More 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid Spy Shots

I don't see a tail bumper-spoiler as on the Insight and the Prius. Can't see if there's an aerodynamic dip in the roofline, but there's some hints of a mini-spoiler in front of the front tires.

Can't tell if it has a changed instrumentation cluster inside, but boy is the car old-Saturn UGLY. There's the Prius-style 'peace-sign/atari' A-column, but doesn't look like if they're going to fill in the gap with glass or not.

They're going for that unflattering huge H on the front like the Accord, while the back seem to have more TSX lines.

It appears by an assembly line photo I saw in the NY times website that there will indeed be glass in the triangles of the A pillar....it was reported by NYT that the assembler in the Japanese plant earns the equivalent of $1.50 an hour, compared to assembly line workers in the US earning upwards of $55 an hour on average...makes you think.

$1.5/hour? In Japan?
In Japan, a bowl of noodle costs about 2X there than here. $12/per day barely buy him/her a bowl of noodle in Japan. (last time I was there)... How can the assembler survive there with $12/day pay? I doubt that number seriously.
$1.5/hour is more like an average pay for a auto worker in China today. Definitely not Japan (more like $15/hour).

Yeah, one article I read said that Honda explicitly targeted the Prius with the next HCH. I wouldn't be surprised to see a hatchback early on, and I'd expect it to equal or better the Prius mileage.

I expect it will still be slightly smaller, but probably only noticeable in rear seat legroom.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tempus\";p=\"103080)</div>

Maybe, but I believe the Honda hybrid technology is still almost the opposite of the Prius which would give it a higher rating on the highway.

The Insight we had for a couple of years gave us 8 more average mpg than our Prius, however there is no comparison in those two cars. I like Honda, but they would be hard put to shake me away from Toyota.

Boy, that A-pillar sure looks familiar, eh?

But not a hatchback -- they took some design elements from the Prius, but held off instead of doing the "full geek".

And it isn't a hatchback.

I said - there will be a hatchback.

I did not say - those pictures are of a hatchback.

I still say - there will be a hatchback.

There are already pictures of the new hatchback civic on some euro sites.

Oh, I understood that Tempus -- sorry, I was just making my own regret that the photos didn't show a HCH hatchback.

I'm just glad to see Honda returning the Civic to a hatchback option, period. Though I, personally, will be surprised to see a hybrid Honda Civic hatchback before the 2007 models.

But I'm wrong every day, and this could be one of today's mistakes. (It would be a happy one!)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hybrid_Dave\";p=\"102980)</div>

Please give us the link to to where this information came from because I don't believe it for a second.
Who here believes that "on average" a US assembly line worker makes UPWARDS of $55 an hour? If you could show me just one assembly line worker who makes upwards of $114,400 a year (that's what the annual salary comes out to) I'd be blown away.
The same disbelief goes for a Japanese assembly line worker only making $1.50/hr. Ridiculous.
Must be one major agenda behind someone pushing that level of BS in their propaganda. I'm not accusing you of this Hybrid_Dave, just whoever is the source.

(small bump)

According to salary.com, U.S. autoworkers seem to make an average of $35-38k, far from the $114k quoted above!

Anyway I'm eagerly awaiting the '06 Civic Hybrid since, after much deliberation, I think I probably will buy it. But one of the reasons I'm leaning away from the Prius is the windshield -- it's way too narrow and restrictive. The current HCH has a much better, ordinary windshield, but what worries me is it looks like the new one will have the same problems the Prius has! It's that A-bar thing; it really gets in the way as a result of the extra-slanted windshield. I guess we'll see once it comes out, but it disappoints me that Honda chose this route.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Potential Buyer\";p=\"108147)</div>

I suppose the reason for the windshield on both cars is for aerodynamics.
Why else have you apparently decided in favor of the Civic? Currently the Prius leads the Civic in about 30 categories. Have you seen a feature list that allows for comparison on the 06? I saw some of the improved features on the Civic, but having had an Insight and experiencing the incredible difference in the technology, I am very sceptical about Honda.

meh... i've still got the hots for our good ol' prius with it's HSD. :mrgreen:

The windshield was actually a big annoyance, and I know it's aerodynamic but it worries me the new Civic has the same thing. Another thing was the steering... the HCH's steering seemed very sporty, from what I remember when I test-drove it... the Prius' steering gives no feedback at all, on the other hand. Might as well be playing a video game.

For those two reasons, the current HCH is more fun. It also has a larger and fully working gas tank; the ULEV version has a 15.2 tank, officially it's 13.2 but that's not counting the reserve. Even if you only got 40 mpg, you'd still get over 500 miles' range before the indicator goes on.

Of course it's weaker... alot weaker... it takes forever to get from 70 to 80mph, I remember. And its mileage is worse. But I figure the new one will remedy those problems; it's supposed to have a net horsepower of 115.

The ICE engine alone will be 95 horsepower, and if I remember right it's 1.8 L.