Honda Civic Hybrid : SHE'S ELECTRIC

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Honda's latest generation Hybrid Civic is an eco-friendly car without caveats. Andy Enright reportsâ€¦

It's taken some time but the viable hybrid car is finally with us. Until fairly recently hybrids were bought by publicity seekers or sanctimonious politicians. Real people were priced out of the market by fledgling technology that often proved impractical and unreliable. That's no longer the case and cars like Honda's Civic Hybrid now offer excellent fuel economy, low emissions, decent performance, everyday practicality and an affordable price tag. Small wonder that Honda is rather proud of this model.

The Hybrid marks a very different tack for Honda and it's one whereby the company have been forced to backtrack slightly. Honda's initial take on the hybrid theme was based around Integrated Motor Assist, whereby the petrol engine would run at all times but would be augmented under acceleration with the additional torque of an electric motor. The first car to use this system, the Insight, was wildly impractical. Although it was reasonably good fun to drive, the wacky looks, bulky battery packs, enormous price and two-seater layout relegated it to curiosity status only. Shortly afterwards Toyota launched their Prius, a car that also featured a petrol engine and electric motor but which could run purely on electric power at low speeds and modest throttle openings. It was an instant hit. Honda battled on with their Civic IMA, but when Toyota launched their second generation Prius, it was clear which system customers preferred and Honda have rather pragmatically shelved the first generation Integrated Motor Assist system in favour of propulsion a little more like the Prius. Honda hasn't stopped there, however, and in some respects the Civic makes the Prius look a little old fashioned. The powerplant is five per cent more compact than that of the old Civic IMA but hikes power by 20 per cent. Now good for a full 113bhp from its 1.4-litre engine, this Civic also utilises a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to help optimise the engine's torque to best effect.

"More powerful, more spacious, cleaner and less thirsty than its predecessor, the Civic Hybrid is the current state of the art in responsible motoring"

Performance figures seem rather churlish when reviewing a hybrid car, but if you're interested, the Civic will get to 60mph in 12.1 seconds and run on to a top speed of 115mph which would be respectable for a 1.8-litre car, let alone a 1.4. Of far more relevance is a combined fuel consumption figure of 61.4mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of just 109g/km. It also undercuts the Prius on price, with a price tag of around £18,000 in ES guise. There's also a plusher EX variant on offer for around £20,000. But why a saloon? Haven't Honda created an amazing power system and then ruined its chances by putting it into a four door car. Haven't they consulted the sales data? Small saloons are about as popular in this country as a dose of the bird flu. Step back and widen your perspective and you'll understand Honda's rationale. Since 1997 only 8,000 hybrid cars have been sold in the UK. That's not a lot. Compare that to the 110,000 hybrid sales that Honda have notched up worldwide in the last five years and you'll see that we're small beer. Ninety per cent of those sales have been in the US and Japan, markets that are very receptive to four door saloons. Honda's aiming to double its European sales figures to 5,000 cars a year, but that's still quite a modest aspiration. Besides, there's another reason why this car actually works better as a four door saloon. Hatchback buyers like the benefit of folding the rear seats flat for added practicality. The battery pack in this car resides behind the rear seats so that wouldn't be possible in any case. Compared to the sleek Swindon-built Civic hatch, the Japanese-built saloon does look a little frumpy but it's certainly a good deal better looking than any other comparably priced hybrid. The interior is a good deal more spacious than the old Civic IMA and the dashboard is far more attractive, with an adventurously three-dimensional look. Convinced yet? Well if not, maybe you need to be convinced over the whole subject of hybrid technology. For decades, the motor industry has struggled to bring us anything better than a choice between petrol and diesel power. Only electric cars have offered the prospect of something new but they've usually been dismissed as sluggards that need their batteries charging every five minutes. Only with hybrid technology has battery power become a viable everyday option for ordinary buyers: the system of petrol push when you need it, constantly charging the batteries so that there's electric frugality when you don't. This latest generation engine cuts out at idle, reverting to purely electric mode and also increases engine braking effect when decelerating to charge the battery packs even more effectively. Residuals values are likely to be another issue of concern for customers - though not, it seems, for industry analysts. CAP Monitor expect the new technology to create a premium on the used car market of around 1.5% when it comes to used values. As far as overall cost per mile is concerned, independent data for Service Maintenance and Repair (SMR) costs indicate highly competitive figures equal to or less than other Focus or Astra Family Hatchback-sector models. Exemption from the London congestion charge is also a major plus for capital-bound motorists. The great thing about the Civic Hybrid is the fact that it is outwardly so unexceptional. No onerous demands are placed on the owner in return for this technological showpiece. It drives well, is easy and cost effective to own and has a few tricks up its sleeve. It's so easy to become rather pessimistic about the way motoring is going but cars like the Civic Hybrid show that fun and responsibility can go hand in hand.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Honda Civic Hybrid
PRICE: £17,970-£20,450 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 109g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.1s / Max Speed 115mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 61.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS