Long popular with the tuner market, the Honda Civic Si sedan is now in its sixth generation as a factory-build, high-RPM compact hot rod. Seen by many as the basis for further performance, the Civic Si still offers a fairly hefty upgrade over the standard Civic sedan.

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First introduced in 2007 -- a year after the Civic platform was redesigned -- the Civic Si received a handful of minor updates for 2009, including revised wheels, headlamps, grilles and fog lamps.

Unlike its predecessors, the Si was made available in sedan form rather than only as a coupe. Slightly heavier than the two-door, the sedan shares the bulk of its mechanical and cosmetic features with its cousin.

Visually almost identical to the standard Civic, the Si receives a special body kit and a rear spoiler, in addition to standard 17-inch alloy wheels (versus 15 or 16-inch wheels on other Civics). Equipped more or less like the Civic EX, the Si comes standard with a full array of power accessories, a moonroof, an AM/FM/CD audio system with an auxiliary input jack and a split-folding rear seat.

The Civic Si's interior also doesn't deviate substantially from the EX, though it adds unique seats and upholstery, a sportier leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, unique gauges and sports pedals. Otherwise, it follows the same space-age dashboard style that characterizes the rest of the Civic lineup.

Performance upgrades start with a sport suspension, a helical limited-slip front differential and uprated four-wheel disc brakes and a six-speed manual (one extra cog over the regular Civic) and top out with an extra 57 horsepower from the enlarged four-cylinder engine. The 197-horse total approaches the coveted 100 horsepower per liter mark for the 2.0-liter, dual-overhead cam four-cylinder engine. That peak horsepower is achieved at a high 7,800 rpm, meaning drivers can expect to rev the Civic Si heavily to get the most out of its powertrain. Peak torque, at 139 lb-ft., is realized at an also-high 6,100 rpm. No automatic transmission is available on the Civic Si.

There are no factory options for the Civic Si; rather, the Japanese automaker offers the Civic in several packages that include high-performance summer tires (in place of all-season treads), a navigation system with Bluetooth capability, or a combination of the two.