1999 Honda Civic Review | Drive Chicago

1999 Honda Civic

Hot Rod Civic

by: Dan Jedlicka

Young drivers have been turning Honda Civics into hot rods for more than 10 years--just as kids did many years earlier with 1932 Fords and 1957 Chevrolets. Honda thus is offering its new hot rod Civic Si for 1999.

Incredibly, Honda squeezes 160 horsepower from this light car's small, 1.6-liter four-cylinder, which has a high 8,000 r.p.m. redline.

The $17,445 Civic Si is identified by its special mesh grille, unique front spoiler, side sills, racy wheels and badging. The interior has a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and amber instrument panel lighting with special graphics.

Although performance of the front-drive Si is its main attraction, the car has plenty of standard equipment, including air conditioning, power sunroof, keyless remote entry, and power windows and door locks. There are no major options, and it comes only in red, black and blue.

Only a five-speed manual transmission is offered, and there are no anti-lock brakes. However, the transmission shifts like a race-car unit and upgraded brakes stop the car quickly.

The dual-overhead-cam engine has beefed-up components because Honda knows the Si will be driven hard and it doesn't want unusual warranty claims. The 16-valve motor has a larger throttle body, special intake manifold, high compression and low-friction pistons. There's also a tuned, larger diameter exhaust pipe with a chrome tip that emits a nice snarl.

The Si zips to 60 m.p.h. in 7.1 seconds and provides no-sweat high-speed merging and passing. The best performance is gotten by winding the engine to redline as you upshift through the gears, but Honda's clever variable valve timing makes the race-style motor smooth and docile. You can amble along at 30 m.p.h. in fifth gear in town with no engine protest.

Performance gearing puts the engine at a high 3,500 r.p.m. at 65 m.p.h., but estimated highway fuel economy is a decent 31 m.p.g. The city figure is 26.

Steering is quick and precise. A heavily modified suspension and wide 55-series tires on special alloy wheels provide superb handling. I expected the sport suspension to beat me up on rough roads, but the ride is very supple.

Four average-size adults fit in the generally quiet interior, and those up front are treated to very supportive bucket seats. But rear headroom is tight for 6-footers, and it's hard getting in and out of the back seat. The trunk is commendably large, with a low liftover.

It's unlikely that a young driver could modify a Civic to deliver the performance and comfort that the Si provides.

Dan Jedlicka

Dan Jedlicka joined the Chicago Sun-Times in February 1968 as a business news reporter and was named auto editor later that year. He has reviewed more than 4,000 new vehicles for the Sun-Times--far more than any newspaper auto writer in the country. Jedlicka also reviewed vehicles for Microsoft Corp.'s MSN Autos Internet site from January, 1996, to June, 2008.

Jedlicka remained auto editor at the Sun-Times until October, 2008, and continued writing for the newspaper's AutoTimes section, which he started in 1992, until February, 2009. While continuing his auto writings at the Sun-Times, he served as assistant financial editor of that newspaper from 1970 to 1973, when he began his automotive column.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including NBC's "Today," ABC's "20/20" and "The CBS Evening News." He was a host, consultant and writer for Fox-TV Channel 32's 1991 New Car Preview show and that Chicago-based station's 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 Chicago Auto Show Previews.

Jedlicka's auto articles have been printed in national magazines, including Esquire and Harper's. His auto columns have been reprinted in U.S. government publications and economic textbooks and he is profiled in the "World's Greatest Auto Show" history book about the Chicago Auto Show. In late 1975, Jedlicka was host and technical advisor for three one-hour television specials, "Auto Test 76," which aired nationally on PBS and were the first nationally televised auto road test shows.

In 1995, Jedlicka was the recipient of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois Inc.'s Consumer Education Award, given annually to a person who has gained distinction in the field of consumer education. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Media category and inducted into the Legends of Motorsports Guild at the Carquest World of wheels custom car show in Chicago in January, 2006.

Jedlicka was a member of the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, composed of a select number of auto journalists from throughout the country, from 1995 until 2009. From 2010 to 2012, he was a member of Consumer Digest magazine's auto experts panel that gave Best Buy new vehicle recommendations.

He is a 1987 graduate of the Bob Bondurant Race Drivers School and later of the BMW "M" and Skip Barber Advanced Driving schools. He was a member of the U.S. team that participated in the 1987 1,000-mile Mille Miglia race/rally in Italy and has been a race winner at the Chicago area's Santa Fe Speedway.

Jedlicka has owned 25 classic cars, including 1950s and 1960s Ferraris and 1950s and 1960s Porsches, a 1965 Corvette, a 1967 Maserati and a 1957 Studebaker supercharged Golden Hawk. Jedlicka resides with his wife, Suzanne, in the Frank Lloyd Wright historic district of Oak Park. They have two children, James and Michele.

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