I spent most of last weekend driving around in a Mazdaspeed 3 (actually, it was an MPS because this was in Germany), and as Josh noted in the full road test, this is a very impressive car for the money -- loaded with torque (280 lb-ft), fearsome through corners thanks its limited-slip differential and stable at high speeds. It's enough to make you wonder if the Civic Si, which is only about $1,100 cheaper and has only half the torque (139 lb-ft), is really worth considering now that this Mazda exists.
A quick spin in our long-term Si this morning was enough to convince me the answer is yes. This car has a lot of personality, and it's all Type A. You may get behind the wheel feeling sluggish and dull, but the Civic Si will have none of that. Give it a little throttle and it wants to go to redline so bad that you almost feel guilty if you short-shift it. Give it a little steering input, and the car has already turned and begun recentering itself before you can process the transition. This kind of behavior is guaranteed to be offputting for some drivers, but I kind of like the way the car reaches out to you.
Another thing I like about the Civic Si is that it's lighter, like about 250 lbs lighter than the Mazdaspeed 3. That means it doesn't need 280 lb-ft of torque to feel quick (though like everyone else, I could do with a little more than 139). It also means it gets better gas mileage. And I like the way the Si feels. Whereas the Mazda offers solidity, the Honda comes across as nimble and unencumbered -- like a set of racing spikes.
Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor, 16,202 miles
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