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How many Civic-versus-Jetta races do you think there have been over the years? This longtime rival in the front-wheel drive world has been fighting for 40 years, and in 2022 the competition is alive and well. The current generation Civic Si is only available in a sedan format, as is the Volkswagen Jetta GLI. Both have turbocharged four-cylinder engines. Both just turn the front wheel. Both are referred to as performance models. And both are priced close to $30,000.
Do they have similar performance? A quick look at the stats shows that Jetta has the upper hand. Its upgraded 2.0-liter engine produces 228 horsepower (170 kilowatts) compared to the 200 hp (149 hp) in the Civic. The torque difference is even greater, with the VeeDub delivering 258 pound-feet (350 Newton-meters) versus 192 lb-ft (260 Nm). In addition, the Jetta GLI for this race has a fast-shifting DSG transmission compared to Honda’s six-speed manual. The only statistic on paper that supports the Civic Si is its weight, weighing about 200 pounds lighter.
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It didn’t look good on Honda, and that’s generally what happens in real life. We said generally for the Civic Si put in a strong showing against the more powerful German sedans, with a small start to the lead in three races. The video features two roll races with one racing from a standstill, and in each case the clutch-operated Honda managed to gain a slight advantage. It’s not entirely clear whether the Jetta GLI’s abilities were used to their full potential, but regardless of the reason, the brave Si didn’t give up without a fight.
However, make no mistake. Honda have done lose every race. The 200-pound gain is barely enough to compensate for the 28-hp loss, let alone the torque bump. And the DSG changes gears much faster than any human could ever hope to. That is, when you use the gearbox Manually to start the race. The only reason Si jumped for a short lead on the final run was because Jetta had to do a quick downshift once the race started. Si is in the right gear with revs up.
But in the end, it didn’t matter. This victory belongs entirely to Volkswagen. We suspect that will change once the new Civic Type R arrives.
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