It's not only about gadgetry and clever engineering, of course: there's a fairly significant cost incentive to opt for a car like this.
Londoners, or those who commute into London, should note that, like the Prius, the Civic Hybrid is exempt from the £8-a-day congestion charge, a measure assured until at least 2009. That's a saving of over £1,500 a year for those going into the centre of the capital most working days, in addition to an estimated £1,000 saving in fuel costs over three years compared to the nearest petrol-engined equivalent. Further savings come with low Group 7 insurance and an estimated 39% return on the new price after three years. It's all adding up to a cost-effective package for private buyers, company car drivers and fleets alike. Headline figures are a combined fuel consumption of 61.4mpg - in line with many far smaller petrol engines and, indeed, small diesel units - and carbon dioxide emissions of just 109g/km, sadly a little way short of qualifying for the new Group A free VED tax banding.
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| Wheels are aerodynamically-enhanced |
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All in all, the Civic Hybrid presents a fairly compelling case for itself, as long as you can live with that saloon bodystyle. It's certainly very driveable, with more responsive handling than the light-steering Prius. It has a transmission system not offered in the conventional Civic: a seven-speed CVT auto similar to that offered in the Jazz supermini, with, sensibly, no sequential-shift pseudo-manual function (does anyone ever use these, except in high-performance sports cars?). This is programmed to select the right speed for optimum fuel economy, rather than performance, but is responsive and, as a CVT, 'stepless' with no jerks between pre-set ratios.
Further nods to economy include the aerodynamically-enhanced wheels - spot the flat, enclosed design - with low rolling-resistance tyres; these give a rather hard, unforgiving ride, especially over city speed bumps, potholes and other such urban hazards. This is a shame, as the Civic Hybrid is, after all, predominantly a city-oriented vehicle. The brake pedal has a slightly awkward feel, too, with a high level of resistance under-foot, as the mechanism incorporates the regenerative functions. These are relatively minor niggles, however, in what is otherwise an accomplished and well-engineered vehicle.
