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Everybody I've talked to
that has a Civic Hybrid really
likes them. They are reporting mileage of about 45-51 MPG
in suburban driving in the DC area.
Realistically, the Civic Hybrid and Prius seem to get pretty
similar mileage in real world driving, despite the fact that
the Prius has significantly better EPA numbers.
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photo courtesy Honda
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One gentleman's previous car was a big Pontiac and he
really was pleased with his Civic. He had driven both the
Prius and Civic and preferred the Civic. In some ways the
civic is a much more "normal" car in it's design, where the
Prius will tend to appeal to people that want a more exciting
and different design. The Civic is remarkably like any other
practical car; it just has some very advanced technology under
the hood.
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photo courtesy Honda
The interior
is very "normal"; nothing to relearn. Just get in and
drive.
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One advantage
the Civic may have for some people is rear visibility.
The new Prius has a rear spoiler blocking part of the rear
window. Also, the Civic is a more boxy shape with a lot less
slope to the rear window. Check both out; if you're sensitive
about rear visibility, you may like the Civic better.
Hopefully, Toyota will make the spoiler an option, or remove
it altogether in the future.
The batteries
for the electric motor are now hidden away behind the rear
seat on the Civic. You get a surprisingly big trunk for
the size of the car. The Prius has a hatch with a sliding tonneau cover. If you prefer a regular trunk, you might like the Civic
better.
If you want
front passenger side air bags, they are standard on the Civic,
while you have to buy a package in the Toyota that runs about
$5,000 to get them.
All in all, the
Civic Hybrid and the Prius are both great cars. They
both get great mileage and are a lot less polluting than
regular cars. They are enough different from each other that
they give the buyer a really nice choice. If you're thinking
about a hybrid, it's worth test driving them both.
One of the best
things about the Civic Hybrid is that there will probably be
no wait to get one. You could probably drive home with
one today!
About the totally
redesigned 2006 Civic Hybrid
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