2015 Honda Civic Si rare commodity

Work for Torque News, follow on Twitter, Youtube and Facebook.

With the announced release of the 10th generation Honda Civic “World Car” platform, we thought we’d revisit the 2015 Honda Civic Si. The problem is, we can’t find one in dealership stock. 2015 Honda Civic Si is a rare commodity.

Way back in 2014, Torque News penned a short drive review on the 2015 Honda Civic Si Coupe. We liked the overall styling aspects of Si, noting new tire-wheel designs, upgraded and updated, user friendly interior styling, quality fit and finish. Finding Si’s nose heavy body style to be a bit color sensitive, we also noted that Si’s aggressive race inspired looks take on a broader generational appeal when cloaked in a color other than Merano Red.

Today, with the eventual arrival of the 2016 World Car platformed Civic and possible Type-R, buyers ponder the value of the current 2015 Civic Si offering.
So, for this article, we, like most potential buyers, begin our search on the internet. Living in Western Oregon, we know from past Honda searches that we don’t have access to the dealership inventory of Major cities. However, with Portland, a city of 900,000 or so, right up the I-5, we anticipated the availability of a few dozen 2015 Civic Si’s available in two variants. We found one!

Located in Beaverton Oregon is the lone 2015 Civic Si Coupe

Priced at $23,710 +, we located a base trim(no Nav) 2015 Civic Si Coupe in Beaverton Oregon. With 12 miles on the O.D., the Si is as fresh as a spring rain. Or had we? When contacting the dealership (name withheld) they couldn't confirm that the Si was on the lot. Torque News encountered the same scenario online with our friends at Ron Tonkin, Portland’s largest Honda dealership. Good guys but no Si...

On the used car side, we once again discover that a decent used Civic Si with relatively low millage is as rare as hen’s teeth, and demand a $ premium. One can expect to pay upwards of $17,000 for a 2009 Honda Civic Si Sedan with 59,999 miles posted on the odometer; dead stock, and driven hard.

For our 8th and 9th generation Honda “Tuner” readers, Civic Si may or may not be the financially feasible way to go when building your next performance Honda. Digging a little deeper we find 8 and 9 year old Honda Civic Si’s of all trim variants breaking the $15,000 price point.

For Torque News, a 60 to 75% residual retail value on a car approaching 8 or 9 model years is bordering on the absurd. But then again, we’re talking Si, a vehicle that’s been in high demand and low production since it’s inception in 1984. Most readers tell us that they like the refreshed styling of the 9th generation Civic Si, others don't. None the less, 2015 Civic Si appears to be sold out in many regions of the U.S..

Presently producing 205 horsepower and 174 ft-lb torque, Civic Si is the most powerful, and only out-of- the- box performance offering currently available to North American buyers. With the announcement of the 2016 Civic World-Car platform, buyer’s look to Honda for the next big thing in Honda performance. While we anticipate the arrival of a more powerful, possible turbocharged Civic Si, Honda’s not saying. Torque News believes that at this juncture, Honda dealers are taking a wait and see attitude as to ordering or stocking 2015 Civic Si.

We believe that looking to the base MSRP, basic, standard features, engine performance, limited slip differential and close ratio 6 speed, this 3,000 lb Honda is a good performance value in today’s market. Test drive one if you can find one. The last year of the 9th generation Civic Si will be collectable in the long run.

Submitted by Ed (not verified) on April 10, 2015 - 11:41PM

Permalink

I have a '14 Si coupe and I agree that the end of the 9th is a great car.

That said, I miss the raw adrenaline rush of the K20 in the 8th gen. Hopefully the new Si with the turbos will bring back that athletic feel.

Hi, Ed. An aftermarket intake and exhaust like Skunk 2 offers, about 1500.00, (for parts), you get about 20-30 HP and the , "Athletic" feel you're looking for. I like the torque characteristics of the 2.4, although you lose revs, the gain in torque is worth it to me. You don't have to keep the engine on full boil to get some go out of it. When I was shopping about that is one of the things I didn't particularly like about the FRS BRZ twins, you have to rev the things into the stratosphere, it's fun, but can get old when just tooling about.

Submitted by JeffS (not verified) on April 11, 2015 - 11:46AM

Permalink

Good day Parks. I'm guessing there are allot of people who do not have a SI on their shopping list, (those who are looking for a practical, economical, fun to drive daily commuter) that do not realize what they are missing out on. Over the years, in one form or another, I've always had a, Muscle, or sporty or sports car in my garage, from a '67 GTO, to a '70 Dodge Challenger, to a couple of CRX's, (one of them an SI), to an Acura CL, to a 370Z, (2014 currently that shares space with a '14 SI coupe), there were others. From a pure, "Fun to Drive" point of view, the SI, hands down, from my perspective anyway, tops the list. The more I drive the thing, the more I like it. Used to be I would look for excuses to get behind the wheel. As I have gotten older, many times driving has become more of a chore than something to look forward to. I do still like to take the Z out once in a while, (purchased to be a weekend toy), and it has some serious performance chops. However, for a daily scoot about, a car that can be tossed around and flogged like it was second nature and always puts a smile on my face, one that I always look forward to getting behind the wheel of, the SI is at the top of my list and is never a, "chore". I've said it before a dozen times, the thing is just so much fun to drive. I think part of the equation that makes it so, is its balance, everything works so well together and it is a superbly well balanced car, (does it set any benchmarks in any given category such as handling, acceleration and alike, truthfully, no, [other than the Tranny and clutch set up], it's the fine line between Sports car and Sporty car, that Honda has Bullseyed and offers the best mix of both and where it excels beyond the other choices out there, within its niche of course). MPG is a bonus, even when driven hard, I'm getting close to 30 MPG and that is pretty impressive, (to me anyway) for a car that is quick enough to get some adrenalin flowing. A HUGE bargain for a car I purchased for well under 25K. If this is the type of car one is looking for, I would suggest putting it at the top of the short list. It's not a full fledged bodybuilder, it's not a pencil necked geek, it falls PERFECTLY some where in between, like a well honed triathlete and that, I think, is the magic of the SI. Finding the one you want on a lot, that's a different story. You can view that in one of 2 ways, a pain in the arse, or a chance at some degree of exclusivity. I know around my neck of the woods, you do not see many SI's on the road, particularly in coupe form, another plus to my way of thinking. It appears that the nxt. gen Civic is being moved upscale a mite and that is a mixed bag, there will probably be pluses and minuses to that. What is probably gonna get lost in transition is some of the driver centric focus afforded by the admittedly rather Spartan nature and Bucking the mainstream attitude of the current Gen 9, (not allot of, "Fluff" here, save maybe the boy racer wing on the coupe, which I just happen to like). It's all about the drive and as far as I am concerned, Honda nailed it just right for the car it is meant to be, at a bargain price no less.

Welcome back JeffS. Love your positive, descriptive, thought provoking commentary. You've nailed the essence of Si ownership and drive-performance capabilities. I too enjoy the split driving, performance personality exhibited through Si; as you state, a bargain in the world of automotive performance. Sending you best wishes and safe driving.

Hi, JenJen, It's a to each his own type deal. The cars I looked at and was considering; SI; Fiesta ST; and the FRS BRZ twins. The closest to the SI was the Fiesta ST. The SI is, "more refined", the Fiesta more towards, "hard edged", speaking in terms of ride and handling. Performance wise 'bout the same. There were lots of things I didn't particularly like about the FRS BRZ cars, one of the the biggest is you have to rev the things pretty high to get some go, fun, but gets old. If your in the market, before you buy, do yourself a favor and try to find one to take out for a test drive, even if it's the sedan. It cruises around pretty compliantly, hunkers down nice when asked to, (they have some kind of suspension magic going on there).For me it was one shift and I was hooked, (you won't find a better manual on the planet). It's all according to what one's looking for, for me, it was exactly what I wanted.

Submitted by Jolly Green (not verified) on April 25, 2015 - 10:43PM

Permalink

This was posted on 4/10, correct? If the dealership you were talking about was Bob Lampheres in Beaverton, I picked that Si coupe up on the 14th. I went in "just to look" and ended up driving it home that night at 11PM. If you can find one, buy it!

Submitted by kyle munday (not verified) on May 5, 2015 - 12:59PM

Permalink

I work at spreen Honda in loma linda interesting that there hard to come across due to we have 3 in stock and 4 in transit if you know any one interested have them call me at 951-746-4532 want to get them gone lol love the car drives hard very fun to mess around in ours are going around 25k out the door fully loaded they sell like candy over here due to all the teen kids buying them im not sure how but they do but the brz and frs do not compare to the civic si's performance the frs and brz they feel like cheap help together lagging performance cars in my opinion, I like the Honda take off and when vtec kicks you can really feel the pull of the motor but hey every ones opinions are different

Welcome Kyle. Good to know. I'll pass it along. Thanks for dropping in. Please link the article to your dealership blog. It will be easier for readers to find you. Take care and good luck!

Submitted by John (not verified) on May 13, 2015 - 8:28AM

Permalink

The 1999-2000 Si will be the all time classic. Sorry but this is the Civic that will fetch 100k at auctions come 20 years from now.

Submitted by brandon (not verified) on May 13, 2015 - 8:54AM

Permalink

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a 2015 si sedan (orange fire pearl). Let me tell you, I couldn't be happier. Something about the si makes me smile ear to ear every time I get in it. it's true that a lot of people are not happy with the current body styling of the si and are waiting for the 10th gen. I myself love the euro look the sedan provides. Don't get me wrong, can't wait till the 10th gen arrives. However, keyword is "wait." The perk of having the last year of a generation is that it is refined. Honda has gotten all its feed back on prior models and has given the consumers what they want, which is what I have. I'm going to wait a few years before I get a 10th gen. I'm going to let people tell Honda what they don't right and wrong. Once Honda takes that info and redefines the 10th gen, only then will I sink my teeth into one. As for now, I am more than satisfied with my 9th gen (2015) si.

I have a '14 coupe in the orange, which is the best hue of orange I've seen, (orange is the new black. Love Black, but after a few, got tired of the additional care to keep it up and tired of getting into an oven). Not that the SI is meant to be a straight line burner, but it's strange that all the reviews on the performance has the sedan a few 10ths quicker to 60 than the coupe. You would think it would be the other way around. Pretty much always a good idea to wait a year or 2 in before purchasing a new model regardless of make. The new Civic will probably have pros and cons depending on how one looks at it. Part of the appeal of the Gen 9, for me anyway, is it's somewhat Spartan nature. Not allot of, "creature" comforts. Most of the effort has been put into the driving dynamics. The new Civic is likely to be a mite more, "Upscale". I believe the performance will move up a notch as well, but may lose some of that, "bare bones sports" appeal in the process. Time will tell, but I tend to agree with Parks when he states the '15 is destined to become a sought after commodity down the road and will retain an excellent resale value. In a way it seems we have purchased a car from a disappearing breed. I'm with you, more than satisfied, actually I am delighted every time I get behind the wheel of mine. Times change, tech. changes, and tastes in cars change. From my point of view, that's kinda a mixed bag.

Submitted by John (not verified) on May 24, 2015 - 12:07AM

Permalink

Well I just bought 2015 si in April and this is so much fun to drive! Just went in Riverside Honda dealership to look after that it was history! lol. They showed me a rally red si coupe inside their showroom floor and once I laid my eyes on it I said oh yeah going for a test drive! I'm really impressed about this car every time I get behind the wheel I'm too smiling ear to ear! Now it makes it that much more fun too drive to work and the traffic who cares lol anybody who is looking to buy a car this is the one to get hands down I'm out guys take care.

