2004 Honda Civic Hybrid
11-30-2004
by
Matt St-Pierre
, Auto123.com
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Every chance I got, I feathered the throttle pedal to avoid getting the IMA involved in the acceleration process. The best run I achieved was 5.5L per 100 km. My average, over a distance of 650 km was above 7.0L per 100 km. I admit I was disappointed. I tried hard to not push the car, to follow the speed limits as indicated and I was incapable of reducing my average real-time consumption (according to the onboard computer) to less than 6.0L per 100 km.
Safety
The car has standard dual front air bags, available ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution (except on the base GS I4), and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 4 out of 5 stars (a good result) for a frontal impact and 3 out of 5 stars (an average result) for the front passengers and 4 out of 5 stars for the rear passengers in lateral impacts. The IIHS has rated it a "Best Pick" in its category.
Conclusion
I must admit that driving the way I did for the whole week almost made me bonkers. Given the fact that everyone has to get to where they are going yesterday, that stoplights are used as suggestions to most and speed limits are viewed as being for the weak, I got honked at, passed on both sides and cut off. Surprisingly, the most grief I got was from an older gentleman (in his late 60's) driving a late 1980's rusted and broken down Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra. You just never know where it's going to come from.
A story worth mentioning: On the first evening that I drove the car home, I thought I was hearing sirens somewhere in the distance. After coming to a stop a couple of times, I realized that the car's regenerative braking system was in fact the culprit of this deceiving noise. The reason why I write these lines is so that the next person that buys a Hybrid will not pullover thinking that an ambulance is a few blocks away. You would not imagine the eerie resemblance in sound. Until you get used to it, it makes you check every time.
According to Honda and the Energuide from Natural Resources Canada, the rated fuel consumption is at 4.9L / 100 km in the city and 4.6L / 100 km on the highway. Considering the effort I put into testing this car, I have a hard time believing that, unless the conditions are better than ideal, real-world fuel consumption will be much higher.
There is no doubt that I polluted much less than just about any car I crossed during my time behind the wheel. This dawned on me while I was being passed by 10 and 15 year old cars with broken exhaust manifolds and faulty emission systems. I do not think that pollution weighs heavily enough on people's conscience as of yet to justify the purchase of a $28,500 Civic. Hopefully, this ideology will change much sooner than later.
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