Honda Civic hybrid poor gas mileage

soniamichael1:

Northeast? Then that mileage is not that bad at all especially since you still have your tire pressure at less than 35 psi? Whether you drive a Civic Hybrid of Prius II, 35 psi is hardly the formula for fuel economy success - good FE results begin when you set the tire pressures to 38 or 40 (at least). I also bet there are also a few things that can undergo some improvements. Why? Because I have two Civic Hybrids and 3 Prius and I live in a much colder "city-only" commuting environment.

Without those improvements, a Prius or any other car is not going to make you look much better. Both cars achieve "abysmal" mileage when exposed to colder weather and short trips... But then again any other cars under the same circumstances will always fare much, much worse.

What are some of those improvements?

1. Install and use an engine block heater.
2. In colder days block your front grille.
3. Always compute your mileage by hand. The HCH display typically underestimates the MPG. The Prius almost always overestimates the MPG.
4. Raise your tire pressure to 40 PSI in the front and 38 in the rear.
5. Avoid any fuel with ethanol.
6. Don't drive like grandma. Instead, drive smarter and by the instruments. Those extra gauges you paid for have a purpose, so let use them appropriately. To help, please DO read and understand Tarabell's article for all the info you need in this department.
7. Absolutely, and under no circumstance idle your car for warm up only. This kills fuel economy and the car - not to mention the environment and your pocketbook.

If you can, go for a ride in your friend's Prius. If they are getting 50MPG or around that, then I bet they may be able to teach you a thing of two. Clearly and most assuredly the difference in is the drivers and many here will vouch for that (including myself).

Please let us know you you need further info. We'll be happy to assist.

Cheers;

MSantos

Wow! Another Honda Civic Hybrid Owner like me that has been scammed.

All these Hybrids are scams!!!!!!!

Well, at least your sticker stated 40mph City 45 Highway.

My 2007 sticker stated 50 mph City 51 Highway. I have never gotten close to that.

SCAM SCAM SCAM.

We have had our 2008 HCH for almost a month and are very pleased with it. Average MPG (manually computed) is exactly 44.0 MPG. Two tanks at +46.0, one at +45.0, two at +44.0 and the rest never worse than 41.5mpg.

Our driving consists of my wife going about 3.5 mi one way to work, local trips and two weekly trips of about 140mi that involves 45mph to 65mph driving on local roads and 7-9% long grades.

We are not pumping up the tire pressure yet, my wife pays no particular attention to the instruments (I do, however), we do not warm the car up and are pretty much following our normal driving routines. The car has less tham 3,000 miles (oil at 70%) and I expect to push 50mpg average when the warm weather gets here. The other morning it was very cold and the mpg went down 0.3 just getting to the end of the driveway. In warmer conditions it shows no decrease while driving and warming the engine up.

I realize that driving styles differ but we are not the kind of drivers that you would hate to follow - just smooth and steady. I think that expectations differ from customer to customer. The HCH seems to be a very good car - comfortable, well built and very conservative with respect to fuel economy. Our other vehicle is a 2005 Jeep Liberty 4WD that gets 18.5 to 24.0 mpg depending on the trip (Yes, it really did get 24mpg while driving 70mph on a trip to PA - hard for me to believe but it did happen). Friends of ours could never do better than around 14mpg from a similar vehicle - go figure.

I wish you could have made your points from an informed position. Clearly, seeking and receiving valid information for the purpose of avoiding embarrassment is not one of your goals.

Here's is yet another set of undeniable truths (I doubt you'll even assimilate these ones):
-The EPA was the one who set the 2008 MPG ratings due to its revised testing procedures.
-All cars where hit by the revised testing procedures.
-No car manufacturer can choose what to print on that sticker.
-Every manufacturer must print on the sticker the value the EPA mandates.

And since you are so bent on complaining instead of learning I suggest you do the following:

SUE Honda!!! Really!
Surely, your words and conviction must be strong enough for you to win, right? Please, prove to us all that your incessant whining is justified. Otherwise, be a responsible adult by owning up to his/her consumer choice, and either learn to drive a hybrid car properly or dump it. Judging from your words and attitude, I will guarantee you'll be scammed by the Prius as well.

Good luck & please let others learn even if you are unwilling to.

MSantos

Look more carefully bud. the Prius gets the same complaining from some owners too. If U really wanna see where the Prius owners hang out and really whine then go to priuschat.com... you will see how much complaining there is about the prius too.

