more about this model
Pros High-revving engine, quick reflexes, slick shifter, spacious interior, excellent seats.
Cons High-revving engine missing low-end grunt, lacks the premium feel of some competitors.
Ever wonder why IndyCars are so screamingly loud? Free-flowing exhausts are one reason; 650 horsepower is another. But one culprit is Honda's frenetic IndyCar V8 spinning to a redline north of 10,000 rpm. While the pleasure of being behind the wheel of a true IndyCar is restricted to those with names like Danica and Helio, a small sample of this excitement can be enjoyed via the high-revving engine in the 2009 Honda Civic Si. This car brings a taste of racecar frenzy to the masses for less than $25,000.
As the Civic Si's high-strung four-cylinder sings up to its 8,000-rpm redline, it indeed provides a stunning soundtrack for corner-carving festivities made possible by quick, responsive steering and a balanced chassis. Yet, it's the Si's engine that should make or break its appeal in a segment filled with a diverse band of compelling alternatives.
For some, that racecar nature has an undeniable appeal, demanding your unwavering attention to keep the engine high on the tach in its sweet spot. That can prove to be tiresome, though, as the engine's distinct lack of torque makes competitors like the Mazdaspeed 3 and Volkswagen GLI more vigorous and easier to drive. Unless you intend to consistently cater to the 2009 Honda Civic Si's free-revving nature, it can ultimately feel rather sluggish.
If driven to its full potential, though, you'll discover an inexpensive performance car available in a spacious, practical sedan body style (or a less spacious, less practical coupe). As a Honda, it gives you unflappable reliability, and as a Civic, it provides a user-friendly interior with a quirky sense of style. It's an appealing package, but whether it's the right car for you ultimately depends on whether you fancy driving to work like Helio Castroneves.
Performance Thanks to variable valve timing, the Honda Civic Si's 2.0-liter four-cylinder packs 197 horsepower, which is reasonable for its class, as is its 0-60-mph time of 7 seconds flat. But those numbers can be deceptive in the real world. The engine's 139 pound-feet of torque is a whopping 68 lb-ft less than the VW GLI's, causing a dearth of low-end pull when scooting around town or passing on the highway.
You must keep the engine at a higher rev count than usual to keep it from bogging down when you need to achieve even the slightest amount of acceleration. This creates more cabin noise (the racecar thing gets old on the way to work), but it also means you'll be shifting more. That certainly has some appeal thanks to the Civic's buttery-smooth six-speed shifter and perfectly modulated clutch, but it's more work nevertheless.
Despite this high-end power delivery, though, the 2009 Honda Civic Si is easier to drive than previous peaky Honda engines. When driven conservatively, there's a refined nature to its gearing and throttle tip-in that allows for smooth acceleration. Indeed, unlike some other souped-up versions of humble compact cars, the Si is just as easy to drive as the regular Civic. It's also reasonably fuel-efficient at an EPA-estimated 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined, though the more powerful GLI does a bit better.
While the Si's engine could be seen as a possible demerit, the rest of its dynamic repertoire is bound to leave you consistently happy when perched behind its small, perfectly contoured wheel. Its steering is quick and remarkably responsive, almost feeling as if it were spring-loaded. Though it doesn't provide enough road feel, the Civic Si nevertheless responds to inputs better than many other front-drive cars. It exhibits very little body roll and despite being rather nose-heavy, the Si is quite well-balanced.
On our slalom course, the 2009 Honda Civic Si went through the cones at 68.8 mph, which is quicker than all comers in its class except the Chevy Cobalt SS (69.2 mph). The skid pad yields the same comparative results, as the Si's 0.89g is tied for class best with the Cobalt. The Si's stopping distance of 123 feet from 60 mph is only midpack at best, but after multiple stops, the brakes remain fade-free.
Comfort It's hard to find better seats in a $25,000 automobile. Upholstered in a grippy blend of soft-tech fabric and faux suede, the Civic Si's front chairs are both comfortable enough for long journeys and supportive enough for short trips through back-country roads. The driver seat comes with only one height adjustment, but in its favor, the Si provides more leg support and room than the "civilian" Civic.
The far-out telescoping steering wheel and well-placed shifter assure a proper driving position. Unfortunately, taller drivers will find their right leg uncomfortably pressed against the funky parking brake. The rear seat offers abundant leg- and headroom given the Civic's size.
Noise is certainly omnipresent in the 2009 Honda Civic Si — there's just no escaping it with an engine that spins to 8,000 rpm. Yet wind noise was kept reasonably well in check for this class and road noise wasn't as loud as we expected in an inexpensive Honda product with summer tires. Ride quality was similarly surprising; this Civic sops up road imperfections, which is noteworthy given that vehicles in this class are notorious for their jarring rides. Still, if you're searching for a serene cruiser, a GLI would be a better choice.
Function The Civic's futuristic dash bends toward the driver cockpit-style. The climate controls fall easily at hand and are a model of simplicity. The same goes for the standard audio controls, though our test car had the more complicated touchscreen navigation system that also integrates functions for the myriad stereo choices as well as full iPod control.
With a logical menu structure and user-friendly voice commands, the navigation system is one of the better available at any price. Its iPod interface is another story, as scanning through playlists is a tedious touchscreen-button-pressing exercise. To the car's credit, though, an iPod interface is a rarity in this class, and this one provides better sound quality than the regular aux jack included with every Civic Si.
In our real-world usability tests, the Civic's trunk easily swallowed two golf bags through its wide opening, with room to spare for a large suitcase. The backseats also split-fold via pulls located in the trunk. Child-seat installation was aided by the car's large doors and easily accessed upper tether anchors. A rear-facing seat will fit with the passenger seat scooted forward.
