Naija Bull
Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Long comparison be warned lol....
Around valentines day of this year, I collided with an F-150 in my beloved 2017 Civic Si that I had owned since brand new and for 5 years. A body shop was able to fix the body damage, but my car was never the same after that. There was this very loud, very consistent clunking noise that I tried to get diagnosed/fix for 6 months but nobody seemed to be able to pin down and figure out the issue so it wasn't fixed. I decided that to avoid further issues down the line, and with my 2017 Si now out of warranty, it was time to trade my beloved car in after 5 years and 55,000 miles. I was able to find a brand new 11th gen Si on the lot of the same dealership that was attempting to fix my 2017 Si. I got $23K for my trade, and paid roughly $33K out the door for the 2022 Si.
I have owned my 11th gen Si now for going on 3 months and 4,700 miles, I am here to break down the differences of both generation Si's as the differences are actually quite striking.
Looks: 10th gen Si- This is completely subjective but I prefer the way the 10th gen looked. Shorter, meaner, more aggressive, and stood out. The 11th gen Si doesn't spark as much emotion, and blends in with the crowd. It is a nice looking car, but it takes itself too seriously.
Comfort: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen Si's adaptive dampers could be the reason for this win. The 11th gen Si's suspension is quite harsh and crashes and jars you when you hit bumps and potholes. It is quite choppy and noticeably stiff in all but smooth highway roads. It feels even stiffer than the 10th gen Si in sport mode. But the biggest hit IMO on the 11th gen Si as far as comfort goes are the SEATS! They are very hard with very limited cushion and lumbar support. It can feel like you're seating on a seat made of wood. Now that I have broken them in with 5000 miles on the clock, they have gotten a bit more bare-able but they are a far cry from the comfortable and versatile seats of the 10th gen Si. I don't know why these seats feel so much different from my 10th gen Si as I thought they where the exact same seats with little to no changes, but I can tell you that the seats on the 11th gen are much much much stiffer and uncomfortable. In fact, the 11th gen Si seats are it's biggest negatives IMO. Honda desperately needs to add more foam and/or lumbar support.
Ergonomics: 10th gen Si- The 11th gen doesn't even have a phone pick-up and hang-up button on the steering wheel controls. You can pick up and hand up with a scroll wheel, but you cant place calls with the steering wheel control like you can on the 10th gen, you have to go through the infotainment. You can't change between apple carplay, to radio, to bluetooth as well on the steering wheel controls like you can on the 10th gen, you have to use the infotainment. Storage was also better on the 10th gen with the two level storage in the center console. The glove compartment is also smaller in the 11th gen for what it's worth.
Features: Tie?- Hear me out, I know on surface level it looks like you lose alot on the 11th gen vs the 10th gen, but you also gain alot too. You lose adaptive dampers, heated seats, dual zone climate control, full digital display, fog lights, and 5 horsepower. You gain a much better shifter, light weight flywheel, bigger and better infotainment, premium 12 speaker bose, wireless AA and carplay, rev-matching, customizable individual mode, some more Type R suspension parts. So it all depends on which features mean more to you or not so I call this one a tie.
Speed: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen Si is undoubtely quicker off the line. Its low to midrange torque and power are immediately noticeable and dominate the 11th gen Si. Merging and passing in any gear is easier and more effortless in the 10th gen Si. Now I am talking about the 10th gen Si before the final gear ration change (2017-2019) as I haven't driven the 2020 Si with the new gearing. Where the 11th gen Si shines above the 10th gen Si is in its top end. I swear if you told me the 11th gen Si was an NA engine I would believe you. Its power band is much more linear than the 10th gen. Power feels ok from 2000-4000 rpm, but continues to build and starts to pull like a freight train from 5K to its redline of 6600 rpm. It is tuned more like old Honda's of yore where you have to rev it out to feel its power. If both cars where to race, the 10th gen would win to the quater mile, but the 11th gen would pull it back and would probably win to the 1/2 mile because of its stronger top end and it's inability to run out of breath. I still give the advantage to the 10th gen for speed because in real life application (speeds under 100 mph), the 10th gen makes it's power sooner, and more effortlessly, giving it the sensation of being quicker but in reality they are about the same, it just takes more effort for the 11th gen to get there.
Handling: 11th gen Si- This car grips like a Bear. Its mechanical grip is OUTSTANDING! I have the oem All-Season Goodyear, and still you have to be an ape to induce any form of understeer. In the same rubbers with my 10th gen, that car would understeer much easier and break lose of grip much easier as well. The LSD seems to be "tuned" better for lack of a better word in the 11th gen Si. It pulls you out of corners better and launching the car from a stop produces zero wheel hop unlike the 10th gen Si. The 11th gen Si is the better car to drive aggressively, it just does what you ask of it with no fuss. I predict it would be the slightly faster car on a track or auto-cross.
