By now, it should be no surprise that Consumer Reports isn’t fond of the redesigned-for-2012 Honda Civic. We’ve tested LX, EX, and Hybrid versions, and all of them scored below our threshold to be recommended. (Honda seems to agree that the car could be better, as Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito recently took personal responsibility for the car’s faults.) Now it’s time for Civic test car #4: a four-door Si.

Compact sports sedans like the Si are automotive decathletes. They can provide enough practicality and refinement to be everyday family transportation. They aim to be entertaining to drive when the roads get twisty. They usually offer a bit of flair in styling and furnishings. And their feisty personalities are typically aided by a manual transmission and high-revving small-displacement engines, often delivering fun and fuel efficiency. A car that balances these traits well will score high in our Ratings.

As you’d expect, the Civic Si performs quite a bit better than the more-basic Civic. It has much more tire grip and greatly improving handling and braking. Even though some online masses complain that the Si’s new engine doesn’t rev to the nosebleed-high levels of the previous car, this Acura TSX-sourced 2.4-liter four-cylinder and slick six-speed manual transmission is a gem.

Unfortunately the Civic Si doesn’t escape all of its family sins.

See what I mean by watching our video.