Stop being full of BS. there are many more of us who are happy with the car so stop poluting the forum with your lies and ignorance.

nuff said

I am about to purchase a small Hybrid.

The doubt is between the Honda Civic and the Toyota Prius.

What I find from news in the Consumer reports bulletins is a bit concerning.
Basically, I could summarize it in one statement for each vehicle:

The Toyota Prius is much more fuel-efficient than the Honda and the Users amply testify this. However, there are also very disturbing reports that, on an unknown number of cases, the Prius has severe battery problems, battery discharge conditions that generate the need for frequent charges, also when the vehicle is stopped for 2 weeks or more, and several complains fall on the display system as weel The fuel gauge and consumption meters are at fault and finally, the thin tires wear out or blow, as a result of scratches developped on them (cause may be attributed to bad usage, but not sure). What is disturbing is that Toyota service and parts do not respond appropriatelly (in the USA - no idea here).

The Honda Civic is not known, in the 2005 & after versions, to have any serious maintenance flaws, so the ability of the maintenance crews cannot be ascertained. While this is good (no need to resort to them), it's also not very reassuring to risk being the first one to find out.
What is not in favor of the Civic Hybrid is that we should expect average 6-7 liters per 100 Km, if we do not want to drive like nanny (why the heck should we?...).

In summary: The Honda is less economic, but seems safer, on the reliability side (assistance included).

Another (very personal) choice of mine is aesthetical and appeals to my preference: None is good to go around. The Prius is certainly distinctive, but ugly. The Honda is nice, but that "only" a Civic.

Conclusion: I'd prefer an Accord Hybrid, but that does not sell in my country...

So I guess I'lll forget all that an instead by a BMW with a 2-liter Diesel Engine (177 HP, lots of torque and... just 5-6 liters of gasoil per 100 Km. That's even CHEAPER than tan these Hybrids!...

Yeah, there's a catch: I wonder if is wise to spend an EXTRA 25-35 K USD just to have a lot better driving and confort (and image too!) - I could not possibly use the "economy" argument, despite spending even less FUEL that you guys!...

I'm still divided.

WiseMax:

I own three 2007 Toyota Prius and I use them as fleet vehicles in my company. The Prius does not have "severe" traction battery problems. It does have the same incidence of accessory battery issues as the average car. Yes, if the car is not driven for several weeks then the accessories 12V battery may suffer. But to say that the Prius is unreliable is to be very far from the truth.

The Prius is THE most reliable vehicle on the road today (hybrid or not). The Civic Hybrid is the most reliable Honda in the entire automaker's stable. Even the Ford escape hybrid is the most reliable SUV in Ford's lineup. See a pattern here?

The guess gauge on the Prius is a well known issue/attribute (due to its fuel bladder) but it is not one that most people cannot deal with... and it is also the reason why people think they get great fuel economy on the Prius when in fact they do not at fill-up time. Please check Priuschat.com for additional info.

Getting 6-7 liters/100km is expected for the extreme winter season, and a Prius will get similar if not worse mileage under the same conditions. During the summer most Honda Civic Hybrid drivers get well below 5. Many of us get well below 3.8 liters/100km.
Please check the mileage database at GreenHybrid.com. The Prius recorded mileage is almost 2 MPG better than the Civic Hybrid. Thousands of owners contribute to that database and the bulk of them (myself included) trend similarly.

Also, feel free to check the mileage database at cleanMPG.com to see a similar trend.

No, we do not drive like granny. We drive by the hybrid instruments that we paid for. Why buy a hybrid with extra instrumentation if you are going to ignore it and drive it like any other car you've had?

It is all in the attitude and your sense of social and environmental responsibility. If you have a heavier foot and you see nothing wrong with that and you have no willingness to change, then no sensible hybrid is for you.

The Accord Hybrid was discontinued because performance hybrids are a generally bad idea.

Judging from your post, I feel you'll be better served by another car that appeals to your perception of how a car should be driven. Yes, a diesel should be good for you.

You too, Chiludo67. Since you already own an MDX and an NSX (hardly economical and environmentally friendly vehicles) an AT-PZEV hybrid is not a good choice for you either.

A partial zero-emissions vehicle like the Prius and the Civic Hybrid is only fully appreciated by those people who place the technology, the car's features and design into the perspective intended by its engineers & designers.

