2005 Honda Civic (Hybrid Version) UPDATED 3/22/06

Author's Rating:

Pros: Comfortable. Great A/C and heat functions. Great overall interior layout.

Cons: Road noise. Sticker way high for class. Advertised gas mileage on window/EPA sticker misleading.

The Bottom Line: 
Great deal. Now that gas is $2.25 per gallon and going skyward this car is saving me wads of cash. I can deal with the road noise easily.

Author's Review
!!!!!!!!!!!Updated Below!!!!!!!!!!!
3/22/2006

On a whim I stopped at my local dealership and test drove the 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid to get the feel of the vehicle I had been looking at on the Internet. I was impressed with the feel of the car as well as the comfort level offered. The 2005 Honda drives very well and turns corners well within reason however at highway speeds road noise did become a detraction. The transmission is something a bit different in this car as it does not "shift" gears like a traditional transmission. The CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission glides into each gear with only the tach as a tell-tell sign that something is actually happening. The 2005 Civic Hybrid has more than decent pickup from its tiny yet surprising 85 horsepower power plant under the hood assisted by an IMA motor built into the drive train boosting power to 93 horsepower overall. IMA or Integrated Motor Assist essentially is an electric motor that runs off of a set of NiCad batteries. In concert with the CVT transmission the Civic tricks you into believing there is at least 150 horsepower under the hood.

What sets this Civic apart from the standard Civic is the Hybrid technology. The 2005 Civic Hybrid has a set of NiCad batteries just behind the rear seats that are well hidden. What happens during normal driving is that when you let off of the gas to slow down or when traveling down a hill the IMA is using the momentum of the car to charge the battery. A bit of drag can be felt when all of this takes place and the actions are evident on the charge meter next to the speedometer. Also while driving, when you brake to stop or slow, power is generated from the actual braking action and transferred to battery storage. This also can be seen on the charge meter. The only other method of charging is if the battery becomes half depleted. The system will automatically put a slight charge on the battery from engine power which is not noticeable at all.

In mid January I purchased my 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid with the 7 year 100,000 mile warranty, window tint, and the factory Honda alarm system included for $19,800 before TTL. I basically set all of the Honda dealers in my area against each other to accomplish my goal. I told them I was going to purchase a vehicle in approximately one month and that the best deal gets my business. I told them up front to make me their best offers they could. I took the best 3 offers then started again until one dealer's salesman and I got down to the real price which was well below sticker.

All in all, this is a really great car. It's a Honda so with a little care and proper maintenance it will last forever. If you drive carefully and retrain yourself to take full advantage of hills and braking points then you will get great mileage. Otherwise, if your always in a hurry all the time and have a lead foot then get something else. After all I should know. I have had to adjust from an '88 Mustang GT 5.0. And adjust... And adjust some more...

Advertised MPG: 48/47 (City/Highway)

!!!!!!!!!!!Updated!!!!!!!!!!!
3/22/2006

-The Dunlop tires that come on the Hybrid hold a 51 PSI maximum pressure rating. The driver door sticker says that the tires should be inflated to 30 PSI and the dealer has been putting mine at 32 PSI when serviced. At 22,000 miles my tires are worn on the inner and outer edges and are down to the wear bars. Normally, this means the tire has been running under inflated. Just for kicks and giggles I decided to experiment with pressures just to see what happens and to try to extend the life of the tires. I have gone with a 34 PSI setting for now and my mileage skyrocketed. Previously I was averaging 34 to 38 MPG on daily driving with a long term average of 38.6 MPG. (Long term as in from the date of purchase to now calculated with the Trip 2 meter not being reset.) I am now averaging 43-44 MPG on daily driving and the excessive tire wear looks to have decreased greatly. My long term average has increased to 38.9 MPG. I have a plan in place to use an old racing trick that involves an infrared temperature gun to measure tire temperature after driving. The tire temperature measurements, when taken at the outer edge, middle, and inner edge of each tire, will tell me if I am under inflated or over inflated. If the tire is under inflated like before then the outer edges of the tire will be hotter than the middle. The reverse is correct for over inflation. The center of the tire will be hotter than the sides. By using this information I can add or remove air from each tire !WHEN COLD! to reach a happy medium which hopefully is a uniform temperature across the tread face of the tire.

-44-46 MPG and higher is apparently obtainable. Traveling at 50-55 MPH on a relatively flat grade, I was able to achieve a 46 MPG average for about 150 miles.

-Best MPG to date at the end of a tank: 43.95 MPG

-Longest distance traveled on one tank: 634 miles on 14.42 gallons of 87 Octane gas traveling at 60 - 75 MPH range on interstate.

(Please, if interested or if you are following my information updates then let me know by email at BOSSC351@valornet.com)