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Things to consider before buying a brand new Civic hybrid?

Created July 29, 2007, at 3:37 pm by Peaceful1

Things to consider before buying a brand new Civic hybrid? Spacious enough for a family of four? Real world MPG? I love family sedans such as the Camry hybrid, however 34 MPG does not look like an advantage to me. Prius vs Civic Hybrid? I am more incline to buy the Civic since the Prius showed some issues “Breaking and winter driving” in other forums within this website. Please let me know what you think and thank you in advance.

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thompson
Member

4 years ago

I purchased my 2006 HCH 2 (same as 07 models) in Oct 06. Have had zero problems with it. Current lifetime MPG is 47.5 MPG. I live in San Antonio. Dealers here are willing to negotiate. Consider long term warranty, if concerned about new technology. True, the cost is higher than non hybrid Civic; but, if you drive the typical miles that most people do, the extra cost will be recovered in about five years (see Consumers' Reports article at their on line site that details economic costs of hybrid cars). Please update when you make your decision.

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Peaceful1
Junior Member

4 years ago

Thank you for your feedback. I am not worried about the cost since in these days any car costs $25.000. My concern is about interior space and more than anything the issues like the ones posted regarding the Prius, I’ve been reading about braking and snow traction issues with the Prius. I would like to be sure that the Civic doesn’t have this kind of issues. I also would like to know the warranty on the battery pack. Thank again.

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MSantos
Senior Member

4 years ago

Peaceful1:

I have 2 HCH-2's (2006 & 2007) and I also have a 2007 Prius (now a company car).
The 2007 Prius is an awesome car and it is very hard to fault. The cargo space, plus the fact that it is rated as a mid size in addition to the slightly higher fuel economy makes it a good choice for a hybrid.

However, The Prius is NOT the best Winter hybrid at all, especially for those of us who have winters spanning over 5 months or so. The traction control is one issue. Event though they've updated the software to allow for some wheel spin it is still possible to be immobilized in some situations (like I was twice this last winter in my own driveway). Then there's the issue of stability and susceptibility to cross winds at highway speeds...
Also, when it is very cold and the EV functions are limited the Prius has a decidedly worse mileage than the HCH-II.
There are a few other little things that annoyed my wife greatly but will likely be a non-issue for many folks (including myself).
Anyhow, I don't want to turn this into a Prius bashing opportunity since I still believe that for most people, the Prius is the best hybrid currently on the market. Unfortunately, it can't be the best for some of us.

For the HCH-2: Depending on your State the warranty will be 8 year, 10 years or higher.

Nevertheless, Whichever car you pick I believe it will serve you right.

Cheers;

MSantos

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nark
Junior Member

4 years ago

peaceful: The prius has several issues in winter conditions. The traction mentioned above, as well as low-resistance tires that are trash in snow and very wet conditions. The prius also has low ground clearance, so that is something to consider. Finally, the gas mileage is considerably lower as well, but thats true on every other vehicle out there.

The warranty in most states is 8 years/80k~100k and in carb states (like cali) its 10 years/150k miles. BUt if u buy a car in cali, the warranty still applies even thought u might live somewhere else. Plus, its probably a lot easier to negotiate a price here than in most other places. 2-3k off MSRP should be possible if u got somet patience.

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