Again, like Chiludo76 says: Do not buy this car... And certainly do not buy the Prius either.
These cars are not satisfying for folks who place track performance ahead of environmental performance. They are best suited for people who care about making a change for the sake of the environment and to save money in the process, and in that order.

Cheers;

MSantos

Gman1964:

While there will always be some for whom hybrids will not work (including the odd "lemon" here and there), there's a much larger majority of HCH owners for whom the HCH-II is an outstanding vehicle... and our numbers prove it.

Please do not confuse rejecting the "reality" of a vocal minority as an implicit lack of respect. I have never demonstrated any lack of respect towards anyone and I as many others will accept a difference of opinion when the facts add up.

Sadly they do not yet add up in your situation. Based on the information you provided in your recent postings, you disclosed multiple factors that would explain your low mileage. We offered advice and made several suggestions that could have made a difference. Yet, you have not provided any feedback concerning an alteration of your habits, or adherence to any recommendation provided in this forum.

Now, I'll tell you what: Since you are in Canada, please PM me with the order number for your last service invoice and I will see what I can do (do not include any additional info, personal or otherwise).

Cheers;

MSantos

Ann716;

Would you be able to review you last service invoice? Can you verify that they used 0W20 oil as they were supposed to?

Such a loss in mileage after the first service is often due to the dealer using a different oil grade. Unfortunately, there have also been dealerships that record the correct information but do something else entirely. At first, the best suggestion I can give is to observe them carefully and ask questions. If you are not comfortable with the dealership I suggest you start servicing your vehicle at an alternate location.

Also, would you be able to give us more details. For instance:
-Driving distances
-Traffic patterns you drive in (proportion of highway vs city)
-Weather and temperatures in your area
-Topography
-Gas brands
-Your tire pressures
-Anything else like (warm-up idling in colder days).

Cheers;

MSantos

Santos wrote:

"You too, Chiludo67. Since you already own an MDX and an NSX (hardly economical and environmentally friendly vehicles) an AT-PZEV hybrid is not a good choice for you either."

Say, Santos keep your smug pollution limited to Hybrids. The Honda made NSX is over 80% aluminum making it entirely recyclable unlike our hazardous material filled hybrids. At 27 mpg for a sports car I can't complain. Also, last time I checked the MDX is a ULEV that I can take skiing and drive in the snow. Hybrids are wonderful cars, but don't think for a minute as hybrid owners can look down at others as though we are doing better things for the environment because we drive one.

The best mpg (until electric cars are available) we can obtain does more for the environment than little hybrid badges on the back of cars can ever do. With a pitiful 40mpg the HCH is ok, but not as good as non-hybrids.

I live in So. Calif.
I have a 2006 Civic Hybrid that I bought Jan 2006.
I've had it for slightly over 2 years now.
The average from the TIME I BOUGHT IT (over 2 years) has been over 50mpg.
My "Trip A" (which I haven't reset since I got the car) is usually around 53.6. My "Trip B" (which I reset each time I fill up) has varried anywhere from 48 to 55 BY THE TIME I FILL IT UP AGAIN. That's important. There are times where I drive when I'm only getting 38mpg or 43mpg or something like that. But over the long haul, for each tank of gas (about every 500-600 miles I fill it up) I've managed to get in the 50 range. I've gone over 600 miles per tank more than a few times just to "do" it (making sure of course, that my MPG meter showed I was getting 50+ MPG to make sure I had enough gas).
I try to keep the car between 60-70 (usually in the 65 range) on the freeway. I don't have the A/C on unless I'm stopped and it's really hot (something I always did anyway even before getting a hybrid, I get a headache with AC on too long). Mileage is always bad when the car is warming up (for instance, stopping at lights for the first 5 mins or so, Auto-Stop won't engage until the car is sufficiently warmed up). But you make up the mileage on the freeway or on the street later when the car is warmed up. I DON'T use the cruise control (you can't get as good mileage). I'm easy on the accel when starting from a stopped light, and I'll cruise to a stop instead of using gas to the last second and slamming on the brakes.
Very simply it's this: I found that if you drive the HCH the way I drove cars before, I'll get mileage in the low 40s (43, etc). But by doing a few changes (not driving 55, not doing stupid things, but easy changes, like not going over 70, keeping it around 65, coasting, going easy on the accel from stops, being gentle, etc) I've managed to get pretty good mileage. And this isn't a one-way "going downhill" MPG. This is real world MPG over the last 2 years. Sometimes I'm on the street, sometimes on the freeway, sometimes moving fast, sometimes in LA's famous traffic, sometimes flat roads, sometimes very hilly, constant up-down hills in the area north of LA. If you drive smart (maybe not the way you used to, but if you learn how to drive a hybrid) you can get 50MPG on the HCH. My average for about 28,000 miles stays around 53.6 sometimes lower, then it will creep up. Never made it to 54 on the long-term average (highest was 53.9) but have made 55, 56 on the per-tank average. And have also had tanks in the mid 40s. But over the long haul it's been around 53.
As far as the Prius goes, I personally feel it's a slightly better engineered car, but it was damn uncomfortable for me. For me the HCH is stylish, COMFORTABLE, and fun to drive. And I find myself getting darn good mileage on my HCH so I'm happy (why does Toyota have straight control bars where the window and lock controls are, and Honda thankfully has ones that tilt up where your knees are, giving you more room? I used to drive a friend's Prius, and couldn't stand my knees knocking that annoying plastic bar all the time -- not so on the HCH -- and that comfort level is why I bought the HCH).
Again, there's no magic fairy dust. If you drive the HCH the way you used to drive your old car, you'll get lower mileage. But by slightly changing the way you drive you can really up the mileage. For those interested, I use 87 octane gas, I avoid places that have stickers saying they oxygenate or use ethanol (even though it might be used anyway unmarked), I use Mobil 1 0W20 oil, and haven't changed the original tires yet. I don't generally check this forum often, just kind of wandered in here, so don't know if I'll be around to reply to any other people's posts, just wanted to add my 2c. But I'm getting pretty good mileage, and I'm happy with my HCH. I had my old non-hybrid Civic for 10.5 years, and if I can get 10 years out of my 2006 HCH, I'd be darn happy too...

