Hondata Proves 2016 Honda Civic EX-T Is Faster Than 9th Gen Civic Si

Hondata purchased a new 2016 Honda Civic EX-T with the 1.5L Turbo and proved with real world data that this new mid-level Civic is gobs faster than the 9th gen Honda Civic Si. 

When you’re making aftermarket parts for a new platform, oftentimes companies will straight out buy a new model and start tweaking it right from the showroom floor. Earlier this month Hondata finally got its hands on a 2016 Honda CivicEX-T equipped with a 1.5L turbo (thus the T) and put it head to head against a 2015 Honda Civic Si and the results confirmed what we thought all along. This new Civic Turbo is an absolute barn-screamer and has all the credentials to make it quite the tunable car. Check out the video below and revel in what turned out to be 16 psi of forced induction.

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To remind you Honda fans out there, the K24Z found in the 9th generation Honda Civic Si makes a respectable 205 HP and 174 lb-ft of torque. Honda is claiming that their new 1.5L Turbo makes 174 HP and 162 lb-ft of torque. Since it’s a turbo, we suspect that the torque curve is much more substantial when compared to the N/A K24, with much more driveability around town. Not to mention that this is all on 87 octane fuel.

Like all claims made, much like in the scientific community, they must be repeatable and results should be consistent when other parties undertake similar claims. Hondata made the bold claim in the beginning of the video that the new Honda Civic Turbo would be faster than the 2015 Honda Civic Si, backing up what JeffX from the Temple of VTEC hypothesized and claimed himself.

Using a rolling start, Hondata pitted both cars against each other. Off the line from first to second gear, the Honda Civic Si held a bit of a lead But once the Civic Si shifted from second to third, the 1.5L Turbo was finding its stride thanks its CVT and pretty much “walked” the Honda Civic Si up to fourth gear.

At freeway speeds, the Honda Civic Si and 1.5L Turbo started out from 50 MPH and WOT’d it. According to Hondata

"At freeway speeds, Civic Si doesn’t have a chance. Every gear the Civic Si tries, the Honda Civic EX pulls on it. Without a question, the Civic EX Turbo is a faster vehicle on the freeway, any condition, then the Civic Si."

The video ends with a teaser that they’ll be putting the 2016 Honda Civic EX on the dyno, which should end once and for all rumors that Honda are sandbagging their power numbers (under valuing them.)

What this makes us more excited about is the fact that Honda’s new Civic Si should be lots faster than the 9th Gen Civic Si and a step above where the EX-T already is. Rumors are floating around that the 2016 Honda Civic Si will be a detuned Honda Civic Type R motor with power numbers hovering around 230 HP and 210 lb-ft.

Time to get excited Honda enthusiasts. Honda has entered into turbo territory and they’re doing it right the first time around.

Next: Is The 2017 Honda Civic Si Just A 230 HP Detuned Type R?

And when Hondata finally releases their Flashpro tuning solution for this EX-T and Honda finally equips a proper manual to the 1.5L Turbo (as an option to be released later this year,) you might see a flash tune that makes a 1.5L Turbo as fast as a 2017 Honda Civic Si. Poor man’s Civic Si anyone?