First Drive & Video: 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe HFP

Story and photos by John LeBlanc NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. -  Remember the days when you couldn't walk into a Honda showroom without bumping into a fun-to-drive car? Cars like the Honda CR-X Si from the '80s and '90s and the S2000 roadster from the early 2000s, along with Acura-badged Hondas like the Integra Type-R and NSX were not only driver-oriented vehicles, but also showcased the Japanese automaker's engineering prowess. But check out those dates. Since the departure of the S2000 three years ago, driving enthusiasts' choices at Honda/Acura dealers have been whittled down. The company knows that although fuel economy has become a priority with most buyers, fun-to-drive cars can help buff up its image as an automaker that's falling behind the pack. A reborn Acura NSX supercar has been promised for 2015, but not much else is going to get your heart pumping. However, instead of moaning about the lack of "fun" cars coming from Japan, Honda Canada has decided to offer a short-term solution in the form of the 2012 Civic Si Coupe HFP, the second Canadian-exclusive Honda Factory Performance model following last year's Accord Coupe HFP. Using parts that already existed in Honda Canada's aftermarket catalog, the HFP Civic primarily focuses on styling and handling improvements. Added to the Coupe (you can't get an HFP Sedan) is a specific suspension kit, 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Super Sport performance tires, an aggressive body skirt package, plus HFP exterior badging and interior floor mats. Honda Canada says the $4,006.68 the HFP package commands over the $25,990 Civic Si is a 50 per cent discount compared to a customer having the pieces installed at their local Honda dealer. From the $23,478 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V at the low-end of the price scale to the $29,940 Mazdaspeed3 at the high-end, the Honda has a plethora of small, factory tuned performance cars to compete against. But with a just-under-$30k price, the Civic Si HFP competes most closely with Volkswagen's GTI two-door. To tell you the truth, there wasn't much wrong with the standard Civic Si's ride and handling. And despite the HFP suspension's 10 mm lower height, stiffer shocks, and lower profile tires, the car's ride never gave grief to my backside during our route in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake. Like the VW GTI, the Civic Si HFP's suspension absorbs potholes well, yet keeps body roll in check. The only negative I noticed was the added road noise from the high-performance tires. However, this is something the targeted buyer will surely put up with for the added grip over the regular Si's less aggressive rubber. Honda officials also laid out a pair of slalom-like courses on the tarmac of the Niagara Regional Airport to test out that additional grip more aggressively. The first setup was a low-speed, tight-knit slalom course. The second, a less closely cropped setup, where you could get the Civic Si HFP up to illegal road speeds. In both instances, the additional grip from the Michelins was immediately noticeable. It took a lot of work at the steering wheel to get the front end of the Honda to slide. But when the rubber did loose its grip, the HFP's rear-end rotated around progressively. It's hard to argue against the added handling performance the HFP upgrades bring to the Civic Si. But let's not forget that the base car was already Honda's most appealing car to enthusiasts. And spending an afternoon thrashing it about on a closed circuit only reminded me of what a well-balanced vehicle the cooking Civic Si already is. On public roads at normal speeds, the Civic Si HFP's steering sometimes feels too light. But at the more elevated speeds I encountered on the airport track, it gained added weight and feedback, while the standard Si bucket seats do a good job of keeping the driver in place to orchestrate the whole affair. While a Mazdaspeed3 and the new 2013 Ford Focus ST offer a lot more horsepower (263 and 252, respectively), the 201 hp the Honda's new 2.4 L unit delivers (four more than the Si's former 2.0 L four) is still competitive with the likes of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, and VW GTI. While a Mazdaspeed3 and the new 2013 Ford Focus ST offer a lot more horsepower (263 and 252, respectively), the 201 hp the Honda's new 2.4 L unit delivers (four more than the Si's former 2.0 L four) is still competitive with the likes of a Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec-V, and VW GTI. More importantly, torque jumps to 170 lb.-ft. -- a noticeable 31 lb.-ft. gain. Not only does the redesigned 2012 Civic Si (and HFP) go from 0-100 km/h about a half-second quicker now (in the mid-six-second range), the extra torque at lower revs means the car's power is much more accessible, while fuel economy is rated at a reasonable 10.0 L/100 km in the city, 6.4 on the highway. What the HFP changes didn't fix was the 2012 Civic's less-than-stellar interior. There's no point beating a dead horse here: Honda misjudged the market when it redesigned the 2012 Civic's cabin, saving money by cheapening what was already an interior that was falling behind the competition in terms of fit-and-finish, features and ergonomic design. We've been promised a fix for 2013 Civics, so stay tuned. If you're already a fan of the Civic Si, the additional pieces the HFP edition adds seem like a deal. The extra styling bits add more character to the base Civic Si's rather tepid styling. And at just under $30,000, the Civic Si HFP's price is right in line with the competition. Keep in mind, Honda Canada is making only 400 copies of the 2012 Civic Si HFP this year. And in the two months the model has been on-sale, about 300 have already been sold. Honda Canada has not committed to building the Civic Si Coupe HFP after this year's inventory has been sold. That said, Honda Canada seems to have created a winning formula with both the Civic and Accord HFP editions. I'd be surprised if more models weren't already in the works for 2013. May I suggest an HFP version of the more versatile Civic Si sedan for next year? Honda Civic Si Coupe HFP WHAT I LIKED: Suspension upgrades improve handling without sacrificing ride quality; bodykit improves Civic's looks; competitive pricing and performance. WHAT I DIDN'T: High-performance tires add road noise; HFP additions can't fix the Civic's down-market interior; some drivers may want more power. Base price: $29,996.68 Type of vehicle: FWD, compact coupe Engine: 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve I-4 Power/Torque: 201 hp/170 lb-ft. Transmission: Six-speed manual Fuel consumption (city/hwy): 10.0 / 6.4 L/100 km Competition: Ford Focus ST, Hyundai Veloster Turbo, Mini Cooper S, Mazdaspeed3, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Volkswagen GTI

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