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Honda Civic Hybrid
Looks like a Civic, drives
like a Civic, but achieves better gas mileage than a
regular Civic. In a nutshell, that's the Civic hybrid, one of the best cars for highway commuters according to Forbes Magazine, and the car with the best resale value according to Kelly Blue Books.
And quite soon, the Civic hybrid might be the only Civic available, a trend that could soon begin in Japan in 2012, although non-hybrid versions will remain in the US much longer.
Anyway, the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid offers a new rounder design, but overall the design will remain the same. Underneath the hood, however, things will look a little different.
First the 2012 Civic hybrid upgrades from a 1.3-liter engine to a 1.5-liter engine, providing more horsepower and torque. Second, and most important, the new Civic hybrid will switch from its current NiMH battery pack to lithium, increasing fuel economy by 1 mile on the highway, and 4 miles in city.
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Additionally, the smaller and lighter battery should decrease the volume needed for the battery pack, opening up more space for cargo and passengers. Additionally, the new battery pack should resolve some nagging issues regarding the reliability of some Civic hybrid NiMH battery packs.
And while the 2012 Civic hybrid is a small car, it's one of the safest small cars available according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For now, however, Honda's
second generation hybrid Civic offers improved city fuel
economy, and an incredibly better body design with
softer, sleeker design cues.
And,
despite some complaints over mileage, particularly in city traffic, most Civic hybrid owners are very happy
with the gas mileage of their hybrid Civics, although a recent battery software update for older Civic hybrids has decreased Civic hybrid fuel economy for many drivers. Fortunately, this is not an issue for new Honda Civic hybrids. For more,
check out Civic
hybrid testimonials.
Still, why
the problems in the city?
The first generation Civic hybrid, unlike the Prius
hybrid, could not function on electric power only at
low speeds. That; however,
changed when the second generation Civic hybrid was launched.
While the Civic hybrid still cannot
functional on electric power in the way that a Prius
can, the Civic hybrid is still a winner for those
interested in hybrid technology and fuel economy. Still, for those driving in harsh urban congestion, some might find the Civic hybrid's technology and a fuel economy less than expected.
Speaking
of technology,
the second generation hybrid Civic also increased its
horsepower, which when combined with a continuous
variable transmission, provides a smooth, yet powerful
ride. Ultimately, the Civic hybrid significantly reduces
fuel consumption without losing any performance. While
the first Civic hybrids offered a manual transmission in
addition to the CVT version, only the continuously
variable transmission version is available today.
Unlike
the Prius, the current Civic hybrid isn't available in
20 different packages - yes, I'm exaggerating. Still.....
Starting
at $23,195, the hybrid version of the Civic offers two
basic packages - navigation or no navigation - a
difference of about $1800. Recently,
I went Civic hybrid shopping, read
more. The selection was good and Honda is willing to
deal when it comes to the hybrid Civic.
The hybrid Civic went
on sale in March 2002, marking the first time a
mainstream vehicle had been converted to run on a hybrid
powertrain in the U.S.
Recently, however, the Honda Insight hybrid has replaced the Civic hybrid as Honda's best selling hybrid.
The Civic
hybrid is a nice car, and a much improved hybrid
vehicle.
Still,
when choosing a hybrid vehicle, your driving conditions
should be an important consideration, at least if one of
your primary concerns is fuel economy - which is
probably why you are buying a hybrid in the first place,
right? Thus, if you are a city driver that spends most
of your daily commutes in stop-and-go traffic, then
another hybrid, particularly the Prius, might be a
better option.
If,
however, you have a more mixed commute, or one where
steady mileage is common, then the Civic hybrid might be
your perfect hybrid.
For more
on choosing the right hybrid vehicle, check out our Hybrid
Buyers Guide.
If you would like to
receive future information on the Honda Civic Hybrid,
please
Click here..
-- Read
more about the Civic
hybrid on HybridCarBlog.com. |
