First Test: 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe

Soul Survivor: Will Losing 1000 RPMs Work Better a Decade Later? / Photography by Michael Shaffer If you're an auto enthusiast, you can hardly be faulted for thinking Honda has largely abandoned you. In fact, you might even feel justified in thinking that the once enthusiast-driven company has lost the plot and gone Toyota, ditching drivers' cars for various forays into the hybrid scene and profitable-but-bland people-movers of various shapes and sizes. You might even get depressed when you look at Honda's enthusiast car portfolio circa 2001 and compare it to its portfolio today. A decade ago, Honda's lineup included the likes of the S2000, Civic Si, Acura NSX and Integra/RSX -- and the Prelude had only just been discontinued, with 2001 being its last year. These days, the options are substantially more limited. There's the oddball CR-Z and the only member of the above list to make it out of the aughts, the Civic Si. Somewhat of a constant in Honda's lineup for some two decades, the continued presence of the Si has served as a beacon of hope for enthusiasts even as the rest of its sporty brethren died off one by one over the past decade, each leaving no heirs. But the Si, like the rest of the Civic lineup, has just undergone a fairly significant transformation, bringing its hope-bringer status into question. One reason why is that the 2012 Honda Civic Si is no longer powered by the high-revving K20 2.0-liter four. It has made way for a slightly modified version of the K24 2.4-liter also found under the hood of the Acura TSX that makes slightly more power (201 hp versus 197 hp), considerably more torque (170 lb-ft versus 139 lb-ft), but redlines at 7000 RPM instead of 8000 and is nowhere near as free-revving as its predecessor. As a result, the character of the 2012 Si is decidedly different. Motor Trend Rating:

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