Considering a Civic Hybrid...need help/advice

The data on both is flawed. Real-world testing suggests
a bit over 40mpg for the Prius and 30-something for the
Corolla.

One of the tricks for the Prius is that the city driving
tests done by the government are just above the cutoff
for the electric drive, so it "cheats" and appears to get
much better mileage. Basically, they designed the car
to do well on the test.

In real driving, though, it's a different story.

Currently the gas mileage winner is the VW TDI. No battery
packs to replace later on. No extra parts or electronics.

Also, Honda makes a version of their Civic in Japan with has
some weight-reduction, high pressure tires, and a few other
goodies. The engine is geared for maximum efficiency and
only puts out about 80hp. It gets over 70mpg.

 

Joseph Oberlander wrote:

Agreed, the TDI doesn't use any gas at all! Sorry, couldn't resist. You
are right, though. The Lupo TDI is rated at 3 liters / 100 km or just
above 78 miles / US gallon. Even the 105 bhp Golf TDI gets over 50 mpg
on the highway.

 

Study how the Prius hybrid system works. It *IS* the transmission. That's
why there is not a transmission option.

Robert

 

||
||Honda offers a stick in addition to the CVT, Toyota doesn't.
||I think the CVT is a better choice than a stick in the Honda as well.

The design of the Prius makes the stick - or even CVT - a non-issue. It would be
less efficient with a stick.
Rex in Fort Worth

 

Don't agree. Real world driving in my 2004 Prius is now 47mpg and climbing.
I expect it to go higher in warmer weather. I got my car in January. The
last few tanks are close to 50mpg. I don't expect any pure gasoline powered
car to come close to the Prius especially in stop-go driving, unless you
decide to shut off the engine when stopped.

 

||
||Get the Prius because it has less funky looks?
||Less than a Honda Civic? That would be an odd thing to say, even for the
||current generation Prius, which is far less funky than the earlier Prius.

I forgot about the Civic Hybrid, was thinking of the Insight vs the new Prius.
Rex in Fort Worth

 

Not only is it funky looking, it's not well built for long travel.
A friend of a friend bought one for a 75 mile commute, and it's sitting in
the driveway while they drive their old car, because the ride was too
harsh, and too unstable in the wind for their tastes.

 

The 576 was gallons not dollars, and even that was a conservative estimate
based on doubling the mileage from the Dodge Dakota to the Civic.

The real numbers for the first year are:
Miles MPG Cost Gallons
20662 42.63 865.99 484.7 Honda Civic Hybrid
17.00 2171.37 1215.4 Dodge Dakota 3.9v6-5m projections (42.63/17)
1305.38 730.7 Savings

http://www.rahul.net/dold/clarence/Honda_Mileage.htm

 

Check the tire pressures. 35psi front, 33psi rear. Don't trust that
the dealer properly set them.

Also, have an alignment done on the car. My Prius was fine on the
highway and in winds for quite a while (2+ years). Then I had a flat tire...
After the tire repair, the same car didn't feel as stable in high winds
or at high speeds on the highway. Things got better after a tire
rotation and rebalancing, but... I really should go for an alignment,
as that is the recommended "wind problem" fix I hear about for the Prius.

 

A Corolla is not a mid size car like a Prius. You'd have a point with
the old Prius (comparable interior room to an Echo), but the new one
is significantly bigger inside (and comes with a hatchback also).

Of course, if cheapest overall new car is your goal, the Echo is a strong
contender, since it is cheap, very fuel efficient, and likely reliable.

 

Fine compare it to a camry. It'll still never pay for itself in gas savings
and it's performance is inferior for every measurement.