FULL REVIEW:
I wanted something that was really fun to drive, yet practical enough (in terms of cargo carrying, kid carrying, reliability, and safety) to serve as my daily driver. And I wanted to spend about $20k for a new car (new due to longevity and warranty issues).
Other cars I test-drove were the Impreza 2.5, Lancer GTS, Fiesta SES, Scion tC. The Impreza had no redeeming qualities--sorry to any owners here. I thought it drove poorly (wobbly suspension, loose-feeling steering, slow, and unrefined) and generally felt cheap. The Lancer GTS was remarkably good. Good handling and steering, and an interior that was far nicer than people give Mitsubishi credit for (I thought it had better materials and fit-and-finish than the Impreza). But I didn't really click with it for reasons I can't really explain. The Fiesta was superb to drive (great handling and ride quality, sharp if numb steering, and a feeling of solidity far beyond what you'd expect for the size and price), but too small for my needs. Really my only gripe about it--people who like subcompacts absolutely should give it a try. Far nicer driving experience than a Fit in my opinion (after trying both back-to-back). The 2011 tC looked great in person, but drove like a midsize family sedan. Total let-down.
Finally, I drove the Si. And it was like the clouds parted and a column of light came down from the heavens.
The driving experience is sublime. It's so communicative, direct, mechanical, and controlled. It's a razor blade on four wheels. It doesn't try to isolate the driver at all from the chassis, the engine noises, anything. It's very elemental and raw, yet so incredibly precise in motion.
The transmission is a thing of beauty. If you haven't experienced an Si transmission (or a first-gen TSX transmission, or an S2000 transmission), you owe it to yourself to do so. It's just...so...perfect.
The engine? Maybe it's just a treat for sportbike fans, and other people would pooh-pooh it for being torqueless, but it's just so fantastic to wring out. It loves to rev, and does so quickly and smoothly while making an AMAZING sound. Combine that with a transmission that's fun while you keep the engine on the boil, and there's a recipe for getting into trouble.
The sport seats, at least for me, fit like they were custom made. They hug you tightly and yet they're supportive and even have good lumbar support built in. Two thumbs up.
The dash looks really bad in pictures, but just looks like an aircraft/spacecraft cockpit in person, all wrapped around you. And the digital speedometer up near the windshield might be unorthodox, but it WORKS. I can look at a speed limit sign on the side of the road and see my own speed in big, legible numbers without even moving my eyes.
There's road noise, more than most other cars I drove (particularly the Fiesta), but it's tolerable. And that's the only fly in the ointment, and it's a pretty small one compared to the car's virtues.
