The Natural Gas Honda Civic runs without the use of gasoline, has California’s partial zero-emissions (PZEV) status, and get 32 mpg. Learn More about the Civic GX NGV
The Honda Civic GX has one trick up its sleeve: Its four-cylinder engine runs on compressed natural gas instead of gasoline. The resulting emissions are negligible enough to earn the car California’s partial zero-emissions (PZEV) status, and the one we bought has been attaining a gasoline-equivalent of nearly 32 mpg, which is very good.
But this green adaptation of the Civic sedan brings a few compromises. The most serious is that natural-gas refueling stations are few and far between. There are only three in Connecticut, although some other states have many more. Currently, there are about 1,600 CNG stations nationwide, versus almost 200,000 gasoline stations.
The GX’s CNG tank also occupies a good deal of trunk space and once filled, it holds the energy of just eight gallons of gasoline. Honda rates the GX’s cruising range at 220 to 250 miles, but that might be optimistic. In our car, the low-fuel light has been coming on after only 150 miles of driving. That warning indicates only 30 miles left, which provides little leeway to look for a fill-up location given their scarcity in our area. The 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine boasts only 113 horsepower instead of the gasoline models’ 140 horsepower, so the GX is a little lazy when merging. The initial price is a little steep—we paid $25,185 for ours—but right now that’s offset by a sales-tax exemption and a generous $4,000 federal tax credit. – Consumer Reports
Use this search tool to find a Natural Gas refueling station in your area: Natural Gas Station Locator
