Honda Civic Hybrid Testimonials
THE WIFE HAS A 2005 CIVIC HYBRID,7000 MILES GETS 39 IN THE CITY 41-43 ON THE ROAD. I HAVE A 2005 PRIUS. ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 75 MPH, WITH THE AIR OFF, I GET 54.SOMETHING. IN TOWN I GET 46-47 MPG. THE CAR HAS 17000 MILES ON IT AND USES MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC OIL. CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE IT A PLUG IN HYBRID. PUTTING IN A PHOTOVOLTIC SYSTEM TO POWER THE HOUSE ALSO WANT TO USE IT WHEN I CONVERT THE PRIUS TO A PLUG IN HYBRID.JERR
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I have a 2005 Civic Hybrid. My mileage varies but I average 42-43 per tank if I run the air conditioner and 46-47 otherwise. Of course, in North Carolina summers you run it all the time.
J. C.
Parkton, NC
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My car is a Honda Civic Hybrid 2005.
I commute 40 to work each way, 5 days a week in LA. I typically drive
65-80 mph. I only sometimes have to drive in stop and go traffic. I drive around town only moderately. When I first got my car, I was really careful about making sure I optimized my mpg. I have stopped being so careful, but am still moderately efficient. I started out using 87octane gas then switched to 89. Gas octane doesn't seem to make any difference in my mpg.
Over the last ~17000 miles, I have averaged 46.1 mpg. I sometimes get
higher but usually right around 46 mpg for each tank. 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid (HCHII). 42 miles one way to work. Southern California – 40’s in the morning and 60’s in the afternoon. 1st two tanks 46.5mpg. Current tank reading 55.5mpg at ¼ full.Hope this helps,
D. S.
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Honda Civic 2004 highway 60%, 40% town driving 42mpg. Purchased Mar. 4, 2004 Already got 35,000 miles on it and I love it. Planning on buying another this next year 2006.
N. K.
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Are you the owner of a Honda Civic hybrid? Tell us about your experiences with the Civic hybrid. What kind of gas mileage do you get in your hybrid Civic and in what kind of driving?
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Labels: Civic hybrid, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, plug-in hybrids, prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
2:52 PM
121 Comments:
I have a 2005 HCH - I love it, we are getting a 2006 HCH this year. When I was driving into work on a regular basis (now I work from home), I was getting 51 mpg (30 miles a day). Now, I get between 46-49 mpg. In the summer in AZ I run the A/C and I consistently get 46-47 mpg.
I have a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid and am not happy with the average mileage. We are averaging 36-37 MPG. I don't get it. If I drive like a snail (super slow off the line and very delicate on the gas during movement) I can get around 45-50MPG. This is very frustrating to me if we drive like normal people. We drive mixed city/hwy. We don't race the enging off the line, I am talking normal driver technique. We are happy and able to drive past gas stations quite more often than before the hybrid. I was expecting closer to the specs.
My 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid averages between 39-41 mpg overall, which is mainly the result of stop and go city driving. When I travel on the freeway, I manage between 45 and 55 mpg depending on speed, temperature (if I must run the AC), and tire inflation. Once I drove 45-50 mph on North Carolina country roads for an hour and managed 60 mpg. Even driving up steep mountain roads I get 33-34 mpg. People who are getting "lousy" mileage with this car probably need better driving habits or better ways to measure their mileage. I bought this car because of its low fuel emissions as well, and cleaning up the air in this country is as big a reason to drive hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles as is getting great mileage.
I have a 2004 Civic Hybrid with standard transmission. When the battery is less than fully charged and it is in "economy" mode I have to double clutch to get the engine to turn on again. After three trips to the dealer, dealers says car is "designed" to require me to sit in the car and rev engine until batter charges before I drive it. This takes 5 minutes or longer and is very loud and inconvenient. It makes me HATE my car!
The 2006 honda civic is the
best hybrid made! It has global
navigation that has a friendly
female voice as well as plenty
of torque to move when you need
to.Great milage and a totally
unique speedometor directly digitally by the mile.
The 2006 honda civic is great.
It has global navigation with a
friendly voice and a digital to
the exact mile speedometer well
placed with excellent milage
and safety. I highly recomend it
Just bought a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. I test drove the prius and the civic - the honda drives like a normal car with better handling than the prius, and is less confusing tp operate. My first 50 miles, I am showing 57 mpg avg. I love the car so far.
My wife and I have two Civic hybrids. The 2004 has a 5 speed transmission and its life time miles per gallon is just over 47. Recently my wife took a 1000 mile trip with it and averaged 54 mpg. Our 2005 has the CVT transmission and its lifetime miles per gallon is 42.7. My most recent tank of gas averaged 48. With the CVT transmission you need to watch your RPM's much closer to get higher gas mileage.
Obviously we like the cars or we would not have two of them. In two years my son will start to drive and we will be looking for another hybrid. Perhaps the Prius III will be out by then.
mustang65bob
mustang65bob-
Keep us informed of your future hybrid endeavours!
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
I have a 2006 HCH - I am not only impressed with the MPG 43/48 but the styling inside and out. Especially the inside. The bone and blue are very eye catching and everyone that looks inside comments on how well the fit and finish is done. My concern is however is will it go in the snow here in Pittsburgh this winter?
i bought 2006 honda civic hybrid in september. i like every thing about it except the mileage. first time i filled the tank it averaged 38-39 mpg, the second tank 35-36, the third tank only 33.2 mpg. right now i am getting <33 iles to a gallon. i am told by the dealer that there is a 10,000 miles brak in period. it is showing ~1200 miles.
i am wondering if it is normal and if any one else had similar experience.
razia
That 10,000 mile comment is misleading. Your driving conditions can have a big effect on your fuel economy. The 10,000 mile break-in 'theory' began as a way of telling consumers that it would take months of driving before drivers understand how to optimize a hybrid vehicle to achieve optimal performance.
Still, your 33 mpg is definitely on the low end. Nonetheless, it could be your driving conditions, and/or it could be the way you drive.
Do you live in an extremely hilly area, or do you commute in extreme congestion?
If not, watch your RPM's. If your fuel efficiency doesn't improve, then maybe something isn't working correctly.
the driving conditions have been quite normal- nothing more than occasional rain. the area is not extremely hilly but some parts do have slightly rolling slopes. the dealer checked and found everything working normally. i have been very careful not to accelerate too fast or break too hard and fast. what i find puzzling besides low mileage, is that it is getting worse instead of better.
I've had my 2007 HCH for about 2 weeks and really love it. I expect better mileage once it is "broke in" - dealer says after 3,000 miles - Razia was told 10,000 (a bit extreme breakin period!) I drive 55 miles one way every day to work and am looking forward to 48 - 50 miles/hwy. So far I'm averaging around 39, but I run down the interstate on cruise set at 73-75 mph. Plus the benefits of mpg this car (as was true of my Accord) handles so well in all this snow & ice that we've recently had here in the midwest. And the car is comfortable and truly large enough for a single commuter vehicle. So far, so good.
2007 HCH, Not even 5000 miles on it as of Feb 2007. Approached 45mpg on highway driving after a few tanks. City driving never broke 38mpg. Average was around 42 in normal weather. Cold weather severely reduces mpg. Mainly city driving now, and I have trouble breaking 32mpg! Hopefully, claims of economy improvement around 10,000 miles come true...
My Honda Civic hybrid 2003, with CVT,with 53,000 miles. However at 48,000 miles,my starter clutch, needed to be replaced. This was a $1500-1600 repair. I notice a decrease in fuel efficiency over the past six months. My normal operations consist of commuting from work and around town highway and city. Initially when I bought the car, my avg. was 46 miles per gallon. However, after 48,000 miles by fuel efficiency has decreased to about 39 miles to the gallon. I am unsure why, because my driving habits have been change and the Honda dealer unable to give me an explanation why. If anybody else has the 2003 with CVT Honda civic hybrid and has similar histoty on fuel efficiency and has been able to correct the problem. Please elaborate on how.