jawx,
Thank you for the excellent summary of your experiences.
You and early owners like yourself truly braved the waters which made it possible for many of us to be where we are today.

With this I will say that the field experiences that Honda and its HCH-1 owners went through were extensively factored into the design and manufacturing on the second generation HCH (2006-2010). This means that owners of the newer generation can look forward to a better trending reliability experience. There are already many HCH-2's checking in for oil changes that have exceeded 100K miles without a single CVT failure. The issue of the CVT ATF fluid while still a concern is one that Honda addressed more accurately with the second generation.
Lean Burn is absent and so is the short life expectancy for the 3 way catalytic converter and other emissions equipment. Same for EGR valve issues among many other smaller ones including SoC management governance and shorter battery life.

But more importantly is the keeping of accurate service documentation and engaging Honda Corporate when necessary. These remain best policies not only for HCH-1 owners, but also owners of the current gen HCH particularly as these age and develop their own set of unique issues.

Cheers;

MSantos

Notahondafan:

Your mileage will suffer in extreme hot weather regardless of the type of vehicle you drive. However, your car will show the effects more dramatically than most cars on the road today.
Indeed, the battery pack will protect itself from extreme heat by going off-line for as long as it takes. So the dealer is quite right on this one.

Here are some suggestions that will definitely help:
- open the doors for a few minutes before driving off in a hot day. This will enable the inside of the car to get a little cooler as the interior may be too hot.
- When driving off, keep the windows down for a minute or so then roll them up as you gain speed.
- Avoid dialing in too low a temp in the climate control. Start with a high value then gradually and slowly lower it until it becomes actually comfortable. Avoid looking at the temp value while you lower the temp setting. This is the single most important thing you can do. I can explain this further so that you can see how it is all connected.
- Pump your tires up to 42psi in the fron t and 40 in the rear. This will lower the CoF during the warmer days and will allow the tires to run cooler too.

Now the common mistake a lot of hybrid owner make is to get in the car and then crank up the cooling. When they do this they're are sucking the power off the electric and the small gas engine too aggressively which then prevents the vehicle from achieving its fuel economy potential.
In the summer we get temperatures that border on 104F and even get as high as 114F... and many of us still manage to get upwards of 50-55 MPG by following the simple rules I outlined.

Cheers;

MSantos

I have to disagree with some of the comments regarding poor mileage; you actually get real world mileage. You also need to remember that if you are getting 20% worse than the sticker in a HCH2, than in a normal car you also will be getting 20% or more worse mileage and off a higher base so it is much worse. In all situations the mileage will be better in the Civic. I have had mine for 6 months and have saved $1500 AU in petrol costs that’s $3K AU per annum.

