Honda Civic Hybrid - 2007 Review

The car gets about 40mpg and that's the reason to buy it vs. the non-hybrid. It will cost around $20-22K new, or about a $7K premium over the gas model.

You have all kinds of options, of course, like leather or not, various upgrades, etc., but none of these things really matter because the only difference between what you get here vs. in the gas model is the hybrid technology. If you want all the upgrades, you can get them in either the hybrid or traditional models.

The car is cramped, of course, because it's a compact. I'm only 5-7 and my head was near the roof. Not uncomfortably so, but enough to make me feel cramped. The backseat is OK, but it doesn't fold down because of the batteries in the trunk. I don't care much about that as I don't haul things.

I was a little concerned about, of all things, the lack of a sunroof option. I like sunroofs to vent heat (it's hot where I live) but I can live without one by cracking a window. What concerned me was that a sunroof was not an option because of wires through the roof. Hybrids have high voltage and the thought of that running just above my head was off-putting.

The performance was OK but less than I wanted. It turns off/on all the time (CVT - continuously variable transmission) with the gas engine not used when not needed. I understand that and welcome it, but it still (I tried this car in 05 too) doesn't keep the creature comforts running when it turns off the gas engine. It can get hot in the car while sitting at a light as the a/c more or less dies off. (It blows slightly less and isn't as cold). I imagine it would get cold inside in the winter, too, depending on your clime.

Pick-up is fair and there is noticeable delay getting the car moving. (The Prius is far superior in this area).

The car is not so much more expensive that the traditional that you totally offset the mileage gains with the extra cost of the hybrid but you're still looking at another $7K or more for the hybrid vs. the traditional. At that cost difference you are getting only about 10mpg more, or just a few $ savings per tank. You'd have to own the car a long time to recoup the cost.

The brakes are not anti-lock and I'm not sure if this is an option. They stop the car as well as any other non-anti-lock brakes I've tried.

The pedal feel is normal. They were positioned well and they felt firm. The car handles about the same as the other cars in its class. The Sentra or Protege are good comparisons. It is definitely not a sporty car and looks like its rear is too high.

On the highway the car struggles to get up to speed. It's find for around town but it's not a touring car.

Trunk space is limited by the batteries, but there's enough room for your normal needs.

If you must have a hybrid, the Prius is better performing and has better features and will cost another $4K. If you just want a fuel efficient little car, the traditional Civic is cheaper and proven. Or you could get a Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, etc. entry-level car for enough less to make the hybrid technology a choice rather than a money-saving option.