But as a radio personality will tell a TV personality, anonymity often has its advantages. Call this Civic boring, call it understated, call it what you wish: I call it a relief from the spotlight of driving a hybrid as people don't stare

It's nice to finally be in a vehicle inconspicuous enough to not be the centre of attention every time I hit the road. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

or bother to ask questions. It's nice to finally be in a vehicle inconspicuous enough to not be the centre of attention every time I hit the road. I would imagine most buyers would like to enjoy a little peace and quiet while saving the planet one kilometre at a time.

Behind its conventional styling is a powertrain that's anything but conventional. Being that the Civic is a larger car, it gets beefier hardware. Undermined by the principle goal of minimizing fuel consumption, the Civic ditches its 1.7-litre inline-four for a more efficient, purpose-engineered 1.3-litre unit. Despite its small size, the engine is a high-tech masterpiece, packing new i-DSI technology. With i-DSI (short for intelligent Dual and Sequential Ignition), there are as many spark plugs as valves in the engine (eight), helping to promote complete combustion, reduce fuel consumption and cut emissions. I-DSI also allows the Civic to run on an extremely lean 22:1 air to fuel ratio under low strain. Additionally, it's worth noting that this is the smallest engine on the market to feature cylinder deactivation, which cuts fuel flow to three of the four cylinders by shutting down valves. Under de-acceleration it enables 30 percent more energy to be recaptured by the IMA system.

"Waste not, want not." It's the return of that virtuous saying once uttered by our dear mothers, and it's been instilled into every last Civic Hybrid detail by Honda's engineering team. Energy left over from inertia isn't wasted by heat or friction; the electrical half of the IMA system recaptures it. As with the Insight, most of these magical components aren't visible from under the hood, with the electric motor sandwiched between the gasoline engine and transmission, while the more space efficient 22.6 kg (63 lb) all in one battery/power unit is wedged behind the rear passenger

"Waste not, want not." It's the return of that virtuous saying once uttered by our dear mothers, and it's been instilled into every last Civic Hybrid detail by Honda's engineering team. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

seat. The thin, pie-sized 10 kW motor is a step forward from the Insight. For the slight gain of 5 mm (a 1/4 inch) in width, it is capable of generating 13 horses and 46 lb-ft of torque, three additional horsepower and 10 lb-ft more torque than in the Insight. When not providing forward thrust during braking or coasting, the electric motor operates to charge the 120 1.2-volt NiMH batteries. New technology allows the pack to charge and discharge quicker and more effectively.

The batteries in the IMA system are also used to power the high-output starter that instantly kicks the car to life, and is the principal component of the "Idle Stop" mode. Provided you've met the conditions of having enough power for the IMA system to restart the motor, by having your foot on the brake pedal, gear lever in neutral or reverse and the "Eco" mode on the HVAC cluster selected, the bright red needle on the tach will plummet like a rock. A blinking green light informs you that you haven't actually stalled. All the while, your tunes don't stop; the power windows still function, as does the interior fan, but if it's humid outside you will notice that the A/C temporarily stops blowing air of Arctic Circle temperature. Let go of the brake and without hesitation the car "awakens" from its temporary slumber, having consumed no additional fuel.