For years now, thrill seekers looking to buy a high-performance, reliable yet reasonably priced machine have been turning towards the Honda Civic Si. Since the introduction of the 7th, 8th and 9th generations, some purists have been saying that the compact Civic has lost its soul, despite considerable technological advancements. Are they right or simply suffering from a case of nostalgia?
We’ll put an end to the debate once and for all today with a video from Inside Line, where a 1999 SiR takes on a 2012 Si at the only place it counts: on the track, with scientific data to back it up.
The 2012 dashed from 0 to 96 km/h (60 mph) in 7.0 seconds, while the 1999 took 8.2 seconds despite its lighter weight.
The new model continued to dominate on the quarter mile, reaching speeds of 148.54 km/h in 15.1 seconds. The 1999 held its own pretty well though, crossing the finish line one second later at 139.53 km/h.
On the 96-0 km/h brake test, both cars did equally well, coming to a full stop after 129 feet or 39.319 metres.
The two Civics vied for supremacy on the skid pad, the 1999 generating 0.88 g and the 2012 0.87 g.
At 107.50 km/h the 1999 SiR proved a touch slower than the 2012 over the slalom course, the ultimate test, where the 2012 managed speeds of 107.90 km/h.
Considering the 2012 uses a lot more electronic systems than the 1999 (stability control, ABS brakes and electric power steering, to name a few), it’s easy to understand why long-time fans aren’t as thrilled with the new Civic Si 13 years later.
They even burn a similar amount of fuel: 9.35L/100 km in town and 7.0L on the highway for the SiR compared to 10L and 6.4L for the 2012 Si.
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21-06-2011, 04:29 AM
1999 Civic SiR vs 2012 SI: 13 years, but has Honda really improved its product?
