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Honda Mini VolkswagenCivic Si Cooper S GTI 2.0 T

GENERAL DATAList price $19,990 $20,600 $21,990Price as tested $22,490 $31,376 $29,405

Price as tested incl std equip. (ABS, front, side & side curtain airbags, AM/FM/CD /XM ready, air con-ditioning, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel w/tilt/telescope, power windows, mirrors & door locks), Honda Navigation System w/voice recognition and three months XM radio ($1750), summer tires ($200), dest charge ($550).

Price as tested incl std equip. (ABS, front, side airbags, yaw & traction control, AM/FM/CD), John Cooper Works package (enhanced su-percharger & cyl head, re-prog ECU, fuel injectors, induction sys, exhaust, upgraded brakes, limited-slip diff) $6300, Sport Package (Dynamic Stabil-ity Control, xenon head-lights w/powerwashers, foglights, hood stripes) $1400, 18-in. high-per-formance wheels/tires ($2526), dest charge ($550).

Price as tested incl std equip. (ABS, front, side & side curtain airbags, traction control, xenon headlights, AM/FM/CD), package 2 (sun-roof, Sirius radio, dual-zone climate control, heated leather sport seats, heated washer nozzles) $3160, naviga-tion system & 6-disc CD changer ($1800), 6-speed Direct Shift Gearbox ($1075), 18-in. alloy wheels w/sum-mer tires ($750), dest charge ($630).

Curb weight 2880 lb 2620 lb 3170 lbTest weight 3060 lb 2810 lb 3360 lbWeight dist (with

driver), f/r, % 61/39 59/41 61/39Wheelbase 104.3 in. 97.1 in. 101.5 in.Track, f/r 59.0 in./60.1 in. 57.2 in./57.5 in. 60.4 in./59.7 in.Length 174.8 in. 143.9 in. 165.8 in.Width 68.9 in. 66.5 in. 69.3 in.Height 53.5 in. 55.8 in. 58.4 in.

ENGINEType dohc 4-valve/cyl I-4 sohc 4-valve/cyl I-4

superchargeddohc 4-valve/cyl I-4 turbocharged

Displacement 1998 cc 1598 cc 1984 ccBore x stroke 86.0 x 86.0 mm 77.0 x 85.8 mm 82.5 x 92.8 mmCompression ratio 11.0:1 8.3:1 10.3:1Horsepower (SAE) 197 bhp @ 7800 rpm 207 bhp @ 6950 rpm 200 bhp @ 5100-6000 rpm

Torque 139 lb-ft @ 6200 rpm 180 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm 207 lb-ft @ 1800-5000 rpm

Redline/limiter 8000/8300 rpm na/6950 rpm 6500/7000 rpmFuel injection elect. sequential port elect. sequential port elect. sequential directRec fuel premium unleaded premium unleaded premium unleaded

CHASSIS & BODYLayout front engine/fwd front engine/fwd front engine/fwdBody/frame unit steel unit steel unit steel Brakes Front: 11.8-in. vented discs/

1-piston sliding calipers10.9-in. vented discs/1-piston sliding calipers

12.3-in. vented discs/1-piston sliding calipers

Rear: 10.2-in. discs/1-piston sliding calipers; vac assist, ABS

10.2-in. discs/1-piston sliding calipers; vac assist, ABS

11.3-in. discs/1-piston sliding calipers; vac assist, ABS

Wheels cast alloy, 17x7J cast alloy, 18 x 7 cast alloy, 18 x 7½ J Tires Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2,

215/45ZR-17 91WDunlop SP Sport 01 DSST, 205/40R-18 82W

Continental SportContact 2, 225/40R-18 92Y

Steering rack & pinion, electric power assist

rack & pinion, vari power assist

rack & pinion, electric power assist

Steering ratio 14.6:1 13.4:1 16.1:1Turns lock to lock 2.7 2.5 3.0

Suspension, f/r MacPherson struts, lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/up-per & lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

MacPherson struts, lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/mul-tilink, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

MacPherson struts, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/multilink, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

ACCOMMODATIONSSeating capacity 5 4 5Head room, f/r 36.3 in./33.5 in. 39.0 in./36.0 in. 38.8 in./37.8 in.Front-seat leg room 43.3 in. 44.8 in. 44.8 in.Rear-seat knee room 23.0 in. 19.8 in. 22.8 in.Trunk space 11.5 cu ft 5.8 cu ft 15.1 cu ft

Honda Mini VolkswagenCivic Si Cooper S GTI 2.0 T

ACCELERATIONTime to distance, seconds

0–1320 ft (¼ mile) 15.0 @ 95.6 mph 14.9 @ 95.6 mph 14.8 @ 94.6 mph

BRAKINGMinimum stopping distance

From 60 mph 128 ft 122 ft 120 ftFrom 80 mph 236 ft 226 ft 211 ft

Total swept area 409 sq in. 375 sq in. 518 sq in.Swept area per ton 284 sq in. 286 sq in. 327 sq in.

