With the exception of the RX-7, the Supra or the NSX (and maybe the 300ZX), Japanese cars are usually light handling but weak. A 7.5 second 0-100KM/H time is unusually low in these cars... for the same money as my Firebird! Like the North Americans, the Japanese don't have many sports cars left... <sigh> It must be the tanning fumes from the cowboy boots on all those SUV drivers. Everyone, apparently, loves a cowboy.
So you wanna mod your Rising Sun car to be as fast as my 'bird? Here's what I think of your Civic, pal...
No matter how much rice you add to your lawn mower, it's still a lawn mower...