Driving on gas - but not gasoline

The Honda Civic GX fills its tank with methane instead of gasoline.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- When my neighbors learned the car I was test-driving was filled with compressed natural gas, the first question many asked was about safety.

"Gasoline is flammable, too, you know," I reminded them.

In fact, compressed natural gas is supposed to be safer than gasoline. In the event the tank is punctured, the escaping gas would rise into the air away from the car, as opposed to puddling on the ground like gasoline.

And the tank on the car I was driving, the 2006 Honda Civic GX, is considerably thicker than one on a standard car. The Civic GX is currently the only natural-gas car.

Once you get past the safety issue, there are four major advantages of compressed natural gas as a motor fuel.

First, it's much cleaner-burning than gasoline. The tailpipe emissions from a Civic GX make a regular economy car seem like a diesel bus.

Second, it can be slightly more fuel-efficient than gasoline. The Honda Civic GX gets 39 miles for every gallon-equivalent of natural gas. (Gallon equivalency is based on the amount of energy contained in one gallon of gasoline.)

Third, natural gas is cheaper than gasoline. According to EPA estimates, the gallon-equivalent of natural gas costs about 70 cents less than a gallon of gasoline. Unlike gasoline, natural gas comes out of the ground just the way you use it, no refining needed, which is one factor that helps keep costs down. The only thing that gets added is a funny smell so you can tell if it's leaking.

Finally, natural gas is an almost entirely domestic product. Nearly all the natural gas used in the United States comes out of the ground here. Some is piped in from Canada. A small amount, called landfill natural gas, is collected from our nation's rotting garbage.

The annual fuel cost for a Civic GX is just $681, according the EPA estimates. A year's worth of gasoline for a regular four-cylinder Civic with a manual transmission - the GX has an automatic - would be $986.

The car itself, thanks to a $4,000 tax credit from the federal government, costs little more than a regular four-cylinder Civic.

Fueling the car involves a bit more finesse and arm strength than pumping gasoline. You have to line the big hose nozzle up with the little car nozzle then flip a lever to seal the connection. When I finished filling the GX and started to pull the hose out, I was unprepared for the little kickback which made me bang the nozzle against the side of the car.

Otherwise, the Civic GX is still a Honda Civic, which means it's as comfortable and fun to drive as any other Civic.

Why natural gas may not be for you

So why shouldn't you just rush out and buy one of these for yourself?

The first reason would be that you probably can't. The Civic GX is available for retail sale to the public in only two states, New York and California.

It's available for fleet sale everywhere though, and that's how most Civic GX's are sold. And that's where they make the most sense, in situatuions where they're driven around locally all day and returned to the garage for refueling each night..

"If you've gotten a parking ticket in Washington D.C., it was from someone driving a natural gas Civic," said Barry Carr, a consultant who works with Honda on Civic GX marketing. (If that doesn't endear the car to you, what will?)

For big fleets, the GX is inexpensive to run and, unlike a hybrid car, it qualifies as an "alternative fuel vehicle" under federal clean-air rules, said Carr. (Hybrid cars don't qualify because they run on gasoline. They do qualify for some state benefits for fleet buyers, though.)

If you drive any sort of alternative-fuel vehicle you need to plan ahead, though. There are about 1,000 publicly accessible natural gas filling stations nationwide. That means there are probably very few close to your home or to anywhere you want to go.

To further complicate things, the car holds only about 7.2 "gallons" worth of compressed gas, which is good for a range of 220 miles. That's about half the range of a gasoline-powered Civic.

Honda can help you out there, though, by hooking you up with a Phill. That's an at-home natural gas pump that runs off your home gas supply. It's a low-pressure device that takes 12 hours to fill a tank from empty. But if you plug your car into it every night you should be able to keep your tank filled most of the time.

Finally, there's the trunk space. Gas takes up more space than liquid. And to squeeze a usable amount into your car, the gas has to be compressed to something like 3,600 PSI. To contain that kind of pressure, the Honda GX's fuel tank, hidden behind the back seats, is shaped like an enormous propane tank.

That squeezes out trunk space, leaving the car with just six cubic feet. That's enough for everyday errand running, but not much else.

Most individual GX buyers, said Carr, already have another car. The GX is just their "city car" or used as a commuter vehicle. That way it can snuggle up at home with its Phill each night.

