2008 Honda Civic Hybrid vs. 2008 Toyota Prius (#5)

[siouxnami]

Since I just did this I'm sharing it just because others might also be interested.

Part of doing due diligence before I spend $ on a new car I wanted to compare the Honda Civic Hybrid to the Toyota Prius. As it turns out it was a blood bath considering what was important to me. I compared a Prius (package 5) to a Honda Civic Hybrid with Navigation. This is about as apples-to-apples as you can get. Many features and specs were quite comparable, here is what I found not to be.

First what I liked better about the Civic:
Price: I could get the civic for about $25,000 vs. the Prius for about $25,700 and in addition there is still a $2100 tax credit available for the Civic so all told it runs about $2,600 less.
Interior: This is subjective, but I really like the futuristic 2 level dash display. I also thought the interior surface materials were a little higher quality.
Fit: This is very slight, but I am about 6' and I did think that I fit slightly better in the Civic than in the Prius, however the back seat and headroom did not impress me much, this comparison was close enough that I did not weigh it heavily.

Now what I liked better about the Prius (preaching to the choir...):
Safety: Bottom line is that I will never, ever, EVER, purchase a new vehicle that does not have some form of electronic stability control. I am disappointed that some base models of the Prius don't have it but I think most packages, including #5 add it.
Convenience: The Prius offers a back-up camera, which is real nice. The Civic, despite having a screen right there, does not offer this. What, do you expect me to just turn my head...
Styling: The Prius is distinctive and it's own car. Anytime you look at the civic you have to compare it to the non hybrid model. It kind of forces you to calculate your return as compared to the the base Civic. As a result I think that it is easier to view the Honda as a poor investment compared to non-hybrid.
Technology: The Prius has Bluetooth, the Honda for some inexplicable reason does not. This is kind of a deal breaker for me as well. I don't think you can have a tech savvy car and skimp on that.
Audio: I realize that you can do your own thing after market, but when you are buying near the high end of a line, you should get a premium stereo. The Prius does this, the Civic does not.
Fuel Economy: Let's be honest, both are very good. But the reality is that a reasonable estimates of 48/45 beat 40/45 any day of the week. This helps to offset the price differential over the life of the vehicles for sure.
Storage: The hatchback and fold down seats allow for far more space the than the civic (thanks jimbok).

Bottom line I think the Prius more than justified it's price premium with distinction, safety, features, and fuel economy.

[omgitsroy326]

considering that a civic is a highway hybrid.. their numbers aren't impressive when compared to a prius


great review

[skguh]

They are two completely different Hybrid technologies. You didn't even consider them, did you? Bluetooth is a nice-to-have-for-my-phone technology. Synergy Drive versus Integrated Motor Assist.

The difference between full and partial is critical to your fuel and emissions-saving agenda: A full hybrid powertrain is one that can operate on electric-only power, meaning the vehicle is propelled forward by the strength of its electric motors before the gas engine starts. The Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape Hybrid are two excellent examples of this technology, as both can go up to approximately 15 mph on the electric power. Because full hybrid powertrains actually cut the engine at stoplights and in traffic, fuel savings and pollution are significantly better than that offered by partial systems. The benefit to a partial system is better performance (electric motors can provide greater boost off the line) with improved fuel economy. The Honda Accord Hybrid is a partial hybrid and is the fastest Accord in the lineup, though doesn’t really benefit the environment: the Accord Hybrid is rated ULEV, whereas most full hybrids are rated as PZEV. [/b]

What Makes Hybrids Go--old article--still relevant

You compared radios and seats?
The backup camera's a pain in the ass. Fun to watch, no damned good in real time unless you're used to running over toys.
Tax credits are gone for Hybrids to my knowledge.
They're both small cars.
My wife's Civic Coupe gets 37+ MPG straight ICE. Not even close to 50. Heck, that and a Dodge pickup truck equal MY fuel economy--and I'm not even TRYING.

Prius is the defacto standard by which all other Hybrid attempts are trying to achieve. Not all Hybrids are created equally, and the Prius is the only one that's been on the market over 10 years--and that's generations when considering technologies.

But go ahead and get leather....

