Test drive confirms faster, thriftier Civic Hybrid

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Turning wheels
The evolving engine

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Power transition can be rough
The engine doesn’t necessarily turn off every time at a stoplight. The software, for example, may notice that the car’s air conditioner is on full blast and may need to keep the gas engine running.

The hybrid workings and the Civic’s tapping of electrical power stored in the onboard nickel metal hydride battery pack are managed by the computerized system which, by the way, also works to smooth out the transitions in power delivery.

But the test Civic Hybrid still exhibited a bit of a roughness now and then — almost like a car that’s ready to stall.

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The sensation of a firmer, more well-put-together Civic came from the new front-wheel-drive platform.

The Civic Hybrid test car felt tighter in its handling, and while it wasn’t too rough or sporty, I did feel jolts when I drove over potholes. Impressively, the ride was quite quiet, with both road and wind noise muted.

Higher-tech dashboard
All Civic interiors now feature a more high-tech dashboard where the gauges in front of the driver are split between a curved arrangement up near the windshield and a lower group located in the traditional spot behind the steering wheel.

Honda officials said the effect is a pseudo head-up display, like that found on some more-expensive, sporty cars where pertinent driver information, such as speed, is projected onto the lower part of the windshield so drivers don’t have to divert their eyes from the road.

But in the Civic, this arrangement, combined with a compact steering wheel, contributed to my initial reaction that I was in front of a video game, rather than driving a car. The sensation passed as I spent more time in the driver’s seat.

Safety enhancements in the Civic include standard frontal airbags and side-mounted airbags for the front-seat passengers as well as side curtain airbags to protect front- and rear-seat passengers during a side crash.

This is also the first Civic Hybrid with standard active head restraints — in the two front seats — designed to help minimize whiplash injuries during a rear-end collision.

At least three more hybrid cars are planned for 2006. Toyota introduces its first hybrid version of the Camry, Lexus debuts the nation’s first luxury hybrid car, the GS 450h, and Nissan will unveil a hybrid version of its Altima sedan.

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