Tata Motors announced the launch of its updated 2020 Harrier at Auto Expo 2020. It also showcased a 7-seater Gravitas, the pre-production HBX Subcompact SUV and the Sierra Electric SUV concept.<br /><br />“The theme of our pavilion is a thoughtful representation of what India needs, how Tata Motors can contribute, and how we as the Tata Group are taking the lead in providing a transformative ecosystem solution in India. We are proud to offer one of the largest range of BS-VI portfolios and this shows our commitment towards a clean and green environment,” said Tata Sons Group Chairman, N Chandrasekaran, at the event. <br /><br /><strong>Tata Harrier - and its panoramic sunroof <br /></strong><br />Tata Motors has updated the Harrier with a BS6 engine and also announced the much-awaited automatic variant. This is a year after the launch of the SUV. <br /><br />The 2020 Harrier is the first car from the company to offer a panoramic sunroof, joining the likes of Jeep Compass and MG Hector. The BS6 Harrier is priced starting at ₹13.69 lakh and the automatic variant is priced at ₹16.25 lakh.<br /><br />It sports a 2.0-litre multijet engine capable of developing 170PS of power and 350Nm of torque. It is coupled with a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox from Hyundai.<br /><br /><strong>Upcoming cars from Tata Motors<br /></strong><br /><strong>Tata Sierra Electric Concept - a legend reborn<br /></strong><br />The legendary Tata Sierra has been reborn as the Sierra Electric concept. The company has kept the details of the Sierra under wraps. It is expected to be working on a 1.2-liter petrol engine variant as well as an electric variant.<br /><br />Just like the old Sierra, the new Sierra Electric concept sports a single-piece side glass that runs into the roof.<br /><br /><strong>Tata Gravitas - Similar to Harrier but more <br /></strong><br />The Tata Gravitas is a premium SUV and is expected to be available from April 2020. The Gravitas looks similar to the Harrier, but its increased length is visible from the sides. It sports an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, JBL sound system with nine speakers, automatic climate control and a sunroof.<br /><br />It features an updated BS6 complaint 2.0-litre Kryotec engine that develops 170PS of power and 350Nm of torque. The power is sent via a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission from Hyundai.<br /><br /><strong>Tata HBX - below the Nexon <br /></strong><br />The Tata HBX is based on the Altroz’s ALFA Arc platform and will be placed below the Tata Nexon in the company’s line-up. The HBX is expected to be equipped with a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine that can develop 86P of power S and 114Nm of torque.<br /><br />The Tata HBX is expected to be priced upwards of ₹5 lakh and may be launched in the second half of 2020.<br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/auto-expo-2020-mahindra-showcases-three-evs-and-a-concept-car-called-funster/articleshow/73961684.cms">Auto Expo 2020: Mahindra showcases three EVs and a concept car called Funster</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-petrol-diesel-and-electric-cars-and-suv-from-mg-motor-in-india/articleshow/73959570.cms">All the cars MG Motor is expected to launch in India - showcased at Auto Expo 2020</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/auto-expo-2020-volkswagen-showcases-four-cars-skoda-karoq-announced/articleshow/73963328.cms"><strong>Auto Expo 2020: Volkswagen showcases four cars, Skoda Karoq announced</strong></a><br />

Auto Expo 2020: Tata relaunches Harrier, showcases Gravitas, HBX and Sierra EV Concept

<ul class="summary-list"><li>More than two dozen 2020 vehicles won't be back for the 2021 model year. </li><li>As consumer demand shifts, many automakers are eliminating sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks. </li><li>Only one crossover won't make it to 2021: the Dodge Journey. </li></ul><p>The <keyword id="34478" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="auto-industry">auto industry</keyword> is in the midst of a crossover boom - and for every new compact crossover automakers bring to market, some sorry sedan or hatchback heads to the automotive graveyard.</p><p>The list of models that won't live to see the 2021 model year includes some iconic and long-running nameplates like the Lincoln Continental, Chevy Impala, and Dodge Grand Caravan, along with some short-lived models that just didn't manage to catch on, like Jaguar's high-performance station wagon and Alfa Romeo's inexpensive mid-engine sports car. </p><p>And although the models that won't live to see the 2021 model year span makes and price points, the one thing that unites nearly all of them is that they're not crossovers. In fact, after the 2020 model year, multiple brands - Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, and Ford among them - will have transitioned to lineups that don't include a single sedan. </p><p>Check out 25 cars automakers killed off for 2021 below: </p><h2><strong>Acura RLX</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020_Acura_RLX_Sport_Hybrid_034 source" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978917" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The RLX luxury sedan is out of Acura's 2021 lineup after selling <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">just over 1,000 units</a> in 2019. Acura sold roughly 50 times that amount of its MDX crossover, and around 60 times more RDX crossovers. </p><p>It has unusual features like rear-wheel steering and a sporty hybrid option with a claimed 377 horsepower, but that wasn't enough to keep buyers interested.