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Civic vs Prius

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PriusOwner004, Aug 16, 2007.

  1. PriusOwner004

    PriusOwner004 New Member

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    Anyone test drove both? I did! The Civic is crap, if I may say so. I always liked Hondas and can't believe they failed so miserably with this one! Accerelation is horrible and MPG is pretty bad too. A lot less comfortable seating than the Prius and the trunk space is also less than desirable.
    Anyone else can add to this?
     
  2. SureValla

    SureValla Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 04:28 PM) [snapback]497202[/snapback]</div>

    yea before i bought my prius I also tested both.

    I agree with all your points and add one more that made me decide to go for the prius: When coming to a complete stop in the civic hybrid the ICE engine shutoff is not nearly as smooth as in the prius. It felt like the car was stalling out everytime i stopped. It wasnt as bad when you are very careful but this is difficult and the effect is still considerably noticable.

    I did like however that the civic hybrid was cheaper even with the navigation system in the car then the base prius and that the tax credit was still around $2000 bucks for the civic

    otherwise it had no benefits the prius didnt have
     
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yes I've test driven the HCH-II however I don't share the same views. I thought the HCH-II was sporty to drive and in fact I found myself wanting to "just drive it" rather than compare its mileage to my Prius. It's quite roomy but the dashboard looks cheaper than the Prius (The Prius' dashboard is black so it looks more upscale... the Civic is grey so the plastic really stands out).
     
  4. SureValla

    SureValla Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Aug 16 2007, 04:54 PM) [snapback]497227[/snapback]</div>

    roomy? I'm 5' 10" and my head was in danger of bumping the ceiling
     
  5. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    I agree with all the nice things said so far about Prius.
    If I might add, though, Honda Civic has much better suspension.
    That translates into better handling at turns.
     
  6. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 02:28 PM) [snapback]497202[/snapback]</div>
    Please don't say any of that to my wife. She loves her 2007 HCH-II. Especially after having driven our 2007 Prius II for 5-6 months.
    I live with both cars regularly. At my home we have 2 HCH's. For my company, I bought 2 2007 Prius back in December. Of course, my wife never really warmed up to the 2007 Prius we had purchased for her back in October... and after she got her 2007 HCH, the Prius found a home at my company as the third Prius on the fleet.

    Sadly, I cannot relate to any of your views on the HCH, and even after my continuing experience with the Prius and the HCH I cannot bring myself to hate either car. Sorry, it must be the effects of a more "experienced" perspective on things???

    Then again, I guess it is OK to diss anything other than the Prius here. :D :D :D



    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Aug 16 2007, 02:54 PM) [snapback]497227[/snapback]</div>
    In North America, the HCH comes in two interior trim colors: The Ivory (which has a greying dash - I hate this combo with a passion) and the Blue theme (both cars we have have the blue theme). I wish there were more exterior colors and interior trims for us in North America because the ones being offered are way too polarizing and frankly, not exciting enough.


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SureValla @ Aug 16 2007, 03:46 PM) [snapback]497267[/snapback]</div>
    That's because you forgot to adjust the seat downward... LOL ...it has height adjustment you know? :D :D


    Cheers;

    MSantos
     
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SureValla @ Aug 16 2007, 02:46 PM) [snapback]497267[/snapback]</div>
    You gotta be kidding. I'm taller than you and didn't touch the ceiling lol.

    Like Msantos said.. lower the seat?
     
  8. PriusOwner004

    PriusOwner004 New Member

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    Well, slower accerelation is a fact. Most tests show a whopping 2 second difference 0-60, which is certainly noticeable. Lower MPG is also a fact. All else I guess is subjective.
     
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MSantos @ Aug 16 2007, 07:05 PM) [snapback]497477[/snapback]</div>

    I like the blue/beige combo though!
     
  10. LYLUVLY

    LYLUVLY New Member

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    The HCH gear ship really ticks me off. Start the car, and if in a hurry, you can go from P all
    way down to bottom [is it gear 2?] w/o a stop. Many a times I find myself driving in 2nd all the time.
    Only when traffic noise goes down that I find myself driving in 2nd. Or, I come to a stop and the ice is
    still running, and then I suddenly realize I still in 2nd gear. No way that the Prius gear shifting can be
    that bumbling. As you can already guess it -- we have both the HCH and Prius. The Prius is a MUCH MORE pleasant machine to drive.
     
  11. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 08:36 PM) [snapback]497500[/snapback]</div>
    Quite right. The Prius is noticeable better in acceleration.


