2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Review

Specifications

Hooray for the Hybrid

What comes to mind when the words Honda and hybrid are put together? For me, I used to think of the Insight, that quirky looking two-door with the semi-covered rear wheels that was introduced to the American market at the turn of the century. But now when I put the two words together, two additional things come to mind: the Accord and Civic. Since 2000, Honda has integrated its most popular selling vehicles into its hybrid lineup, not only creating greener and more fuel-efficient cars but also making them available to, and affordable for the masses.

This years all-new Civic Hybrid features freshly modern styling coupled with a spirited 1.3L, 8-valve, i-VTEC, 4-cylinder gasoline engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) producing 110 horsepower (17 more horsepower than the previous generation) and 123 lb-ft of torque.

Furthermore the new Civic Hybrid has grown larger, following the growth spurt of its four-door gasoline-only counterpart, making for added comfort via greater interior room.  Its outward dimensions have increased by 1.4 inches lengthwise to 176.8 inches, 1.5 inches in width to 69.0 inches, and the biggest increase of all, its wheelbase expanding by 3.2 inches to 106.3 inches.

The larger exterior has enabled Honda to incorporate an advanced compatibility engineering (ACE) body structure to the sedan, which spreads out the crash energy when impacted from different sized vehicles. The body is also secured with side impact beams for all four doors, as well as side curtain airbags and dual-stage, dual threshold front airbags (SRS), power-assisted front ventilated discs and rear drum brakes with ABS, plus daytime running lights (DRL) to make it even safer.

Ill start off by saying that this is one amazingly fuel-efficient car. I drove almost 200 miles via a combination of mostly city and highway routes, and had over half a tank of gas left at the end of the week. I had to force an extra dollars worth of fuel into the car to get my additional air mile points at the gas station, and only paid $13 total. I couldnt believe my eyes. My two friends with me at the pump told me to stop talking about how little I paid at the pump since they were getting tired of hearing about it. It literally made my week. Government tests show that this hybrid consumes and estimated 49 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway. Wow! I know that the EPA are never correct when compared to real world driving, but firsthand experience tells me that this is one thrifty vehicle no matter whether the official numbers are 100 percent accurate.

So how does the Civic Hybrid manage to get such amazing fuel economy? Without getting too technical, its the collaborative effort of the lightweight and low-friction gasoline engine, coupled with a powerful DC electric motor, which incidentally takes up less than 2.5 inches of space under the hood, along with an efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Additionally, “at steady speeds below 40 mph, on level roads and under light throttle, fuel injection can cease and the car can be propelled solely by the IMA systems electric motor,” says Honda. “At higher cruising speeds, the gasoline engine provides the power. This is due to the new generation of regenerative-braking technology, the 2006 Civic Hybrids IMA system can tap into the kinetic energy of the car more efficiently than ever. The systems motor turns itself into a generator during braking, helping to slow the car while it builds up the energy stored in the batteries.” I couldnt have said it better myself, honestly. Interesting is that with the new Civic Hybrid, Honda has left behind its old engine-assist only mild-hybrid system for a full-hybrid one, more like that in Toyotas Prius.

Like the old Civic Hybrid, the idle-stop feature temporarily shuts off the gasoline engine to save fuel and minimize emissions. Displayed on the all-new, multi-tiered instrument panel is a green “auto-stop” light that flashes to indicate when this function is operating. This feature comes into play when decelerating, and stops playing immediately after the brake pedal has been lifted. When in the idle mode it feels as though the engine isnt even on (which technically it isnt), and therefore it produces no noise or vibration. Its very soothing. When the brake pedal is lifted and the engine comes back to life, however, the transition isnt entirely smooth. Its hardly bothersome, but its noticeable.

Since the engine is shut off in idle-stop mode, there are fewer emissions coming from the already cleaner than normal car. This enables the Civic Hybrid to achieve the status of Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV)… talk about going green. But going green doesnt come without some expense. While this high-energy Hybrid still produces generous engine output at 110 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque, as mentioned above, when comparing these specs to the previous gasoline-only Civic the Hybrid trails by 5 horses, but has 13 additional lb-ft or torque. Thats pretty impressive. Of course, when compared to the current base Civic, which offers a maximum of 140 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque… not much of an advantage in torque, but a significant jump in horsepower. Like I said, going green does require a price.

Yes, and on that note the Civic Hybrids sticker might not be so pleasurable either, at least on first impressions. Coming in at $22,150 the newest greeny is not what I would call cheap, but it is the most affordable Hybrid available in the U.S. and about the same price as the less impressive one it replaces. OK, thats impressive! Its Insight sibling, which has already been discontinued but is possibly still available, starts a bit cheaper at $19,330, and the Accord Hybrid is priciest at almost $31K. The new Civic Hybrids savings, however, are literally at the pump, not to mention saving the environment from harmful emissions.

Plus, you get a lot of car for your money. All convenience features that are optional on base Civics, such as keyless entry, power door locks and windows, a great sounding high power AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3/WMA compatibility, six speakers and steering wheel-mounted audio controls, as well as air conditioning are standard in the hybrid. Also, the cabin houses plush seating surfaces that are more comfortable for its driver and passengers than the stock Civic seats. Whats more, there are upscale metallic trim pieces added, increasing the Hybrids desirability. Want more? You can get an optional navigation system too, which pushes the price up to $23,650.

The Civics larger size overall makes it more comfortable for three adults to sit in the rear than the previous model, especially on longer drives. Ride comfort for all its occupants stem from its four-wheel independent suspension with 195/65 R15 low rolling resistance tires and 15-inch lightweight alloy wheels. Whether I was city or highway driving, the Civic exuded a certain finesse that made me feel safe and comfortable at all times. It really is a pleasure to drive.

Truly, Hondas technically advanced gasoline-electric system combined with a plethora of convenience and safety features makes the 2006 Civic Hybrid a smart choice for all who are looking for an environmentally friendly and amazingly fuel efficient four-door.