Cheap speed is hard to find but the Honda Civic Si and the Toyota GR 86 each offer it without compromising reliability. That’s a bit of a holy trinity in the enthusiast world but which one of these two is actually faster when you line them up and let them run? We’re about to find out.
The gents over at Throttle House took them out to Willow Springs Raceway and did everything from a heads-up dig-style drag race to a roll race. With 228-horsepower (167 kW) and 184 lb-ft (249 Nm) of torque, the GR 86 is more powerful than the previous generation and doesn’t have the torque dip that it used to.
On the other hand, Honda leads the charge with the 201-horsepower (147 kW) Civic Si. It might not have as much power but it does have 192 lb-ft (260 Nm) of torque and a turbocharger that should help it keep a flat power band.
Read Also: 2022 Honda Civic Si Reveals More Power On The Dyno Than Advertised
Only about 200 pounds (90 Kg) separate the cars on the scale too. The Toyota comes in just above 2,800 pounds (1,270 Kg) while the Honda tips the scales at about 2,950 pounds (1,338 Kg). Torque is a great asset in any vehicle but between these two, it’s not enough to secure the Civic Si the win.
From a standstill, the GR 86 rockets off of the launch without much wheel slip or hesitation. Frankly, the Civic Si doesn’t fare much worse but wheel-hop and front-wheel-drive ultimately only slow it down further as the Toyota runs away.
At the end of the race, there are about three full car lengths between the two vehicles. The roll race from around 30 mph is considerably closer as the Honda doesn’t have to fight for grip and can leverage its torque advantage. Still, it’s no match for the more powerful and lighter GR 86. As the pair drives down the straight, every gear shift sees the Honda fade further into last place.
Really though, neither car is a bad deal considering what it offers. The Honda is more practical in just about every way but the GR 86 is a sincerely excellent sports car that can do drifts should you be into that sort of thing. For our money, we’d prefer to be less practical anyway.
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