Yes you're right. I originally did not like the idea of the civic getting a larger, heavier engine, but in the previous gen the aspects that made the car good on the track were the ones that made it kind of annoying on the road. The 1-2 gear ratio, the high hp low torque combo, the lower capacity fuel tank were all negatives in the old Si.
To be honest, I wouldn't even consider looking at the Si because its been overtaken by literally everyone. VW Golf, Hyundai's bringing out a sports compact that gets 200hp AND almost 40 mpg. Honda has left itself playing catch-up with everyone else.
