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Have you noticed how many hybrid cars, especially Toyota Priuses, you see on the road these days? I used to get excited seeing one, but now it’s not all that odd to find two parked next to each other. The other day we had three in our parking lot, a Prius, a Ford Escape and a 2006 Honda Civic.
The Civic was my test car. I first saw the much-improved 2006 model of the Civic Hybrid at the Sierra Summit in San Francisco and was duly impressed. The whole Civic model line has taken a giant step forward in terms of styling and the Civic Hybrid now competes with the Prius in aerodynamics and presence. It’s also safer, with standard side-curtain airbags and antilock brakes.
The combination of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine, an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission are good for 49 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway, though those figures will probably be revised downward as the EPA reforms its method of determining window-sticker mileage. (Then again, every other car will lose mpg, too.)
You won’t be winning any stoplight derbies with 110 horsepower on tap – acceleration is fairly leisurely, especially up steep hills – but there’s 17 horsepower more than in the 2005 Civic Hybrid. Torque is up, as well. Like all hybrids on the market, the Civic shuts off at traffic lights, then restarts with hardly a murmur when your foot comes off the brake. Emissions (AT-PZEV in California) are barely visible on the federal chart.
The interior of this new Civic Hybrid is a nice place to be, with comfortable cloth seats and good space to stretch out. The trunk is quite large. The automatic climate control includes an air filtration system, though when the fan’s blowing the "auto stop" function is disabled. Steering wheel controls make things easier, though the toggles are pretty small.
The Civic Hybrid with Navigation is a separate model, so our loaded test car (with power locks, a 160-watt stereo that reads MP3 CDs and digital audio cards, airbags all around and ABS) had no options at $23,900. The base car is $22,400, and it compares to an entry-level Civic DX (30/38 mpg) for $15,910. So, indeed, you will have to fill up your Hybrid a whole lot of times before you make up the price differential.
But wait, there’s more to this deal than meets the eye. Since Jan. 1, a new federal tax credit, part of the recently enacted (and rather dire) energy bill, has been put in place for hybrid cars. In fact, the tax credit replaces the tax deduction in place in earlier years, and that could mean more savings for you. Since the tax benefit is based in part on fuel economy, the Civic Hybrid should qualify for a $2,100 credit. (The Prius, with a better bottom line at the pumps, is eligible for $3,150, near the maximum.) You have to be the original owner, so no transfer benefits apply.
In addition, state laws also help the hybrid customer. In Connecticut, for example, people who buy a hybrid that gets at least 40 mpg between now and Oct. 1, 2008, are exempt from state sales tax Pennsylvania is relatively chintzy, with a $500 rebate on the purchase price. But, oh wow, look at Massachusetts: The total value of your deal includes a $2,000 state income tax deduction; a waiver of the initial $27.50 application fee for the Fast Lane Transponder; the right to travel in HOV lanes regardless of passengers; and discounts or free parking in participating towns and cities. Hooray the Bay State!