I drive a combination of city, highway, at slow 60kph, medium, 80kph and high speeds 110kph. In the 6 months the best I achieved on the 100K trip was 3.1 l/100 KM or 75mpg for our US readers 100 mpg in imperial measure) on about 20% of trips, 4.0 l/100km 60% of the time and 4.6 the rest.

There are things that change for these trips, and in order that make the biggest impact on reducing mileage in my observationis the number of cars on the road, simply because other drivers are unpredictable and most do not understand how to drive. Next is the tires and wheel alignment, I maintain pressure of 45, and thirdly simple skills, such as driving by lifting my foot off the accelerator or not pressing to the floor as in a normal car and i try and keep the battery full.

The build quality and technology in these Honda cars is brilliant, and I understand the Mercedes, Porsche, BMW, GM and others are releasing models based on the same basic hybrid technology.

The key is you will in all situations get better mileage in a hybrid than in a old-fashioned car. PS I have a Honda insight and get 2.1 l/100 km (112mpg US) for the same trip.

Two things:

First, I have noticed that my hybrid gets much better mileage when the weather is warm vs cold.

Second, When I took my hybrid in for it's 10,000 mile checkup, the mechanic told me that they had "adjusted the brakes". After that i started to get 40 mpg, combined, on warm days and about 37 on cold days. I don't know what the brakes have to do with it but it made a substantial difference.

I bought the 07 Civic Hybrid and although my average isn't the 50/51 that's on the sticker, I do average around 45 to 46 on highway and 48 to 49 in the city. I have a few pictures where I've even reached 58mpg, but that was only for the first 15 miles or so. After that it drops back down to 50mpg @ 50 miles then back down to 48 to 49 till I need more gas (well over 400 miles later). I don't think I've ever put gas in my tank without having over 400 miles on my car and I've never put more than 10 gallons in it.
Suggestions...
Stay light on the break. When coming up on a stop, lightly hold the break down to keep your "charge" up as high as you can without maxing it out. You get more charge in each breaking cycle without applying much breaking so if your AC is running you have more battery power to run it.
For me, the auto stop kicks in when the breaks are applied and when my speed drops below 8 to 9mph. If you're in stop and go traffic, try to stay at a stop in "auto stop" mode as long as possible then when you need to accelerate again, try to reach higher speeds of around 10mph before having to stop again, this allows the car to reenter the auto stop mode. I’ve noticed with mine that if I don’t accelerate much after an auto stop that when I come to a stop again, the car doesn’t always go back into auto stop. I wish Honda incorporated a button to allow you to manually set it to auto stop or electric only for putting around a parking lot or when the car doesn’t feel like engaging its auto stop feature.
Also, don’t use cruise control as much. As mentioned above, follow the motion of the road with your acceleration. Speed up a bit when going down a hill if you know you’ll be going back up a hill, it builds momentum and you wont have to hit the gas as hard when going back up the hill. You’ll watch your mpg stay between 50 and 70, sometimes up to 80 uphill if you do it right. Just don’t get a speeding ticket down the hills.
Also, the acceleration of this car works best if you don’t floor it. Use the CVT (continuously variable transmission) for all it’s worth. Think of it as a rubber band… If you’re stopped at a light in a 55mph zone, when the light turns green, within the matter of 2 to 3 seconds you should have gradually pushed the accelerator down about half way. Once up to around 35 to 40, push the pedal down to about three quarters the way down (in total) then slowly bring your foot back up. You’ll feel the transmission wind up like a rubber band if you do it right and you’ll get much better acceleration and fuel economy at the same time. It may take some time but you’ll get the hang of it.
Also, make sure your AC isn’t set to 60 on those hot summer days. I suggest getting your windows tinted the darkest legal in your area. This will cut back on the AC usage and your battery will last much longer and your car won’t have to charge it so much which yes, does use gas if your battery power is low enough. I live in FL where our summers reach over 100 and I never have my AC lower than 70. Window tint is a real life saver and AC saver. It only costs about 160 to 180 to get a real good job but you’ll be more comfortable when the sun is really beating down. So do it and be happy. :P

RE Ethanol

Most gas stations around here are selling gas that contains up to 10% Ethnol. What are the issues with ethanol and hybrids?

thanks

I'VE FILLED MY 2008 HCH UP ONCE AND I MANUALLY CALCULATED THE MILEAGE AT 43.5 MPG CITY AND HIGHWAY COMBINED. THE DASH READER STATED 35-36 SO IT WAS PRETTY FAR OFF! I WILL BE FILLING UP AGAIN IN THE NEXT DALY OR TWO AND ACCORDING TO MY MILEAGE I EXPECT THE MATH TO COMPUTE ABOUT THE SAME, IM MY SHORT EXPERIENCE WITH THIS CAR, THE READER IS UNDERESTIMATING THE MPG ALWAYS CALCULATE MANUALLY!

