Yep, maximum HP on the Civic is at 6100 RPM. That's all part of the fun. Row the gearbox and keep the rev's up. I don't do much city driving so down low torque to race from traffic light to traffic light isn't part of the game plan. Twisting roads and no traffic is where it shines.
And why the CR-V is so unsatisfying to drive. A 2.4 liter motor tied to a fumbling 5 speed automatic. And no ability to shift it manually even if you wanted to. It just screams for a 5 or 6 speed manual gearbox but Honda decided not for the American market because we're a bunch of lazy asses.
Still have to disagree, I have driven Honda Accords and Civics all have Vtec engines with manual boxes, whereas mine is 6 speed automatic with silky smooth changes and I think it is a hoot to drive either in city or on twisting roads with no traffic, it still puts a smile on my face whatever, despite it being a big barge of a car. It never feels big until you reverse it and look over your shoulder and realise how far away the rear window is and that doesnt happen very often as it has a perfectly good rearview mirror and parking sensors all round.
Well exactly. Your Audi motor with low down torque is an excellent fit to an automatic transmission. A high rev'ing Honda motor is not and every time I drive the CR-V I'm painfully reminded of that.
A properly-tuned 6-speed AT is a joy to drive; the one in our Rav4 has Eco & Sport modes and I always leave it in sport mode, as the economy is the same as long as I don't mat the pedal all the time. Shift points are positive, and it is a good match to a 2.5 with variable cam timing so it still does develop usable torque at relatively low rpm. My only gripe is the traction control, which is actually a liability if you're an experienced driver who expects to be able to spin the wheels under certain conditions.
Bottom line is
that 6-speed AT makes it so the 4-banger is always right in the middle of its power band; quite frankly, I haven't had a 4-cyl that was as satisfying to drive most of the time since my old 2.3 Lima-block Turbo Thunderbird.
Don't get me wrong... there's still no replacement for displacement. But that shit needs to be your
toy, not your daily driver. Those huge old dinosaurs (even the little velociraptors
) are fun, but for our kids' sake they need to be off the road most of the time. And I include most of even the more recent "sporty" cars in that too, like the 1st gen TT that started this particular fork of the conversation. They all burn dirty and they all put another nail in mother earth's coffin with every smile they put on your face.
mnem
Please drive your toys "responsibly". 
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Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread (Read 16733864 times)