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 08:36 PM) [snapback]497500[/snapback]</div>
    Yep, that is true too... Unless of course, you operate the Prius in very cold weather (-30F and lower). If you do, then both cars will be operating the ICE all the time and the HCH is the "marginally" better performer. Consider the roles reversed. And please, don't me started on the TC, that has been beaten to death already.

    You know what, instead of taking jabs and swipes at the HCH-II, why don't we just focus that great energy of ours on the common adversaries? How about dissing SUV and the absurd gas hogs being driven regularly on everyday commutes across the continent?

    The Prius is already a great car on its own merits and we will gain no brownie points in the big scheme of things by putting another vehicle down- believe me, we will not make the Prius look any better - especially if it is at the expense of the truth about other cars.
    At less that 4% market, hybrids still have a long way to ... and because of that, a united image is far more advantageous to us all than this childish and narcissistic bikering.

    So how about that? Shall we target them Hummers and Dodge RAMs or have we gotten tired of that already?


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LYLUVLY @ Aug 16 2007, 08:53 PM) [snapback]497511[/snapback]</div>
    Sorry. I can't relate at all to what you are saying. Are you sure you are talking about the HCH-2?


    MSantos
     
  12. PriusOwner004

    PriusOwner004 New Member

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    OK, so let's just come to an agreement that the Prius is the BMW of Hybrids and the Civic is the Kia. Both great cars - one is just a lot greater than the other.........
    And if you want to buy a car with less power and lower MPG than the Prius, then I say, go for it!

    Good night!
     
  13. msirach

    msirach Member

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    I have a HCHII and a Prius. I like the "feel" of the HCH but the look of the "gameboard" on the dash of the Prius. The Prius is much more roomy, but the HCH handles better. (IMHO)

    Great mileage can be achieved from either.
     
  14. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 09:05 PM) [snapback]497517[/snapback]</div>
    If that is what it takes to get you to:

    a- Enjoy your Prius more.
    b- Focus on the real threat to us all.

    Then, I will agree with you... kind of ... the average BMW is a poorer environmental performer than most modern Kias. Kinda makes me sick to equate a Prius to a "BMW". :D :D :D LOL
     
  15. PriusOwner004

    PriusOwner004 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MSantos @ Aug 16 2007, 10:15 PM) [snapback]497523[/snapback]</div>


    It's obviously hard for you to be subjective as you own both. It's like saying which one of your children you love more... I test drove both with an open mind and chose the Prius based on superior MPG, superior acceleration, superior cargo area, and superior design (that one is subjective). I think also the consumer's reports and statistics support the fact that the Prius is the superior of the two.
     
  16. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusOwner004 @ Aug 16 2007, 09:35 PM) [snapback]497529[/snapback]</div>
    Au contraire : :)

    I can produce a pretty darn long list of things I dislike about BOTH cars. So far the list of things I dislike about both is almost dead even (the Prius has the advantage by one significant item and that is a personal one).
    I enjoy and appreciate both cars (even with the vices that each has relative to the other), but that does not prevent me from giving purchasing advice when asked to prospective hybrid buyers.
    In the end, it is about fitting people's tastes and needs... and between the two, that should cover a fair amount of folks smart enough to want to own and drive a Tier 2/Bin 2 or AT-PZEV car. :D


    Cheers;

    MSantos
     
  17. bngraham

    bngraham New Member

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    I also test drove both. I think I already knew I wanted the Prius, but I had to compare it to something. I was pleasantly surprised with the Civic. I thought it was nice, but I got turned off by the lack of trunk space and the somewhat 'jerky' transition when the engine shut off. The Prius is much smoother. I did like the color options on the civic though.
     
  18. MSantos

    MSantos EcoAccelerometry

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kongokon @ Aug 16 2007, 09:45 PM) [snapback]497531[/snapback]</div>
    PriusOwner004:

    See what I mean?

    LOL :D :D :D :D :D
     
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LYLUVLY @ Aug 16 2007, 07:53 PM) [snapback]497511[/snapback]</div>
    That goes for most Honda transmissions, not just the HCH-II.

    You can go from D to 3 without realising you were in 3rd. The indent is really weak
     
  20. NoMoShocks

    NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

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    I don't think we are dissing the Civic just by saying our opinion is that we like the Prius better. I made the mistake of taking the HCH II for a 9 month, 1200 mile test drive before I bought my Prius, and they ended up charging me a lot for the test drive.

    I think that the Civic might have handled better than my Prius before adding the BT Tech Stiffening Plate, but after, the Prius handles just as well or better in my opinion.

    Hey, I know, why not make this a tread about the Pros and Cons of the BT Tech Stiffening Plate. Then it can really take off.