I've read this thread with interest. Here's my two cents.

I bought a 07 Civic Hybrid a few months ago. Yesterday, I got 47 mpg on a 94 mile roundtrip mixed highway and city drive. The newest and revised EPA estimates are 40 city, 45 highway so it's all good.

I also confirmed that the trip computer is accurate, but a little conservative. I get 5% mpg higher when computed the old fashioned way.

Gman1964:

Sorry it took too long for you to emerge out of your problems. The Camry is a nice car and I am sure you'll be happy with it, should you choose to buy it.

Wish you the best of luck and health.

Cheers

MSantos

I recently bought a 2008 HCH and I love it. It is definitely a different driving experience as compared to a "normal" car. Takes a little getting use to watching the gauges and keeping the car at a constant speed. My first fill-up I managed a calculated 41.9 mpg! I was thrilled, smiling ear to ear because the last car I had (a 2001 Camry V6) only achieved 25 on a good day. The kicker was seeing it only took 30 bucks to fill! Wow...completely amazed. Anyways, last week in the morning, I was driving on the freeway doing 60 or 65 when all of a sudden the car started lurching back and forth, almost like a hiccup (hard to explain). I had to let off the gas and brake a little to make it stop. It does it occasionally in traffic too. Is this common with the CVT or hybrids in general? I have never owned a car with a CVT before. This movement from the car seemed to come out of nowhere. Other than this little issue, the car is great.

MSantos:

I can not reproduce the lurching effect. It has only happened a few times since I have owned it. The car only has around 900 miles on it. I will check the fluid level when I get home tonight to see if it is low or not. If it is, I will definitely take it in and get it checked out.

One thing I wished Honda would do better with this car is give the electric motor a little more power. There are a few roads here in Phoenix that are around 40mph. To me, that would be perfect to drive in electric mode, which I have, but only for a few seconds before the gas motor kicks in or the speed drops below the speed limit. It seems the electric motor is basically for coasting down hill (short city hills) or in steady, slow traffic. Does anyone know if Honda will revise the strength of the electric motor? I would imagine the efficiency of the vehicle would take off!

On the topic of electric mode driving, is it possible to have the assist meter next to the tach go higher than 4-bars (on a level city street)? That is the highest I can make it go before the gas motor kicks in. Not a big deal but the meter could go so much higher!

Thanks for the response MSantos.

AZCivic08,

Have a read through your Owner's Manual regarding the correct method for checking transmission fluid. What it basically says is:

1. Warm up the car up (go for a good drive).

2. Stop on level ground, turn off the engine.

3. Between 60 and 90 seconds of turning the engine off, check the CVT dipstick. The level should be between the low and high lines, on the HOT side.

4. Add fluid as required to get the level between the 2 marks.

The full and proper instructions is on page 195 in the Canadian 2006 manual.

Now, if your experience is anything like mine, you'll find if you go through the above procedure, and then check the level again, say the next moring with cold engine, the level will be more-or-less the same as the night before. That is to say, ok for hot level, but apparently overfilled for cold level.

My conclusion is that the cold level lines are what you use for intial fill, and invariably a bit more (around a pint) is needed, for the final setting at hot condition.

Perhaps MSantos can comment? I went through this process a few months back, and everything seems to be ok, but this disparity between hot/cold levels had/has me wondering.

Also, I have a pamphlet titled "Factory Recomended Maintenance", a Honda Canada publication, that recommends the "Additional Service": "Every 48000kms or 24 months" replace CVT fluid.

AZCivic08,

I believe that pamphlet I mentioned (Honda Canada Publication) spec's.:

48,000km or 24 months for the CVT

and:

48,000km or 36 months for conventional automatic.

I'm at work, don't have it here, just going from memory, and will check and post, if that is not correct, when I get home. Bottom line: same mileage parameter, but shorter time interval for the CVT.

I am a lurker and don't have a hybrid as of yet. I will be purchasing next year when my ridgeline lease is up.