I have a 2003 HCH standard transmission. It was getting 44-46 mpg when using the air contitioner, 47-49 without the air conditioner in "not too cold" temperatures. Since I replaced my tires, that mileage has dropped 2-4 mpg on average.
Also, it is not clear whether the mileage people are reporting here is the reading the car gives you or your actual calculated mpg based on gallons at each fill-up and miles driven between fill-ups. The cumulative mileage readout the car shows on the dash is consistently 4-6 mpg higher than my actual mpg. The numbers I listed above are my actual mpg, the car says higher.
My 2004 HCH now has 142,000 happy miles on it. It is very reliable and comfortable on its daily 150 mile commute and gets around 46 MPG, even with the AC on. The drive consists of some mountain roads, freeway, and a little stop-go city driving. I just wish it had a little more power to climb steep mountain roads. I've always changed the oil every 3000 miles using a good synthetic oil and have had no mechanical problems at all.
Let's start a dialogue discussing the integrity of the Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Autombile marketplace in the U.S.A. In particular, I am interested in hearing stories from others who might share a similar sentiment with me with regard to AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY's fraudulent marketing practices with regard to their CIVIC HYBRID CVT and other Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/HONDAFRAUD/
www.HONDAFRAUD.org
I have a 2006 HCH. It's a well made car. It's comfortable, has 5 star safety ratings in every category, handles well and from my experience has plenty of leg room 6'4" folks in the front seat and 6'2" in the back seat which is remarkable for a compact car. I enjoy using the instruments to maximize the mileage and as it is getting broken in the mileage is getting a little better every couple of tanks. My cumulative average is about 45 mpg. My best full tank of gas mileage came out an astounding 50.4 mpg during which there was a fair amount of 75 mph interstate driving and about 2 hours at 55 mph where it does really well. I'm pretty darn pleased with it and I admire the Honda company which is rated tops in the world for environmentally responsible vehicles and motors. I am wishing American companies will catch up soon so we can not only reduce our dependence on foreign oil but also our dependence on foreign made cars (which the Honda hybrids are). I am wondering if at some point the ability to add more batteries and turn this car into a plug in hybrid is feasible.
I have a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. At first I was amazed that I could even get above 40 mpg since I was used to getting in the mid 20's with my old car. Every time I fill it up I find new ways of tweaking it to maximize my gas mileage. I never have gotten less than 44 mpg and since I started setting the cruise control under 70 and forcing myself to be patient it moved to 48 mpg average. And then I started drafting behind semi trucks (my old arch nemesis turned best friend) which pushed me up into the 50 mpg range. I averaged 65 mpg drafting behind one truck on a 60 mile drive. He was nice enough to set his cruise control and let me draft within sight of his mirrors. It only goes to show that the more conscious you are of what you're doing, the better your gas mileage will come out. I will never buy a non-hybrid car again. It's just too satisfying to know how much money I'm saving and how little it affects the environment.
I have a 2004 Civic Hybrid with a manual transmission and my wife has a 2006 Civic Hybrid CVT. We both love driving our hybrid cars and think that everyone should be driving them soon.
The 2004 Civic Hybrid is 3 years old and has 55k miles with no problems. The average economy is 45-47mpg with a mix of city and highway driving. I was a slightly aggressive driver; now I drive to get the best mpg without holding up traffic. The car is not very powerful but it suites my new driving style, and I feel safe driving it.
The 2006 Civic Hybrid is 1 year 3 months old and has 25k miles with no problems. The average economy is 42-45mpg with a mix of city and highway driving. My wife likes driving the CVT, but I am not used to the high rpm’s for acceleration and up hills.
Both cars are capable of 50+ mpg on the highway.
Bought a 2006 HCH, average city mileage is 42 mpg, frequent starts and stops, some traffic lights and few miles of highway driving. I don't drive like grandma to get that mileage...
Compared the Honda with Prius and the looks , especially the interior , made me decide for my car.
Please take notice that instrument readings are only to give you an idea, also Honda had the tachometer recalled, since then my mileage decreased by 5%, which is what they reported the margin of error was...The best way is to calculate miles driven and gas bought to have a more accurate number...And if it is only 35 mpg, so what, show me a similar quality car built in America that can do it..
Enjoying every mile I drive it
2004 standard transmission, purchased with 50H miles in June. I've not yet averaged under 40 mpg on a tank no matter how much stop and go driving I do. Without air conditioning my 25 mile commute is 51-55 mpg. Always better on the way (by 2-3 mpg) to than from work as to work is a bit downhill.
If I try to get the best mileage by putting in neutral on declines and coasting up short inclines, I can get over 60 mpg.
This is the best car I've had - only thing I don't like about it is the batteries get in the way of otherwise folding down the back seats and I wish the headlights came on automatically.
I currently own a 2006 Civic Hybrid with a navigation system and XM radio. Previously I owned a 2004 Civic Hybrid. I bought the 2006 Civic because I really liked my 2004 and the 2006 had the toys and looked great! Honda builds a solid car but my gas mileage average all around is between 37 and 41miles per gallon. I drive about 50% highway and 50% city on average. The EPA figures on both cars were misleading. Even so, the mileage I’m getting is far better than any car I’ve owned in the past so I’ll take it. My biggest Problem I’m having with my 2006 after 18 months of ownership is the battery does not hold charge and is constantly falling below 3 bars on the charge scale. When the electric motor doesn’t kick in the car accelerates like a tank. I’ve had it to Criswell Honda several times and they say there’s no problem. Contacted Honda and they were no help either. I’m living with the problem and that’s my only disappointment with the car. As a result my current mileage range averages between 32 and 36 miles per gallon.
I just bought a used 2005 civic hybrid with 75k miles. I know the sticker says it should average upper 40 mpg. I was disappointed to find that my car only got 34.8 mpg. I calculated this by the amount of gas and miles driven, so it wasn't from the computer. I changed the oil, air filter and am going to change the plugs and wires. I baby the car and on the thruway have the cruise set between 65 and 69 to optimize fuel efficiency. I know that a/c cuts on fuel efficiency, but i only have it on just enough to keep me cool. Any reasons why the gas mileage isn't what it should be. I went completely through the car and checked it out and it is in excellent condition considering the mileage. Everything besides the mileage, I love. I am 6'1" and fit very comfortably in the car. It handles awesome, is nice to the eye, and just a good little car but if the mileage was going to be this low, I would have stayed with my regular 98 civic that got my 33 mpg and had nothing wrong with it.
Thanks,
John
I bought a used 2003 Civic Hybrid CVT in Canada. I've achieved Hwy 68 MPG (Canadian), but averaged 63 MPG Hwy and 53 MPG City on OEM tires. I just bought all-season Nokian WR tires and now get 55 MPG Hwy and 44 MPG City. To convert to US MPG, divide numbers by 1.18. I don't do jack-rabbit starts and rarely use A/C.
I love the Honda styling, quality, reliability and ultra-low emissions.
Those getting poor mileage may not have hard Bridgestone 381 tires, or might drive more aggressively.
I have a 2006 and I get about 42 mpg averaging 72mph on highway. I seem to get better milage in stop and go and city traffic for some reason. I see here where others are getting a bit less "real" MPG when calculated by actual gas used as compared to what the dashboard readout is telling them. Mine is the opposite, it is off by about 4-6 mpg lower on the computer than the actual gas used calculation. What I would like to know is if anyone knows if the electric motor kick-in point can be adjusted, I don't think mine comes on early or often enough. I almost never get below one or two ticks off the battery charge and some times it is charging when climbing slight hills when it should be assisting.