</p><h2><strong>Alfa Romeo 4C Spider</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Alfa Romeo 4C Spider 3" height="1502" width="2250" msid="79978918" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Alfa Romeo killed off the hardtop version of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alfa-romeo-4c-spider-review-mini-ferrari-2016-7">4C</a> a few years back, and the roadster follows in its footsteps for 2021. Starting at under $70,000, the 4C is one of the most affordable mid-engined sports cars on the market - but alas, it <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/alfa-romeo-4c-sales-figures-usa-canada/">barely broke triple-digit sales</a> in 2019 and so it's gone for good. </p><p>But other inexpensive mid-engine options like the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chevrolet-corvette-mid-engine-review-c8-horsepower-price-specs-chevy-2020-10">Chevy Corvette</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-718-boxster-s-and-alfa-romeo-4c-spider-comparison-2018-5">Porsche Boxster</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-cayman-s-review-photos-details-2018-3">Porsche Cayman</a> are still kicking. </p><h2><strong>BMW i8</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="bmw i8 hero" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978919" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>After six years on the market, it's the end of the line for the plug-in hybrid i8. Despite its somewhat confused combination of exotic looks and a tiny three-cylinder engine (aided by electric motors), the i8 managed to sell more than 20,000 units in its run, making it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/a-look-back-at-the-futuristic-bmw-i8-which-ends-production-in-april-2020-3">the best-selling car of its kind</a>, according to BMW. </p><p><a href="https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/08/26/bmw-i8-successor/">Rumors have circulated</a> around a possible i8 successor based on the Vision M Next concept car, but there's no official word yet on when or if that will happen. </p><h2><strong>BMW M8 Coupe and Convertible</strong></h2><div type="image" title="P90348795_highRes_the all new bmw m8 c" height="1571" width="2095" msid="79978920" hostid="261"></div><p>BMW is trimming the options available for its halo M8 due to COVID-19-related supply issues, <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34252647/2021-bmw-m8-coupe-convertible-phased-out/">Car and Driver</a> reported in October. The coupe and convertible won't be available for 2021, but the four-door Gran Coupe version is still on the table if you have a spare $130,000 laying around.</p><h2><strong>Buick Regal</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2019 Buick Regal GS 021 (1)" height="1398" width="1865" msid="79978923" hostid="261"></div><p>After nearly 50 years on the market, GM has canceled the Buick Regal as part of its shift away from passenger cars. The move means the Buick brand will have an all-SUV lineup going into the 2021 model year.</p><h2><strong>Cadillac CT6</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Cadillac CT6 V US Product 013" height="2377" width="3169" msid="79978929" hostid="261"></div><p>Cadillac made a name for itself building gigantic land yachts, but it's pared back its sedan lineup in recent years. Its biggest sedan won't make it to 2021, despite being one of Caddy's technological leaders and the only vehicle to get its twin-turbocharged, 4.2-liter, 550-horsepower <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cadillacs-new-blackwing-cars-here-to-take-on-bmw-mercedes-2020-4#-2">Blackwing V8</a>. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Impala</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2018 Chevrolet Impala." height="2000" width="3000" msid="79978931" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The iconic Impala nameplate bites the dust this year, but it's not the first time GM has discontinued the model. It's been on the market in spurts since the late 1950s - so there's still hope it returns once the nostalgia sets in. </p><h2><strong>Chevrolet Sonic</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Chevrolet Sonic 006" height="1395" width="2500" msid="79978933" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The demise of the small car claims another victim in the Chevy Sonic. Sales of the inexpensive hatchback and sedan peaked in 2014, when Chevy sold <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-chevrolet-sonic/">nearly 94,000 of them</a>, but plummeted <a href="https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2020/jan/0103-gmsales.html">below 14,000 in 2019</a>. </p><p>It started its life outside the US as the Aveo, and, like lots of compact cars that don't find success stateside, it will live on in other markets. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Grand Caravan</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Dodge Grand Caravan." height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978934" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Grand Caravan arguably <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-rise-fall-of-the-minivan-led-by-dodge-caravan-2020-4">birthed the minivan segment</a> when it came on the scene in 1984 along with its upmarket sibling, the Plymouth Voyager. Now, as crossovers and full-size SUVs have superseded minivans as America's family hauler of choice, the minivan that started it all is no more. </p><p>But Fiat Chrysler isn't out of the minivan game altogether - it still sells the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chrysler-pacifica-hybrid-minivan-review-features-2019-4">Chrysler Pacifica</a>, which got a facelift for 2021. </p><h2><strong>Dodge Journey</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="DG020_003JNf41s27dlha2vt5b61j75a7jmp2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978935" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Dodge Journey is the only crossover to kick the bucket for 2021, which speaks volumes of its consumer appeal - or lack thereof. As of May, nearly half of 2019 Journeys sat unsold on dealer lots, according to car search engine <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-car-models-with-most-2019-surplus-inventory-2020-5">iSeeCars</a>.</p><h2><strong>Ford Fusion</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 ford fusion titanium white platinum metallic" height="1292" width="2000" msid="79978936" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Ford announced plans to discontinue all of its sedans <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2018/04/26/ford-has-been-synonymous-with-cars-for-more-than-a-century-thats-about-to-change/">back in 2018</a>, and it's achieved that with the demise of the Fusion. The Focus, Fiesta, and Taurus have all left the scene as well, leaving the Ecosport compact crossover as Ford's entry-level offering. </p><h2><strong>Ford Mustang Shelby GT350</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Heritage Edition_6.JPG" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978990" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The V8-powered, manual-transmission-only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-mustang-shelby-gt350-gt350r-stopping-production-this-fall-2020-10">Mustang Shelby GT350 and GT350R</a> pay homage to the famed Shelby GT350 of the 1960s, which kicked off the Mustang's high-performance reputation. But that rich history wasn't enough for the Blue Oval to keep it around. </p><p>For buyers who desire no less than an absurdly powerful sports car bearing the Shelby name, the 760-horsepower Shelby GT500 is still on the market. </p><h2><strong>Honda Civic Coupe and Civic Si</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1608" width="3000" msid="79978991" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Honda is launching a new, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2022-honda-civic-debut-photos-sleek-styling-2020-11">11th generation of the Civic</a> for 2021, and some changes are coming to the popular model's lineup. The two-door Civic Coupe variant bites the dust after the 2020 model year, while the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/honda-civic-si-review-specs-sedan-manual-price-horsepower-sport-2020-8">sporty Si</a> will take a hiatus for 2021 and return for the following model year. </p><h2><strong>Honda Fit</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Honda Fit" height="800" width="1200" msid="79978992" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Carmakers are getting rid of small hatchbacks left and right, and Honda is no exception. It's axing the Fit, despite the little guy being widely regarded as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-the-best-affordable-cars-you-can-buy-just-got-an-update-2017-7">one of the best compact economy cars</a> money can buy. </p><p>It's an understandable move, given that Fit sales have declined as appetite for the brand's crossovers grows. Now the cheapest vehicle in Honda's lineup is the $21,000 HR-V, which <a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/release-807c080220275f828905387c4f002e91-record-light-truck-sales-lift-ahm-and-honda-brand-to-sales-increases-in-2019">outsold the Fit three-to-one</a> in 2019. </p><h2><strong>Hyundai Elantra GT</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2020 Elantra GT " height="995" width="1326" msid="79978994" hostid="261"></div><p>The hatchback version of the Hyundai Elantra heads to the great junkyard in the sky after the 2020 model year, along with its sporty sibling, the GT N Line. <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3101">Hyundai said</a> the hatchback was displaced by the compact Venue and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyundai-kona-review-photos-styling-2020-12">Kona</a> crossovers.