When it comes to Hondas, the sportiest and the most desirable trim level is undoubtedly the Type R. Sadly, North America only just started getting the bonkers Type R trim level and has missed out on some older but iconic ones reserved exclusively for the Japanese and European markets. The next best thing was the Si model, and those, fortunately, did make their way stateside.
Many Honda aficionados agree that one of the best Si models to ever grace the US roads was the one based on the sixth-generation Civic — the legendary 2000 Honda Civic Si or the EM1 Civic Si as it is also known. Despite being around for only two years – 1999 and 2000 – this car proved its worth and truly delivered when it came to attainable performance. That’s not all, with the way things are looking in 2022, fetching a clean example might even be a smart financial decision.
Here’s a complete rundown of the 2000 Honda Civic Si and what you should keep an eye out for.
Taking A Look At The Sixth-generation Honda Civic
Before we go any further, it’s important to take into consideration that the 2000 Honda Civic Si being discussed here is the US-spec version and not the Canadian one. The Canadian Civic Si is essentially a rebadged Civic EX from the US.
It’ll bear the EJ8 chassis code and not EM1. We had to point that out because the Canuck Si doesn’t feature the desirable Si bits. That said, the USDM Si was sold in Canada under the ‘SiR’ moniker.
The sixth-generation Civic was introduced in 1995 for the 1996 model year with 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan, and 2-door coupe body styles, just like its predecessor. While it was similar in those regards, it wasn’t when it came to its size.
The sixth-generation Civic is quite a bit larger when compared to the Civics before it. Powering the entry-level trim levels were D-series engines, which frankly, weren’t all that exciting. After all, the engine in the CX, DX, and LX Civics only made around 106 horsepower. These engines also missed out on the company’s game-changing (at the time) VTEC technology.
The EX trim level, meanwhile, took things up a notch, with a revised version of the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine. This trim level was only available with the sedan or coupe body style, and it made 127 horsepower from its D16Y8 engine. Interestingly, that made it slightly more powerful than the fifth-generation Si that made 125 horsepower from its D16Z6 engine. The sixth-gen Civic EX was also heavier than the fifth-gen Si which means it wasn’t exactly quicker when it came down to quarter-mile times. Honda did fill that void the older Si left behind, and you can read all about it below.
2000 Honda Civic Si – What Made It Special
There’s a reason the 2000 Honda Civic Si has garnered the reputation it enjoys even after two decades since it was first released. Well, it’s not just one. There are multiple reasons. Let’s start with the engine.
B-series Goodness
Even though the sixth-gen Civic Si made its debut three years earlier in Japan, it only arrived here as a 1999 model and sold till 2000. The 1999 and 2000 Honda Civic Si were only available in the coupe body style. Despite being around for only two years, it made quite the impact. It featured a high-revving, DOHC, 1.6-liter B16A2 engine. This engine came with Honda’s renowned VTEC system and made 160 horsepower.
This B-series engine had performance written all over it. Yes, 160 horsepower isn’t a lot but when you put its size into perspective, it’s making 100 horsepower per liter which was incredibly impressive for the segment. It’s worth mentioning that this engine has paved the way for future Honda K-series engines in many ways. The B16A2 that came in these cars made its peak power at 8000 RPM and was capable of going as high as 8200 RPM!
Torque, meanwhile, stood at 111 ft-lbs. This sporty little engine in the fairly lightweight Civic meant it could get from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.1 seconds, which isn’t the most impressive time by today’s standard, but it was back then. It also did the quarter-mile in under 16 seconds, which again was impressive at the time.
The Civic Si also benefited from a counterweighted crankshaft, strengthened connecting rods, improved intake manifold, low-friction pistons, and a larger throttle body. Whereas most engines would compromise on fuel economy while being built with such performance-oriented characteristics, this one didn’t.
The 2000 Honda Civic Si returned 27/31 MPG (City/Highway), which is pretty impressive, to say the least. Honda knew what they were doing and this amalgamation of performance and fuel economy in an affordable compact car made for a desirable package.
The 2000 Honda Civic Si was also only available with a manual transmission and the 5-speed gearbox it used was a work of art of its own. Not only was it smooth and crisp to shift, but it’s also known to handle more power than what the stock motor could deliver. As a result, there are many turbo builds that run a stock gearbox with stage 2-3 clutch kits.
Reworked Suspension
The double-wishbone suspension across all trim levels of the sixth-generation Civic is impressive, to begin with. It utilizes an upper and lower control arm, which allows the tire to stay square to the road surface under extreme conditions and aggressive cornering. This suspension setup was originally developed for racing and has proven to be a lot better on track than a McPherson strut.
The 2000 Honda Civic Si improves handling further by featuring stiffer, progressive-rate springs, stiffer front and rear anti-roll bars, and a tower brace. These tweaks are said to have a noticeable impact on the way the car corners.
Other changes that have certainly had a positive effect on the handling are the lower-profile and wider 15-inch wheel/tire package, whereas the other trim levels ride on 14-inch wheels with more economical tires. The 15-inch alloy wheels also contribute to making the car look a bit sportier.
Subtle Styling Changes
Speaking of looks, the 2000 Honda Civic Si features quite a few minor cosmetic additions that help distinguish it from its base trim counterparts. The first noticeable difference is the lip on the front bumper that came standard on these cars. It was available as an option for the regular coupe in 1999 and 2000. The rest of the bumper is the same across body styles and trim levels. The entire front-end including the headlight, fenders, and hood are the same on all trim levels of the coupe body style for 1999 and 2000.