I bought 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid in 11/07. Have used 4 tanks of gass. 1st tank mostly in town driving [Tucson, Az] got 44 mpg. 2nd tank 51. 3rd tank was trip to Silver City, New Mexico at 70-75 mph and I got 42. 4th tank was in town and got 49. I measure mileage by miles driven divided by gas added. I have found that I am consistently getting 2+ more mpg than the car shows in its display. I have been driving extremely carefully since I got car. Very slow acceleration and look far ahead to let up on accelerator before stop/signals. Coast down hills. Most of the weather has been warm but it has turned cold recently. Discovered that the auto stop feature does not work when defroster is on and that feature is a gas saver. So, in early mornings when defroster is on I turn it off before I come to a stop. As soon as I use up current oil I am going to switch to a synthetic for better mileage. Was surprized that I got better mileage in town than on the road but obviously not much coasting and no auto stop on the highway.
I have a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid and my experience is similar to some of the previous postings. Using the dashboard cumulative mpg display, I got about 45-46 mpg my first year. However, during my second year, this number dropped off to about 40-41 mpg, and my driving patterns have not changed. I have also noticed that sometimes the electric motor kicks in during a stop and sometimes it does not.
I have a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid which I bought in Feb, 2006. The first year I had it, it was averaging about 45-46 mpg. However, in 2007, it dropped off to about 40-41 mpg. I'm reporting the mpg based on the dashboard cumulative reading. There has been no change in my driving patterns. I see that my experience is similar to a previous posting.
Some recommendations for whomever wants to really know their mileage:
- Always fill the tank and set the trip counter to zero. On the next refill, take a note of the partials, and how many gallons you took to fill the deposit.
THEN, reset the trip counter to zero again and start over, until the next refuelling stop, etc.
I know no other method that works.
Important: DO NOT fill the tank in an inclined plan, look for a very flat and pain surface all the time. The readings will be misleading if the car is inclined to different sides!
Finally, another important recommendation: People here that complain about the mileage tend to focus on driving habits (important, of course), climbing hills, etc.
But look at THE TIRES! Are they exactly as Honda reccomends? Did you place larger weels (16" instead of 15", for example)? What about tire pressure??? Are you keeping it regularly under check?...
These things DO count. I know - the first time i put wider tires in my little car i started to get... big car mileage!...
Be well and enjoy your driving.
WiseMax
I need new tires for my 2006 HCH. I am not thrilled with the original Dunlop tires which are worn at 29,000 miles. Any recommendation? I don't want
to mess up my gas mileage?
Dr P
39k miles is a pretty good figure for tire duration!...
I recommend continuing the use of low resistance to rolling type like the ones originally fitted.
Changing to other type of tires will certainly impact fuel economy.
I bought a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid with manual transmission new and have 110,000 miles on it. I document my gas mileage by how many miles I drive on how may gallons between fillups (the computer tends to be 2-4 mpg too high). I drive mostly flat terrain (some moderate hills) 10 % city (35-40 mph)/90 % highway (65-75 mph)and get 44-48 in winter depending on how cold it is, 48 mpg summer with AC and 54 mpg in spring and fall without AC with just myself as passenger and no other junk in the car (weigh kills mileage). With all four of my family in the car on highway in the middle of winter I get 42-44 mpg. My driving style is shift early and drive for efficiency.
I drove 100,000 + miles on the original Bridgestone tires. You need to watch tire pressure very carefully (1 x month) and maybe overinflate +1 PSI.
I use Mobil ONE synthetic 0w20 and change it at 10,000 mile intervals. 0w20 oil weight is important for efficiency.
No complaints about the car except that I can't fold down the back seat. I has given me zero problems.
Getting EPA mileage figures is possible but it isn't a snap.
larryb, your record is impressive, both the mileage and general usage!...
To the guy who had to do a start up clutch for the shudder; some of the vehicles have a warranty extension. Run the VIN at any Honda dealer to see if your vehicle qualifies for the "CVT Shudder" type extension. It can't hurt and you may be eligible for reimbursement if you've already paid for the repair and yours is one of the eligible vehicles.
I have a 2006 Civic Hybrid with 27,000 miles on it. Over a 7,000 mile priod, driving on midwest roads at all speeds it averaged 47.3 mpg. Driving at high speeds, 75-80 on western roads I can get it down to about 39 mpg. I love the car and call it the hummer because with the cruise on it really hums on hard pulls due to the CVT transmission. I'm waiting for the next series of improvements and will surely buy another hybrid.
i bye honda civic 3month ago, i injoy this car. civic the best
I have a 2003 HCH (one payment left)and love it! I am very close to 118,000 miles and had almost zero trouble. A month or so ago, the SRS light came and a switch had to be replaced (for no charge). At around 30,000 miles, the EGR valve had to be replaced. I had to replace one of those in my '96 Accord. I don't consider that a big deal. I live in the south, and they claim it's the bad gas.
I average 50-52 mpg daily. 44-46mpg on the interstate. Majority of my driving is in the city. One day in this past November, I had driven about 90 miles around town. I checked the mileage and it told me 59.7. I ended up that day about 57.5. When it rains, it drops between 42-45mpg. I run Michelin low friction tires on it. The tires have a life tread of 80,000 miles. And that's exactly what I gotten out of them.
As I mentioned above, I love it and plan on keeping it for awhile.
Thanks for your comment, Mark!... I found the information on the tires, I'll check to see if they exist here.
Anyway, based on all the good testimonies here and on an extensive test drive (had my car first on loan from the vendor) I finally opted for a brand-new silver HCH 2008, with light gray leather upholstery and so far I'm confirming all the good facts about it. Of course, Honda had to cut corners here and there, basically in the form of leaving out some useful automatisms (ex: auto-lights on, auto door lock and rudimentary all-door lock, and a few more) but the overall result is good. We can notice some fragility in the form of noises when riding on bad roads with holes in the tarmac, but overall, you can't hear the car when you turn the (good) radio on.
It's a relativelly slow vehicle, takes her time to speed up, so if you're the leadfoot type, stay away from it - but if you are a calm, gentle driver - it's the car for you!... 4 adults in all confort, silence, relative economy (everyone with this driver profile will appreciate a reasonable cost bount to a minimum of 37 mpg in bad combination of city-highway, but 40/45 average all around can be achieved many times).
In Eurpe, we have more choice with low consumption / high performace engines that put many gasoline guzzlers to shame, both economy and performance wise - but I simply hate those noisy bastards and their bad smelling fumes!...
Besides, it's a Honda, the company that puts the stuff where we need it (I have an Honda HRV SUV since 1999 and can't just get rid of it, riding every day like a clock!...)
To the guy named "anthony" above, ranting about Honda hybrids, all I have to say is that the tonic on the HCH is not "hybrid" - it's a good overall combination of economy, looks and ride.
Based on that, no one is fooled, it's quite visible.
I am very unhappy with my 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. The best I ever got for 2 hours was 43. Generally the car gets 32 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway on cruise control. I have taken the car in at least 12 times for checkups and evaluations and all i have heard is excuses bordering on "it's too hot, or it's too cold" as to why I dont get good gas mileage.
The car has had multiple design and quality issues. First I have had to have both front windows glued back in. Second, the horn has been replaced three times in 2 years. The IMA system has had multiple issues, especially with error messages appearing. The bottom of the car has come off twice.
I could continue on, but it would take hours to finish my complaint. Not only am I unhappy about the car, I was cheated by the Dealer and Honda refuses to help me with the situation.