For most environmentally conscious car buyers, the Honda Civic Hybrid would make a far better choice. Even though the Civic Hybrid runs on gasolone, it has slightly lower annual fuel costs than the Civic GX and even lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The Civic Hybrid's resale value will probably be much better than the GX, said Eric Ibara, director of market valuation for Kelley Blue Book. The GX's limitations combined with the relatively large number that will eventually be turned out from corporate and government fleets should combine to make the GX a tough sell in the used-car market.

Finally, since the Civic Hybrid runs on regular fuel, you'll use up less brain-space thinking about where and when to fill up. And you'll also have more trunk space, with a full 10 cubic feet to pack for the spontaneous road trips the Civic Hybrid would allow.

We could hope for the fueling infrastructure to catch up making a car like the Civic GX more useful to ordinary citizens. But since there seems to be little real advantage compared to gasoline-powered hybrid technologies already available, natural gas seems likely to remain a "fleet only" option for the time being.

Study: Honda's Insight rated 'greenest' car

By Tiffany Campbell CNN Sci-Tech

(CNN) -- It is no surprise that Honda's hybrid-electric Insight remains at the top of a "greenest" car list for the second consecutive year.

What is surprising is that 10 of the 12 highest-rated cars in the fifth edition of "Green Book: The Environmental guide to Cars and Trucks" can be filled at any gas station nationwide.

"Cleaner cars are much more available than even just three to four years ago," said James Kliesch, co-author of "Green Book."

Just two years ago, according to "Green Book," half the vehicles listed required an alternative fuel.

The guide is published by the nonprofit American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and provides information on aspects of automotive environmental performance for every new car, pickup truck, minivan and SUV sold in the United States.

The ratings are based on evaluations of tailpipe emissions and fuel economy as well as the environmental impacts of manufacturing.

Runners-up include the natural gas powered Honda civic GX, the battery-powered Toyota RAV4 and the Toyota Prius hybrid.

Light trucks, a classification that includes minivans, pickups and SUVs, are some of the worst offenders for tailpipe emissions and fuel inefficiency.

Topping the "meanest vehicles for the environment for 2002" are the Dodge Ram Pickup 2500, the Chevrolet Suburban K2500 and the GMC Yukon XL K2500.

"Having a tool to see what cars are greener and to be able to compare them is important, especially since this information is not readily available," Kliesch said.

The book also lists the top gasoline-powered cars in each class as "greener choices."

Hybrids in other classes

"These are cars available widely throughout the United States that are the best in their category," said Henry Griggs, media consultant for the ACEEE.

"Half of the people buying vehicles are buying light trucks, so we want to give them choices as well."

More trends for the future include hybrids branching out into other vehicle classes, Kliesch said, adding that Dodge will be coming out with a hybrid-fuel Durango SUV.

Another hybrid vehicle, Honda's Civic, is predicted to get about 50 mpg in city and highway driving. The Civic hybrid will be available in March or April.

"There are 200 million cars on the road now," Kliesch said. "It's important for environmental, national security and economic reasons to wean ourselves off our immense thirst for oil."

Honda to release small hybrid in 2009, open two factories

Tokyo (ANTARA News) - Honda Motor Co. aims to release in 2009 a small hybrid car powered by gasoline and electricity, President Takeo Fukui said Wednesday.

The new model's annual sales in and outside Japan are projected at 200,000 vehicles, according to the Honda president, Kyodo News quoted.

"It is critical to develop hybrids featuring a better cost performance" than gasoline cars, Fukui added, indicating that Honda aims to keep down the prices of its eco-friendly vehicles.
Honda's existing hybrid, called Insight, is not selling well so the company is hopeful that its new hybrid will help the firm catch up with Toyota Motor Corp., whose Prius is doing much better in the hybrid market.

Fukui also unveiled plans to boost production capacity in North America and elsewhere with a view to raising global annual sales to more than 4.5 million vehicles by 2010.

In Canada, an engine plant is slated to come on stream by 2008, turning out 200,000 units per year.

The company also aims to open a new car plant in the United States by 2008 at a cost of about $400 million. While its location has yet to be decided, its output capacity is projected at 200,000 vehicles a year.

Another facility is due to begin operations in 2010 in Yorii, Saitama Prefecture, to build 200,000 vehicles per year, according to the company. The investment cost is estimated at 70 billion yen ($640 million).

taken from ANTARA

Honda to Add New U.S. Auto Plant and New Environmentally Friendly Products

Honda today announced plans to advance toward its “2010 Vision” for North American automobile operations, in conjunction with a wider global strategy announced in Japan today by Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda’s North American plan includes the following new corporate initiatives:

• Construction of a new auto plant in the U.S. with an investment of approximately $400 million to begin production in 2008, with employment of more than 1,500 associates at full capacity.
• Construction of a new engine plant in Canada to begin production of four-cylinder engines in 2008 with an investment of $140 million and employment of 340 associates.
• Expansion of U.S. engine, transmission and powertrain component production in Ohio and Georgia, with additional investment of $125 million and additional employment of 80 associates.
• Introduction in the U.S. and Canada in 2009 of a new, more affordable, dedicated hybrid car.
• Introduction in the U.S. and Canada within the next three years of new diesel engine technology that meets U.S. EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards.
• Establishment of a goal to increase American Honda’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) by five percent over 2005 levels by the year 2010.

“We continue to experience record demand for Honda and Acura vehicles in North America,” said Koichi Kondo, COO of Honda’s North American region and president & CEO of American Honda. “To meet the needs of our customers and in accordance with our company’s vision for the future, we will introduce new fuel efficient vehicles and deepen our commitment to production in North America and we will do this in an environmentally responsible way regarding our products and the operations that produce them.”

“2010 Vision” — Creating New Value for the Customer

Honda’s 2010 Vision is a long-term corporate initiative “to become a company that society wants to exist.” Initiated in 1998, this three-part 2010 Vision calls for the expansion of Honda’s global operations through the year 2010 through “creating new value” for the customer, expanding local operations through “glocalization” and advancing environmental and safety technologies through a “commitment for the future.”

“With nine consecutive years of record Honda and Acura auto sales in North America, we will now further strengthen Honda’s foundation in North America to meet the future needs of our customers and fulfill the ultimate objective of our 2010 Vision,” said Kondo.

“2010 Vision” — Glocalization (Expansion of North American Production)

Honda will invest approximately $665 million and increase employment by more than 1,900 associates to expand North American automobile, engine and transmission production operations, further strengthening its capability to respond flexibly and efficiently to customer demand and changing market conditions, and to create a foundation for future growth. Specific details of the expansion of local production are as follows:

• With an investment of approximately $400 million and employment of more than 1,500 associates at full capacity, Honda will construct a new auto plant in the U.S. with an annual capacity of approximately 200,000 vehicles, with production to begin in 2008. The plant — Honda’s sixth auto plant in North America and 14th production facility in North America — will feature Honda’s most advanced, efficient and flexible production technologies and will have the smallest environmental impact of any Honda automobile plant in North America. Site selection for the new facility has already entered its final stage. Additional details of the new facility, including location and product production plans will be announced at a later date.
• As a result of this expansion, Honda’s automobile production capacity in North America will increase from 1.4 million to 1.6 million units in 2008.
• In conjunction with increased vehicle production, Honda will also invest $140 million to expand engine production in North America with the construction of a new engine plant neighboring the existing Honda of Canada Mfg. (HCM) operations in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. The plant will begin production in 2008, with an annual capacity of approximately 200,000 four-cylinder engines for supply to HCM-built vehicles. Investment in the facility will total $140 million with new employment of 340 associates.

Concurrent with the expansion of engine production in North America, Honda will continue to increase local production of powertrain components, including transmissions. Key areas of expansion are as follows:

• Honda of America Mfg. will invest $75 million in the Anna Engine Plant (AEP) in Anna, Ohio, to increase the number and types of engine parts it produces in Ohio, including engine components currently supplied by plants in Japan. This expansion will include the creation of approximately 40 new jobs and construction of a new building on the same site as AEP. Production of the new components is targeted to begin in 2008.
• Beginning in 2008, the Anna Engine Plant will also supply engine components for the new engine plant in Ontario, Canada, and complete engines for the new U.S. automobile plant.
• As previously announced, May 12, 2006, further localization activities will be pursued in the area of transmission production. Honda Precision Parts of Georgia (HPPG) will further expand its capabilities by adding casting and machining of transmission cases and other in-house operations to its current capabilities. HPPG began assembly of automatic transmissions for the Honda Pilot and Honda Odyssey, May 1, 2006. This expansion represents a new investment of $50 million and hiring of 40 new associates (to reach $150 million and 440 associates at full capacity).
• As previously announced, Honda Transmission Manufacturing of America (HTM) in Russells Point, Ohio, is now completing a $100 million expansion for production of primary transmission gears. Further, in July 2006, HTM will begin production of high precision gears.

