On paper, there are few competitors to the Civic Hybrid. On the face of it there’s only one: the Toyota Prius. But if you put aside the powertrain and gauge competition land focus instead on benefits, such as miles per gallon and environmental friendliness, one would have to consider the Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer and other subcompacts – even the regular ol’ Civic – and other subcompacts that come close in gas mileage and offer a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) engine. Are they hybrids? No. Do they accomplish what hybrids accomplish? Almost, which is close enough for most people. Smart commuters will take a look at these four-cylinder alternatives in addition to the Civic Hybrid.