I have a 2006 HCH and am very happy with it. In the winter I average 45 mpg and in the summer I average 50--milked 56 out of one tank--the computer almost always reads 2-3% below the actual (miles/gallons to fill). Most of my driving is on rural Jersey back roads (yes, they exist) at 40-50 mph. High speeds on interstate and running ac definitely decrease these #'s. My only complaint is routine maintenance expense--of course I have (ignorantly?) chosen to do so at the dealer.
Jody and Heather
My wife and I just bought a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid W/out Navigation system. We have owned it for exactly 10 days have just shy of 800 miles on it and we LOVE IT. I just got back from a 119 mile round trip, we filled up before we left and I was just dying to be exact with what we got for mpg so when we returned home filled up and it took only 2.5 gal for an amazing 47.6 mpg. I did a dance of joy LOL. We chose the civic for much of the same reasons as everyone else here we liked the feel and looks of Civic over the Prius. I can not wait to add another hybrid to our cars maybe in the fall when the new 2009 models come out I hope Honda brings back the 2 seater style insight, have you guys seen the photos of the CRZ now that would be nice for hybrid #2. I am sure that anybody who drives one of these cars and does not get the EPA rating or higher is not driving properly. I did have to make some serious adjustments to my acceleration habits but the trade off is so much more worth it. Just knowing we are doing our part in running a much cleaner car is reason enough and then you are rewarded with superb fuel efficiency what a deal. I am in love with our car.
More people should learn about electric vehicles as a solution. "Zero emissions" is something that's going to be required by law one day (you know it will). Making the decision to go electric is far cheaper anyway, like 10 cents on the dollar vs. gas. (source: zapworld.com)
I had a 2001 Civic EX. Loved it, consistently got 35 mpg, even with 150000 miles on the car. Just got a 2008 Civic Hyrid. I have over 3500 miles on the car, drive the same route to and from work (all highway), same conditions, drive the same, and only get 33 mpg!! I am very disappointed. Been told the hybrid has a 10000 mile break-in period? I wish, but dont believe it. Very disappointed in the Civic hybrid! Wish I had my old car back!
To soundaround. With the 10% ethanol they put in the gas here in NY (for winter), I get the same mpg you do. Going 65, you get the best mpg. Going 70 is the cap, unless you want to plumit to low to mid 30s. When I bought my car, I changed my air filter. That helped. Wind and hills also play a large role in mileage. When its warm out, I typically get 40-41 mpg.
I have a HCH 2007 which gets good gas mileage but vibrates especially at speeds of 85km and on cruise control. Do you think it is the CVT. The tires have been checked, allignment done etc. They say nothing is wrong it is a naturally occuring characteristic of the car. Is this true?
I have a 2006 HCH, its great!
Have not recorded the mpg but I'm using 1/3 of the gas I used to with my Volvo 850 sedan - same driving patterns.
Went from $60/week to $20/week in gas consumption.
Its a perfect car for my business as a realtor driving around town all day.
Took some ribbing at first from my collegues.."How long is the extension cord" etc.
But now with a wider acceptance of Hybrid vehicles I get more intelligent questions from my co-workers & clients.
Love the car and the low emissions.
Ned
Guelph,Ontario
I have a civic hybrid 2007, I am only getting about 33 mpg also. I drive pretty carefully and don't have too many hills. I live in Atlanta.
I deliver pizza with a 2005 Civic Hybrid with 5 speed manual. I average 46 to 50 miles per gallon. The way you drive will tell you if you get high or lower mpg. If you are not getting over 40 miles per gallon in city traffic you are driving it wrong. The very best way to achieve the best MPG is to use the cruise control alot! even if only going to go for a short distance. the cruise will level out the gas pedal, when humans drive we fluctuate the pedal and it hurts the MPG. The civic hybrid with cruise control at 40 MPH and lower will use the electric motor only and give you 80+ MPG. Delivering pizza is the best test for this car and it passes with an A+++++++++++++
I have a 2005 civic hybrid with a manual transmission. FE is in the mid 60s. Last tank was 64 mpg. It all depends on how you drive..
Kudos to Michael for the excellent tip. I've already got a bunch of felleows here at the Hybrid Car drivers Club in Portugal (http://www.createforum.com/hibridosclube/portal.php?sid=71354307bc1b4250497ba334f2562d05&mforum=hibridosclube) they are testing your "Cruise Control at low speeds" tip and so far so good, it checks!...
Thank you, Michael!...
I have had my HCH now for 1 1/2 years and I love it! I have driven it through two Toronto winters and it still get 35 mpg (U.S.) - 6.8 L/100km in the dead of February. In the summer it does much better, since the Auto Stop always engages when stopped, as I am getting 48 mpg (U.S.) or 4.8 L/100 km now in May. I drive about 60% city and 40% highway and I take advantage of coasting down hills, coasting to a stop well before lights, and having a bit of extra speed to take on hills with minimal gas input. As much as I love my car, however, I can't wait for viable plug-in-hybrids to become available! Cheers!
Re: Toronto Mike. I live in Tucson so winter is pretty mild. Still I leave house pretty early so I use the defroster in morning from time to time. I found [it's in the manual] that if I turn off the defroster briefly just before I stop that the "Auto Stop" will still work. Also, sometimes when coasting the Auto Stop will not work when I come to a stop. So, I just turn the ignition key off. Sometimes when I shift from neutral to Drive after coasting to a stop the Auto Stop will then engage. If not, again, I just turn off the ignition.
For my first 10,000 miles on 2008 HCH I am getting just over 50 mph.
I, too, coast down hills or during any stretch that is fairly level and there are no cars behind me.
2008 Honda Civic Hybrid - I purchased the car NEW in March 2008 and am extremely happy with the car. Initial few tanks of gas were less than I had hoped for averaging 39-42 MPG but still nearly double what my Dodge RAM 2500 Diesel gets 22MPG average. Currently I have approximately 4,500 miles on the car and average close to 500 miles of travel weekly or just under one full tank of gas. Currently my mileage is averaging 45-47 MPG in mixed city/highway driving and I am still expecting that MPG to increase eventually to an average of 50+ MPG. To date my best MPG tank of fuel was 55.6 MPG in mixed city/highway driving. I have tried many different tricks trying to increase overall MPG but the biggest and most reliable has been setting the cruise on the highway and not driving faster than 65 MPH.. there seems to be a definite and dramatic decrease in MPG when exceeding 65 MPH. On the highway when ever possible I will intentionally draft behind larger vehicles for any added MPG boost.. it does help. As for off the line acceleration.. taking off very slowly does not seem to improve MPG and I find that a normal to brisk acceleration to normal driving speed is perhaps the best option. Decelerating and anticipating traffic and traffic lights ahead does wonders to increase MPG. At this point there is no question in my mind that I would buy another Honda Hybrid. My only wish is that Honda would create either a Plug-in hybrid or a diesel hybrid.. I have to believe that either would hit a 100+ MPG.
I am quite disappointed with my hybrid. I have had it for 2 weeks, and I am averaging 30.2 mpg. I have contacted both the dealership, and Honda, and I was told that I would have to drive it for approx. 6,000 miles before I will get the mpg reported by owners. No one informed me of this, and I do not believe it. At this point I am sorry I did not buy a Prius.
I have a 2003 HCH,manual transmission. It now has 130K miles and I've had no repairs aside from maintenance. I've kept very careful mpg records (actual) and the result is 50mpg in summer, 45 in winter (New England), with a lifetime average of 47.5mpg. I have learned to drive conservatively.
One real plus of a hybrid is that with regenerative braking and conservative driving, I don't use the brakes much. They were reworked at 80K but weren't nearly at the end of their useful life.
No change with the batteries yet.
By the way, the car meter reads about 5% high. This seems to be a common situation.
