2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan

As much as we like the Civic Si in coupe form, Honda just hit a tape-measure shot with the newly-unveiled Civic Si Sedan that was first previewed as a concept at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this year. We're so pleased, that we almost forgive them for witholding the Civic 5-Door and 3-Door from the US market. Almost -- but that's a gripe for another day.

The Civic Sedan is a better looking car than the coupe, so it's not surprising that the Si treatment looks great here. The transformation is very straightforward. Take one Civic sedan, add the Si mechanicals, interior, and visual cues, and voila! -- you now have a high-revving sport sedan that carries four in comfort.

If you're concerned that the sedan's added weight will make it less enjoyable fret not: it only weighs 60 lbs more than the coupe. Winding the Si's 197-hp 2.0-liter i-VTEC up to its 8,000 rpm redline through the 6-speed manual should be as fun as ever. Factor in the snazzy looks and the more practical bodystyle and ladies and gents, we have a winner.

(Pics, Press release after the jump)

[Source: Honda}








PRESS RELEASE:

The Award-Winning Civic Lineup Expands to Include Civic Si Sedan and the Only Natural Gas-Powered Passenger Car Available to Retail Consumers in the U.S.

TORRANCE, Calif. – The eighth generation, 2007 Honda Civic features a well-equipped and technologically-advanced Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe lineup highlighted by an environmentally-responsible Civic Hybrid, a dedicated natural-gas powered Civic GX and an ultra-sporty Civic Si Coupe and Sedan.
Nearly identical mechanically to the Civic Si Coupe, the Civic Si Sedan features a high-performance 197-horsepower i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, 6-speed manual transmission, limited slip differential and a sport suspension. Also of note, a dedicated natural gas-powered version of the Civic debuted mid-year 2006.
The Civic represents an extreme transformation of design and dynamics while establishing new segment standards with clean and efficient i-VTEC engine technologies and advanced standard safety equipment like side curtain airbags and the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure.
The most noticeable features of the Civic include its expressive exterior styling, a high-tech and spacious interior, and fun-to-drive performance. The Civic further rewards drivers and passengers with as many as seven ways to listen to audio entertainment – including XM® Satellite Radio, MP3/auxillary input jack and WMA support and an accessory iPod® adapter that connects the popular music player to the Civic's audio controls.

Designed with a sweeping roofline and a sleek windshield angle, the Civic conveys an advanced one-motion profile with a low, wide stance. Available in two distinctive body styles with four engine choices and four transmissions, the Civic represents one of the most diverse vehicles in the automotive industry with 183 combinations of models, trim levels and color variations.

In keeping with Honda's "Safety for Everyone" initiative, standard safety equipment includes Honda's exclusive ACE Body Structure for enhanced vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility and collision energy management. The ACE Body Structure enhances frontal collision energy management through a network of load bearing structures in the front of the vehicle. Conceived around "real world" safety, this newly developed front-end frame structure incorporates new upper and lower frame members to significantly enhance energy dispersion in a frontal collision. In addition, the Civic provides a long list of standard safety equipment including side curtain airbags, front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), active front head restraints and a 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD). Honda's commitment to safety extends to pedestrians as well as vehicle occupants. To help reduce pedestrian injuries in the event of a collision, the Civic's hood and fender areas are designed to deform if contacted by the head of an adult or child pedestrian.
Honda stylists and engineers prioritized sophistication to create a high-quality, advanced and sporty interior space with the latest technology, storage areas compatible with the latest electronics and innovative styling. More standard features and new available features like a voice activated navigation system highlight Honda's dedication to elevating the interior of the Civic to an entirely new level.

A two-tier instrument panel positions priority gauges, like the speedometer, up high in the driver's field of vision. The body width allows the seats to be wider and more supportive, and a spacious multi-function center console accommodates up to 20 compact discs and performs armrest duties for both front occupants.
The latest generation of the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ is available on Si, Hybrid and EX models and features a 6.5-inch motorized display that opens and closes for access to the internal single-disc CD player and a new digital audio card reader that can play MP3 and WMA files from CompactFlash® and similar media via a PC card adapter. The navigation system features more than 7 million points of interest and the voice activation can control the navigation menus and the audio system, along with entering city and street names.

All Civic audio systems provide as much as 350 watts through seven speakers on EX Coupe and Si models, including an external amplifier and 8-inch subwoofer. All Civic audio systems have MP3/WMA CD playback capability. Auxiliary audio input jacks are standard equipment on LX and above trim levels allowing for portable music device playback through the car's speakers. XM Satellite Radio is standard on navigation-equipped EX, Si and Hybrid models. The Civic LX Coupe models have a six-speaker 160-watt audio system with a single-disc CD player (four speakers for the LX sedan). All audio systems feature Speed-Sensitive Volume Control (SVC) that automatically adjusts the volume based on vehicle speed. Audio displays include CD/MP3 text readout, and the coupe provides a customizable welcome screen (non-navi).