“2010 Vision” — Commitment for the Future (Environmental Initiatives)

In conjunction with plans to grow its operations through 2010, Honda will seek to further reduce the environmental footprint of its products and production activities. Honda has long been committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products and operations through increased fuel efficiency, development of advanced environmental technologies, reduction of harmful emissions and elimination of waste. In accordance with this effort, the company will undertake the following activities:

• On a global basis, Honda will introduce an all-new, more affordable, dedicated hybrid car to be launched in North America in 2009. This new hybrid vehicle, to be produced at Honda’s Suzuka plant in Japan, will have an annual North American sales volume target of 100,000 units (200,000 units worldwide) and a target price significantly lower than the current Civic Hybrid.
• Based on its highly successful direct injection diesel engine technology, currently offered in Europe, Honda will introduce in the U.S. and Canada within three years a new 4-cylinder diesel engine that meets the U.S. EPA’s stringent Tier 2 BIN 5 emissions standards.
• In addition to new vehicle introductions, Honda will seek to achieve top-level fuel economy for existing models with the aim of improving Honda’s already industry-leading Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) by five percent in 2010, from its 29.2 mpg 2005 model year CAFE rating for passenger cars and light trucks. This effort will include new products and technologies and the previously announced commitment to introduce within the next two years a more advanced version of Honda’s four-cylinder i-VTEC(TM) technology with up to a 13 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over 2005 levels, and a more advanced Variable Cylinder Management(TM) (VCM) technology for six-cylinder engines with up to an 11 percent improvement in fuel efficiency versus the current VCM system in the Honda Odyssey minivan and Honda Pilot sport utility vehicle.

Honda began operations in the U.S. in 1959 with the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Honda’s first overseas subsidiary. Honda began U.S. production operations in 1979. Prior to today’s announcement, Honda had invested more than $8.5 billion in its North American operations with 13 major manufacturing plants, employment of more than 33,000 associates and the annual purchase of more than $16 billion in parts and materials from suppliers in North America. Nearly 8 of 10 Honda and Acura cars and light trucks sold in America are produced in North America.

www.autonews.com

Hybrid Technology: Honda Insight

by Julia Layton and Karim Nice

The Honda Insight is a simplified parallel hybrid. It has an electric motor coupled to the engine at the spot where the flywheel usually goes. Honda calls this system "Integrated Motor Assist." The Insight has either a conventional, five-speed manual transmission or an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission).

Layout of the Honda Insight

Three-cylinder Engine, The 1.0 litre, three-cylinder engine produce 67 hp.
Electric Motor, The permanent magnet motor can kick an extra 13 hp when needed.
Transmissiion, The Insight has either conventional, five speed manual transmission or a CVT.
Batteries, The nickel-metal hydride batteries store just enough energyfor a few hard acceleration runs.
Fuel Tank, The 10.6 gallons fuel tank gives the Insight a range more than 600 miles.

The electric motor on the Insight helps in several ways. It can:

• Assist the gasoline engine, providing extra power while the car is accelerating or climbing a hill
• Provide some regenerative braking to capture energy during braking
• Start the engine, eliminating the need for a starter

However, the motor cannot power the car by itself; the gas engine must be running for the car to move.

To get the best mileage possible, Honda used all of the efficiency tricks discussed previously. But the Insight relies mainly on three areas:

• It reduces the weight - Already a small car, the Insight uses a lightweight aluminum body and structure to further reduce weight. By making the car lightweight, Honda is able to use a smaller, lighter engine that can still maintain the performance level we have come to expect from our cars. The Insight weighs less than 1,900 pounds (862 kg), which is 500 pounds (227 kg) less than the lightest Honda Civic.

