Honda Civic Hybrid Saloon (06-10) - Review Review by Dan Harrison on 12 May 2006 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 Other Honda reviews Summary Facts & Figures Equipment Driving & Performance Comfort Costs Safety & Reliability Buying & Selling Also Consider Company Car Info Owners' Reviews Gallery 3 out of 5 Safety Like the Civic hatchback, the Hybrid only received four stars from Euro NCAP for crash protection, when most modern family cars achieve the maximum five stars. According to the safety organisation, structures in the dashboard presented a risk of injury to the knee and femurs of both the driver and passenger. There's a good level of safety equipment on board though, including ABS, electronic brake force distribution and emergency brake assist, an electronic stability programme to counteract swerves or sudden movements and anti-whiplash seats. Euro NCAP Provides motoring consumers with a realistic and independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Visit Euro NCAP for more info Adult Occupant Rating 4 out of 5 Child Protection Rating 4 out of 5 Pedestrian Test Rating 3 out of 5 4.5 out of 5 Reliability It may be clever - and relatively new - but Honda's hybrid technology seems to be well engineered. In fact, the oldest running Insight (Honda's first hybrid and alternative fuel car in the UK) has now covered more than 100,000 miles and still never misses a beat. Aside from that, this Civic Hybrid appears to be Honda business as usual: impeccable build quality and dependable reliability. Car check problem points Body No problems reported. Engine/Gearbox No problems reported. Other A recall in 2006. The electrical power steering warning lamp may illuminate, and power assistance to the steering will be lost. The driver will not experience any symptoms prior to the failure. Car Valuations Find used car prices with Parkers accurate car valuations. Find out more Honda Civic cars for sale We have 50 models like this for sale. Find Honda Civic cars for sale Previous: Costs Next: Buying & Selling