Shifter: 11th gen Si- Short and simple, BEST SHIFTER I HAVE EVER DRIVEN! I have driven a 2017 Porche Boxter, a 2018 Corvette Z06 manual, a Mustang GT350 manual, a Camaro SS manual, a Veloster N, an STI, BRZ, Countless ND2 Miata's you name it. None rival this 11th gen SI. Its shifter is it's biggest strength by far. The Rev-matching feature is also very solid.
Ease of driveability: 11th gen Si- Rev-hang is much improved in the 11th gen. There is still a little bit of rev hang, especially when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd gear and when revving out 1st gear but it is much better than the 10th, this really makes the car much easier to drive more aggressively and also better for day-to-day driving. Throttle response and pedal spacing are also improved here. But I have noticed the "normal" mode throttle response is quite a bit lazy, you need to be in sport mode, or individual mode with sport throttle selected.
Steering: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen just simply has a more communicative steering and more natural feeling steering. It is also more responsive and darty, every small movement of the steering and it's quick to respond and change direction. The 11th gen Si's steering is a little bit numb in comparison and lacks the natural feel. It's less responsive and darty in comparison and it's weight in Sport mode is a little too heavy and artificial feeling forcing me to drive in "individual" mode most of the time where I have it set to normal steering and Sport throttle response/engine. The 11th gen's steering is still pretty good, it's direct and responsive and still has some decent feedback, but it is a step backwards from the 10th gen Si IMO.
Brakes: Tie- I felt more confident in emergency stopping situations in the 10th gen but that was probably because I owned it for 5 years and had more time to build that trust, but I feel no difference in braking performance. I have read a bunch of articles though of brake fade and brake light warnings after a few rounds on track in the 11th gen that didn't present itself much in the 10th gen. But in regular street conditions, I feel no difference in stopping power.
This a completely unbiased opinion as I own/have owned both generations. If you were to ask me which car is my favorite, I would go with the 10th gen. I still believe the 10th gen Si is the best Si ever made. It was aggressive looking, much more playful, quick, responsive and economical/practical. The 11th gen Si shares alot of those same DNA but a little bit more grown-up. It's a little more sterile in comparison, a little more numb and dialed back. It is like the 10th gen graduated college and now works in a corporate office. The 11th gen is still very fun to drive, but you have to find the fun instead of the fun finding you. In the 10th gen Si, the fun found you.
Around valentines day of this year, I collided with an F-150 in my beloved 2017 Civic Si that I had owned since brand new and for 5 years. A body shop was able to fix the body damage, but my car was never the same after that. There was this very loud, very consistent clunking noise that I tried to get diagnosed/fix for 6 months but nobody seemed to be able to pin down and figure out the issue so it wasn't fixed. I decided that to avoid further issues down the line, and with my 2017 Si now out of warranty, it was time to trade my beloved car in after 5 years and 55,000 miles. I was able to find a brand new 11th gen Si on the lot of the same dealership that was attempting to fix my 2017 Si. I got $23K for my trade, and paid roughly $33K out the door for the 2022 Si.
I have owned my 11th gen Si now for going on 3 months and 4,700 miles, I am here to break down the differences of both generation Si's as the differences are actually quite striking.
Looks: 10th gen Si- This is completely subjective but I prefer the way the 10th gen looked. Shorter, meaner, more aggressive, and stood out. The 11th gen Si doesn't spark as much emotion, and blends in with the crowd. It is a nice looking car, but it takes itself too seriously.
Comfort: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen Si's adaptive dampers could be the reason for this win. The 11th gen Si's suspension is quite harsh and crashes and jars you when you hit bumps and potholes. It is quite choppy and noticeably stiff in all but smooth highway roads. It feels even stiffer than the 10th gen Si in sport mode. But the biggest hit IMO on the 11th gen Si as far as comfort goes are the SEATS! They are very hard with very limited cushion and lumbar support. It can feel like you're seating on a seat made of wood. Now that I have broken them in with 5000 miles on the clock, they have gotten a bit more bare-able but they are a far cry from the comfortable and versatile seats of the 10th gen Si. I don't know why these seats feel so much different from my 10th gen Si as I thought they where the exact same seats with little to no changes, but I can tell you that the seats on the 11th gen are much much much stiffer and uncomfortable. In fact, the 11th gen Si seats are it's biggest negatives IMO. Honda desperately needs to add more foam and/or lumbar support.
Ergonomics: 10th gen Si- The 11th gen doesn't even have a phone pick-up and hang-up button on the steering wheel controls. You can pick up and hand up with a scroll wheel, but you cant place calls with the steering wheel control like you can on the 10th gen, you have to go through the infotainment. You can't change between apple carplay, to radio, to bluetooth as well on the steering wheel controls like you can on the 10th gen, you have to use the infotainment. Storage was also better on the 10th gen with the two level storage in the center console. The glove compartment is also smaller in the 11th gen for what it's worth.
