One of the hottest trends in the automobile industry is the emergence of the ‘tuner’ market.

Whoa……suddenly had a Y2K flashback there. Seriously, weren’t we talking about the tuner and ’sport compact car’ segment being the next big thing at least 5 years ago? We were, and considering how slow 800-pound gorillas move, I guess it should come as no surprise that 5 years later, only one Japanese automaker has publically embraced the potential of this market.

The real shocker? That automaker isn’t Honda.

From the moment it was released to the market, Toyota’s Scion brand was aimed at the tuner market, with the twist being that the Scion xB, xA, and later tC models were promoted as being ‘customizable’ at the dealership, meaning you could Have it Your Way (Damned The King is everywhere!). While other automakers offered packages as a dealer-installed option, Toyota was the first to actively advertise their availability, and target tuners in their marketing.

While it’s great that Toyota saw an emerging trend and capitalized on it, the better question is, what the hell was Honda thinking by NOT doing the same thing?

Finally, Honda has decided its time to turn back the clock, and actively go after tuners. And they did so in a big way last week, sponsoring SEMA’s (Speciality Equipment Market Association) annual show, the aftermarket’s version of the Super Bowl. Also making a splash at SEMA, Honda unveiled the 2006 Honda Civic Si. The Honda Civic is probably the one car most responsible for the birth of the tuner market, so it’s a natural choice for Honda’s re-entry into the segment. The Si is the sportier version, with a more lightweight and performance-oriented offering, a 4-cylinder engine producing 197 HP. Of course with a few modifications, this spitfire should easily pass 200 HP.

And of course, Honda will be happy to talk to you about those available modifications when you visit them. At least they’d better be. If not, Scion will be happy to show you what you’re missing.

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