If you want affordable, practical fun in the perfect daily-drivable package and insist on nothing but a manual gearbox, then the 2022 Honda Civic Si has to be on your shortlist. It only produces a claimed 200 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, but dyno testing has already proven that the new Si is packing a lot more than it says on the tin. But more important than the outputs are the facts that it can only be equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox and is remarkably affordable with a starting MSRP of only $27,300. But with the car market facing production issues weekly due to the semiconductor chip shortage, demand is higher than ever. And where there's demand, there are dealers adding ludicrous markups on cars for sale. The Civic Si is the latest victim with a more than 50% markup.

The car in question is being sold at Honda Lake Elsinore in California. Listed as new with only five miles on the clock, this Sonic Gray Pearl example - a $395 paint option - is retailing for $42,694. Considering there are no other options attached to this one, that makes it a ridiculous $14,999 more expensive than the MSRP. To put it another way, the dealer markup is 55% over MSRP, or enough to buy an entire Mitsubishi Mirage or Chevrolet Spark. At that price, you could buy some serious performance, too, like a 315-hp 2022 VW Golf R ($43,645), a fully-loaded 268-hp 2021 Subaru WRX STI Limited ($41,945), or for a little more, a 2022 Audi S3 ($44,900).

All three of the above are more powerful, and in the case of the VW and the Audi, are a lot more luxurious. The latest-generation Civic has grown up somewhat and feels rather premium, but in that sort of company, the price Honda Lake Elsinore is asking makes it tough to justify. We'll be the first to admit that the Civic Si is a barrel of laughs to drive, but this doesn't even have the optional HPD package on it - a $1,112 option that adds pronounced front and rear spoilers and side skirts to create an even sportier look.

We have no doubt there'll be someone who forks over the cash for the ability to have a Civic Si right this second, but we can't but think dealers are being greedy in asking this much.