Simple mods to wake up an unmolested civic

So I have a nine year old Civic LX 4dr/5spd. For nine years, my commuter car. 151k miles. Rock solid. I still enjoy rowing the gears, but the new Accord that sits next to it in the garage tells me my civic is s l o w. Driving up a hill with the AC running tells me the same, emphatically.

My ear also tells me I may have the original exhaust wearing out. On my last civic (a 93, otherwise identical) at about this point in its life, I replaced the exhaust with OEM (because much louder fart can seemed the only easy alternative, and I'm a grown man with no need to be heard from four doors down). Anyway, I always wondered if I missed an opportunity with that one. And since this opportunity knocks once per decade.. I figure I am in luck because Now I know a where to converse with a bunch of fine folks who seem to know five easy ways to improve any engine on this planet...

So here is the question. Starting with exhaust, are there easy way(s) to wake this car up a bit. Engine is D17A1. SOHC 115 galloping ponies.

Go.

I have used the ebay stailess ricer exhausts on a few cars with good success. I just make sure its one with a normal shaped muffler, instead of the standard rice cannon. the standard shaped mufflers are typically much much quieter and stock appearing. expect some mild tweaks to make it fit right.

also, high flow cat. it will pick up some of the lost power.

and on my d16z6, it LOVED the cheapest ebay stainless long tube I could find. as well as the aluminum flywheel. and cheap ebay cold air intake with good AEM filter.

I did the flywheel first, and was meh. then the exhaust work, and was like "this is decent." then the intake and went "its almost as good as my v8 Dakota". when I did a ported y8 manifold, good throttle body, and chipped p28, I really enjoyed the car. (it was the engine I swappend into an 89 crx si)

those engines dont respond as well to mods as the older ones. that being said the "more air in more exhaust out" formula should wake it up a bit. lighter wheels, lighter flywheels is good too.

You have a 115 hp car and a few mods probably won't give you much power. I would also suggest getting an affordable lightweight racing muffler, maybe 2" at the largest. It will make your car sound somewhat like a race car.

CAI ( a good one ) header (again you get pretty much what you pay for) 2 1/2" exhaust, and a muffler you can stand

my '01 Integra LS went from 105 whp to 131 with those 3 mods

granted the B18 is a bit more "sophisticated" than the D17, but the gains should be there

What solfly said. More air in, more air out. I'm going through the battle to help my Ranger's mileage out. Remove any intake muffling. Make sure the intake hose isn't restricted too much. I prefer the barrel filters. Same story on the exhaust.