If you're anything like me, you're eagerly awaiting the new Civic Si and Type R. It'll be the first time in the Civic's long history that the U.S. is getting two "Fast & Furious"-ready hot Hondas. The two sport Civics are still a ways off, but I had a chance to sample a prototype of the car that'll fill the gap between the regular Civic and the Si: a six-speed manual-equipped Civic 1.5T sedan.

The 1.5T's six-speed manual gearbox is a blast to shift.

Joining the Civic's option list sometime this year, the manual-equipped turbocharged Civic should help keep enthusiasts happy while we await hotter versions of the 10th-gen Civic. The manual transmission makes it easier than ever to take advantage of the engine's torque curve. Honda's turbo-four encourages you to make the most of the 162 lb-ft of torque, all of which is available between 1,700 and 5,500 rpm, by revving it for all its worth while blasting down country lanes. That might not bode well for fuel economy, but it's definitely fun.

The manual transmission continues the Honda tradition of offering light, precise shifts. Although I'd hesitate to call this 1.5T manual combo a sport model, it does certainly make the Civic feel sportier, and it'll appease most until the hotter Hondas arrive.

More on the Civic:

Automatic-transmission 2016 Honda Civic photos by Robin Trajano are shown below; prototype photo by Christian Seabaugh.