</p><p>But the Veloster and Veloster N carry over to 2021. </p><h2><strong>Jaguar XE</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XE" height="1667" width="2500" msid="79978995" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Jaguar is eliminating its entry-level sport sedan, the XE, from its US lineup after selling only <a href="https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/jaguar-xe-sales-figures-usa-canada/">3,551 of them</a> in 2019. By comparison, BMW regularly sells well <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200103005391/en/BMW-of-North-America-Reports-December-2019-and-Year-End-U.S.-Sales.">over 40,000</a> 3-Series sedans annually, while Mercedes-Benz moved some <a href="https://carsalesbase.com/us-mercedes-benz-c-class/">50,000 C-Class sedans</a> in 2019. </p><p>For 2021, the XF sedan assumes the entry-level spot and gets a significant price cut to match.</p><h2><strong>Jaguar XF Sportbrake</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Jaguar XF S" height="1200" width="1800" msid="79978996" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Wagons are also going by the wayside as crossovers take over, and Jaguar is pulling its one and only long-roof model, the XF Sportbrake, from the American market after only three model years. In that time, Jaguar sold fewer than 250 of the wagons, according to <a href="https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a34285524/jaguar-xe-xf-sportbrake-cancelled/">Road &amp; Track</a>.</p><p>Buyers in the market for a luxury wagon will need to look to offerings like the Volvo V90, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/audi-a4-allroad-wagon-crossover-review-2017-6">Audi</a> A6 Avant, or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/porsche-panamera-gts-sport-turismo-review-photos-features-verdict-2020-2">Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo</a> come 2021. </p><h2><strong>Kia Optima</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Kia Optima" height="1326" width="2000" msid="79978997" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Kia Optima is on its way out after two decades in production. But the South Korean carmaker isn't abandoning sedans like some of its US counterparts - the Optima is succeeded by a sleek new mid-sized model called the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2021-kia-k5-specs-features-photos-release-date">K5</a>. </p><h2><strong>Lexus GS</strong></h2><div type="image" title="LEX GSG MY20 0010 LEAD IMAGE scaled" height="1298" width="1731" msid="79978999" hostid="261"></div><p>The Lexus GS hit the scene in the early 1990s and has endured through four generations. This particular rear-wheel-drive sedan may be going away after 2020, but Lexus-sedan stans will still be able to choose the ES, LS, and IS. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln Continental</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln Continental" height="942" width="2000" msid="79979001" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Lincoln has used the Continental name on and off for some 80 years, and this latest version of the car is dead for 2021. But given the nameplate's deep history, there's a good shot it will come back someday - perhaps on some future electric luxury sedan. </p><h2><strong>Lincoln MKZ</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Lincoln MKZ" height="2000" width="3000" msid="79979002" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>With the MKZ and Continental gone for 2021, Lincoln is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lincoln-continental-mkz-sedan-dead-suv-crossover-lineup-american-luxury-2020-7">left with an all-SUV lineup</a> of the Nautilus, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Aviator</a>, Corsair, and the flagship Navigator. </p><p>And the numbers back up Lincoln's move. In 2019, the brand sold some <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/2020/01/06/sales-4q2019.pdf">88,000 SUVs</a> and fewer than 25,000 sedans - and that's with only a partial year of Aviator sales. </p><p>Following this year's lineup shakeups at Ford and Lincoln, the Mustang is the Blue Oval's only car left standing. </p><h2><strong>Mercedes-Benz SLC</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="_F8A6477 1200x800" height="800" width="1200" msid="79979005" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The Mercedes-Benz SLC is has been officially discontinued with no successor planned, following more than two decades of continuous production. For the model's last hurrah, Mercedes added a yellow <a href="https://media.mbusa.com/releases/the-slc-final-edition">2020 SLC Final