I just got back from the major Honda dealer here in Rochester, NY. I saw they had an 06 sedan out front with a crowd of people around it so I thought I'd stop and check it out. Well, it was just going out for a test drive when I got there so I was talking with one of the sales guys, who was pretty damn cool. We were standing around in the show room and he's like "oh, they just pulled the truck in with an 06 LX coupe with a 5-speed" (first coupe in Rochester) so I was like "OOooo! let's go check it out" so we ran around back and sure enough there it was, gorgeous. Now, I wasn't a fan of the sedan, even though it was an EX and had EVERYTHING (nav, etc.) but this thing was pretty. So the guy's like I'll go steal a plate and stuff and we'll take it out. So they backed it off the truck, he stuck the plate on it and off we went, it had 3 miles on it.

This is where it really gets good. The guy didn't care what I did to it! I pulled out of the lot and redlined 1st and 2nd and got up there in 3rd. Let me be the first to say... this thing has some *****. So after a very swift loop around this side of town I had to bring it back. EVERYONE in the dealership, including the owner swarmed and was like "how is it? how'd it drive? how's the 5 speed?" I confirmed that it was awesome and the owner told everyone they'd have to wait, he was next.

This brings me to the next phase. They had an 05 Si there on clearence so I was like what the hell, let's take that one out for a spin too. What a let down after driving the LX! I could def tell that the engine had a bit more bottom end, but once the RPM's got up they really didn't feel all that different. The LX was just as stiff, and steering was more responsive in the 06. The only thing was clutch was definitely weak in the 06 but I'm sure it would get better after it had more than 3 miles on it.

Cunclusion: The 06's are sweet. I would rather have the 06 LX coupe than the 05 Si. The only feature the LX didn't have that the SI did was moonroof and alloy's (The 06 EX they had was phat though... it had soo many options.) I can not wait unitl the Si comes out. I've already got a test drive set up in one of those, the guy's going to call me the day they come in (mid december he said.) So, go drive one!

PS. the engine in it wasn't like anything I've seen. It's def not a D series. The pulleys and everything are on the passenger side, like the K series, but the intake is still on the back and the exhaust is on the front, like the D series.

 

Wow! You lucky bastard. O well, when I get my s2000 it will change. Hey, did you get your 10+ hp I sent you yet?

 

Nooooooo, I've been looking for it everyday though. I bet it'll be here Monday. Can't wait to drop that second off my quarter mile.

 

rochester, huh?

went to lia honda yesterday here in Buffalo, NY and they had a sedan ex in the showroom, very nice but i would rather take the 2 door over the sedan.
he said the coupe will be in in a few weeks and the si in december.

guy at dealer told me honda is only making 15,000 si's for 06, throughout the whole world.

 

Yeah, even the sales guy I had was suprized that they got a coupe that quickly. They're the largest Honda dealer in NY though so... It's also the same chain that has a Porsche dealership here and just had two $448,000 Carrera GTs.

 

You lucky jerk. I can't wait to get behind an SI.

 

Sweet man, but i motion for a more in depth review. How did it corner, brake, etc..



screw it, i'll just go find out for myself

 

where's this? john holtz??? I want to know!

 

Cornering was definitely pretty good. The steering was way tighter than previous civics (including the Si) no more play in the center. I took a couple turns pretty friggen hard in it and never got tire squeel or anything. It felt like it stayed really flat through the corners, still not comparable to say, a mini, but it was definitely improved. I'd love to drive one with some aftermarket suspension stuff.

Braking was also great, the LX I drove had discs all the way around and felt really solid. I did test this out at a red light and they didn't fade or anything on my trip from 60-0 in a hurried fashion.

The engine was suuuuuper smooth at all RPMs. This is the thing I was most impressed by, no matter what the RPM the engine was smooth, it felt like it could accelerate resonably quick even from the lower ranges. It was so smooth I caught myself crusing in 3rd at about 5000 RPM and didn't even really realize it, it wasn't jerky at all with throttle movements even in that range. Like I said at the top, it's a totaly different setup than anything I've ever seen before too. There's no header, it's just looks like a big, common manifold that goes straight into the cat which pretty much looks like it's attatched to the engine. I couldn't find an engine code in plain view so I don't have any insight to what it is but it's not a B,D,H or K.

I'll also add that I'm not a fan of the size of the dash, it's HUGE. It makes it really hard to tell how much room you actually have in front of you. I was nervous parking it in a small spot when I got back to the dealer. On the same note, the new instrument setup is awesome however, I love the digital speedo up by the window. The top of the steering wheel did however block view of the top of the tach how I had it positioned.

I'm also more of a fan of the rear end on the four door version. The two door looks a little too stubby, they should have make it more squared off like previous coupes.

OH! my biggest gripe about it though... the gas pedal is hinged at the bottom! I didn't really like the feel of it, I'm sure you'd get use to it however.

Umm... I think that's about all I can think of right now... ask me any questions anyone might have, I'd be more than happy to answer them seeing that most places still don't have the coupe, or let people drive any of them.

 

Yeah, it's Holtz, if you go ask for Tim Deir... he's mad cool.