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By Mark GloverThe Sacramento Bee
March 10, 2006
The Honda Civic has been around since 1973. It established Honda as a major force in the American marketplace - a standing the automaker holds to this day. And although the Civic is a Japanese model, in many ways, it's the prototypical American car. It's reliable, affordable, fuel-efficient and easy to drive. It's an ideal first car for a teen driver, and it's likewise ideal for retired seniors on fixed incomes. Throw in gasoline-sipping hybrid technology and a new generation of critically acclaimed Civics - the newly reworked fleet of Civic compacts was voted Motor Trend magazine's 2006 Car of the Year - and you have something to cheer about. (Yes, the '06 Civic sedan, coupe, hybrid and sporty Si were honored as one.) As for the tested 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid sedan, I, too, applaud it - but with some reservations. Let's start with those things worth cheering about. It looks better than the previous-generation Civic - almost downright sporty in profile. It's no Mitsubishi Eclipse, but the lines are curvy and smooth. The '06 Civic Hybrid also is stronger, with its 1.3-liter in-line 4 engine and electric motor churning out a combined maximum of 110 horsepower - 23 percent more powerful than last year's Civic Hybrid. The result is surprisingly brisk movement when the car gets up to speed. Uphill climbs can be a bit of a struggle, but the car does its job well enough - and with little noise filtering into the cabin. The compact has responsive handling, and the steering has a nice, firm feel in all driving conditions. The continuously variable transmission on the tester performed well when the Civic reached low surface street speeds or on the run-up to freeway speeds. Standard interior features were plentiful, especially for the compact segment. The list included steering wheel audio controls, automatic climate control, power windows/door locks and a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. Back-seat room, while not enormous, was still comfortable for two. Three would be a bit cramped. It has an excellent list of standard safety features,including: driver/front passenger, dual-stage air bags; side air bags in the front; side curtain air bags, anti-lock brakes and active head restraints. Even with the hybrid powertrain and the standard goodies, the Civic Hybrid's starting price is a comparatively affordable $21,850. If you get the Civic Hybrid with a navigation system - which the tester had - the starting fare is $23,350. The federal fuel-economy ratings on the Civic Hybrid are 49 miles per gallon in the city and 51 mpg on the highway. Granted, those numbers might be lower if you are an aggressive driver or do a lot of highway driving in hilly areas. But even if you're close to hitting those marks, it's a pretty good deal. Finally, Honda claims a tune-up is not necessary until mileage on the odometer hits six figures. It's all very impressive. Amazingly, what did not impress in my week with the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid was the signature feature of the car - the gas-electric powertrain. This was particularly true on accelerations from a stop. I'm accustomed to the gasoline engine in a hybrid cutting off when the car comes to a stop; that's the charm of a fuel-saving hybrid, where the electric motor does most of the work when you again hit the gas and get back up to speed. On the tester, however, hitting the gas typically produced these jarring effects: The car seemed to want to stall and then sharply "clunked" into acceleration mode. Sometimes, the stalling effect was so pronounced that the car appeared to roll a couple inches backward before bolting forward. Needless to say, this surprised a group of volunteer passengers, whom I purposely did not warn because I wanted their unvarnished reactions. I was surprised because my past experience in the previous-generation Honda Civic Hybrid included virtually seamless transitions between the electric motor and gas-powered engine. I'm utterly mystified. Did the tester have a less-than-finely-tuned powertrain? Does more power create a problem on electric-motor-to-gas-engine transitions? Crazy coincidence? I don't have a clue. But it's something to watch for if you take a test drive. And here's something else to ponder, especially if you're on a tight budget: You might not save as much as you expect by purchasing an '06 Civic Hybrid. In its April edition, Consumer Reports weighed in on 2006 cars and hybrid costs. In its analysis, comparing the Civic Hybrid with the purchase of a 2006 gas-powered, Honda Civic EX sedan, CR estimated that the Civic Hybrid would cost $3,700 more over a five-year period - figuring in such variables as starting price, fuel savings, tax credits and depreciation. Then this week, the magazine announced that it erred in its calculations. Its revised analysis contends that the Civic Hybrid would yield savings of $300 over the first five years and 75,000 miles of driving. That's not a lot, but it's much better than losing $3,700 in the deal. But again, whether you end up ahead or behind will depend on how and where you drive the car. Naturally, there are people who purchase hybrids for reasons that have everything to do with larger issues, such as cutting down on tailpipe emissions and reducing America's dependency on imported oil. And those folks will rightfully take a close look at the newest Civic Hybrid. They'll probably like what they see. Others should take a thorough test drive and do the math before taking one home. - - - HONDA CIVIC HYBRID AT A GLANCE Make/model: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. Vehicle type: Five-passenger, four-door, front-drive, hybrid-powered sedan. Base price: $23,350. EPA fuel economy: 49 miles per gallon city; 51 mpg highway. Transmission: Continuously variable with steel belt and variable pulley. Steering: Electronic, power-assisted rack and pinion. Brakes: Power-assisted, ventilated discs on front; drum-style on rear (braking system includes electronic brake distribution and other special features). Suspension: Independent, MacPherson strut-type on front; independent, double-wishbone on rear (stabilizer bars front and rear). Fuel tank: 12.3 gallons Cargo volume: 10.4 cubic feet Passenger volume: 90.9 cubic feet Curb weight: 2,875 pounds Track: 59 inches on front; 60.2 inches on rear Ground clearance: 5.5 inches Height: 56.3 inches Length: 176.7 inches Wheelbase: 106.3 inches Width: 69 inches Tires: P195/65R15 all-season radials Final assembly point: Suzuka, Japan - - - About the writer: The Bee's Mark Glover can be reached at (916) 321-1184 or mglover@sacbee.com.
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