Good Day, John. My buying experience was much like yours. I was just shopping with no real intent to, "Purchase" at the moment. No more than 5 minutes into the, "Test Drive" and I was hooked and bought the car, (the fact that my Wife really liked it as well didn't hurt). You hit the nail on the head, "FUN"!! Good luck with yours, and I'm sure , just as I did, the more you drive it, the more you'll find to like about it. Might I add, You also nailed the essence of the typical Honda driver, "I like it" and with regards to what others may think, "Who cares". Be Well.

Hi Jeff,

Thank you Jeff yes I can't wait to do upgrades I plan to lower my car about 1 inch and get a few things for the motor. Yesterday I detailed my car and have fun doing it! As I was washing my car I noticed a lot of nicks in the front of the car :-( I had to buy touch up paint man it's just that I drive so far to get to work about 53 miles and I take the 91 freeway. The next thing I have to purchase is a bra lol well thanks again Jeff for responding everybody have a good day.

Submitted by JeffS (not verified) on May 25, 2015 - 8:29PM

In reply to by John (not verified)

Permalink

Hey John, I can relate. That's one of the downsides to a new car, the first couple/few years of chips and dings. I too try to keep up with it, but if one drives allot, pretty much unavoidable. A couple of friends of mine opted for an, "applica" on the front, (essentially a clear piece of vinyl type sheet) and it protects the paint well, but itself can get scared. It can be removed fairly easily and replaced. Allot of car co. offer it as an option for both the front and the rear bumper. I think Honda only offers it for the rear, but if you search around there is probably a shop close to you that can accommodate. I guess a Bra will work, (Honda does offer one), but I've heard that they can scratch up a finish, (dirt gets underneath and then is rubbed back and forth as you drive and the Bra moves around a mite). For, "Road rash" I go out with a tube of touch up and use a wooden toothpick as the, "Brush". If you flatten out the end of the toothpick just slightly, it works great to get just enough paint to fill the chip. Put a drop of paint on a coffee container top, (any plastic top) dip just the tip of the toothpick in it until you pick up just a very little bit of paint, (enough to fill the chip), with a steady hand bullseye the chip and lightly dab, and you'll end up with a pretty good, "touch up". It may look slightly raised, like a very small pimple, but will flatten out after drying, (if it's raised too much, wipe off and try again, sometimes takes a couple/few shots at it). Keep a good wax on it and it should look new for many a year to come.

Submitted by Jamo (not verified) on June 9, 2015 - 4:10PM

Permalink

I looked at some used SIs, but they were nearly as expensive as a new 2015. They're giving the 2015s away with $1250 rebate AND .9% financing. The dealer had two. Mine white one was $20,800.
You can say what you want about the GTi and the Focus ST, but they aren't coupes and they look crumby, to me. SI's a great car. Fun, fast and affordable.

Hey there Jamo, yep, you sound like a Honda guy to me. You are gonna love your car. Have had mine for just over a year and the, "Honeymoon" still continues. Wish you many miles of safe driving and lots of, "Fun". Be Well.

Submitted by Dan Docherty (not verified) on June 22, 2015 - 9:05PM

Permalink

I have a 9th gen 2012 Coupe with 18 wheels and body kit. I changed intake K&N 1019 and installed skunk 2 mega power exhaust added full race header with after market high flow catalytic converter down pipe and used Honda flash tune after changing intake manifold 1000cc injectors pushing 260HP to the wheels and it moves pretty good I want to get a kraftwerks supercharger for this and it will have additional 100HP with a conservative boost settings

Thanks yes with everything I changed everything works perfect no dash check engine light and I don't know what some folks are talking about the K24 engine has been a solid performer been Happy with this even though its a 1st year for the 9th generation car I have used nothing but Royal Purple oil and the Bosh filter for it

Submitted by Jimmie lewis (not verified) on October 8, 2015 - 8:58PM

Permalink

My names Jimmie I have the 2015 hondacivic si coupe and this car is awesome it wasn't easy to find one though but glad I did.