(The New York Times)
BETHLEHEM, N.H. -- The goal in designing the 2012 Civic Hybrid, Honda executives say, was to incorporate the hybrid virtue of superior fuel economy in a vehicle that drives like a conventional car. For the most part, Honda has accomplished that.
The Hybrid is the most expensive Civic, and the least expensive Hybrid is $24,820. The model I tested, with a navigation system, was priced at $26,320.
For comparison, a conventional Civic EX with similar equipment, including the navigation system and a 5-speed automatic transmission, would be $22,775.
Honda says such a pricing comparison is not perfect because the Hybrid has additional features like LED taillights, turn-signal indicators in the outside mirrors and automatic on-off headlamps.
The 2012 Civic Hybrid has a federal fuel economy rating of 44 mpg in town and 44 on the highway. That's an improvement from 40/43 for the previous model.
That's impressive, but if maximum fuel economy is your goal the Toyota Prius is much superior, with ratings of 51 mpg in town and 48 on the highway. The least expensive Prius is $24,280, less than the most basic Civic Hybrid.
The conventional gasoline-only Civic with the 5-speed automatic is rated at 28 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway.
So while the hybrid's fuel economy is far better, will it save enough on gas to offset a $3,545 price difference? According to the Environmental Protection Agency's fuel calculator (www.fueleconomy.gov) the hybrid would save $575 a year -- if you drove 15,000 miles a year, 45 percent of it on the highway, and if gas prices climbed to $4.50 a gallon. (I used such a high gas price in the calculation to give the hybrid its best shot.)
So unless there is a huge increase in gas prices it would take about six years to break even, according to the EPA calculator.
But if one puts aside such cold calculations and finds a compensating green warmth from driving a hybrid, the news about the Civic Hybrid is good, though not great.
The ride is comfortable and the body feels solid. While the steering has ample weight, the effort decreases as the wheel is turned. Little road feel comes through.
Like its predecessor, the new model has 59 percent of its weight up front. The car changes direction as quickly as most front-drive sedans and is an agreeable if not enthusiastic partner on mountain roads.
A big change is the use of lighter lithium-ion batteries instead of nickel-metal-hydride units. Because of improvements to the electric motor, including reduced friction, it is now rated at 23 horsepower, up from 20 last year.
Honda says the 1.5 liter 4-cylinder, with the electric motor helping out, is rated at a combined 110 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque between 1,000 and 3,500 revolutions per minute. That's the same horsepower and 4 more pound-feet of torque than the previous model. The car weighs a few pounds less than before.
Acceleration is adequate for common-sense demands, thanks to an instant boost from the electric motor. Going from zero to 60 mph takes 9.7 seconds, according to Edmunds's InsideLine.com.
I drove nearly 300 miles on two-lane roads, including eight miles up the steep Mount Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire, and easily averaged 43 mpg. On one 86-mile stretch I averaged 46 mpg.
The usual odd sounds and sensations of a hybrid system are largely absent, save for the auto-stop feature that ratted out the dual powertrain. At a stop, the engine is automatically shut off to save fuel. Lifting a foot off the brake pedal starts the engine with a lumpy stumble, as if it had been rudely awakened.
The overall dimensions of the new model are almost identical to the old one, but rear legroom grew by 1.6 inches, making the back seat suitable for 6-foot adults. The trunk, at 10.7 cubic feet, is almost 2 cubic feet smaller than the regular Civic's largely because of space taken by the battery pack.
The interior is convenient and comfortable, although backing up is tricky because of limited sight lines -- the deck lid is high and the rear window is smallish. As for aesthetics, the passenger cabin simply can't compete with the new (and less expensive) Hyundai Elantra.
For a serious driving enthusiast, the new Civic is no match for the Ford Fusion Hybrid. But on the other hand the Honda's fuel economy is far superior. While not sporty, the Civic Hybrid is a well-mannered and likable sedan that squeezes a lot out of a gallon of gas.
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