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By: Derek Price
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Hybrid vehicles -- those that
combine gasoline and electric power to get great
fuel economy -- are nothing new, thanks to the
Toyota Prius and Honda Insight that were introduced
a couple of years ago.
Both were revolutionary in a way, but they just weren't
"real" cars. They were seen more as billboards for
Greenpeace than truly useful transportation, since
they were too cramped and funky looking for most
Americans.
Finally, after years of promises and decades of
research, a real-world vehicle combines great gas
mileage with true usability in a package that --
thank goodness -- doesn't stick out by screaming,
"I'm an environmentalist!"
And, no, you don't have to plug it in.
It's the Honda Civic Hybrid, a gas-electric car that
has no obvious signs of its environmental activism.
Unless you see the little badge on its butt or open
the hood, it basically looks like every other boring
Civic on the highway, only this one gets well over
50 miles per gallon.
It works by cramming an electric motor between the
engine and transmission and using the electric boost
only when necessary, almost like a turbocharger. A
tiny 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gas engine makes 85
horsepower, and the motor can kick in another 13
horses to help push the Civic up a hill or away from
a stoplight.
Overall, this hybrid is surprisingly drivable. It has
116 pound-feet of torque on tap when both the gas
and electric power flows, which actually provides
better performance than one would expect. It easily
beat most gas-guzzling SUVs when leaving the
aforementioned stoplights, although it never was
confused for a sports car.
Lucky for those of us who like those sports cars, it
has the great handling and solid brakes that the
Civic is known for, and the only real difference
between driving the regular Civic and the hybrid
version is that the hybrid's engine shuts off every
time it stops.
The engine stopping can be disconcerting at first -- it
feels like it stalled or you left the clutch out --
but it becomes normal after a couple of days,
especially with a reassuring light that blinks to
let you know everything is OK. The engine never
fails to start again smoothly and quietly as soon as
you take your foot off the brake pedal.
Another difference that sets the hybrid apart from its
more mundane brother is a cluster of gauges to
monitor the electric motor. Digital lights show how
much the motor is assisting you during acceleration,
and they reveal how much the batteries are being
charged when you decelerate. You don't have to plug
it in because the brakes generate electricity to
recharge a bank of batteries behind the back seat.
Those batteries take up very little space, as the Civic
Hybrid has a terrific-sized trunk and relatively
comfortable back seat. Virtually no usability is
sacrificed because of the fancy wizardry, and the
front seat is surprisingly livable with great
materials and ample space.
How much is Honda asking for this technological wonder?
A hair under $20,000 for one with an automatic
transmission, which is a fair price when you
consider gas savings and the overall vehicle
quality. That's about $4,000 more than a similar
Civic without the hybrid technology, but it's worth
the extra cash for those who have been waiting for
the future to bring miracle cars.
Well, the future is here, and it looks like a plain ol'
Civic.
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