Ed Hazzard
I have one of first 2003 Civic Hybrids and I just hit 217,000 miles due to an insane commute. Everything is original except the tires and the transmission. Otherwise it drives better than new, I now average 47 miles to the gallon, verses 40, when it was new (thanks to hypermiling), and I have a slightly dented hood thanks to a small freeway crash. No amount of money would make me sell it since I am in the HOV lane and work in downtown LA.
217,000 miles and still achieving that kind of mileage? It doesn't get much better than that!
I bought my 2005 HCH with 5 speed manual in April 2005. I drive 130 miles roundtrip to work, 5 days a week, on mostly highway without any stop and go traffic. I also live at a 4000' elevation. For the first few months I drove the speed limit and would average between 52-54 mpg on the highway...not much city driving. After a couple of months I started driving faster...cruise set to 80-85 mph. At these speeds I would get between 46-48 mpg. Since gas prices are going up I've slowed down..averaging about 5 MPH over the speed limit. I'm now at around 49-51 mpg. In the winter months, I install dedicated snow tires, the mileage drops to 44-46 mpg. I've experimented with different fuel octanes, synthetic oils, and tire pressure. So far, tire pressure has gained the most mpg for me. I find 40 PSI is the best pressure for tire mileage/gas mileage. Also, if I could set the cruise to 62 MPH (around 2200-2400 RPM) all the way to work then I would be in the 60+ mpg range. I was going to trade my '05 for an '07 last year but realize my 5 speed '05 gets better gas mileage so I'm keeping it. I waiting until 2010 to see what the next generations of hybrids/electrics have to offer.
Great Civic hybrid information, anon. So, it's all about the RPMs on the highway, in terms of maximizing highway fuel economy?
I also can't wait for the next generation Honda hybrids. By this time next year, we should be there!!!!
I have a 03 HCH, currently 117000 miles on it, replaced one wheel bearing and am on the third set of tires. Reality: the tires that come stock will give you the best mileage but the worst traction. The low rolling resistance does make a mileage differance. I am currently running Pirelli P3000, great traction but sacrifice on some mileage. I live in Minnesota and drive the car year round...traction matters. As for average miles per gallon; appx 42mpg, driving like a complete maniac...not real concerned about economy. appx 47mpg (with sticky tires) if you are easy on the gas leaving the light and give yourself plenty of time to slow down. take advantage of declines, tailwinds, and don't be in such a hurry all the time and you will get some worth while mileage out of the Honda. You can acheive some great mpg if you really take the time and learn how to drive the vehicle. I will buy another when and if this one ever dies. I have driven Hondas for 30+ years and history dictates my HCH will never die. If you primarily drive in the city you may want to look at the Prius or possibly the SmartCar, the Honda really shines on the open road. Very comfy, spacious, and it looks like a typical sedan. Take care of your car and it will be there for you.
Another 100,000 mile plus Civic hybrid - love hearing about that!
Have had my 2008 Civic Hybrid for 4weeks and 4300 kilometers. I am averaging about 5.3 litres per 100 km which is 46 miles per gallon US. I have done better by driving under speed limit on highway etc. But now that I have figured out just gentle acceleration and anticipate lights etc, I have turned off the Fuel display guage and it gets this mileage no problem all day long city and highway, without the stress of looking at the guages. Love it and just put my Nissan Maxima up for sale as I can't bring myself to burn twice the fuel, especially when in the car by myself 90% of the time. The only complaint would be the no fold down sets, but making due.
Honda in general can have pretty sorry service. I am looking for others who have had experiences with the Honda Civic Hybrid and the problem of the rear tires generating a lot of noise due to this. This problem is caused by a defective stablizer in the rear which cuases damage to the tire. Honda will repair the stablizer but not replace the tires so the noise continues.
I am tired of getting pushed around. Anyone with this problem and wishes to join in a possible class action lawsuit against Honda please contact me. I have a meeting with an attorney concerning this next week
I just bought a 2006 Civic hybrid about 2 weeks ago. I am getting 29 to 31 mpg in town. I don't drive too fast or too slow and we don't live in a hilly area. The car has 50,000 miles on it. What could cause it to get such low mpg?
Sarah
I have a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid and when I purchased it I was driving an average of 225 miles a day and getting an average 50 mpg and even today I am only driving 22 miles a day now, and averaging 45 mpg, I was involved in a rear end accident where if it wasn't for the battery I would not be writing this, and the car was repair and still on the road with about 198,000 miles traveled with it.
To the person with the recently purchased 2006 HCH:
You may want to check these items:
tire pressure
type of tires (are they low resistance to rolling? This is important!)
Is air filter clean & in good condition?
are you easing on the pedal when in low gear? Acceleration in low speed is a crucial factor
There are other things but these are the ones I could quickly remember.
I wish you happy and safe miles!
Just bought a used 2004 Civiv Hybrid with automatic transmission. Three questions:
- I just got the IMA recall done and it seemed to negatively affect my gas mileage. Had 56 MPG when I dropped off the car for the recall. Now getting 34-42 MPG. Anybody had this issue? Anybody know what the recall was solving?
- How does the problem with the odometer affect the gas mileage. If the odometer is logging more miles than actually drivern (about 8%), doesn't that inflate the MPG?
- Since Odometer and Speedometers are somewhat related, is it possible that my speedometer states a higher speed than I am actually going?
2008 hch with 8200 miles. Just took a 225 mile trip to the coast this weekend and was very careful about my driving even though it was part two lane and part divided four lane. Kept the cruise control set on 55 and made slow starts and stops. Tank was topped before I left and when I got there and I was amazed: with four adults in the car and the air on, I got 57.7 mpg (calculated from fuel and miles driven). I love this car!
2005 Civic Hybrid now at 50k. Watch the OIL type. they're supposed to have 0-20w oil. dealer changed our oil at 46k, wife drove it home and was appalled to see the meter showing 29 miles per gallon. way less than normal. we called the dealer back...they tried to put the blame on my new tires, but that wasn't the case as i already had 3k on them, with standard mileage we'd come to expect. today, we got the oil changed at dealer again...wife drove home and meter showed 40 miles per gallon. same car, same woman, same distance/route. three months ago after the last change: 29mpg. this time: 40mpg. i've been googling around on this today and i see that's it: Get The Right Oil. and Tell The Dealer to get it right...this was the Honda Dealer who made the mistake. I figure at 3.80 to 4 bucks a gallon this little mistake cost me $200 to $250 bucks. our mileage has been 20 to 25% lower these last 4000 miles.
I have a 2003 civic hybrid 5 speed with 705,000 miles on it. That is not a misprint. I have never gotten less than 40 mpg with the a/c on at 70 mph. I love this car.
Skip -
That's amazing. We're not saying we don't believe you, but many won't. Could you provide an image of your odometer? We'd love to talk to you, send us an e-mail at soultek@soultek.com.
just bought a 2008 civic hybrid
getting 26.8 mpg - driving both city
and freeway ; is there a special way to drive this car - two dealers have
rechecked the system - the computers found nothing wrong ; I could have bought a cheaper car and gotten better mileage. Is there a special
way to drive a hybrid in order to see the mileage benefits ?
To the guy who just bought a 2008 HCH, yes, there is a way to do hypermiling on the HCH. Tarabell's guide is the best. Here is the link:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1306
Give it a spin, it's not that much intuitive, since you'll be changing many long time habits...