• It uses a small, efficient engine - The engine in the Insight, shown below, weighs only 124 pounds (56 kg) and is a tiny, 1.0-liter, three-cylinder that produces 67 horsepower at 5,700 rpm. It incorporates Honda's VTEC system and uses lean burn technology to maximize efficiency. The Insight achieves an EPA mileage rating of 60 mpg/city and 66 mpg/highway. Also, with the additional power provided by the small electric motor, this system is able to accelerate the Insight from 0 to 60 mph in about 11 seconds. With the electric motor running, the Insight produces 73 horsepower at 5,700 rpm. If you compare that to the engine horsepower alone, it looks like the electric motor only adds 6 horsepower. But the real effectiveness of the electric motor occurs at lower engine speeds. The electric motor on the Insight is rated at 10 kilowatts (about 13 horsepower) at 3,000 rpm. It's the peak torque numbers that really tell the story. Without the electric motor, the Insight makes its peak torque of 66 pound-feet at 4,800 rpm. With the electric motor, it makes 79 pound-feet at 1,500 rpm. So the motor adds a lot of torque to the low end of the speed range, where the engine is weaker. This is a nice compromise that allows Honda to give a very small engine the feel of a much larger one.

• It uses advanced aerodynamics - The Honda Insight is designed using the classical teardrop shape: The back of the car is narrower than the front. (Note that real teardrops do not behave this way aerodynamically) The rear wheels are partially covered by bodywork to provide a smoother shape, and some parts of the underside of the car are enclosed with plastic panels. These tricks result in a drag coefficient of 0.25, which makes it one of the most aerodynamic cars on the market.

The Insight is actually not very different from a conventional car once you get behind the wheel. When you accelerate, the gas engine does most of the work. If you accelerate quickly, the electric motor kicks in to provide a little extra power.

(Picture Right: Insight Engine).

When you are cruising along the freeway, the gas engine is doing all of the work. When you slow down by hitting the brakes or letting off the gas, the electric motor kicks in to generate a little electricity to charge the batteries. You never have to plug the Insight into an electrical outlet; the motor generates all of the power needed to charge the battery.

One interesting thing to note is that in the Insight, the manual transmission is separated from the engine and motor by the clutch. This means that if you are the type of driver who likes to put the clutch in or put the car in neutral when you slow down to a stop, you are not going to get any regenerative braking. In order to recover energy when you slow down, the car has to be in gear.

Now let's take a look at the technology of the Toyota Prius. The Prius works in a very different way from the Insight.

Honda Accord Hybrid

Here’s the formula for the Honda Accord Hybrid: take the second best-selling car in the country, offer it with as many luxury features as possible, and soup it up to make it faster than any other family sedan on the market. This approach—using hybrid technology to boost performance and to only moderately improve fuel economy—caught car reviewers and hybrid fans by surprise when the Accord Hybrid was introduced in Nov. 2004. Aren't hybrids supposed to be small, underpowered, econoboxes with great fuel economy?

One headline read, "Sips Gas. Hauls Ass." Environmentalists pinned the term "muscle hybrid" on the Accord. David Welch of BusinessWeek, as if shocked, wrote, "The car bursts onto the road. Yea, this car—an environmentally friend and fuel-efficient hybrid—really did burn a little rubber.”

Another First for Honda

Honda was the first to introduce a hybrid in the U.S. market: Honda Insight. They were the first to offer a hybrid version of a conventional vehicle: Honda Civic Hybrid. And suddenly, they were the first to show that hybrids could offer more performance, more amenities, and better fuel efficiency than other vehicles in its class.

"Hybrid" wasn't the point. The point was that a Honda salesman could point Accord shoppers to an option with a nine mpg boost in city mileage and a 15 horsepower boost in performance—all for a couple of thousand dollars more than the standard package. Honda set the realistic modest goal of selling 20,000 Accord Hybrids for the 2005 model year. The company seemed content to sell the premium hybrid option to relatively few customers—allowing Toyota to bask in the hybrid glory.

By the end of 2005, Honda sold more Accord Hybrids than Ford sold Escape Hybrids, and with a lot less fanfare (and green washing). The fact that sales were not nearly as brisk as the Prius's didn't mean that Accord Hybrid drivers weren't happy. By all reports, they are ecstatic. Dr. Oliver Sachs, who wrote The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, loves his. The Accord Hybrid converted auto economist Dr. Walter McManus (a blogger on this site) from a hybrid naysayer to a hybrid advocate. And Dr. Leon S.—he's not famous, but he is a doctor—who found the Prius and Civic short on power and amenities, finds his AH a pleasure to drive.

Comparison with Upcoming Camry Hybrid

The Accord Hybrid currently stands alone as the only hybrid in the family sedan category. That will change in mid-2006, with the introduction of the Camry Hybrid. The conventional Camry is the number one selling passenger car in America.

