Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10) - Review

Review by Dan Harrison on
Last Updated: 27 April 2009
It may look like simply a saloon version of the Civic hatchback we're all familiar with, but in fact this is a very special Honda. It's actually a hybrid so, like the Toyota Prius, it uses an electric motor along with a conventional petrol engine. The electric motor assists the engine by giving it a boost during acceleration to improve economy - it also runs the car at idle to reduce emissions. The clever bit is when you brake or coast, the energy is captured to charge the battery for the electric motor. That means you get the power of a 1.6-litre engine, with the fuel consumption of a 1.1-litre. It works up to a point, but the car does feel underpowered and needs to be revved hard to get decent performance - which sees fuel economy rapidly drop.
3 out of 5

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3 out of 5

Summary

New price range:

£16,781 - £21,510

Used price range:

£5,680 - £13,832

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Good fuel economy, excellent build quality, futuristic interior design, roomy

Dull styling compared to hatch, sluggish performance, engine noisy when pushed

It may look like simply a saloon version of the Civic hatchback we're all familiar with, but in fact this is a very special Honda. It's actually a hybrid so, like the Toyota Prius, it uses an electric motor along with a conventional petrol engine. The electric motor assists the engine by giving it a boost during acceleration to improve economy - it also runs the car at idle to reduce emissions. The clever bit is when you brake or coast, the energy is captured to charge the battery for the electric motor. That means you get the power of a 1.6-litre engine, with the fuel consumption of a 1.1-litre. It works up to a point, but the car does feel underpowered and needs to be revved hard to get decent performance - which sees fuel economy rapidly drop.

Driving & Performance

  • Performance

    2.5 out of 5

    "The engine is a 94bhp 1.3-litre petrol, which you fill just like any other car at a petrol station."

  • Handling

    2 out of 5

    "It may appear like the Civic with a boot, but the Hybrid doesn't drive any where as near as well as..."

Comfort

  • Comfort

    3.5 out of 5

    "Thanks to the saloon bodystyle, the Civic is spacious inside with enough room in the back for three..."

  • Practicality

    3 out of 5

    "The Hybrid is only available as a saloon (to give room to house the batteries for the electric..."

  • Equipment

    4 out of 5

    "Two trim levels are available - ES and EX (the second was added a late 2007). The basic model gets..."

  • Behind the wheel

    3 out of 5

    "The interior of Hybrid doesn't have the same wow factor of the hatchback, but it is well laid out..."

Costs

  • Running costs

    4 out of 5

    "For those who regularly travel into central London the Civic Hybrid makes good sense as, like all..."

  • Green credentials

    4 out of 5

    "This is where the Hybrid excels - it emits just 109g/km of CO2 and can return 61mpg. But while this..."

Safety & Reliability

  • Safety

    3 out of 5

    "Like the Civic hatchback, the Hybrid only received four stars from Euro NCAP for crash protection,..."

  • Reliability

    4.5 out of 5

    "It may be clever - and relatively new - but Honda's hybrid technology seems to be well engineered."

Buying & Selling

  • Buying new

    2 out of 5

    "This Civic Hybrid is the most 'normal' alternative fuel car ever produced by Honda. It looks..."

  • Buying used

    3 out of 5

    "Niche cars like this often lose a lot of their value very quickly. That's not the case with hybrids."

  • Selling

    3 out of 5

    "Only around a thousand Hybrid models come to the UK each year, so demand is kept strong. Honda..."

Gallery

  • Interior Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10)
  • Exterior Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10)
  • Exterior Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10)
  • Exterior Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10)

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