2017 Honda Civic Si Vs. 2017 Civic Type-R: Which Is Right For You?

Next year’s lineup of Honda’s most iconic car, the Civic, is looking better every day, with the Japanese carmaker recently unveiling the 2017 Honda Civic Si, its latest high-performance version of the vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show. What is particularly interesting is the fact that Honda is also releasing yet another high-performance version of the car next year, the Civic Type-R, which is speculated to come to dealerships in 2017.

With two high-performance versions of the ubiquitous Civic coming soon, some car aficionados have remarked that Honda seems to be doing something redundant, releasing two high-spec versions of the vehicle. Then again, while sharing some notable aspects, the Civic Si and the Civic Type-R are two completely different cars.

2017 Honda Civic Si

The veteran Japanese carmaker has recently revealed the Civic Si concept, which the firm states is already very close to the production model. The 10th-generation Honda Civic is arguably the best iteration of the iconic car, with more power and a far more aggressive look than before. The base model is already a pretty capable car all on its own, but the Civic Si blows it out of the water.

The regular model’s 1.5-liter 180-hp engine would be upgraded, though Honda has not officially announced exactly how powerful the Civic Si’s engine would be. Car aficionados, however, expect the 2017 Civic Si’s engine to offer power somewhere in the 200- to 230-hp range. The 2017 Honda Civic Si would also feature upgraded brakes, a limited-slip differential, and a fully revamped shifter for the performance vehicle’s six-speed manual transmission.

Though some aspects of the recently revealed vehicle would probably not make it to the production model, numerous features in the 2017 Civic Si concept were welcomed by avid Honda fans, such as the concept’s active steering system, limited-slip differential, and new active damper system.

2017 Honda Civic Type-R

While the 2017 Honda Civic Si is a high-performance version of the entry-level car, it actually pales in comparison to the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R. From the concept that was recently shown at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2017 Honda Civic Si is pretty much a regular Civic on steroids. The Type-R, on the other hand, is a completely different animal.

In a lot of ways, the 2017 Honda Civic Type-R is a vehicle that only shares the platform and the brand of the regular Civic. Under the hood, it is a fully different machine. The last-generation Civic Type-R already has a 2.0-liter 306-hp performance beast, which is leagues beyond the entry-level versions of the previous Civic. The 2017 Type-R, on the other hand, is speculated to be a significant upgrade over its predecessor, with rumors pointing to a 340-hp engine. Simply put, the 2017 Civic Type-R would most likely be a fire-breathing monster.

What really makes the 2017 Civic Type-R special is the fact that it would be the first of its kind that would be directly offered to North American customers. Previous iterations of the Type-R have been offered worldwide, though the vehicle has been very elusive in the United States. This is all set to change next year, however, when the ultimate Civic would finally be available in local Honda dealerships.

2017 Civic Si Vs. Civic Type-R

It is important to note that the 2017 Civic Si and 2017 Civic Type-R are two completely different machines that cater to two very different types of customers. While being advertised as a performance vehicle, the Civic Si is still, at its core, an upgraded entry-level car. It might be far more powerful than the vanilla Civic, but it is still somewhat like the middle child of Honda’s iconic brand. On the other hand, the Type-R is a finely-tuned vehicle from top to bottom. It was built for speed and performance, and it would be sold as such.

For customers who would wish to get the best of what Honda can offer, it is hard not to go for the 2017 Civic Type-R. For those who would prefer an economical, capable daily driver with an added kick, the 2017 Civic Si would most likely be the best choice. One of the most notable things to consider between the two vehicles would also be their prices, and though Honda has not released the official pricing of the vehicles, speculations are high that the 2017 Type-R would cost considerably more than the 2017 Civic Si. Considering what both cars can offer, however, both are definitely well worth a purchase.

[Featured Image by Bryan Thomas/Getty Images]