Edition</a> to its lineup. </p><h2><strong>Toyota Yaris</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Yaris " height="1166" width="1555" msid="79979006" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>The death of the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic, and Hyundai Elantra GT this year - along with the end of the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 previously - leave a scant few options for fans of subcompacts here in the US. </p><p>Despite the Yaris being a favorite among lovers of small cars, it <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">hasn't sold well</a> in the US as of late. Fewer than 22,000 of them rolled off of dealer lots in 2019, as compared with 304,850 Corollas, 336,978 Camrys, and 448,071 Rav4 crossovers. </p>

25 cars discontinued in 2021 that will disappear from US dealerships, from Ford's last sedan to fan-favorite small hatchbacks

Japanese auto major <keyword id="46283" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nissan">Nissan</keyword> has launched an all new version of its <keyword id="2044634" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="SUV-Terrano">SUV Terrano</keyword>, priced between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 13.6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).<br />
<br /> A hybrid version of its top end <keyword id="4342792" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="SUV-XTrail">SUV XTrail</keyword> will also be launched by the end of this year, in a bid to enhance Nissan’s portfolio in the fast <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/india-is-becoming-a-hot-auto-market-toyota-volkswagen-hyundai-etc-are-looking-to-zoom-operations/articleshow/57645449.cms">growing Indian SUV market</a>. Also, Nissan’s sports hatchback and executive sedans segment in India would get to see <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Nissan-will-launch-8-new-cars-in-India-by-2021/articleshow/54716863.cms">eight new vehicles</a> by 2021.<br />
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"We have interesting products lined up for India as per our plans announced earlier. This year apart from the new Terrano we will have the hybrid XTrail by the end of 2017," said Nissan India Operations President Guillaume Sicard.<br />
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He added that the hybrid XTrail will be launched in very few countries, with India being one of them.<br />
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<strong>Also read:</strong> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/nissan-makes-one-of-the-worlds-best-engines-but-its-days-could-be-numbered/articleshow/57723668.cms">Nissan makes one of the world's best engines - but its days could be numbered</a><br />
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Talking of the new version of Terrano, it comes with 22 new features as compared with the previous one, which include enhanced safety features like electronic stability programme, touch screen navigation and hill ascent assist.<br />
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Competing with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Renault-Launches-Duster-85PS-Adventure-Edition/articleshow/36050082.cms">Renault's Duster</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/10-things-about-the-HyundaiCreta-you-didnt-know/articleshow/48161065.cms">Hyundai’s Creta</a> in the <keyword id="47445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-market">Indian market</keyword>, Terrano was launched in India in 2013.<br />
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<em>(Image source: AutoGyaan)</em>

Terrano gets new version; Xtrail hybrid expected by year end

<ul class="summary-list"><li><strong style="color: #222222;">The 2020 <keyword id="9419506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="honda-civic-si">Honda Civic Si</keyword> is the most recent iteration of a car that's been around for decades. It's a sporty vehicle with all of the practicality of a compact car.</strong></li><li><strong>The Si comes in a sedan and a coupe, and starts at $25,200. It doesn't have many optional add-ons to up the price much further.</strong></li><li><strong>Only one powertrain is available on the Si: a 205-horsepower engine and a six-speed manual transmission. </strong></li><li><strong>The Si is a great car, both in how enjoyable it is to drive and in its styling. But it does have the woes of entry-level vehicles, such as elements of the interior that just feel cheap. </strong></li></ul><p>My spouse and I stood in our driveway looking at the 2006 <keyword id="339557" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda-Civic">Honda Civic</keyword> that might soon stop calling this home. Yet another prospective buyer from Facebook Marketplace had shown up, fueling our running bet on whether they'd ask how to shift the car out of park.