Okay, so maybe you won't save the planet, but you are definitly slowing the damage. For those of you who are not aware, the Civic Hybrid is a gasoline/electric car which gets 48 mpg (miles per gallon) in town (higher for the standard). That's right IN TOWN.

You may be wondering, "But Kired, how is this possible?"

Those smart engineers at Honda managed to merge a small 1.3 Vtec 4 cylinder engine and a powerful motor/generator together to give you 98 hp (horsepower). {Warning: The power hungry will not be happy, this car is designed for the person who wants nicely engineered transportation.} The motor assists the gasoline engine for acceleration, thus giving you more power with less fuel consumption. The motor receives it's energy from a cluster of dry cell batteries in the trunk, kind of like 120 d-cell batteries. You DO NOT need to plug this car in to charge the batteries, you simply need to drive. The motor also acts as a generator, it transforms the mechanical energy created by engine breaking (which is usually lost)when you slow down into electrical energy which is stored in the batteries. So basically the car recycles kinetic energy.

The Hybrid puts the power to the ground in two ways, the good old fashioned 5 speed (most economical) and a new CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission. This system uses clutches and belts to achieve various drive ratios with out the use of clunky old gears. For those of you in the north, think Ski-doo. For those of you who hate repairs, think cheaper that an automatic transmission rebuild.

Now you're thinking, sounds good, "but what do I have to sacrifice to get this technological wonder."

The answer: Not much. This is a Civic in all but a few things. You will not have the fold down seat option and the trunk is smaller (where else are they going to put the battery). If you are familiar with the EX Civic you will notice that this is a little slower than the 127 hp model, but the Hybrid gets 10 more mpg intown than the EX gets on the highway.

The car rides better than the average compact and is suprisingly roomy. The back seat has more space than my SAAB 900.

As far as safety is concerned, the 2003 Civic is rated very well in crash tests. It has four wheel ABS, front and side airbags and side impact beams. I feel good that my wife and son run around in this car.

When it comes to styling there are some trade offs. You will only be able to get the Hybrid in a hand full of colors, the good news is they are all unique to this car. Second, I hope you like tan, because it is currently the only interior color (trimmed in black), but it is a nice tan. Third, a hybrid can be spotted by it's European inspired center mounted roof antenae, I happen to like this. The instrument cluster, with it's bevey of electronic feedback is a beautiful illuminated blue. And of course the most important part, a nifty little rear spoiler. Other than those things and a neat little Hybrid badge, the badge is backed with "green", there is little differentiation from a regular civic.

Now for the CONS. I will admit that the stereo isn't the greatest, but this is a car, buy it for the superb engineering, and replace the stereo. The arm rest is definitly too low. And the cost is fairly high for a car this size, but you will get it back in the long run. To find out how much you will save in fuel, go to Honda's web site and play with the saving's calculator. I'm saving enough to pay three month's a year in payments.
Amount Paid (US$): 20000
Condition: New
Model and Options: Civic Hybrid