I have a 2003 Honda Civic hybrid, CVT, bought August 2002. THe car has been great, and made many long trips (greater than 500 miles, with no sweat), plus commutes well. I avg. 37 mpg in DC, 42 agressive driving in Jax, and 50 when not driving agressive. I haven't had any issues until it hit the 75,000 mile mark. Here's info for all fellow civic hybrid owners: 1) the big battery got replaced because its under the 80K, 8 yr warranty; 2)catyltic converter needed to be replaced, also gets covered under Federal law warranty 8yr 80K; 3) drive clutch assemply has failed twice! Only gets covered once, and then theirs another 1 yr warranty, 4) sparkplugs are titanium, so expensive to replace; most parts are special made for this hybrid (i.e., platinum cat converter) and cost a lot of money to replace if not covered by warranty, and 5)engine mounts got replaced ($880). My question for everyone is whether anyone else has had the drive clutch assembly replaced and how many miles has been driven since? Are there any non-dealer service centers for these hybrids? Does any feel that honda went overboard with some of the highprecision parts on these hybrids, which cost 2 to 3 times more to replace than avg. Cars?
As of Sept 2008: Our 2004HCH CVT has averaged 39+ MPG over the 1st 100K miles. Only serviced at Dealer and am disappointed with mileage and repair history (below).
We have had the following problems:
1) Starter Clutch replaced $1500 at about 40K miles(50% picked up by Honda)
2)Internal Sensor $2500 at about 85K miles (picked up by Honda after serious discussion).
3) Check engine light on 5 times.
I hate it that they make you pay to have it checked and reset(about $85).
Currently,at 100K miles, Catalytic Converter needs replacement.(Dealer Estimate:$1100)
Love the way it rides (better than Accord I drove while it took 3 weeks to get sensor replaced!)
From talking to other owners, it seems like either there is a wide variety of performance.
I have noticed our mileage is significantly better in Florida than in Philadelphia in the winter.
I have a 2007 honda civic hybrid that gets 35 mph on a good day. Not getting anywhere around the 49 mpg as it should I will loose a lot of money I saved in fuel when I have to buy a new battery for the car. In my wife's car (satern) I get 33 mpg. We paid about 1/2 the price of the hybrid. My advice "No Honda Hybrid. Hope this saves someone.
letbobdoit@yahoo.com
Bought a Honda Civic Hybrid in May of 2006, for my 100 mile roundtrip commute to work. At about 85 mph, I get 37 mpg consistently with 87 octane and AC full blast all the time. At 87k miles right now (late 2008), I'm extremely pleased with the handling, amenities and the mileage. I drive like a bat out of hell. If I baby it, drive like an old grandpa, I can get 45 easy. Highest so far with hypermiling techniques was 144 mpg. Not bad. Edmunds and CR don't know crap about cost savings. If you commute 25k miles a year, you will see a difference in your pocketbook. Have a happy holiday season.
I have a Honda Civic 2004 manual 5sp hybrid. I average 50.7 with low grade hypermiling in city driving. The Civic manual is a very quirky car. I cannot always shift into reverse on the first crack, and 1st gear sometimes causes the tires to peel rubber. The car has a huge blind spot, which is odd for such a small car. So mileage is good, but it is very underpowered, and quirky.
Love our 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid. Had a Civic GX (Compressed Natural Gas) & 2001 Civic Hybrid previously. Note, I changed the rims out with 15" Alloy Honda rims originally on a 2003 Accord V6. This dropped the MPG substantially (10 MPG) so the lightweight Alloy wheels are back on. We're averaging over 46 MPG.
Would love to see Honda engineers make a little more sporty lightweight option for the HCH wheels. Anyone else agree that the Prius wheels look better than Honda HCH wheels?
I bought a 2009 HCH on 10/29/08 from Elk Grove Honda in California. I have not even been able to find my gas milage, here is my dilemma, seeking some help. I drove my HCH off the dealers lot and immediately this vehicle drifted to the right and I returned to the dealer and told the salesman so they sent me to service and was told it would need an alignment it was done and still drifted right so service manager drove it and said it was normal I was not satisfied and then they realigned two more times still same result then they swapped a new set of tires telling me that was it, still drifted to right. Today Honda's Rep drove it and said Honda Civics Hybirds drift to the right. I am still not satisfied and there it sits. Has anyone had this problem? Please help.
Chris T./Ont.
I have a 2005 HCH withj 164,000 km's on it. It has been a good car. Just started having an issue with the IMA battery meter. Sometimes when I go to start the engine the meter shows no bars (even though the batteries had at least 3/4 power left in them when I shut the car off). Also sometimes the conventional starter is used (It was never used before this issue). After driving the car a short distance the battery meter bars build up to full power again. For the last while I have been averaging 6.0 l/100km. If anyone else had had this problem please post a comment. Nov.6, 2008.
onlyvato-
que paso? Nothing good it seems for you and your new hybrid vehicle.
I think you have some kind of lemon. Civic hybrids don't pull to the right in some obvious - unsafe i would argue - way. If this was such a known issue, why did your honda dealer do so many things to rectify the problem? They obviously don't know what is wrong, but it seems there is a problem with your vehicle. (Do others agree that your vehicle pulls to the right? Would you call it unsafe?)
If this is a real problem, demand a new vehicle or that yours be repaired, something which is required under California's Lemon Law. Under that law, if repairs do not fix the problem, you are entitled to a different vehicle.
I have a Honda Civic Hybrid. I have the first year - 2003 and bought it in 2002. I was told how to drive it to receive the best gas mileage. (Don't take off too fast, let it coast more often, etc --things you want to already do in ANY vehicle). I received better than the sticker for the first couple years (in the lower 50's average), after the third and fourth year, it dropped to lower 40's and now from the 5th year until now is in the lower 30's. I have had MAJOR issues with the car though. I have had at least 4-5 DOZEN trips to the honda dealer for them to replace something that costs thousands of dollars to replace down to a few hundred dollars to replace. The transmission went out in the 30G's, the catalytic converter (1100 to replace) is bad now and the IMA system which is the 180 volt battery that recharges, giving it the "hybrid" name (around 3000 to replace) had to be replaced and was already bad for some time. I also had to replace the actual 12-volt battery twice. Several other things were recalled softwarewise that were done free but would have been charged labor if I didn't have the extended warranty. Also, the SRS light (seatbelt retention system) has been on for 50,000 miles and Honda has tried fixing the problem at least a dozen times itself - it still is not fixed even now. This concerns me because it means either the seatbelts won't lock when they need to or the airbags won't deploy at all (maybe even when your life depends on it). Other things have had to be replaced as well - I had to get American Honda Care involved because of so many problems. I am wondering how many others out there have had any of the problems I mentioned. And yes - Honda DOES sell the car based on the MPG here in KC, MO. They use it ONLY as the selling point since people here drive alot - most don't care about emissions - they just want good gas mileage - which is why they told us how to drive the vehicle to get the best mileage possible. Many things drop the gas mileage down on the hybrid and at a higher rate than any other type of car.
Just an update from a post that I wrote back at the first of the year.
I have a 2003 HCH (bought in Feb. '03)with almost 138,000 miles and I still love it. I've haven't had hardly any trouble out of it. I did finally have to put front brake pads on it. The mileage was at 130,000 miles. They were the original set that came form the factory. The SRS light did come on at around 110,000. Took it the dealer and they came back in just a few minutes saying it was a switch where you put your seatbelt in. They ordered the part and was fixed at no charge. (Naomi, I was wondering, do you know if the dealer check the seatbelt switch?)
My mileage still is awesome. I'm still getting averaging 50-52 in the city. I drove 400 miles to the beach last month and got 51.4 mph going down. The drive was about 65% four lane and about 35% two lane. I did push her a little more coming back home. I ran her 80-85 at times and still got 48 mph.
Mark - yes that's the same part they have checked all the dozen times - I told them each time - you have already checked AND replaced that part - don't you think it's time to move on to checking something else??? To which now they have given up on it and are ignoring us now on it. I am about to call Honda Customer Care again and tell them about it AGAIN. They ignored it too the first time I told them about it.
