Hybrid Vehicles Guide

Overview: Looking like something out of a B-grade sci-fi movie, the Honda Civic hybrid proves to be much more than just a one-trick pony. Typical Honda reliability meets up with new-found technology, resulting in a gas sipper burns less fuel than the already efficient Civic. A win-win situation for everyone involved.

Detail: When I first saw the Honda Civic hybrid, I had to laugh at the ridiculous hub caps. What ever happened to a proper rim? The car looked as if it had been picked up for a low budget movie, with a few visual modifications to make it look as if it had come back from the not-so-distant future.

Not so. In fact, this Honda had been made to look the way that it does for a reason.

Initial Impression

Our lime-green Honda wasn’t painted that way from the factory, though we’re told that it was available in a sort of off-greeny-beigey-darkish color (for whatever that’s worth). The hub caps enclose the entire rim, leaving nothing but a few holds for ventilation. This makes the car look as if it’s riding on dinner plates.

The interior of the car is the same as every other Civic, minus the indicator in the cluster that lets you know when you’re using electric assist and when you’re not. Unless you knew you were in a hybrid vehicle, you may not have been able to tell.

Driving the Civic

A Civic has never been known to be a fast car. The closest it came (at least here in North America) is the 1999-2000 Civic Si, which sported a 160HP 1.6 liter four cylinder engine. So the Hybrid, which features a dual-drive system with less overall horsepower, certainly doesn’t feel fast at all.

The car has a bit of pep to it at lower speeds, but on the highway it is quite difficult to build up the speed to safely pass someone. I’ve resigned myself to an existence that consists of reading bumper stickers. By the looks of it, I won’t be passing anyone anytime soon, regardless of how obnoxiously slow they’re driving.

The handling of the Civic is pretty good, however, and it is actually better than we were expecting. We were expecting spongy handling that made taking corners an exercise in bladder control. Instead, the suspension is firm and stable, yet it is soft enough that it provides a comfortable ride. A nice plus for this sedan.

There is a detailed explanation behind how and why the hybrid system works, and we’re going to bypass most of it and say that it kicks in when the car needs it. The batteries are charged as you drive, so you don’t have to worry about plugging this car in when you get home either.

Conclusion

With fuel ratings that make electric cars look like gas hogs, the Civic hybrid is one amazing machine. In fact, it’s one of the only well performing hybrids that we know of that we can say is not ugly. It has a great ride, and though the performance is a bit anemic, I’m willing to trade that for a reliable and economical daily driver.