2022 Honda Civic Si coming soon, will race in 2021 25 Hours of Thunderhill

Honda on Monday provided a first look at the new Civic Si based on the 11th-generation Civic that has just gone on sale as a 2022 model.

The Civic Si will also arrive as a 2022 model, though this time in sedan guise only. The previous Civic Si was also offered as a coupe but the two-door body style is no longer part of the Civic range.

A hatchback is included in the latest Civic range but this body style isn’t set to receive the Si treatment. It will spawn a new Civic Type R for the 2023 model year, though.

To mark the launch of the new Civic Si, Honda will enter a specially prepared version in the 2021 25 Hours of Thunderhill endurance race, which runs December 3-5 at California’s Thunderhill Raceway Park.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzrsJYVPXiE]

Honda said the road-going Civic Si is coming soon, and that it will be the “best-handling” and “most fun-to-drive” Civic Si yet. That’s likely thanks in part to the stiffer body and chassis (8% better torsional rigidity and 13% better bending rigidity) of the 11th-generation Civic. The wheelbase and track width have also been increased over the previous generation.

There’s no word on the powertrain but expect the previous Civic Si’s 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 to carry over into the new model, along with the front-wheel-drive configuration. The 205 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque peak output will likely be unchanged. A manual should be standard and Honda may offer the regular Civic’s continuously variable transmission as an option.

The Civic Si has always been a great option for performance fans on a budget, with the previous generation starting at about $26,000. However, there’s some tough new competition in the form of the Hyundai Elantra N Line that was just launched for 2021. It delivers 201 hp and starts closer to $25,000. It also comes standard with a manual transmission but offers a brilliant 7-speed dual-clutch unit as an alternative.

Production of the Civic sedan, including the Si, is being handled at Honda’s plant in Alliston, Canada.