</p><p>"Oh!" said the person they brought. "It has a manual transmission — that's so cool!" </p><p>The photos showed the shifter, but you'll quickly learn on Facebook Marketplace that a lot of folks don't look at the photos. They were probably the fourth person to stop by that week to see the 2006 <keyword id="20630" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Honda">Honda</keyword> Civic, which had to go after my spouse impulse-bought a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata (also on Facebook).</p><p>The actual buyer, though, slumped at the thought of needing to learn to drive the car they were buying — especially after they'd stalled it five times at a stop sign during their test drive. They took it home only at the insistence of their companion, who couldn't wait to impart some knowledge.</p><p>A few weeks later, after a whole lot of pounding on its clutch pedal, they texted my spouse to say they were loving the car. It was an ending I saw coming from the moment they signed the papers: a by-chance new fan of the manual transmission.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2914" width="2000" msid="77766549" hostid="261"></div><p>Years after<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mazda-mx-5-miata-club-manual-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-7"> my own conversion</a> and a few weeks after I'd spent some time with the new Honda Civic Si, the saga reminded me just how amazing it is that in 2020, when buyers overwhelmingly choose SUVs and automatics over small cars and manuals, you don't have to roll up to someone's driveway to find a Civic with a stick. You can still get one new at the dealership.</p><p>But the 2020 Si isn't just a Civic with a stick. It's a damn-good Civic, from how it looks to how it drives.</p><h2><strong>The 2020 Civic Si, the latest incarnation of a long tradition</strong></h2><p>Honda's Si badge — that's "<a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/honda-civic-si-history">sport injection</a>," despite the lowercase "I" — has been around for decades. It's the normal Civic, but sportier. With an "injection of sport," if you will.</p><p>For car enthusiasts, the Si is one of those go-to vehicles. If you want a $35,000 V8 with a manual transmission, you go for a Ford Mustang. If you crave the crown jewel of affordable yet impractical sports cars and have an extra space in the garage, you go for a Mazda Miata.</p><p>If you want good, cheap fun right off a dealer lot for $15,000 less than the average price of a new car, you go for the Si.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1822" width="3000" msid="77766552" hostid="261"></div><p>But the Si isn't the kind of car most Americans go for. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/autos/sc-auto-cover-manual-transmissions-20180710-story.html">Only about 2% of vehicles</a> sold in the US these days have a third pedal, yet the Si doesn't come as an automatic. Crossovers and SUVs are<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/passenger-cars-are-dying-in-the-us-market-honda-disagrees-2019-7"> killing the small-car market</a>, yet the Si remains a small car. The average price of a new car is<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/20-cars-trucks-suvs-you-can-buy-new-under-20000-2020-5"> nearing $40,000</a>, yet the Si costs about $25,000.</p><p>The Si fills a void in between dedicated sports car and practical commuter ride, a car light on interior goodies and engineered for fun — a segment that's shrinking as automakers cut small cars and kill manuals in favor of transmissions that require less attention.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2590" width="1800" msid="77766555" hostid="261"></div><p>The Honda Civic Si, in other words, has all the attributes most modern car buyers shun. Yet it's still here, and we're thankful.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: Pay attention to the headlights</strong></h2><p>The 2020 Si starts at $25,200, which is $4,400 more than the base-model Civic. There aren't too many features to add on, either. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2000" width="3000" msid="77766557" hostid="261"></div><p>The only powertrain option is the turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 205 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. Honda offers the Si as a coupe and as a sedan, but is<a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33336901/honda-civic-coupe-discontinued/"> killing the coupe</a> across its Civic lineup after this model year. The Si itself will also take a break in 2021, returning when the<a href="https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/17/2021-honda-civic-info-dump/"> new-generation Civic arrives</a> in 2022.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1739" width="3000" msid="77766562" hostid="261"></div><p>A limited-slip differential and sport mode come standard on the Si, as do Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a push-to-start button, and headlights that turn on and off automatically. The parking brake is electronic, whether you like it or not.