HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

The Honda Civic hybrid has come along to compete against the Hollywood promoted Toyota Prius for the honour of being the world’s most popular hybrid car. The hybrid, to give its name is full, is the Civic 1.4 IMA ES CVT.

The Honda Civic Hybrid claims to show Honda’s commitment to the environment and that style and environmentalism can go hand in hand. Honda has been producing hybrids since 1999, beginning with the ill though-out Insight and moving on to make hybrid versions of the Civic and Accord (not yet available in the UK).

Benefits of the Honda Civic Hybrid

The main benefits of the Honda Civic Hybrid are

• 30% saving on fuel (this can be on average up to £1,000 a year)
• No congestion charges
• Tax breaks
• Low Group 7 insurance will further bring costs down.
• Civic Hybrid is a green car and very ecologically friendly.

Honda Civic 1.4 Hybrid IMA ES

The car can come with extras such as leather interior and climate control. This is a stylish and sporty model and one of it's main successes is in making it difficult to distinguish between it and its non-hybrid cousin. Custom built with a 1.3 litre engine, it is possible to get 720 miles out of just one full tank of petrol. Below are some interesting statistics put together by AutoExpress.

This four door saloon is capable of a top speed of 115 miles per hour and can go from 0 - 60 in 12.1 seconds. This hybrid does an impressive 61 miles per gallon and its CO2 emissions are 109 g/km which puts it within ECO Band A alongside the Toyota Prius whose emissions are 104 g/km.

Honda recognised that safety is an issue that deters many drivers going down the hybrid route and have taken this aspect very seriously. At the world’s most advanced test centre in Tochigi, every car was tested along side their unique pedestrian crash test dummy POLAR II. Honda claim that the Civic Hybrid is now amongst the safest cars on the face of the planet.

How does the Honda Civic Hybrid compare to the Toyota Prius?

The Civic is a four door saloon, the Prius has five doors. The Honda is arguably the better looking of the two hybrids but the Prius does have "celebrity-power" behind it. In terms of cost, the Civic comes in on average around £1,000 cheaper. The Honda drives well and the experts say that you will find more responsive handling with the Civic.

One factor that has moved the Honda hybrid onto the next level is that it does not look out of place when compared to the rest of the Honda range. This is very important as the UK hesitantly follows in the path of the hybrid-loving USA.

Conclusion

This Honda Civic Hybrid is perfect for city driving but its economy will suffer when used on motorways and when immediate acceleration is required. A stylish model that is cheaper than the Prius and manages an impressive 61 miles per gallon.

More information on green cars, hybrid cars and electric cars can be found on TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk