2012 Honda Civic Hybrid achieves 68.7mpg in HybridCars testing

Hi Mendel;

Quite right. I'll have to find an easy way to handle that particular configuration. Fortunately, the lower portion of the intake is also the most relevant and quite easy to manage.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Interesting. Thanks to you and Tideland. I'd (mistakenly) thought the HCH II had just an electric A/C compressor.

It's not a two compressor arrangement like the HAH, right? I remember Car and Driver mentioned the HAH had a larger compressor driven by the ICE and a smaller one that was electrically driven that could run when the ICE was stopped.

 

It is actually a single component. A hybrid scroll compressor that can be powered either by the belt, the battery pack or both.

 

The wheels and cockpit design are looking better to me than Prius. The 10 ft3 of cargo space, not so much.

 

I will be more than happy to see a full power split hybrid Insight in 2016, head to head comp with the Prius. It's only a matter of time, someone is going to *try* to really take on the Prius.

 

The lower grill opening might still be doable, if the openings are not too wide. Something like this, a cross-section through the bumper:

 

Fremont Honda did not have a 2012 Civic Hybrid out front, but I sat in the 2012 Civic EX. I don't know if they had any steering wheel buttons on the prior gen, but this '12 has all the audio, cruise control and bluetooth buttons on the wheel. I noticed it was tilted slightly more away from driver at the top, but other models are this way as well. Looked ok to me and wheel has those little 'grips' at about 10 and 2 oclock. I could get a very good view of the tach looking through the wheel.

It seems they are using an eco type of plastic on the dash. The dash plastic and fabric were 'different'.

They moved the parking brake back a little bit to not interfere with knee as much as prior gen.

The body style is improved - it is clearly a better looking car all around to me. Nice little curve in upper side of trunk area. Headlights are sharp. Nothing overdone, seems a worthy successor.

Honda will sell absolute bucket loads of these Civics. They don't have too much to worry about from Toyota, Hyundai, Chevrolet Cruize, Ford Focus, etc...

Civic Si 6 speed manual available too... 2.4 L. That'll keep 'em happy.

 

No, previous gen did not have the 2 button wheels.

Looking at Honda Canada specification page:

There's no mention of 2012 Civic Hybrid, but there's various spec's with no trim levels ticked, ie: the spec. applys to none of the currently listed models. 1.5 liter engine displacement, for example: it's there in the spec, and uh...: nobody has it. Obviously it's the pending hybrid model, but just looks kind of goofy.

I also see in there the SI requires premium gas.

 

I wasn't a fan of the pre-2012 generation Civic's interior and am even less of a fan of the 2012... So, to each his own I guess.

The first drive at 2012 Honda Civic First Drive harped on the interior and its materials many times. From looking at their gallery photos full screen, I'm not impressed.

As they note, the radio is funny looking if you don't get nav:

I do not know, if the interior is as bad as they're saying, at least the Cruze will give it a run for its money. From me sitting in one at an auto show, its interior bits aren't bad for an econobox. I understand the Hyundai Elantra has stepped it up on its interior too (haven't sat in one yet).

On the flip side, hopefully the next gen Prius steps it back up a notch w/interior displays and adds back a standard color LCD. http://blogs.insideline.com/straigh...nds-on-with-the-2012-civics-i-mid-system.html has a brief demo of the Civic's new display.

 

Why the h*ll is the 2012 hybrid Civic $24,500 for base? Is the hybrid premium really that much for the Civic? If I needed a sedan I would get a hybrid Sonata at that price.

 

It looks like it costs $24,050, and it's equipped like an LX auto, which starts at $18,655. So I guess the true "hybrid premium" is ~$5400, unless I missed some features.

 

2012 Honda Civic First Drive says:

However, I guess it's not a fair comparison because from http://blog.caranddriver.com/2012-h...5-base-price-new-civic-si-prices-same-as-old/, it sounds like the DX doesn't even include a stereo and cruise control.

 

The Civic LX/EX matic is 32 MPG combined which is fairly impressive. As Tideland mentioned, the dash design is fairly busy - lots of pieces up there.

The Chevy Cruize looks pretty good body and chassis wise, but the drivetrain, not so much - I don't trust that puny 1.4L very much and the LT model is only 28 MPG combined (my Coupe is 26 MPG combined, which is actually quite accurate). Who's going to prefer a 1.4L when you can get a 1.8L in the Civic?

Focus is a 2.0L engine and they claim 31 MPG combined. Focus looks pretty good, but the gages are old school, only analog. Same with Cruize, analog gages.

Civic has Focus and Cruize pretty well beat in the instrument panel dept., it seems. Little bit cheesy inner trunk lid in Civic and Focus - no liner over the metal, just bare metal. Cruize has trunk lid liner.

 

Right, and an auto tranny is $800. I don't even see air conditioning on the DX (?!)

 

Many people, the 1.4 turbo engine is the new 2.0ltr NA engine, they're selling very well in Aus/EU, they have superior torque from very low revs and have great economy, esp the VW and Fiat engines. The Fiat 1.4 turbos with 170HP are very strong engines with loads of torque from as low as 1500rpm, & provide good real-world economy (33mpg real world on my parent's Fiat). I'd rather a 1.4T over a 2.0 anyday...

 

Honda design has gotten all screwy lately, especially on the Accord. I much prefer the current Civic rear-end design. The talon lights are awesome.

I think that rear end wants to be a C-class.