I think this might be the best review so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H5xmxmjPrE These guys exactly voice my experience. Coming from a MK7 Golf R and GLI, and then getting into a Civic Si. Of course I watched and read every review, but because there was such a limited supply (even for the regular Civic) I wasn't able to drive the Civic Si before driving the 9+ hours to pick mine up. As stated in the review, the new GTI is fantastic and would likely destroy a Civic Si in any kind of race, but it just doesn't have the personality and fun factor that the Civic Si has currently. I find myself smiling more, enjoying the drive to work. I look forward to driving it, and I didn't feel that way at all with my GLI.
These guys basically said no Civic Si fanboy would ever consider a GTI, and vice versa, but that's pretty much what I did. 7 years of performance VW's and I just craved something different. Something that gives me the warm and fuzzies, and this Civic, even with it's meager power, does that. I love putting it into sport mode (which cranks up the piped in engine noise), drop it a few gears and watch the shift lights appear and then it beeps, begging me to upshift. It's really small theatre, but it's cheap thrills in my book.
Anyway, I'll stop gushing. I will however state that over the past ~600kms of normal every day driving (with one highway trip totaling 200kms) I'm currently averaging 5.9L/100kms. Going back and forth to work I average 6.6L/100kms if there is a lot of traffic and I hit every red light, if I have clear sailing and less stops, it's closer to 6.3L/100kms. I'm calling this my little "performance Prius".
It's not perfect, there is a small buzz sound that comes from that little height adjustment plastic bit for the seat belt right by my ear, but then I just touch it and it goes away for a little while. I might eventually have the dealer see if they can solve this, but right now I'm just enjoying it. The stereo is better than the Fender and Beats branded units I had in the Golf R and GLI, but you can tell it's geared more towards youthful (heavy bass) music than anything high end like you would find in a more upscale luxury vehicle (like a B&O in a Lexus for example).
