The factory intake on your Honda Civic isn’t the greatest design for performance. It’s meant to balance sound levels with modest performance, but not be great at either. One of the best ways to wake up your Civic is to replace the intake system with a short ram or cold air intake. Both offer better sound and performance at an affordable price. We are often asked which type is better, and what brands offer the best performance for your money, so this post goes through the two types and what brands we recommend the most.
What is a Short Ram Intake and What Does It Do?
The OEM intake system on the Civic is meant to reduce sound and offer limited performance. It has an airbox to house the filter, has multiple hoses for emission reduction, and takes up a lot of space in the engine bay. A short ram intake replaces most of that bulk with a tidy package meant to keep the intake routing as short and unrestricted as possible.
The short ram intakes are a simple design and are generally the lowest cost for a replacement intake system. They keep the filter inside the engine bay, which can offer a limited performance increase due to their placement near the engine. The air inside the engine bay is often hotter and less dense than the air outside because the engine generates heat.
What is a Cold Air Intake and What Does It Do?
Cold air intakes replace the OEM intake section with sleek tubing that prioritizes grabbing colder air from outside of the warm engine bay. They typically use a simple cone filter to keep dirt and debris out and the tubing can still manage any hoses needed for emissions compliance. Cold air intakes offer better sound and engine performance over OEM intakes without breaking the bank. The intake sections are longer than a short ram intake, but don’t hinder performance.
One thing to note on cold air intakes is where the filter location is after installation. If the filter is located low on the car, such as behind a fog light or another low area, it can suck in water if the car is driven in deep water. This doesn’t happen often, but we have seen enthusiasts caught in heavy rain hydro-lock their engines with dire consequences. It’s something to be aware of, but not necessarily afraid of.
Is the Short Ram Intake or Cold Air Intake Better?
If we were to debate the benefits and drawbacks between a short ram intake and a cold air intake, our champion for the newer generations of the Honda Civic would be the cold air intake. The short ram intake is noted as prone to heat soak, and the Honda Civic engine bay is crammed with electronics and gets very warm because of the turbocharger on some models. In a turbocharged application, the best case is to start with colder air before it is compressed inside the turbine housing and sent through the intercooler.
What Intake Options Does Two Step Performance Offer?
TSP offers different options from multiple vendors that can support your horsepower goals. Below are what we recommend for both short ram intakes and cold air intakes:
Short Ram Intakes:
- PRL Motorsports - The PRL Motorsports intake can offer between a 15 and 20 horsepower increase depending on the MAF configuration and tune. It’s a huge bang for the buck option and is extremely easy to install.
- 27WON - The 27WON short ram intake offers a larger and less restrictive dry-flow 4-inch filter and a billet aluminum MAF section that is available in 2 color options. A 4-ply silicone coupler with smooth transitions replaces the stock corrugated plastic piping for better response and a better visual appeal.
Cold Air Intakes:
- PRL Motorsports – The PRL Motorsports cold air intake offers a 15-20 horsepower upgrade without sacrificing the driving experience. There are multiple options available with different configurations and MAF sensors, so be sure to select the right one for your combination.
- 27WON - The 27WON cold air intake is designed to pull cold air from the fender like a normal CAI, but the design prevents the opportunity for hydro-locking the engine if you get caught in a heavy rainstorm. The mass air sensor can be configured in a street or race option with two different colors available for the housing.
Two Step Performance was founded in 2017, preceded by a lifelong passion for modifying and driving turbocharged imports. We began with a small assortment of handpicked brands that we have personally used and believed in. As the company and the community around us have grown, we have continued to add carefully selected product lines to our catalog. In addition to offering brands that you already know and trust, one of our favorite things to do is to identify innovative new products and emerging brands and add them to our catalog as well. We only sell products that we believe in. We also take great pride in offering the best experience to our customers every step of the way. If we can help answer questions on your next build, give us a shout on our contact page.