</p><p>Also standard are adaptive cruise control, a collision-mitigation braking system, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning in the Honda Sensing safety suite, as well as heated front seats and dual-zone climate control, so you can crank the temperature down to 65 degrees while your passenger hangs out at 78.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2000" width="3000" msid="77766568" hostid="261"></div><p>Both the 2020 Civic<a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Honda/civic-2-door-coupe/2020"> coupe</a> and<a href="https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Honda/civic-4-door-sedan/2020"> sedan</a>, which I tested, have top crash ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The only trouble comes with the Si's headlights, which got the organization's worst safety rating because of excessive glare. Honda later updated the headlights to create only "some glare" and get an IIHS top rating. But that means you'll have to pay attention on the lot, since the old cars are still for sale: Si models built from December 2019 onward have the new headlights, and you can often find out when a car was built on the inside of the driver's door.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: an incredible drive that won't bankrupt you</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si, like many cars of its nature, is pretty much the full package for someone who wants a new sporty car that won't require choosing between said car and ever having a hope of retiring. (Choose retirement. Cars are just cars.)</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1861" width="3000" msid="77766572" hostid="261"></div><p>In a roughly $26,000 package, the Civic Si comes with the tech and safety comforts a car needs along with all the fun a buyer might want. With its four doors and trunk big enough to fit at least two humans (or, to be less ominous, two humans' worth of groceries for a couple of weeks), its sporty driving characteristics are balanced out by the fact that you could easily use it to bring home new furniture.</p><p>Shifts are effortless. The light clutch pedal doesn't push back or provide much tension, but that doesn't matter. The lack of resistance and ease of shifting just feels right. You want to drive the Si, and it wants to drive with you.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1867" width="3000" msid="77766575" hostid="261"></div><p>The Si won't awe you with speed, even with the turbocharger's help. Its 205 horsepower isn't enough to make any compact sedan into a land rocket, because even "compact" sedans are heavy. The Si is meant to be fun for what it is: practical, from its body style to its 30-mpg combined fuel-economy rating.</p><p>The car looks the part too. The red accenting all over its black interior makes you feel at ease when you step inside, ready to go, no matter how far you're going. The carbon-fiber-like accents are a nice touch. The circular shift knob fit perfectly in my palm.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1738" width="3000" msid="77766579" hostid="261"></div><p>The Si has the Goldilocks of steering wheels, not too thin and not too thick. It was just big enough to wrap my hands around comfortably, but not big enough to be burdensome in a vehicle that's supposed to feel somewhat nimble. Its infotainment screen is intuitive to use, unlike many modern systems, and its turn-signal cameras feed live video into the gauge cluster to fill in blind spots.</p><p>The Si is driver-centric. The focal point of the gauge cluster — the driver's main view — is the giant digital tachometer with a numerical speed reading under its arc, because it's more enjoyable to watch the revs bounce up and down than it is to see a speedometer hold at the speed limit.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1730" width="3000" msid="77766582" hostid="261"></div><p>That's what the Si is all about: being enjoyable, from the drive itself to all the things that factor into it.</p><h2><strong>What falls short: the less obvious drawbacks of an economy car</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si is still on the cheap end of the new-car market, meaning it comes with many of the woes of an entry-level interior.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1667" width="2500" msid="77766583" hostid="261"></div><p>Cloth seats like the ones in the Si can be a plus, for some. They won't start to wear and crack on the edges like leather, and they can be made to look nice with a little bit of contrast stitching and a pattern.</p><p>But cloth in the Si is everywhere. On the door panels. The armrests. The places other cars use hard materials instead of soft, absorbent ones. The problem isn't with the cloth itself, but with any grime it might pick up. You'll start to see marks on the armrest and the doors, and have no clue where they came from. Sure, it's an easy clean, but that doesn't make it not annoying. </p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1742" width="3000" msid="77766586" hostid="261"></div><p>The seats are weak and bouncy, particularly in the back. Hop behind the driver and be reminded of that couch you purchased for your first apartment — temptingly inexpensive, but sure to wear down after a few years.