HANDLINGLateral accel * 0.87g 0.86g 0.88g

Balance mild understeer moderate understeer moderate understeerSlalom speed** 66.8 mph 66.2 mph 67.2 mph

Balance mild understeer mild understeer moderate understeer*200-ft skidpad; ** 700-ft slalom, 100-ft spacing.

DRIVETRAINTransmission 6-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-sp. paddle-shift manualGear/Ratio/Overall/(Rpm) Mph

1st,:1 3.27/15.60/(8300) 36 4.46/12.79/(6950) 39 3.46/14.05/(6750) 372nd,:1 2.13/10.16/(8300) 56 2.71/7.79/(6950) 64 2.15/8.73/(6750) 603rd,:1 1.52/7.25/(8300) 78 1.33/5.65/(6950) 88 1.46/5.93/(6750) 884th,:1 1.15/5.49/(8300) 103 1.09/4.62/(6950) 108 1.08/4.38/(6750) 1195th,:1 0.92/4.39/est (8300) 129 1.33/3.83/(6950) 130 1.09/3.42/est(5800) 130**

6th,:1 0.66/3.15/na* 1.09/3.13/est (6250) 143 0.92/2.89/est(4900) 130**

Final drive ratio 4.77:1 2.87:1 (1,2,5,6), 4.24:1 (3,4) 4.06:1 (1-4), 3.14:1 (5-6)

Engine rpm @ 60 mph in top gear 2800 rpm 2500 rpm 2250 rpm

*Top speed reached in 5th. **Electronicaly limited.

FUEL ECONOMYOur driving 24.8 mpg 23.3 mpg 21.4 mpgEPA city/highway 23/32 mpg 25/32 mpg 25/31 mpgCruise range 303 miles 284 miles 289 milesFuel capacity 13.2 gal. 13.2 gal. 14.5 gal.

INTERIOR NOISEIdle in neutral 45 dBA 50 dBA 45 dBAMaximum, 1st gear 78 dBA 80 dBA 77 dBA

Constant 50 mph 69 dBA 71 dBA 69 dBAConstant 70 mph 72 dBA 74 dBA 74 dBA

20

06 Honda

Civic SiAmerican Honda Motor Company, Inc., 1919Torrance Blvd., Torrance, Calif. 90501; www.honda.com

20

06 Mini

Cooper S Mini USA, 300 Chesnut Ridge Rd.,Woodcliff Lake, N.J. 07677; www.mini.com

20

06 Volkswagen

GTI 2.0 TVolkswagen of America, Inc., 3800 Hamlin Rd., Auburn Hills, Mich. 48326; www.vw.com

Test Notes: ACCELERATION The GTI has a distinct advantage with its foolproof DSG transmission. The Si and JCW are trickier to launch, but can clearly hold their own. Without boost, the Si lacks the torque to keep up.

Time to speed HondaCivic Si^

Mini Cooper S^

VolkswagenGTI^

0 –120 mph na na na

0 –110 mph 20.7 21.1 21.4

0 –100 mph 16.3 16.3 16.9

0 –90 mph 13.3 13.1 13.3

0 –80 mph 10.7 10.4 10.4

0 –70 mph 8.5 8.3 8.1

0 –60 mph 6.6 6.3 6.3

0 –50 mph 5.0 4.9 4.7

0 –40 mph 3.7 3.8 3.4

0 –30 mph 2.7 2.4 2.4

0 –20 mph 1.5 1.5 1.5

0 –10 mph 0.6 0.6 0.6

denotes quarter mile

TEST CONDITIONSTemperature 81˚ FHumidity 13%Elevation 350 ftWind calmLocation Irvine, California

0406 RT 3 car DP v9ms.indd 5 2/13/06 5:35:14 PM