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Originally Posted by seattlite
1. Acceleration was adequate. The ICE revs pretty high to get any noticeable "pull". I'm used to RWD/AWD V6's.
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Yeah, it revs high. Don't let it bother you. You can also press more gently on the pedal and accelerate at anywhere between 2000 and 4000 rpm depending on how fast you want to go. Remember, it's a CVT so you can accelerate while keeping the engine at a constant rotation.
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5. One thing that concerned me is the "regenerative breaking"(I think that's what I felt). As I make a sharp RH turn, I tend to let off on the accelerator as I go into the turn, and step on the throttle as I'm in the turn. In the 06 HCH, I found that as I let off the throttle, I decelerated MORE than other vehicles I've driven, to the point where I had to step on the throttle earlier into the turn than what I would normally expect.
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Yes, it was the regenerative braking that you were feeling, but you can reduce or eliminate it by pressing lightly on the throttle. The only time you'd want to drive this car without your foot on the gas is when you really want to slow down.
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6. Road and wind noise is descent, but I'm used to driving a different class vehicle which is MUCH quieter than the 06 HCH.
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I think of it as being really quiet; I guess it depends on what you're coming from. I came from a Jetta.
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7. The battery charge readout was always 3 bars from the top. Is this normal?
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Yes. It lowers and rises very often and that's fine. In fact there's no need to look at it at all; it's the least useful gauge there is.
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8. The AVG MPG on the "odometer" display, for the car I test drove only read 26.7 MPG. What could have caused such a low reading?
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The engine hasn't broken in, the tires haven't broken in, the tires are underinflated probably, the car didn't have time to warm up during the short drive, and maybe it's cold where you are? I got mileage like that too, initially.
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I generally liked the 06 HCH, but is it worth the $2790 compared with an equally equipped EX?
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In terms of ROI, probably not. Hybrids use advanced technology to squeeze more energy out of fuel and gravity but that technology costs money. You become more fuel-efficient but slightly less money-efficient. Also the car is cleaner than the regular Civic. Still, I get 35 mpg in the worst of the city (constant stoplights, traffic, etc.) and right now, at 1000 miles, I get 41 mpg round-trip at mostly 80 miles per hour. This is in warm weather without A/C. And I'm probably the least conservative driver here.
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Toyota does not sell a comparable non-hybrid version, thus the "premium" for the hybrid system is much easier to justify.
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Honestly a non-hybrid Prius wouldn't sell well since it's not that great a car. The hybrid drive is excellent and it alone makes the Prius a good car; otherwise it's decent but unremarkable. The '06 Civic, on the other hand, is a good car even without the hybrid drive.