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1809" width="3000" msid="77766691" hostid="261"></div><p>The rear fold-out armrest is like that too. Pull it out of its little socket in the middle seat, and you won't get a stiff, stable spot for your arm. You get a thing that will bounce off the seat bottom about three times when pulled down, then come to a limp rest against it, unable to hold itself up, let alone your arm.</p><p>There's a lot of legroom in the back of the Si, but the overall view isn't fancy. It almost feels like a different car than it does in the front seats, where the red-and-gray accents leave you with a sporty vibe. In the back, it's just a lot of flat black.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1766" width="3000" msid="77766695" hostid="261"></div><p>Adding to the economy feel are the car's yellow-tinted interior lights and hollow-feeling accents, like the hard black lining on either side of the shifter. It might look nice and neat in photos, but tap it with your finger a few times and it feels just a little too cheap.</p><p>Don't look (or tap) too hard, though, and you'll be OK.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="2684" width="2000" msid="77766698" hostid="261"></div><p>That's the case with most disappointments on the Si: If you don't look too hard, they won't bother you. The issues aren't intrusive, and they're easy to set aside when you remember that this isn't a car anyone buys for fanciness. It's a car people buy to have a blast in, with a new-car warranty and without spending a lot of money. </p><p>In that respect, it does its job more than all right.</p><h2><strong>How the Si compares to its competitors: It's all a matter of preference</strong></h2><p>The Civic Si is the middle tier between the regular Civic and the full-blown Civic Type R, which comes with 306 horsepower, a six-speed manual, and starts at $36,995. It sits in a crowd of other manual-transmission front-wheel-drive cars vying for the same customer.</p><p><strong><div type="image" title="honda civic si hyundai veloster n volkswagen golf gti mazda 3 hatch comparison" height="1294" width="1840" msid="77766707" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><div type="image" title="honda civic si hyundai veloster n volkswagen golf gti mazda 3 hatchback" height="400" width="1982" msid="77766712" hostid="261"></div><p>There's the Volkswagen Golf GTI with a $28,595 base price, and before it fell victim to Ford's plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ford-eliminating-passenger-cars-is-paying-off-2018-9">eliminate passenger cars</a>, there was a Ford Focus ST — also the middle tier between the base Focus and the all-out performance version. Prices for Hyundai's performance trims sit on either side of the Si's MSRP, with the middle option, the Elantra N-Line, starting at $23,500, and the top option, Veloster N, starting at $27,600.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-drove-a-46000-mini-jcw-gp-reviewed-speed-demon-2020-8">John Cooper Works</a> is Mini's offering, but it starts in the $33,000 range. Mazda and Toyota don't have performance variants for their competitors, but the 168-horsepower Corolla hatch starts at $20,290 and the 186-horsepower Mazda 3 hatch only has a manual on its top trim, which starts at $27,500.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="1865" width="3000" msid="77766715" hostid="261"></div><p>In terms of looks alone, the new Mazda 3 hatch and the Veloster N win out in this crowd. But the Mazda 3 sacrifices performance for a "premium" feel, while the Veloster N and Golf GTI bring more performance than the Si at the cost of a higher MSRP. </p><p>But the market for these cars is competitive, and each buyer is going to have a different set of wants. If this is your niche, take all of them on a test drive and see which you like the best.</p><h2><strong>Our impressions: a car we don't deserve </strong></h2><p>Many buyers who go for automatics likely feel the same way the buyer of my husband's Civic did. Why learn to do something most cars handle just fine?</p><p>We've shown, at least in America, that our tastes generally aren't for cars like the Si or its counterparts. We're into big crossovers with enough room for the kids and enough cup holders for the lattes, and we want transmissions so smooth that we forget the car is even shifting from one gear to another.</p><div type="image" title="2020 Honda Civic Si" height="3000" width="2000" msid="77766718" hostid="261"></div><p>But for the few who venture toward a clutch — reluctantly or not — cars like the Si remain, with their small statures and very obvious gears that need to be manually changed, catering to that 2% of us who still want to buy a new car with that funky third pedal.</p><p>That's a choice we're lucky to have, even if only a few of us know it. </p>

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