Civic Si Sedan and Coupe
The Civic Si Sedan embraces the styling and performance of a Civic Si Coupe, marking the first time that "Si" performance is available in the Civic Sedan. Similar to the recently introduced Civic Si Coupe, the Civic Si Sedan will serve as another performance halo for the Civic line-up with a 197-horsepower, 16-valve, DOHC 2.0 liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine with an 8,000 rpm redline, mated to a close-ratio, 6-speed manual transmission. The 139 lb-ft. of torque @ 6100 rpm adds to the high-performance characteristics. Helping to put all that power to the ground is a helical-type, limited slip differential for improved traction and cornering performance.

The Civic Si Sedan showcases the performance potential of the Civic platform to the highest degree. It can carve through twisty roads like a sports car, sprint from 0 to 60 quickly and still provide the everyday practicality of a Civic with its legendary quality, refinement and durability. Its exclusive exterior features a low-profile rear spoiler wing, aero cladding and Si emblems. Its sporty interior has deeply bolstered seats, red fabric stitching and unique trim panels. The Civic Si Sedan chassis has 17-inch dark silver alloy wheels, 215/45R17 high-performance tires (summer tire available), and 4-wheel disc brakes.

Civic GX
Based on the award-winning 2007 Civic, the ultra-clean Civic GX produces near zero emissions, makes owners eligible for a $4,000 federal tax credit and can be refueled with a convenient home refueling appliance, "Phill" (available through qualifying Honda dealers in California). The Civic GX is the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger car available to retail customers in the United States.

The Civic GX achieves an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated city/highway fuel economy of 28/39 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent. Currently natural gas is approximately thirty-five percent less expensive than gasoline when purchased at a refueling station, and can be more than 50 percent cheaper than gasoline when supplied by a Phill home refueling appliance.

Natural gas fuel is an ideal lower-cost alternative to gasoline and is primarily a domestically produced fuel with a price that has proven to track below that of petroleum fuels. Proclaimed the "cleanest internal combustion engine on Earth" by the EPA, the GX is the only vehicle certified by the EPA to meet both Federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV) zero evaporative emission certification standards. The Civic GX meets these strict emission standards, as natural gas is a clean-burning fuel. Natural gas-powered vehicles are part of Honda's energy strategy to offer the best available technology for the reduction of air pollution and petroleum dependence and serves as an enabling technology for hydrogen fuel cell cars in the future.

Civic Hybrid
The Civic Hybrid provides clean and efficient technology to deliver the highest fuel economy of any 2007 Civic and most environmentally-responsible gasoline powered Civic ever. A new generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist® (IMA®) technology helps the Civic Hybrid achieve an EPA-estimated city/highway fuel economy of 49/51 miles per gallon.

The Civic Hybrid is equipped with Advanced-Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) equipment in all 50 states and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) is standard equipment. The Civic Hybrid can deactivate all four of its cylinders and operate using only the electric motor in certain low-speed cruising situations. Power is provided by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine and a 20 horsepower electric motor, producing a combined 110-horsepower @ 6000 rpm and 123 lb-ft. torque @ 1000-2500 rpm. Compared to a 2007 Civic Sedan with an automatic transmission, the Civic Hybrid provides a city fuel economy increase of approximately 63 percent and a highway fuel economy increase of approximately twenty-seven percent. These impressive statistics have garnered from the 2006 World Car of the Year award jury, "The Greenest Car."

Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe
Rich with features, the Civic Sedan and Coupe provide a long list of standard equipment across its entire trim level lineup with high quality audio systems, intelligent ergonomics and innovative storage functionality. The award-winning Civic has earned the prestigious "North American Car of the Year" award and Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" accolades in 2006.

The majority of Civics are produced and assembled using domestic and globally sourced parts in the United States and Canada. Civic Coupe and Civic Si models are solely produced and assembled at the Honda of Canada Manufacturing plant in Alliston, Ontario. Civic Sedan models for the U.S. are primarily produced and assembled at the Honda of America Manufacturing plant in East Liberty, Ohio. Civic Sedans are also produced and assembled at Honda of Canada Manufacturing in Alliston, Ontario. Some Civic Sedans and all Civic Hybrid models are produced and assembled in the Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Suzuka, Japan, manufacturing facility.

All fuel economy figures based on 2007 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Actual mileage may vary.

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