We've had a 2006 HCH for over two years now, living in Phoenix. In summer (using heavy A/C), on mostly city streets, we get about 41-43 mpg. If mostly freeway driving, we get about 46 mpg. In the winter (little A/C) bump those numbers up about 2-3 mpg, (so 43-45street, 48 freeway).
On the open road, we've averaged 50mpg roundtrip on trips to San Francisco, and 51.5 mpg to the mountains of southwestern Colorado. Going up I-17 to Flagstaff, we typically get 40 mpg (8,500 ft of climbing). On the way back, we typically get 60 mpg, so it averages to 50 mpg. This is at freeway speeds of 65-75 mph.
When we first bought the car, we drove it carefully and routinely got 48-49 mpg in town with mixed street/freeway driving. Now, we don't pay much attention, and get around 45-46 mpg.
I have learned how to drive this car for best economy without getting obsessive with hypermiling. If you need to go up a hill, or need to accelerate, go for it and really push (but not stomp) on the pedal, forcing the car to use the electric motor. Don't baby accelerate, you won't be using the battery energy effectively. When you've reached the top of the hill or on the flats, let off the gas and coast whenever possible. After the car slows down some, pulse the speed again with moderate acceleration to force battery to be used. This simple technique will easily get you good mileage without being obsessive. I drive this way now without thinking about it.
The best we've gotten is 123.6 mpg, but that was mostly downhill for 50 miles (Jacob's Lake to Marble Canyon in northern AZ at normal highway speeds.) We discovered on the way down the hill that the mpg display refuses to show over 150 mpg average for some reason :)
All in all, we love our hybrid, and can't wait for better battery technology for even better mileage. We've had no issues with it except, sometimes in the heat of summer the battery will discharge just sitting in the parking lot while we go inside a store to shop. Doesn't seem to do this in the winter.
I have a 2005 HCH purchased new. Have 235,000 miles on it. Only repairs, windshield washer pump went out at about 65,000 miles, water pump went at 220,000. Had to replace the small 12v battery once at about 150,000 miles, but that is it, other then tires. Still getting 45 mpg on the freeway 50+ in the city. Engine is starting to use oil, wil see if I can get it to 300,000 without major repair.
I got my 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid in May of 08, and love it. Over the summer and fall I was getting 45 MPG in real mileage. The computer reads 42mpg so don’t trust it, just keep track of your mileage and how much gas you put into it.
I notice letting it ideal to defrost the windows really eats up the gas, with the AC I did not notice any mileage change.
I try to keep it below 3,000 rpms when accelerating, and generally I just drive it just like I would any car. I got 7,700 miles on it before I got the 15% oil life, with no troubles what so ever.
The turn radius and smooth engine start (thanks to the two spark plugs per cylinder) are great, I find the auto-stop is relaxing.
The interior Illumination is a waste as is, it really needs to be set to turn on/off with the dome light. And I wish they would come out with a coupe model, with a larger trunk.
The HCH is by far the best car I ever had, I’m no longer a dodge man.
A coupe hybrid is coming!
I purchased a 2008 Civic Hybrid approx 6 months ago - Nothing but problems - The drivers side doorhandle didn't open the door, the auto engine shutoff doesn't function. I've taken it back twice to fix the auto shutoff mechanism. Pretty sad story for a car with less then 10,000 miles. As far as I'm concerned it's a piece of crap. Buy something else - Not a civic hybrid.
Sounds like a lemon Vic.
Most Civic hybrid testimonials are pretty positive, did you buy the car used?
I have a 2003 Civic Hybrid with a manual transmission. I've used it primarily for a short highway commute in West Virginia and highway driving to Indiana and Virginia. My lifetime mileage has been about 46 MPG by tank measurement; as for others, about 5% below the computer readout. I am at 158,000 miles in six years, and couldn't be happier; except for an oxygen sensor and the catalytic converter, I've had no problems at all.
All of you bragging about MPG with your high dollar "HYBRID" cars. Wait till you have to replace the battery pack in it then do a real cost per mile and see what it costs you to drive a mile. I drive a 2002 VW New Bettle DTI and get 46 to 50 MPG and I drive the way I want. Also with proper fitering I can use used vegtable oil for fuel and creat NO greenhouse gases! Something your hybrid can't do. I drive as fast as I want, use my air as much as I want and have over 220,000 miles on my Bug and it doesn't use any oil. Also know for a face that it with still be running at 500,000 miles. Write a blog about your hybrid when it has 200,000 mles on it. That is IF it still runs.
you are a complete idiot.
first, there are hybrids with hundreds of thousands of miles.
second, there are fleets of hybrids with well over hundred thousand miles and probably one percent have needed to have their battery changed.
so, you obviously have no idea of what you are talking about.
third, you don't get that kind of fuel economy in urban driving and congestion. that's highway driving. do some research. the future is congestion, slow, slow commutes. commutes where you vehicle achieves 30 miles or less.
fourth, do some research, biomass CANNOT come close to replacing oil. batteries are the future.
furthermore, you do use oil, IDIOT - petrochemicals grow the biomass the creates your biofuel, dumbass. and petro chemicals are derived from oil.
I have a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. I love and hate my car. I love it because it gets good mileage (39-40 mpg) fairly consistently. I hate it because of the transmission. It is the automatic. I have had it repaired about four times since I bought it. Same problem again and again, when I start up from a stop, it is hesitant and jerky, feels like the transmission is a "square block." I was awaiting another clutch kit when my IMA light and engine light went on this evening. I am frustrated that such a young car (<85000 miles) has so many problems.
mark, have your problems been all covered by warranty?
So far it has been covered by the warranty. It is currently at the dealership. I have only one year left on my warranty. I am wondering whether it is worth it to keep it considering the number of problems I have had with the transmission. This is unfortunate because I like to keep my cars forever.
I don't blame you Mark. That really stinks. I know this car has shown real reliability well over 100,000 miles, so it seems there is something specifically wrong with your vehicle.
I hope you can get this issue resolved to your satisfaction. If not, let us know if we can help.
I bought a 2006 Civic Hybrid in June 2006. I was happy with it for the first 42,000 miles (it averaged 51 MPG combined city/highway), until October 2007. Then the problems started. The IMA light came on and a battery controller was replaced. Software updates were also done. After that the mileage dropped about 20% and the IMA battery would not charge like it did before. Long story short, the IMA battery was replaced in July 2008 and since then, the car has never charged the battery like it did before the repairs and updates. I have filed complaints with the NHTSB at safercar.gov and the LA BBB against American Honda. American Honda say the degraded performance is a "normal characteristic” of the Civic Hybrid now. Now when the weather is cold (20 degrees), the battery loses efficiency and does not charge well. If the weather is hot (82-85 degrees and higher) the battery overheats. In either case the IMA has failed to assist in acceleration and the car is sluggish, sometimes to the point of being dangerous when normal power is needed. It is frustrating when Honda denies any problem and refuses to acknowledge engineering problems. I would recommend that no one buys a Honda Hybrid or maybe any Honda product due to the way they treat their customers. If you are interested, there are many dissatisfied HCH owners on the auto forums. One is found at http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f145abe?displayRecent and some are talking about a class action lawsuit. It is looking more likely as the problems even affect 2009 Civic Hybrids.
Just wanted to update the blog on my situation. I took my 2004 Civic Hybrid into the dealership and they installed a new clutch kit. The IMA light and engine light were also on. They replaced my battery pack and the battery module as well. The car is running better, mileage is a bit better (40.1 average verses 38.9). There are no transmission shudders. My Honda Care warranty expires at 105,000 miles. My big question is whether to keep this car after that point. So far, most of my problems have been under warranty, after looking at the cost of replacing the batteries and the frequency of transmission repairs thus far, I am uncertain whether this car will be a "keeper" for much longer.