The size and shape of the two vehicles will leave little distinction for shoppers. The real story is in the technology designs. The Camry uses a smaller engine with a more robust full-hybrid system to produce better fuel economy results in the city, but less overall power. The Accord utilizes a milder hybrid system with a larger engine (that allows three of the engine's six cylinders to shut down during highway cruising) to produce a lot of power, with respectable fuel economy.

In the simplest terms, the Camry Hybrid will reign as the most fuel-efficient family sedan and the Accord Hybrid will retain top honors as the fastest family sedan. The two—standing side-by-side as hybrid versions of America's number one and two most popular cars—demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of hybrid technology. And provide affordable well-appointed options for drivers who insist on extra legroom, additional oomph, and a few more miles on a gallon of gas.

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Review - Honda’s Redesigned Civic

The 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid has been completely redesigned for 2006. The fact that the Civic Hybrid was named 2006 Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" speaks volumes about the results of Honda’s vision. I spent a week with the 2006 Civic Hybrid and overall it was a pleasure. From the new dash layout to the broad view of the road, it surprised me with each new feature. The standard Civic Hybrid has an MSRP of $21,850 while the Navigation-equipped Civic Hybrid begins at $23,350.

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Appearance And Comfort

With its redesign, Honda has brought the Civic Hybrid to a new level. It is sleeker and smoother than the previous Civic Hybrid yet doesn’t look much different than the non-hybrid Civic. The antenna on the rear roofline, the hybrid badge, and the unique rims are the main differences from the non-hybrid Civic.

The Civic Hybrid has moved important gauges into an upper tier up on the dash. They are never obstructed by the steering wheel and the location requires minimal travel distance for your eyes to view. The upper tier contains the speedometer, fuel gauge and instantaneous miles per gallon meter. If you prefer, you can toggle off the mpg meter and instead show the temperature gauge.

The 2006 Civic Hybrid provides a larger feeling than any Civic I‘ve been in. The slope of the front windshield and the little triangle side windows up front provide a great view of the road.

While the front and rear seats were comfortable, I wish Honda would find a way to have rear folding seats in the Civic Hybrid. Since the hybrid battery is housed vertically behind the Civic Hybrid's rear seats they can not be folded down. This is the one feature that keeps this great hybrid car from attaining five stars.

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Powertrain

The 2006 Civic Hybrid has a new version of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) that allows this hybrid car to cruise solely on electric power under certain light load circumstances. This is something new for the Civic hybrid, and while not the same as the “electric mode“ in the Toyota Prius, it does move the Civic Hybrid into the Full Hybrid category.

Around town and on the highway the Civic Hybrid has adequate power for a small car. The 2006 Civic Hybrid’s 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with the electric motor produces 115 horsepower. Will it beat a Mustang or Corvette? Of course not! But it got me from one place to another just fine, and merging with traffic was never a problem.

This year the Civic Hybrid is only available with Honda’s Continuously Variable Transmission. The 5 speed manual transmission was dropped from the Civic Hybrid lineup.

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Gas Mileage

I drove the 2006 Civic Hybrid during a warm part of the Wisconsin winter and averaged around 48 miles per gallon. This is not far from its EPA estimates of 49 mpg highway and 51 mpg city.

There were some trips in town where it did even better that EPA estimates, and if I hadn’t had a passenger with me I’m not sure I would have believed the 63 mpg trip we did on one 8 mile morning commute. Now this isn’t possible if you drive a lot of short trips or the car never gets up to driving temperature, but I believe that of all the hybrids I have driven, the Civic Hybrid offers the best chance for the average consumer to get near EPA rated gas mileage.

The 2006 Civic Hybrid is the first Honda hybrid that can, under certain low-load conditions, allow the car to cruise on electric power alone. This is possible at city or highway speeds. In the past the gas engine was on whenever the car was being propelled.

Conclusion

When the new Civic Hybrid drives by, most people will probably not recognize it as a Civic. It is sleeker and lager than its predecessor and has the look of something much sportier. The redesigned 2006 Civic Hybrid surprised me with how easy it was to get good gas mileage, even in cold weather. If the Civic Hybrid keeps evolving like this, it will continue to be a favorite among hybrid car buyers.

Source: hybridcars.about.com