Design/Fit and Finish The 2009 Honda Civic Si is more expensive than the regular Civic, but don't expect a nicer cabin. Beyond the grippy sport seats, the same OK plastics and so-so panel fitment are found in the Si. Details like an unfinished inner trunk lid remind you that this is still an economy car — and that for roughly the same price, the VW GTI and GLI provide an almost luxury-car ambience by comparison.
The exterior is differentiated from a normal Civic by a reasonably subtle wing spoiler, a satin black grille insert, 17-inch wheels and VTEC stickers on the back doors. There was some debate as to whether the sedan was better-looking than the cab-forward coupe, but its wedgy profile certainly avoids being dowdy.
Who should consider this vehicle Quite simply, you'll need to like the Civic Si's engine and its revvy, low-torque nature. If you value low-end power and a higher-quality interior, the VW GLI, Mazdaspeed 3 or Mini Cooper S are better choices. But if a highly involved driving experience of racecar revving, constant shifting and responsive handling is your bag, the 2009 Honda Civic Si sedan should be a thrill.
Others To Consider
Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Mazdaspeed 3, Mini Cooper S, Volkswagen GLI.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Used 2009 Honda Civic listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2009 Honda Civics for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 1,738 used and CPO 2009 Civics listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 2,800 and mileage as low as 18,226. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2009 Honda Civic. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 535 on a used or CPO 2009 Civic available from one of 2,630 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2009 Honda Civic ?
Save up to $534.8 on one of 56 used 2009 Honda Civics for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $5590 as of Apr 26, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 222 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2009 Honda Civic trim styles:
The used 2009 Honda Civic LX is priced around $8509 with average odometer reading of 97900 miles.
The used 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid is priced around $7686 with average odometer reading of 82981 miles.
The used 2009 Honda Civic EX-L is priced around $9995 with average odometer reading of 59602 miles.
The used 2009 Honda Civic EX is priced around $8956 with average odometer reading of 76930 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2009 Honda Civic?
Available Honda Civic 2009 Submodel Types: Hatchback, Sedan, Coupe, Type R Touring, Hybrid, Si, Si w/Navigation, Natural Gas, Si w/Summer Tires
Available Honda Civic 2009 Trims: EX-T, Sport, EX w/Honda Sensing, Sport Touring, SE, Touring, LX-P, EX-L w/Navigation, LX w/Honda Sensing, EX-T w/Honda Sensing, LX, EX-L w/Navigation and Honda Sensing, Value Package, DX, EX, EX-L, Si w/Summer Tires, Type R Touring, Hybrid, Si, EX-L w/Honda Sensing, HF, Si w/Navigation, Hybrid w/Leather, Hybrid w/Leather and Navigation, LX-S, DX-VP, EX Special Edition, GX, HX, Hybrid w/Navigation, Natural Gas, VP
Exterior Colors: Modern Steel Metallic, Aegean Blue Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, White Orchid Pearl, Cosmic Blue Metallic, Dyno Blue Pearl, Crimson Pearl, Burgundy Night Pearl, Sonic Gray Pearl, Galaxy Gray Metallic, Nighthawk Black Pearl, Kona Coffee Metallic, Satin Silver Metallic, Eternal Blue Pearl, Satin Silver, Alabaster Silver Metallic, Opal Silver Blue Metallic, Royal Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Energy Green Pearl, Cool Mist Metallic, Tango Red Pearl, Championship White, Magnesium Metallic, Orange Fire Pearl, Shoreline Mist Metallic, Vogue Silver Metallic, Borrego Beige Metallic, Clover Green, Cypress Green Pearl Metallic, Fiji Blue Pearl, Flamenco Black Pearl, Polished Metal Metallic, Taffeta White, Atomic Blue Metallic, Clover Green Pearl, Radiant Ruby Pearl, Sunburst Orange Pearl, Adriatic Blue Pearl Metallic, Flint Gray Metallic, Frost White, Habanero Red Pearl, Magnetic Pearl, Milano Red, Rallye Red, Titanium Metallic, Urban Titanium Metallic, Woodland Green Pearl Metallic
Interior Colors: Black leather, Ivory cloth, Black/Gray cloth, Gray leather, Black/Ivory cloth, Black/Red premium cloth, Black premium cloth, Gray, Black/Ivory leather, Gray cloth, Ivory leather, Black/Gray leather, Beige leather, Ivory, Stone cloth, Black, Red/Black Suede-Effect Fabric suede/cloth, Beige cloth, Black cloth, Beige, Blue cloth
Popular Features: Back-up camera, Keyless Entry/Start, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Remote Start, Blind Spot Monitoring, Post-collision safety system, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-collision safety system, Power Driver Seat, Upgraded Headlights, Aux Audio Inputs, Rear Bench Seats, Tire Pressure Warning, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Fold Flat Rear Seats, USB Inputs, Sunroof/Moonroof, Stability Control, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Auto Climate Control, Trip Computer, Bluetooth, Navigation
Engine/Mechanics: 4 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL
Fuel Types: premium unleaded (recommended), regular unleaded, natural gas, premium unleaded (required)
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2009 Honda Civic Overview
The used 2009 Honda Civic is offered in the following submodels: Natural Gas, Sedan, Si, Hybrid, Coupe. Available styles include LX 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 5A), EX 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 5A), and LX 2dr Coupe (1.8L 4cyl 5A). Pre-owned Civic models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2009 Civic comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 5-speed automatic.