Can't blame you Mark. Maybe, since Honda's done the work, you could get top trade in value for your Civic at the same dealership. New Insight hybrids will be arriving - if you're willing to stick with Honda.
My comment isn't about the MPG, although I am very happy getting ~45mpg in my 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid. I locked my keys in the car and had to have FOUR different locksmiths come out and try to open it. My advice is to go to the dealer and pay $13 for a dummy key. I wound up paying for the locksmiths, the dummy key and the interior of my car received lots of scratches because of the reach tool they used. Save yourself time, money and your cars interior and get the dummy key.
I bought a Honda civic hybrid in 2003.It has 135,000 miles on it. Starting at 50,000 miles we kept getting idiot light signals. When the check engine light came on we were told it was the gas cap....we replaced the gas cap 5 times (each one cost $29). When the SRS light came on we were told by the dealer to replace the seatbelt retractor..we did this 4 times (all under warrentee). The lights came back on anyway...when it went out of warrentee we stopped bringin it in for the freakin' lights. It always ran great and got fantastic mileage. The IMA battery light came on 4,000 miles ago. It still gets 48 miles per gallon average. We bought a 2007 about a month ago, it gets 40 mpg. I can't sell the 2003. The car is perfect except the idiot lights. Even though the IMA battery light is on it is still charging and discharging. NADA says it is worth $8800. I'm down to $4500 and can't give it away. My husband is worried that we made a mistake buying the new hybrid civic since it has no resale value because of the idiot lights.
Natalie: The SRS light for the seatbelt retractor is a known issue for the 2003 Civic Hybrids - we had ours replaced by the dealer several times to no avail - the light is still on. The IMA light came on for us as well and ultimately led to us having to get the IMA system replaced - a whopping 3G's. Is it just me--it seems like everything on the Civic costs thousands of dollars to fix or replace?? Everything for us has cost us that much and yes, also in agreement, the 2003, being the first year, is worth nothing. We have all those nagging lights on too that say something is messed up but the dealer has no idea how get them to turn off (not sure if they are fixing anything or not but it sounds like Honda just didn't make it easy to do). For all of us who have the first year, there should be some sort of compensation we all get because of all the trouble we all go through. I am sure there are some with no problems but it just seems like there are too many WITH Civic Hybrid problems.
natalie -
this is a pretty tough market to sell used hybrids. when gas prices go back up i'd bet you have much better luck. unfortunately, in this recession it might take a few years for those higher fuel prices.
i wonder what kinds of deals Honda dealers have been giving those trading in old civic hybrids. seems like, based on these issues, that those trading in these vehicles on another honda do deserve some payback.
I bought my 2008 HCH in Sept and have been in love with it ever since! It took the break in time to obtain the 40 mpg on average (both highway and city combined). I noticed that if I am in a heavy traffic light area, the batteries charge gets eaten up quickly. I have to place the car in low gear at the light so the battery will charge. Does anyone know if the HCH will run on the gas engine only if the battery runs out of juice?
I purchased my 2008 HCH in Sept and have been loving it ever since. It took the break in period to achieve the 40 mpg (highway and city combined). I noticed that while driving in a highly traffic light areas that the battery charge gets eaten up pretty quickly. I sometimes have to put the car in low at a light so the battery will charge. Does anyone know if the car will run on just the gas engine only? What happens if the battery totally drains?
The batteries of all hybrids have a sweet spot, a suitable range between fully charged and discharged, that software in your hybrid maintains. When your hybrid's battery reaches it's discharge level, the gasoline engine is driving the car. This happens often. Your battery isn't fully depleted, it just won't discharge any more energy to assist the engine.
Always saving a little power in the battery, even if just a few percent, helps increase the longevity of the battery. Fortunately, you're not responsible for maintaining the sweet spot. You car will do it for you.
I have a 2003 HCH - 226000 miles. I'm here because the IMA light came on for the first time yesterday. From what I'm reading, the sky is not falling. Still obtaining 42 to 45 mpg.
Have had the check engine light/cat converter issue for years now. 1st time (just over 80K miles), the dealership replaced the cat for free.
Has come on and off many times since then. Since this is an area requiring emissions inspection, and that code for cat replacement means the car fails the inspection, the following has worked for me.
The problem obviously is not the cat converter, it's the sensors or computer.
The codes go away and the light stays off for perhaps 4000 miles by just resetting the codes. I purchased a hand-held gizmo which does this at a local pawn shop for $50. Ebay might be a good place to look for one, too.
Another thing that has cleared the codes long enough to pass an inspection is to pour a can of STP or other brand fuel injector cleaner into the gas tank, and fill-up with a tank or two of "Super" at the local Shell station. I tried this the last time I needed an inspection, and was mildly surprised that it worked!
Both lights are on now. I don't care. Why do those emissions inspections fail you based upon your car's computer codes, anyhow? They are NOT reliable, or the codes in my car would consistently be present. Those inspections SHOULD be based solely on an analysis of the exhaust from the tailpipe!!!
If I had believed the check engine light and replaced those cat converters multiple times, I could have spent over $12,000 by now just to pass the emissions tests here in Texas. As it is, I've only spent about $60 to rid the car of those codes long enough to pass inspection.
There should be a federal investigation of this! Thousands of folks are being robbed!
OK,
Bought a fully loaded HCH in Md late March 2009 for 21999. Had followed the Insight but could not beat the deal for this loaded with leather and Nav beauty. Just took a 500 mile trip from Fredricksburg Va (where I had filled up)to Eastern NC via Norfolk with my wife and smome luggage. Mostly drove in right lane of I95 finding a slow driver to get behind) and the slower HWY 460 anmd HWY 17. The trip included about 40 miles in and around Norfolk city. When I pulled into my hotel near Norfolk after nearly 172 miles I showed 54.2MPG and for the entire trip I got 51.2 with just normal driving. This car is really great and I am quite pleased. I had narrowed my choices to the Insight, 2009/10 Prius and the VW Jetta diesel.
With just 1400 miles on the car and getting this kind of mileage I think my 09 HCH is a real gem.
anon with check engine light-
i live in california and have run into the same problem with smog checks. even worse, many of those smog check places are run by swindlers.
Questions about battery/maintenance costs.
I'm looking at buying a 2003 Civic Hybrid but I don't know what to expect in maintenance costs. How often do you have to replace the batteries? How much do they cost? Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks.
It's doubtful that you would have to replace the batteries. Still, if you read over the Civic hybrid testimonials on this page you'll notice that there have been some issues with the 2003 Civic hybrid. Thus, I would definitely find out what kind of work has been done on this Civic hybrid in the past.
My car is a 2005 civic hybrid with the cvt tranny. The car has 52k miles on it and have had it for about 2 months. At first I was very disappointed with the fuel economy, avg under 40 mpg. After replacing the tires with the original lrr bridgestone b381 and some other routine maintanence am now much happier with the car. My current tank is avg 46.1mpg which is mostly city driving. On road trips am avg around 50mpg if I keep it under 70mph. Fantastic car!!!
Stacey - We bought a 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid in November. It ran great for 4 months. Starting about 2 1/2 months ago the Integrated Motor Assist stopped working correctly. One second you would have full battery power to the IMA and in a matter of seconds you would drop to 1-3 bars on the IMA batter...needless today the Assist part of the system doesn't work and you have no acceleration. Please tell us someone has had the same problem and gotten it fixed. We have nearly been creamed a number of times trying to merge with 70 mph traffic with this problem going on. The dealership says it is operating w/in normal parameters because I live in a Southern state and the IMA doesn't like to work over temperatures of 90 degrees. Help!
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