Why does the media love the Civic Si

[Black_Indiana_RL]

I was watching the speed channel the other day and they had a special for the 06 Civic Si, I find it hard to believe journalists who love cars should praise anything that has 140lb/ft of Torque and four wheels for its "Performance"

I do not have anything against honda, just Car and Driver Televison and the other "auto performance" televison shows.

Everyone knows that if GM makes a RedLine Sky it will be faster then that year's S2000 and cost 5,000 less.

[Freakazoid]

my theory is it's all about the image more than anything. Honda has a 10x better image than Saturn (oh, you drive a SATURN??). If a journalist praises Saturn at this point, they will get laughed out by other journalists and the average population. Regardless of whether the car is indeed a terrific car, the image kills it.

Also keep in mind from what i've HEARD at least the SI is supposed to be wicked sweet with handling, so that's another reason probably for the praise, the thing has DECENT straightline performance (not the greatest but hey), and it also is supposed to handle like a dream, pretty decent combination all and all

[mogs01gt]

because of lack of car knowledge and the fact that Import companies are smart and pay a lot of those companies to run articles/TV shows that show their import cars as being superior when they arent.

I saw a Car & driver show one Saturday when it was the new Honda VS all other American trucks and the Toyota. Without even watching 2 seconds I knew it was going to be, Honda 1, Toyota 2, Ford 3, Dodge 4 and GM 5. I was right on, the honda had the least amount of power, storage space, cargo space, hauling power, less ground clearance and it did drove like a car. So they picked the honda because it was more car like. HELLO, these are trucks. C&D sucks major ass and they are what the public goes off of. The blind leading the blind, that is why Honda's are SOO great in the public eye.

[Hyperion]

It's the same reason some of the automotive shows like Two Guys Garage promotes the Tornado. Somebody's gettin' paid so honest opinion & truth go out the door.

[Freakazoid]

I can sorta see both points of view, yea you're right people are blind. However at the same point, there IS a build quality difference. And that is sorta the problem, the 'performance' analyzers don't analyze just the performance, they include build quality and reputation into it. In the real world? Honda build quality is better than american counterparts, in the performance aspect? maybe not so much...

[pclear9061]

Originally Posted by Black_Indiana_RL

I was watching the speed channel the other day and they had a special for the 06 Civic Si, I find it hard to believe journalists who love cars should praise anything that has 140lb/ft of Torque and four wheels for its "Performance"

I do not have anything against honda, just Car and Driver Televison and the other "auto performance" televison shows.

Everyone knows that if GM makes a RedLine Sky it will be faster then that year's S2000 and cost 5,000 less.

they are likeing it alot b/c it has 50x's the tq than all the prev years combined

[importdeporter]

its the rsx type debate all over again. they gave the rsx first place out of the cobalt ss, wrx, srt4, and redline. The rsx was the slowest of all the cars yet they liked it due to the interior. these magazine guys need to take off their tube tops and grow a pair.

[mogs01gt]

Originally Posted by Freakazoid

I can sorta see both points of view, yea you're right people are blind. However at the same point, there IS a build quality difference. And that is sorta the problem, the 'performance' analyzers don't analyze just the performance, they include build quality and reputation into it. In the real world? Honda build quality is better than american counterparts, in the performance aspect? maybe not so much...

how is anything a better build quality when Honda's are assembled here in the states? Its a myth, all metals, all plastics all come from Asia. So its not any different metal than American cars to Honda cars. Look at the problems with the Toyotas that are out. The prius is shutting off while people are driving it, the oil eating Camry engines and of course, Import prices are through the roof for what you get.

Take 2004 for instance, the most reliable car of the year was the Mustang GT yet you didn't hear anything about it. They rate the Civic the car of the year over cars that are 100x better because import companies pay the bills. People who have zero car knowledge will read this crap and think exactly the way the article/show will want them to.

[SLSduke82]

Everyone's going to like one car, not like others. Some'll hate the Saturn, love the Honda. Love the Saturn, hate the Honda.

I like the fact my car's noisy, plastic paneled, the build quality gives it...er...character. I like the fact it's a Saturn.

I'd never spend what they'd want for a new Si. It might be quieter, handle a little better, feel more solid. Fine. You get what you pay for.

I'm done worrying about these debates.

And I don't think the magazines are getting paid to run such articles. You can't do that...it would say "advertorial" or something.

However, it's clear GM gives exactly one-quarter shit about the ION Redline. That's fine. I hardly see people in them, and I get more stares then a new Si would. So...GM most likely has little to no public relations folks working on getting the idea of a "fast, inexpensive Saturn" out there. They build it, dump it on lots. We save money.

If they put some thought into it, or money, they could get the Saturn ION Redline as a respected member of the sport compact class, right along with the Cobalt SS, which has a better rep already...why? One, it has the Chevy image that's basically part of America. Two, more ads. I can still remember the Corvette - Cobalt play ball ad. Whoever came up w/ that had a good idea. Sure, the Cobalt looks like a puppy wanting to play, but to link it to the idea of a Corvette? The Vette has its own image, obviously--it IS America--and the Cobalt is a young kid's vette. What do they link the Saturn to?

If people learn about the Sky Red Line, then the Ion Red Line (and even Vue) will get a better image, in the media and elsewhere.

Honda? Major $$$ spent on ads. Public relations. They're in contact with the media. You're not only buying a car, you're buying an "image"...the Si. A ricer image? Maybe. Some like that. In the end, the car costs more--cause it's better built, and because they do more working getting the IDEA of it out to the public. Ads and PR are expensive. I should know, I work in PR.

Can't say our biggest client, but I know for a fact why we do so much better than the competition. We, the PR firm, are in contact w/ the media. We talk to editors. We help them with background. And then they give our client mentions. Basically, free advertising. That's what PR is. I imagine Honda has huge PR projects. Saturn? I've seen one commerical, once, well over a year ago.

Magazine writers will be effected thusly. They never heard anything about the Redline, so assume it's a shitty saturn. Our DEALERS hardly know about the car! Writers, then, can't get over that fact, even if it's a decent car once they get behind the wheel.

They EXPECT the Si to be nice, and it probably is, so there you go. They bought into the image.

My image? "Not your grandma's saturn" or "just try me, ricer." I'm enjoying myself, and smiling all the way to the bank.

[Fineline]

The Civic got Motor Trend Car of the Year. They loved evrything about it. I was so sad when I read that. That's like giving Levi's the Bluejeans of the Year award. The Civic is so average..zzzzzzzzzz. Everyone gets huge wood over the 8,000 rpm redline, big whoop. If I had to rev my car to 8,000 rpms to take advantage of all 139 lb/ft of torque, i would cry. I'll take my 200 lb/ft down low in the power band thank you very much. They even loved the long slope of the front windshield, compared it to the NSX. Wow! Look at the long slope of your front windshield, excuse me, I have to go change my panties now. To bad none of us will be able to hear the v-tec kick in because the car will be 4 lengths back and drowned out by our blower.

They do have us on build quality, and already have 100 times the aftermarket for a car that just came out, so I'm sure modded Si's will soon appear in mass like weeds on a spring lawn.

Ah well, I should cut this rant short. To sum it up, I don't care much for Civic's of any kind or model year, in case you couldn't tell