as a daily driver; its peppy engine, precise transmission, and confidence-inspiring suspension turned it into the driver’s car that it’s supposed to be. Is the updated version the “most fun-to-drive Civic Si ever”? I’m not sure, but I do know one particular change would make it even more fun than it already is.
