Did the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid catch up to the Toyota Prius?
2012 Honda Civic hybrid, best Civic hybrid ever
Or is the Prius still the king of hybrid cars?
The Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius have been going at it for a quite a few years now, and according to the sale’s numbers the Prius is king. Ultimately, the Prius has offered better fuel economy, more functionality, and a more unique look.
However, the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid has undergone a pretty significant transformation, but can it yet match up to the Prius?
That’s what a bunch of InsideLine editors recently tried to find out. So, they put the revamped, lithium-powered Honda Civic hybrid and the 2011 Prius through the paces, testing each vehicle on the track and, more interesting, in the real world via the daily commutes of several editors.
Since we’re talking about hybrid cars, fuel economy is obviously a critical benchmark, and it appears the Civic hybrid is catching up to the Prius. InsideLine testing still found the Prius to be the leader; however, the Prius only beat the Civic by 1 mpg, although a speedy freeway drive sucked a good chunk of mpgs out of the Prius average.
Keep the Prius in the city, and it offers clear mpg advantages over the Civic hybrid. Put these hybrids in more highway-like conditions, however, and the Civic hybrid is a real challenger.
And that takes us to drive quality, and there the Civic hybrid has also improved quite a bit compared to the previous Civic. Nevertheless, noise at high speeds is still a problem, and the drivetrain is still far too choppy. The Prius, on the other hand, still offers a more refined drive via the more seamless Hybrid Synergy Drive, as well as a more functional cabin that feels incredibly spacious.
Consequently, once again, the Prius wins, at least according to the editors at InsideLine. But, the Civic hybrid is catching up, and if your commute isn’t too congested, it’s definitely worth giving the Civic hybrid a test drive if you’re in the market.
Source: InsideLine
That’s the one i’m waiting for, cheap.
Poor form factor. Need the hatchback for versatility. Small hybrid sector is overcrowded. If its small, it now hast to be cheap. If they want to claim a segment, then need to seat more or fit more.
I’m not quite understanding… Does the current Camry hybrid have a different setup than the new one?
Is the new one more like the Prius but the current Camry not?
sorry to be so ignorant…
The comparison was not scientific and they used Prius V with wider tires. The braking distance highlights the importance and that also lowers the MPG.
Real-world owner reported 50.3 MPG for Prius and 44.3 MPG for 2012 Civic hybrid.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx2008f.jsp?year=2011&make=Toyota&model=Prius&hiddenField=Findacar
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx2008f.jsp?year=2012&make=Honda&model=Civic%20Hybrid&hiddenField=Findacar
Of course Prius is a midsize and Civic is a compact.
I don’t see that having the same “highway” mileage rating says that much.
If highway mileage is all you need, then you don’t even need a hybrid. You can get one of several ICE vehicles that has a 40 mpg highway rating for a lot less money.
What makes a hybrid a success is its city mileage, and Prius is the hands-down leader in that category…..