Honda Civic Si Dominates Subaru BRZ In Track Test
AutoGuide’s twin team of track terror, time-trialer Dave Pratte and editor Colum Wood, have returned to Toronto Motorsports Park to take the Subaru BR-Z and the Honda Civic Si to the extreme limit and beyond. What did they find?
“Truth be told,” Pratte notes, “it takes an experienced FWD pilot to get the most out of the Honda, because techniques like trail braking and left foot braking aren’t taught during high school driver’s ed.” That’s true! So how does the Civic Si, in limited edition “HFP” trim, fare against the car that AutoGuide has already rated above the Genesis 2.0t?
Here’s where things get really interesting. Based on the lap times recorded with our Vbox data acquisition and timing system, there was just 1/10th of a second difference between these two pocket rockets, with the Civic Si HFP posting a 1-minute 26.5-second best lap and the BRZ coming in at 1-minute 26.6-seconds. That’s by far the closest battle we’ve ever had in one of these track-based comparos, a result made all the more intriguing by how differently these two machines went about their business.
That is definitely a close battle. Think about how quick a tenth of a second is!
You might be wondering which one of these cars won the comparison test. It’s not easy to choose between them.
So if there’s so little between them around a race track, which car would I plunk my $27k down on? That’s a tough call, because despite their similarities they couldn’t be more different in character and design…
With the lap times little help in determining the better performer, I honestly don’t know which one would end up in my driveway, but for most consumers out there I suspect the decision will be quite easy given just how different these two excellent and appealing sport compact offerings really are.
You could say that both of these sporty import coupes are the winners of this comparison test! In the meantime, BRZ intenders who live north of the border should be warned: there’s another great choice out there for you, and it comes chock-full of efficiency and passenger space! For the complete test, check it out!
More by Jack Baruth
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This test reminds me of an old R&T comparison test from the mid-1990s in which the Miata went head-to-head with the Civic del Sol. The Miata was proclaimed the better sports car. The Civic del Sol was much more practical and unlike this time, significantly quicker.
Again, as suggested previously, the BRZ/FR-S really needs: 1) More horsepower, say about 230 (would not even require a turbo); 2) Much closer to a 50/50 weight distribution (currently it's 53/47); 3) Removal of the 20%-reduction "torque valley" between 3500 and 4500 rpm. The Honda Civic Si HFP has 170 lb-ft at a lower 4300 rpm from its larger 2.4-liter engine; but the BRZ has only 151 lb-ft, which can be achieved only by revving its smaller 2-liter engine up to 6000 rpm! And to make this comparison even more absurd, the BRZ has that -20% torque valley which onsets at 3500 rpm. At 4000 rpm, the BRZ has about 151*.8 =~ 120 lb-ft of thrust. But at 4000 rpm, the Civic si, with the HFP-tuned package has about 160 lb-ft available! That’s 100*(160-120)/120 = 33%! That means that the Honda has 1/3 MORE thrust in the midrange, where most cornering driving will occur. Considering the BRZ’s “Prius” tires, it is amazing that the Civic si did not do much better. The Civic was no doubt limited by its FWD, greater height, and poorer suspension, all of which produced understeer and larger body roll. If the mid-range torque advantage were reversed, AND the BRZ had Michelin Pilot Sport tires, the Civic would have been a distant memory. -----------