Driving Impressions
Without even trying, we got 47.1 mpg out of a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid over a 55-mile route including freeways, rural two-lane, and downtown Chicago city streets.
As soon as you place the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid’s CVT into gear and set off down the road – which is, by the way, a far less complicated procedure than the Toyota Prius – it’s clear that there’s a big difference between this new Civic Hybrid and the old Civic Hybrid. First, this one is comfortable to sit in. Second, it looks funky enough to attract some attention, though that’s more a function of the Civic’s new styling than palpable differences between regular and hybrid models. Third, it is far quieter inside and more refined. Fourth, it’s quick. Not speedy quick, but quick enough to get out of its own way. Finally, we got 47.1 mpg over 55 miles of rural two-lane roads, interstate highways, and congested city traffic. And we didn’t need to baby it to get that number. Of course, it’s never easy being green. The 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid rides harder thanks to the low rolling resistance tires, and directional stability on the highway is a little less assured than the standard Civic. Despite improvements, the brakes are a bit more difficult to modulate than the regular models, and the Hybrid feels heavier when traveling over bumps and dips. Finally, buyers without experience driving a car with a CVT will find that it takes some getting used to – especially when accelerating hard. Nevertheless, the differences in driving character between the regular and hybrid models are less distinct than before. By spending a continuous 90 minutes behind the wheel of the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, I did notice that the parking brake handle, which is located on the left side of the gear selector right where my leg rested against the center console, dug uncomfortably into the bone just below my knee joint. That doesn’t bode well for extended travel, and I can only assume that with a similar amount of seat time I’d suffer the same discomfort in any 2006 Honda Civic. Making up for this to some degree are the Civic’s upper door panels, which are slightly padded and feature a perfectly located concavity disguised as a character line, creating an excellent place to rest your left elbow during extended trips.
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