Official EK4 - EK9 Comparison


ijwhiteman

Super Moderator
Donator
Joined
Jan 29, 2008
Messages
6,259
Due to popular demand and requests made, this write up may be of some use to people on here that are constantly asking about the EK4 and EK9.

Please bare in mind i am comparing a UKDM EK4 and it is largely opinion based with facts included.

I have owned both and up untill this point my EK4 had £10k put into it and my EK9 is standard.

I will cover a few areas in here

Handling

B16a2 VS B16b VS B18c

Stats


Handling

This for me is the crytical point of the EK9 visually they look the same untill you look further into the chassis you notice much more R and D.

The EK9 boasts

Seam welded chassis
Stiffening brace under the chassis near the rear ARB
Stiffening bars behind the bumpers
A 22mm Rear ARB vs a 13mm on EK4
Better Shocks and springs
Limited Slip Differential
Lighter windscreen

I'm sure there is more but these are just my observations.

What amazes me further is the massive difference in weight between the EK9 and EK4 yet the EK9 has more weight added in terms of braces, seam welding etc etc. Yes a EK4 has a sunroof but that only weighs approx 16kgs! And the sound deadening approx 11kgs... Where is the other 144kgs? Incredible...

As soon as you sit behind the wheel of both you will notice the difference in steering. The steering is very different on a EK9 it feels heavy almost like there is no powersteering but gives so much more feedback than the EK4 ever did, it was to light in my opinion and always made me consider removing the powersteering.

In terms of driving there is no comparison a standard EK4 feels heavy and slugish and rolls badley in corners. The rear wheels never followed the front wheels and it would understeer all the time. Upon exiting the corner you would have to wait until you had exited before applying full throttle. Even when i had put a B18c in and fitted coilovers, camber correctors, EK9 rear arb with asr brace, tower braces, strut braces, roll cage, had a fast road setup done, and stripped over 200kgs from the car it was still not a touch on my EK9. It was better and it handled well don't get me wrong but how can i beat a company like Honda that have developed an EK9 for track? Its amazing how the EK9 a front wheel drive car feels like a rear wheel drive and does not understeer... INCREDIBLE :bow: You can get on the power so early and the LSD just pulls you arround the corner the suspension is so great it is actually making me debate wether or not to fit my coilovers in fear of ruining the handling.... :p

B16a2 VS B16b VS B18c

The engines are great all of them. The little B16a2 pulls very well and i still feel it had more lower torque than the B16b particularly arround 3.5k to 5k however when the B16b comes on cam it is completely different to the B16a2. It pulls very hard and very strong all the way to the limiter similar to the B18c and is actually making me consider not putting the B18c in... The B18c pulls very strongly right from the word go but you never really feel like your thrashing it especially not on the road. The all or nothing power from the B16b makes it a very nice experience. Calm and collected driving below 5k then mental when WOT on cam. But i do miss the lack of torque from the B18c it was definitly faster.

Stats

Standard spec for Honda Civic VTI EK4

Engine Size – 1595cc
Cylinders – 4
0-60 mph – 7.9 secs
Power Output – 157 bhp
Torque - 151 Nm
Top Speed – 129 mph
Weight – 1260 kg

Standard spec for Honda Civic Type R EK9

Engine Size – 1595cc
Cylinders - 4
0-60 - 6.7 sec
Power Output - 185 bhp
Torque - 158 Nm
Top speed - 144 mph
Weight: 1090 kg

Spec for Honda Civic Type R EK9 (B18c)

Engine - 1797 cc
Cylinders - 4
Power - 195 bhp
Torque - 178 Nm
0-60 - 6.7 sec
Top speed: 144 mph
Weight: 1090 kg

I hope this is usefull i will update as and when neccesary, when i remember more and as the EK9 developes through its modifiying.

Not to drastically though :drive:
 
Last edited:
great write up mate.
i can not tell you how many people have asked me about the differences between the ek4 to the ek9.
Chassis, corner entry speed and the pure thrill of keeping it at the top of the powerband is what i say ;)
like you said, from appearance, they look so similar, but as soon as you drive it, the car is noticably different.
The torque is very similar between the b16a2 and the b16b, and the reason why you might feel the b16a2 having more torque between 3.5 to 5 krpm is prob due to the longer wait till the vtec coming in from the b16b.
 
Last edited:
Good write up. However is the 6.7s 60mph time right for ek9? Thought it was faster than that...
 
Ian you bastard!!! Makes me want to stop spending money on mine and go buy an ek9 :(
 
I'm gonna unstick the "list your mods" thread and stick this one :clap:
 
►Official EK4 - EK9 Comparison◄

there is no comparison:D
 
Do you know if the fenders from the ek4 will fit on the ek9?

If it's from the same year model then yes. I.e. 96-98 model ek9 and ek4 fenders are the same, 98-00 ek9 and ek4 fenders are the same.
 
Great write up ian !

Yer thought it was 5.7 to 60 ?

Not to worry still making me want my EK9 more and more :)
 
On the 0-60 front i found this from a more reliable source other than wikipedia.

I believe it to be correct much closer than 5.7. It does not out accelerate a B18 or K20 so how can it be faster. Watch all the vids on youtube of DC2 againts EK9 and it makes sense that it is more 6.7.

The weights are stated for the model with the extras. 1090 is the heaviest EK9 by the book i believe 1035kg for the lightweight edition.

Remember that honda use controlled instances to weigh viechles. Questions like

how much fuels in it?, oil?, coolant?,washer fluid? etc etc

So throw out what anyone tells you they weigh there car at as at its like a dyno to many variants. Without knowing the strict environment you can not compare.
 
Great write up! Makes me want to get my 9 ASAP!!! As for the 0-60 times 6.7 sounds more realistic since our petrol RON is lower then the Japanese ones and not all drivers is able to change gears quick enough to get it lower then 6 seconds. :D
 
128mph top speed from the B16 a2?? how come ive had it up 2 140? no problem at all??
 
128mph top speed from the B16 a2?? how come ive had it up 2 140? no problem at all??

Agreed, I've seen plenty of EK Vti's make it to 140-146mph? I think top speed is 144-146mph.

146mph is 7700rpm on an EK4 B16A2
 
Last edited:
if read on speedo, then it is inaccurate. use an extenal device, if not already done so, directly to/from the ecu for a more precise figure
 
How does the seating position/height differ from the Ek4? Is it better?
 
How does the seating position/height differ from the Ek4? Is it better?

I would say they are pretty much the same, although if memory serves me correct the standard EK4 seats sat slighthly lower i'm sure of it. However change to lower frames on the Recaros is a very nice position to sit. :D
 
Back
Top