Features: Tie?- Hear me out, I know on surface level it looks like you lose alot on the 11th gen vs the 10th gen, but you also gain alot too. You lose adaptive dampers, heated seats, dual zone climate control, full digital display, fog lights, and 5 horsepower. You gain a much better shifter, light weight flywheel, bigger and better infotainment, premium 12 speaker bose, wireless AA and carplay, rev-matching, customizable individual mode, some more Type R suspension parts. So it all depends on which features mean more to you or not so I call this one a tie.
Speed: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen Si is undoubtely quicker off the line. Its low to midrange torque and power are immediately noticeable and dominate the 11th gen Si. Merging and passing in any gear is easier and more effortless in the 10th gen Si. Now I am talking about the 10th gen Si before the final gear ration change (2017-2019) as I haven't driven the 2020 Si with the new gearing. Where the 11th gen Si shines above the 10th gen Si is in its top end. I swear if you told me the 11th gen Si was an NA engine I would believe you. Its power band is much more linear than the 10th gen. Power feels ok from 2000-4000 rpm, but continues to build and starts to pull like a freight train from 5K to its redline of 6600 rpm. It is tuned more like old Honda's of yore where you have to rev it out to feel its power. If both cars where to race, the 10th gen would win to the quater mile, but the 11th gen would pull it back and would probably win to the 1/2 mile because of its stronger top end and it's inability to run out of breath. I still give the advantage to the 10th gen for speed because in real life application (speeds under 100 mph), the 10th gen makes it's power sooner, and more effortlessly, giving it the sensation of being quicker but in reality they are about the same, it just takes more effort for the 11th gen to get there.
Handling: 11th gen Si- This car grips like a Bear. Its mechanical grip is OUTSTANDING! I have the oem All-Season Goodyear, and still you have to be an ape to induce any form of understeer. In the same rubbers with my 10th gen, that car would understeer much easier and break lose of grip much easier as well. The LSD seems to be "tuned" better for lack of a better word in the 11th gen Si. It pulls you out of corners better and launching the car from a stop produces zero wheel hop unlike the 10th gen Si. The 11th gen Si is the better car to drive aggressively, it just does what you ask of it with no fuss. I predict it would be the slightly faster car on a track or auto-cross.
Shifter: 11th gen Si- Short and simple, BEST SHIFTER I HAVE EVER DRIVEN! I have driven a 2017 Porche Boxter, a 2018 Corvette Z06 manual, a Mustang GT350 manual, a Camaro SS manual, a Veloster N, an STI, BRZ, Countless ND2 Miata's you name it. None rival this 11th gen SI. Its shifter is it's biggest strength by far. The Rev-matching feature is also very solid.
Ease of driveability: 11th gen Si- Rev-hang is much improved in the 11th gen. There is still a little bit of rev hang, especially when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd gear and when revving out 1st gear but it is much better than the 10th, this really makes the car much easier to drive more aggressively and also better for day-to-day driving. Throttle response and pedal spacing are also improved here. But I have noticed the "normal" mode throttle response is quite a bit lazy, you need to be in sport mode, or individual mode with sport throttle selected.
Steering: 10th gen Si- The 10th gen just simply has a more communicative steering and more natural feeling steering. It is also more responsive and darty, every small movement of the steering and it's quick to respond and change direction. The 11th gen Si's steering is a little bit numb in comparison and lacks the natural feel. It's less responsive and darty in comparison and it's weight in Sport mode is a little too heavy and artificial feeling forcing me to drive in "individual" mode most of the time where I have it set to normal steering and Sport throttle response/engine. The 11th gen's steering is still pretty good, it's direct and responsive and still has some decent feedback, but it is a step backwards from the 10th gen Si IMO.
Brakes: Tie- I felt more confident in emergency stopping situations in the 10th gen but that was probably because I owned it for 5 years and had more time to build that trust, but I feel no difference in braking performance. I have read a bunch of articles though of brake fade and brake light warnings after a few rounds on track in the 11th gen that didn't present itself much in the 10th gen. But in regular street conditions, I feel no difference in stopping power.
This a completely unbiased opinion as I own/have owned both generations. If you were to ask me which car is my favorite, I would go with the 10th gen. I still believe the 10th gen Si is the best Si ever made. It was aggressive looking, much more playful, quick, responsive and economical/practical. The 11th gen Si shares alot of those same DNA but a little bit more grown-up. It's a little more sterile in comparison, a little more numb and dialed back. It is like the 10th gen graduated college and now works in a corporate office. The 11th gen is still very fun to drive, but you have to find the fun instead of the fun finding you. In the 10th gen Si, the fun found you.
Sponsored
