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2006 Honda Civic Hybrid and Gas Tom Collins
Vehicle type: Compact Hybrid or Gas Sedan/Gas Coupe The Civic has been totally redesigned for 2006 and they are bigger and better than ever. Gasoline powered versions are rated at 30 MPG city 40 highway. The hybrid is rated at 49/51 and as you can see I averaged 43 in mixed driving. Hybrids are hot right now because of high fuel costs. The Civic will save fuel but will it save you money? Probably not. Consider this: the hybrid coats around $3K more than a comparably equipped gas powered Civic. Even at $3.00 per gallon you will have to drive this car for years before the fuel savings exceed the added cost of the hybrid. Then there’s the added complexity of the electric motor system and the unknown resale value of hybrid vehicles in general. My guess is that we’ll see a lot of hybrids on used car lots just before the 8 year 80,000 mile battery pack warranty expires. The regular gas powered Civic, on the other hand, has an industry leading 57% residual value after 36 months I don’t want to be the skunk at the garden party but I believe the above factors must be considered before any hybrid purchase. The Civic hybrid is a very nice car to drive and it’s packed with technology. The 1.3 liter Single Over Head Cam gasoline 4-cylinder produces 110 hp and 123 pound feet of torque. The electric motor adds 20 horses and additional 76 pound feet of torque as needed through Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist. The thin 2.5 inch electric motor is mounted between the engine and transmission. The electric motor also acts as a generator during deceleration, and as a starter, quickly and silently spinning the engine up to idle speed. One cool feature is ‘Idle-Stop’. This system saves fuel and reduces emissions by shutting off the gas engine while at a stop. When the traffic light turns green you simply step on the gas pedal and the engine is re-started. Idle-Stop is so seamless you wouldn’t even know it was working if you didn’t look at the tach. The gas powered Civic uses a 2.0 liter producing 140 hp. The sporty Si coupe gets two cams, 16 valves and 197 hp and 17" wheels. Power for the hybrid is transmitted to the front wheels through a Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT. Instead of gears, the CVT changes vehicle speed through the use of a metal belt running between a pair of variable-width pulleys. This is an advanced version of a system that has been around for years on industrial and agricultural equipment. When I was a kid we had this transmission on a Case combine. On the Civic hybrid, the CVT is tied in with a drive by wire throttle and it is constantly adjusting to provide the best drive ratio based on torque load. With no gears to shift the CVT provides super smooth acceleration. So smooth in fact that it’s eerie until you get used to it. No manual transmission is offered. Gasoline powered Civics offer your choice of a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic. There are some differences between the gas and hybrid Civic when it comes to suspension and brakes. The gas powered car has independent front and rear suspension and disc brakes all around while the hybrid comes with control-link MacPherson struts up front and a reactive-link double wishbone in back. Rear brakes are of drum design on the hybrid. Both cars come standard with a stabilizer bar. Having driven each I can tell you that the gas car has a more nimble feel. Both cars have rack and pinion steering. The hybrid rides on easy rolling (but somewhat noisy) 15 inch tires. 16-inch tires are standard on the gas Civic. The hybrid is about 65 pounds heaver than a regular Civic tipping the scales at 2,869 pounds. The hybrid is about an inch shorter than the gas car and it’s and inch and a half narrower. The regular Civic has slightly more trunk capacity because the battery pack takes up some space behind the rear seat. The Civic interior is comfortable and logically laid out and, like all Honda’s, the switch gear has a quality feel. Our test car had the Navigation system which I found easy to use. The CD player is hidden behind the Nav screen. To access it simply push the Open button and the screen folds out of the way. The Civic is XM ready if you choose to sign up. The audio system sounds crisp but radio reception is weak on both FM and AM. One other minor complaint is the digital speedometer. Instead of a typical analog dial in the dash numbers are displayed above the dash to indicate speed. I prefer a round gauge. The only such instrument in the dash cluster is a center mounted tachometer. I suppose this is there to tell you the engine is either on or off when at stop. With the CVT there is really no need to know engine RPM. There is an Auto-Stop light on the dash to tell you the engine has shut down while at stop. The hybrid has automatic climate control the gas does not. Remote keyless entry is standard on all Civics. Safety features include standard air bags ABS, and anti-theft. The 2006 Civic was recently awarded as Motor Trends Car of The Year and I can’t argue with that. It’s a great little car. If you are looking for an economical and fun to drive commuter car this is it. Those of you who are out to save the planet will want the hybrid. Don’t forget that tax incentives are available. Check this website for more: http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/laws/incen_laws.html as I understand it the tax advantages are available on the first 60,000 units produced which should make the limited production Civic hybrid eligible if you can find one. Personally, I’d buy the gas Civic Si coupe.
Tom Collins | |
