I own a civic and a 2001 S2000.
I rarely ever drive the civic- only when it rains or is freezing cold, which isn't often in Texas.
The S2000 is definitely loud, but only at higher RPM's. Even then, it has a "fast" loud sound rather than just a loud engine sound. My civic is way louder, but thats just the exhaust I have on it.
Vtec doesn't hit like afterburners, but you feel it kick in. You have to be ready for it, it can freak you out if you're not ready.
Torque is a little lacking, but unless you're drag racing, thats not a big deal. In normal traffic, performance is the key, and the S2000 has tons of it.