Getting ready to sell our 2000 Honda Accord in order to buy a Prius or a Civic Hybrid. Does anyone happen to have experience driving both and an opinion on which is better overall? My particulars are that the car will have a single occupant commuting to work in L.A. 80% of the time, have 4 adults 10% of the time and 2 adults and 3 booster-seated kids the other 10% of the time.

Thank you for any insights (no pun intended).

Stan

I'm fairly confident you will have a difficult time fitting 3 booster seats in the back of a Prius. Also, from what I've seen, the Civic is smaller in the back than the Prius. Not as much head room.

I know it's only 10% of the time, as you stated, but it is one of the primary reasons I got a Camry instead of a Prius.

Good luck!

Cheers

OK, maybe I can help a little.

You should test drive both vehicles just to see if any or both appeal to you at all.
Both are excellent cars, and although they strive for the same goals (and practically meet them) their driving dynamics differ enough to make a huge difference for some folks.
In terms of interior cargo space I find my Prius is the preferred car for the typical runs to Home Depot. The cargo carrying advantage over the HCH is evident and very useful in the few times it is needed.

The interior cabin space is very similar in both cars but I find the HCH more accommodating of most drivers because of the greater (vertical) adjustability of the seat. I also find the overall visibility to be better on the HCH but after a while the (lack of rear) visibility in the Prius becomes less of an issue as you get used to it.
Both cars will be able to accommodate the seating and occupancy requirements you specified without much trouble. Please try them both if you get a chance just to make sure. It is amazing how similar they actually are.

It is hard for me to say which car is better since I subject them both to extremes and this reveals the limitations and potentials of each rather differently from what other folks may experience.
On this note and since you live in LA, I would venture to say that a Prius would serve you better. However, if you incur alot of highway driving then the Civic Hybrid and its driving dynamics may be what you appeals to you. Either way, I enjoy and appreciate both equally.

You may also wish to consider the excellent Camry Hybrid.
However, my wife and I decided against it before buying my 07 Prius because the trunk space in the Camry did not represent an improvement over what the 06 HCH provides (very sad indeed) ... In my interpretation, the Prius was and still is a better performing, and more worthy garage partner to my HCH.


Cheers;

MSantos

Well, I test drove a Civic Hybrid before deciding to buy a used Prius. Being a driving enthusiast, I must say I was very uneasy in the Civic hybrid. The electronic brakes feel overly sensitive and very detached. The whole engine shutting off when you stop was very jarring and not smooth...it actually scared me a couple times because I was on a hill in traffic, and the car starts rolling backwards when you let go of the gas but then the engine starts and it starts rolling forwards! This is before your foot even leaves the brake pedal. Keep in mind I usually drive manual transmission cars so I should be used to it but it's a very different thing when you aren't controlling the clutch! Then I also felt the steering was very wierd too. The interior is trying too hard to be like the Prius, and it doen't pull it off at all.

Overall the HCH does not drive like a normal car...if you want a car that drives and handles like a normal car the Prius is the way to go.

Oh, also the seats of the HCH don't fold down because of the battery pack and the trunk isn't exactly large.

I looked at the HCH before buying the Prius. I like the looks and the interior of the Honda quite a lot. It felt quite comfortable to me sitting in it but the deal breaker was its lack of versatility. With the tiny trunk and rear seats that don't fold down carrying anything large is pretty much out of the question. Since I only own one vehicle, it must be able to perform multiple duties including occasional trips to Home Depot etc. The Prius excels at being able to swallow large loads with the hatchback and folding rear seats. It made my decision easy.

Wow. I think you should post this very same content in the HCH-II forum.
If I am right, you would have a flood of actual owners telling you "It ain't like you said"... In fact, it would be quite the opposite particularly from those of us who actually own both cars.

Cheers;

MSantos

I have driven both. I had my experience. It was bad. If someone says the Prius doesn't drive like a normal automatic transmission I would really wonder what they are smoking.

I would say my assesment is pretty fair since I have been driving a manual transmission and a "normal" automatic with very little experience in hybrids. Someone who has driven hybrids more often will get used to the quirks and maybe even notice them less.

EDIT: In case anyone is wondering here are the cars I own
1994 MR2 Turbo (manual) - owned for 6 years - logged 80,000 miles
2001 Lexus IS300 (auto) - owned for ~2 years - logged 20,000 miles - selling it now that I bought a Prius today

OK so I read the "why did you buy a HCH" over in the HCH forum.

The reasons people bought the civic, in order from greatest to least are:
1) Styling (peronally I like the styling of the Prius but it's all personal really)
2) Cost (valid, since the prius is a much larger car, with a more advanced system, and more availabl luxury features)
3) Interior quality (which I find odd, I thought the Prius has better interior quality)
4) Handling (yes the Prius has a little softer suspension but it seems pretty stable)

There was one person in there who bought a HCH without even driving it, and another who has never driven a Prius. Nobody made any comments on the different transmission experience except one person said they felt the civic's CVT was smoother and one person who preferred the "normal" shifter on the HCHII over the "electronic gear switch" on the Prius. So far I really haven't found their comments to conflict with mine.

EDIT: HCHII thread here for further reading: http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/s...ad.php?t=12371

LOL

The reason why I like my Prius is because it DOES NOT drive like a normal automatic !!! Same for the HCH-II.
Indeed, I must be smoking something because I definitely cannot hear or feel the shifting as it often happens even on a regular 5 speed auto.

Still, I would encourage you to repeat your earlier post at the HCH-II forum - just for the giggles.

Then again, I better return to my alternate reality where people are unware they are actually smoking something.


Cheers;

MSantos