Aside from the lip, you can also tell the Si apart thanks to its unique grille. The outer shell of its grille is paint matched and so are the ones on the coupe and hatch body styles, but the Si’s is paired with a mesh inner section as opposed to the fins the other two have. The rear lip and spoiler, meanwhile, were optional on all trim levels of the coupe, including the Si.
Other differences on the exterior are painted side skirts and trim. The mirrors, side molding, and rear license plate surround were trim pieces that were paint matched. As for the side skirts, they were paint matched from the factory on the Si, but available as an option on the EX coupe. Lastly, the 2000 Honda Civic Si was only available in three color options – Electron Blue Pearl, Flamenco Black Pearl, and Milano Red.
Interior Tweaks
Moving onto the interior, the 2000 Honda Civic Si has multiple levels of adjustment for its front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear knob, remote keyless entry, and red-faced instrumentation with Si branding.
The rest of the interior also had red backlights to match the instrumentation. The headrests of the front seats on the Si were also hollowed out in the center.
2000 Honda Civic Si – Known Issues
The 2000 Civic Si has fared extremely well when it comes to reliability, like most Hondas. While many cars, including ones from the Japanese company, have at least a couple of recalls, this one has only had a single one.
Around two years ago, Honda had issued a recall for approximately 2.4 million Honda and Acura cars from the 1996 through 2003 model years in the United States “to inspect and, if needed, replace certain Takata driver front airbag inflators manufactured with non-azide propellant (NADI), for free.”
Aside from that one major issue, these cars were pretty much mechanically bulletproof. Here are some of the known issues that you should check when inspecting a sixth-gen Civic Si.
Rust
Rust is a common issue with many Honda products from this era. It can be a problem, or not, depending on where you live. If you’re looking at a car that came from the rust belt, make sure to check wheel wells, especially the rear ones.
Window Motors
This entire generation of Civics had issues with window motors. Either they fail altogether, or they work incredibly slow to raise and lower the window. Either way, the only thing you can do here is getting a new window motor.
Engine Mounts
Engine mounts on 2000 Honda Civic Si are probably the only engine-related issue that can be described as common. It appears that Honda had used subpar materials when designing the stock engine mount, which often lead to their premature failure. Fortunately, the aftermarket is packed full of affordable, better options that will solve the problem and prevent it from happening in the future.
What to Look For When Shopping For One?
While there aren’t any major known issues, the 2000 Honda Civic Si went through a period where it sold for peanuts. While that’s not the case now, anyone and everyone could get their hands on a sixth-generation Si at one point, especially enthusiasts looking for a project car. In other words, there are plenty of beat-up 2000 Civic Si out there, and finding a clean car requires patience.
Overdone Exterior Modifications
The sixth-gen Civic Si is from a different era and sadly, the early 2000s were the worst years for exterior car modifications. This was a time when Fast and Furious just hit the cinemas and Need For Speed Underground 2 was the car video game of choice. Over-the-top body kits, which served no purpose other than standing out, were really popular.
Oftentimes, these extreme body kits were installed in home garages by inexperienced hands, which meant there was a lot of inexperienced drilling and cutting. Aftermarket skirts leave behind installation holes that can be filled in but aren’t exactly irreversible.
Metal panels that have been drilled begin to rust far too easily from the untreated hole. A large wing was also a common modification back in the day, and it required a fair bit of drilling into the trunk as well.
These cosmetic modifications also required a respray, and it’s quite common to find a car with a sub-par paint job. Overspray and orange peel are things you should look out for. Then, there were ridiculous modifications like cutting open a section of the hood for a hood scoop that did more harm than good. Aftermarket lights, many times, perform worse and don’t last as long as OEM components. Keep a note of these things and try finding a 2000 Honda Civic Si that’s as stock as possible.
Cheap Turbo Kits
Enthusiasts also quickly realized that it was quite easy and cheap to make more power on the Si. The B16 could take a lot of abuse and people pushed those engines to their limits with cheap turbo kits.
These cheap turbo kits would deliver some performance, but that experience was certainly short-lived. The damage done with a cheap turbo kit can be major and even to the extent of totaling the motor.
A high-quality turbo kit along with the right supporting modifications, on the other hand, is acceptable if that’s what you are after. That being said, it is highly recommended that you get a mechanically stock 2000 Honda Civic Si and go about modding it yourself. A good rule of thumb is to buy project cars only from people who you’ve known for a while, and who you trust.
Accident Damage and Stolen Cars
As we said before, the 2000 Honda Civic Si is the first car for many inexperienced drivers and that equates to accidents. Make sure the car you are looking at doesn’t have any hidden damage.
The availability and low price tag of spares also mean that owners would often just swap out parts like a fender instead of repairing them. A brand new fender could be hiding structural damage underneath.
The sixth-generation Honda Civic was a favorite among thieves. It was easy to steal and get rid of, which is bad news. Make sure the VIN and the story of the seller line up and ensure you aren’t getting a stolen car.
Availability
Some clean examples with super low miles of the 2000 Honda Civic Si are fetching record-breaking price tags. This isn’t surprising considering how desirable and rare it is to come across one that hasn’t been modified. Gone are the days of finding one for a few thousand dollars. And while it might take some time and effort, you should still be able to find yourself a nice example at a realistic price tag.
Use Genuine Honda Parts to Keep Your 2000 Honda Civic Si Happy
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