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If you like the regular Honda Civic EX sedan you'll like the Civic Hybrid. Despite it having a different drivetrain, it drives, for all practical purposes, just like a regular Civic.

In reality there is a bigger difference in the feel caused by the CVT (continuously variable transmission) than by the hybrid engine. The CVT is available as an option on the regular Civic, so it's not an unknown quantity, though few people have experienced it. Essentially the transmission has infinitely variable gear ratios provided by belts running between moveable conical pulley wheels. The advantage is that the transmission is always smooth and results in better fuel economy. A strange sensation occurs when accelerating hard, as the engine speeds up and it seems as if the transmission is lagging, akin to a slipping clutch. Then the engine revs start to slow down as the ratio changes yet the car is moving faster and faster.

As far as the hybrid engine is concerned, most users will not notice much difference during normal driving. The weirdest sensation is when you stop at traffic lights and the engine automatically shuts off to save fuel. As soon as you put the car in gear and touch the gas pedal the engine fires up without any hesitation. A small icon in the left-hand gauge indicates when the engine has shut off.

It's important to remember that this is first and foremost a gasoline-powered car. Under normal driving conditions, the gas engine is the primary source of power. The electric motor only provides power when extra oomph is needed for passing, accelerating or climbing a grade. (This is the opposite of how many people think it operates.)

At other times (when decelerating and under braking) the electric motor turns into a generator to recharge the 144-volt battery pack. The mode of the electric motor is indicated in a bar graph in the right hand gauge in the instrument cluster.

As the primary reason for owning a hybrid is improved fuel efficiency obviously gauges that show the fuel consumption are an integral part of the displays. On a 15-mile drive up a grade through 4,000 feet of elevation change we only managed to obtain 20 mpg on the way up, but averaged 120 mpg on the way down! That probably represents the two extremes. According to the readout, we averaged 40 mpg overall during our test drive. This is somewhat lower than the EPA ratings, but most of it was city driving with a lot of heavy accelerating.

Aside from the slight difference in feel from the engine and transmission, the rest of the car delivers well. It offers a smooth ride and excellent steering thanks to a new electrically operated rack-and-pinion steering system. Those who like to drive fast along twisty roads will find that the body tends to roll, or lean, more than they might like. More conservative drivers will have no complaints.

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The 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid does not make a lot of sense, based purely on economics. It has less power than the regular Civic, a slightly smaller trunk, and it costs about $2,500 more. Apart from a slightly more luxurious interior, its only advantage is an EPA City fuel-economy rating of 48 mpg compared to about 35 to 40 mpg for an equivalent Civic EX sedan with a CVT. Sadly, this translates to only about $100 in savings per year, based on 12,000 miles and gasoline prices of $1.50 a gallon. Put another way, the higher initial cost is not recovered until the car reaches over 250,000 miles!

Having said that, anyone who wants to help advance a new technology that can improve the environment in the long run should consider the Honda Civic Hybrid. It happens to be a nice, almost luxurious small car that has a different feel to it without giving up any creature comforts. It's a car for people who don't want to follow the crowd and, instead, prefer to lead it.

by John Rettie

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