Concerning your comments about poor mileage, I would like to add that winter gas formulations ruin everyones mileage. by the end of April,the regular formulation of gas will come back and your mileage should improve. Also, next oil change,go to a full synthetic oil. I believe the hch uses a 0w20 oil. Full synthetic should avereage out to @ 1mpg increase. In my truck, it averages out to be about a .75 mpg improvement. at less then 20mpg, I am looking for all the improvement I can get!!!!

beckycelebration:

Yes, there is much that can be done for you... up to a certain point that is. The rest is up to some things you can control and others you cannot (actual traffic conditions of Stop-n-go, etc). But yes, there's much room for improvement.

Let's start with the obvious:
- Inflate your tires to their maximum pressure rating or just a few PSI short of it. The maximum pressure rating is embossed in the sidewall of every tire. This is very important.
- When you need autostop to kick in, ensure that the air conditioning is in the right state and the defroster is OFF. Use the Eco button in your climate control system.
- When stopped for more than 10 seconds (yes, 10 seconds !!!) place the car in neutral (with foot on the brake) and turn off the gas engine. When you need to advance just turn the engine back on and take it out of neutral to move forward again.
- Avoid jack rabbit accelerations. IE: Stay below 2000 RPM. Anything above that and you bleed fuel needlessly.
- Avoid sudden stops and racing to the red lights or stops. Instead, coast and minimize the use of the brakes.
- Keep a steady speed for as long as possible and avoid pulsing the gas and brake pedals frequently.
- Avoid using cruise control in undulating terrain. It's good for flat roads but terrible for small hills.
- Stay at or below the speed limit. Seriously!!! Many folks claim that they'll be run-over if they don't speed as well. That is an excuse in mediocrity and compounds on the insult of breaking the law in the first place.
- Last and not least consider an alternate route that is less afflicted by a lot of stop and go or speeding traffic. Many alternate routes may be longer but you end up spending less fuel and they'll save you much stress as well.

The EPA 51MPG rating for your car was not derived from your driving conditions. In order for you to achieve the vehicle's federal ratings you would have to drive under exactly the same conditions the EPA tested your car in - which were very mild to say the least.

Cheers & Good luck;

MSantos

Hi MSantos:

"When you need autostop to kick in, ensure that the air conditioning is in the right state and the defroster is OFF. Use the Eco button in your climate control system"

I have a 2008 HCH. Can you elaborate, what is the right way to run the A/C? I am not sure what the Eco button is.

"When stopped for more than 10 seconds (yes, 10 seconds !!!) place the car in neutral (with foot on the brake) and turn off the gas engine. When you need to advance just turn the engine back on and take it out of neutral to move forward again."

When you say to turn off the gas engine, do you mean to turn the key and switch off the engine? Why not put into "P" then, rather than "N."

Also, as a general question, when we convert from L/100km to mpg, does anyone know whether this is imperial mpg or US mpg (I am assuming its US, but just want to make sure).

Thanks all!

Hi Peggy;

My mistake.

Somehow, and for a brief moment I forgot you had a Gen 2 Civic Hybrid. The Gen 1 HCH (2003-2005) have an ECO button but our Gen 2 HCH's do not. Again, my apologies as the Eco button reference is meaningless.

Why not put it in P? Because there is less wear on the transmission by switching to N from D particularly when doing it often as it is common in heavy-stop-n-go traffic. Again, when switching it to N keep your foot on the brake and when you are ready to move again, just switch the engine back on and then move the lever to "D" to move forward. This technique is usually referred to as a FAS (Forced Auto Stop) and helps reduce the hit on FE. "Starter wear" problems are a non issue on Honda hybrids so feel free to do this as needed.

The instrumented conversion on the HCH-2 occurs from L/100KM to US MPG and vice versa. In my view, imperial MPG is no longer relevant (??) and can even be very confusing to many.

MSantos

I have a 2004 HCH. I get 43 mpg. 50,000 miles. Mixed ac usage.
City driving. I drive the speed limit or 5 below. And my rear tires are regular tires not the low rolling resistance ones. I think that the only reason you can get bad gas mileage if you drive too fast and like an idiot.

my civic 03 claims to have average 45 mpg but im only making 33mpg atmost..
its claim are not true i dont know what kind of driving they did.
articles at
[&#@%!] shows how professional "mpg" driver to it but its not appropriate for everydat use like turning of the engine in a long downhill road.