[omgitsroy326]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skguh @ Nov 29 2007, 03:14 PM) [snapback]545797[/snapback]</div>

They are two completely different Hybrid technologies. You didn't even consider them, did you? Bluetooth is a nice-to-have-for-my-phone technology. Synergy Drive versus Integrated Motor Assist.
What Makes Hybrids Go--old article--still relevant

You compared radios and seats?
The backup camera's a pain in the ass. Fun to watch, no damned good in real time unless you're used to running over toys.
Tax credits are gone for Hybrids to my knowledge.
They're both small cars.
My wife's Civic Coupe gets 37+ MPG straight ICE. Not even close to 50. Heck, that and a Dodge pickup truck equal MY fuel economy--and I'm not even TRYING.

Prius is the defacto standard by which all other Hybrid attempts are trying to achieve. Not all Hybrids are created equally, and the Prius is the only one that's been on the market over 10 years--and that's generations when considering technologies.

But go ahead and get leather....
[/b]

i think you need to give the guy a break.. he wasn't comparing hybrid systems. He was just comparing HYBRID. I also believe that the backup camera works well

[JimboK]

Another point in favor of the Prius: the hatchback. It's come in handy several times as I've hauled stuff that would not have fit in a Civic.

[moxiequz]

You compared radios and seats? [/b]

The poster was comparing things that were (I assume) important to him/her. That's what anyone should do when evaluating a car. Particularly seat comfort/height as that can have a huge impact on whether or not the car is the right fit for you and/or your family.

The backup camera's a pain in the ass. Fun to watch, no damned good in real time unless you're used to running over toys.[/b]

??? I'm lost on this statement. How is the backup camera a "pain in the ass"? And what do you mean by it's "no damned good in real time". I have a backup camera on my Prius. It works fine in "real time". Indeed I consider it a necessity on the Prius due to the poor visibility out the back of the car.

[siouxnami]

Sorry for the double post, I was having some communication issues with the site.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(skguh @ Nov 29 2007, 02:14 PM) [snapback]545797[/snapback]</div>

You compared radios and seats? Yes, I compared just about everything that I would use.
The backup camera's a pain in the ass. Fun to watch, no damned good in real time unless you're used to running over toys. For my driveway it will be...
Tax credits are gone for Hybrids to my knowledge. Not true only Toyota
They're both small cars.
My wife's Civic Coupe gets 37+ MPG straight ICE. Not even close to 50. Heck, that and a Dodge pickup truck equal MY fuel economy--and I'm not even TRYING.

Prius is the defacto standard by which all other Hybrid attempts are trying to achieve. Not all Hybrids are created equally, and the Prius is the only one that's been on the market over 10 years--and that's generations when considering technologies.

But go ahead and get leather....
[/b]

Yes like most people though, I compare car values and not the particular ins and outs of competing technology. The goal for both is to get from point A to point B.

[nerfer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(siouxnami @ Nov 29 2007, 03:57 PM) [snapback]545845[/snapback]</div>

Yes like most people though, I compare car values and not the particular ins and outs of competing technology. The goal for both is to get from point A to point B.
[/b]

I think you had a fine post. The technology used doesn't matter to the driver, just the end result. Mileage, reliability, emissions, responsiveness, etc. It might be easier for the engineers to meet certain results based on the technology they choose, but to the driver it doesn't matter squat. Eventually, there might be a third-party plug-in feature available for the Prius and not the HCH, but that is not a meaningful concern for >90% of Prius owners, given the price point and warranty issues.

I really don't see what the problem with looking out the back is. The Prius has fine visibility, better than our Accord, and definitely better than a standard SUV. With the lower window you can see things much closer to you than most cars. There is some blockage to the sides, but you can move your head or use the side mirrors if really needed. What bothers me is visibility to the sides when looking forwards with the thick front pillars, particularly when entering a turn.

[Burner]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Nov 29 2007, 03:45 PM) [snapback]545815[/snapback]</div>

Another point in favor of the Prius: the hatchback. It's come in handy several times as I've hauled stuff that would not have fit in a Civic.
[/b]

That's the one major problem I have with the Civic. If you buy the Civic EX (non-hybrid), the rear seats flip down to create more room to carry/haul. Due to the location of the batteries in the Civic Hybrid, not only do the seats not flip down, but the trunk is significantly smaller than the standard Civic.

[PriuStorm]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Burner @ Nov 29 2007, 06:00 PM) [snapback]545878[/snapback]</div>

That's the one major problem I have with the Civic. If you buy the Civic EX (non-hybrid), the rear seats flip down to create more room to carry/haul. Due to the location of the batteries in the Civic Hybrid, not only do the seats not flip down, but the trunk is significantly smaller than the standard Civic.
[/b]

This was one of the main reasons why we chose the Prius over the Civic Hybrid.