I had a 99 Civic Si which was rated at 160 HP @ 8000RPM and like 111 ft/lbs of torque at 7200 RPM. Don't kill me if these specs are off a bit, but they are close.
On cars like this, HP and torque numbers simply don't tell the entire story. I was really set on the Si version because of it's DOHC engine and disc brakes all around. I drove a brand new 99 Civic Si and a almost brand new (less than 10,000 miles) 99 Civic Ex with a manual and in all honesty, if you kept it below about 3,000 or 4,000 RPM, I think the EX felt a tad torquier... I think it was rated at about 12X ft/lbs but the peak was at well below 7200 RPM.
Having said that, I absolutely LOVED how the Si sounded and felt when it was revved hard. Plus with the dual personality of the VTEC engine management, if you kept it below 4,000 RPM or so, you would ALWAYS get 30+ MPG and you could drive an elderly person around in it without arousing any attention. But, when you took it over 5,500 RPM, it literally felt like an entirely different car. I'm not pretending it was some budget super car, but for me, at the time, it was a great choice because they are dead reliable, got great gas mileage and it was fun to drive in a spirited manner. (Also the resale value was a major contributor to my decision. I paid $17,200 for it and got $15,800 for it about 39 months later).
Having said that, I haven't driven a a post-2000 Civic except for an EX with an auto. Between the two cars you are speaking of in this thread, I'm sure the combustion version will have more pep. On the Camry, if the Accord is any indication, the Camry is likely to be well over $30,000. I think the Accord is about $35,000 or $36,000.