THE 2006 CIVIC HYBRID – THE HANDSOME HYBRID WITH STAMINA
By Colin Ayres - EcoCarOnline.com
If you think you’ve seen all there is to see from Honda Civic, think again. Especially in the hybrid category. In a recent marketing campaign, Honda boasts that the new 2006 line will reverse drivers’ thinking. And, for once, advertising doesn’t lie. With stellar amenities like the new multi-tiered instrument panel, a sophisticated audio system, available navigation system, and a new, flashier aesthetic, this Civic Hybrid could make even the harshest design critic smile.
Since 2002 though, Honda has managed to make only a few of those critics rave, developing hybrids that were somewhat atypical. At the same time, Toyota happened to steal the public’s perception of how a half-gas, half-electric car should look and act. Their most popular model, the Prius, seemed to woo car buyers, leaving the other hybrids in the dust. That is, until Honda introduced this year’s model. Along with its “cool” interior, the 2006 Civic Hybrid also features a lip spoiler on the trunk, alloy wheels, side-mirror turn signals, clear-lens front turn signals, and a micro antenna affixed to the trailing edge of the roof. (Not to mention front and side curtain airbags.)
But that’s not even the best news. The real reason Honda has retaken the lead, or at least moved up, in the hybrid race is the phenomenal gas mileage it boasts. Brace yourself: 50 mpg hwy and 50 mpg city. That’s no typo, it’s 50. In the 2006 hybrid model, with a single tank of gas, you could drive over 600 miles before even thinking about filling up. (Can you hear Exxon shaking?) Through innovations like an electric-only, no-combustion mode for low-speed cruising, an air conditioning system that runs off the electric motor, and a friction-reducing, efficiency-boosting engine design, the Civic Hybrid goes and goes. Not too shabby for a car that accelerates from 0-60 in just over 10 seconds.
In all, it’s a handsome hybrid with the looks of a concept car – a windshield rake that extends in an almost straight line to the crown of the roof, organic shaped controls, tight switch gear and seams, two-tone seating – all very good selling points, slightly overshadowed by the number one selling point for cars today: Miles per gallon.
| Specifications |
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| Price: |
$21,850 and $23,350 (NAVI) |
| Powertrain: |
1.3L, In-Line i-VTEC® 4-cylinder |
| Electric motor: |
Permanent Magnet |
| Estimated HP: |
110 |
| EPA emissions rating: |
Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) |
| EPA-estimated mileage ratings: |
50 mpg city / 50 mpg hwy |
| Transmission: |
Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) |
| Wheelbase: |
106.3 in. |
| Length: |
176.7 in. |
| Width: |
69.0 in. |
| Height: |
56.3 in. |
Source. HybridCars.com and Honda.com |
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