great story! i'm sure with a huge discount like 5 k one would choose speed, space, creature comforts over FE. Ya hybrids in general is addictive because any moron can punch the accel and go to 100km, but it takes real skill to get 100 mpg. I Just hope i can get there one day ;O

youch, i thought with force autostop on the accord wouldn't be THAT much of a gas eater **** 11 litres that's non hybrid territory.

i got around 20 km a liter when i drove a civic 5 spd using advanced hypermiler techniques
and now I drive a salvage nwh20 prius that gets almost to 25 km/l with 195,000 km to date.

I think Honda really limited the market on this car by how they made it. The FE is not good enough to attract someone on mileage alone (if you're buying a $33K ish car, your gas bill probably isn't a budget-breaking issue), and because it only comes in the top trim level, really won't attract anyone on price alone. It's a great car don't get me wrong - test drove one and came one e-mail away from trading up from my Civic. I just think they boxed themselves into a narrow market.

*** Retired after 65,000 outstanding miles ***

hahaha, awesome.

Yes, I agree. I think the lights were on AND somebody was home when they redesigned the 06 Civics - at first I HATED the design (thought it looked too much like a Toyota "P-word") but they added just enough technogadetry to it so that it's a good mix of "family" sedan and Tuner-In-Waiting. Easy to cross over many markets. Accord - not so much. It still looks (and acts) like my mom's car. (Did I mention that my mother drives like a back-woods bootlegger running 'shine?)


Now.... if we can just get them to start making the Hybrids (in both camps) in more cool colors. Variations on silver and gray are ok, but the Civic is certainly missing the mark by not doing a Racy Red and Midnight Club Black. (I saw a black "normally-aspirated" Civic at the store when I was getting the HAH and that was a Phat car! (or is it a SIK car... I can never keep up with the new acronyms for "Groovy."))

I could not agree more. I have the 03 HCH and the color choices were miserable. I'm not sure why Honda assumes that a hybrid driver desires nothing more than bland, uninspiring colors and goofy wheels. I'd jump at black or red in a heartbeat. I already replaced the wheels on mine, and I'm looking for other ways to personalize it. I'm not looking to make my Civic into some kind of street-racer wanna-be, but I would prefer some options at customization - all the HCH (I and II) are sooooo cookie cutter with almost no ways to customize the look with factory options.

*** Retired after 65,000 outstanding miles ***

YES YES YES.........did i mention i HATE the magnesium color of mine??? reminds me of a buick for blue hairs. the only good thing about it is i can't see the color when i am driving it.......

Best fill 66.7 MPG, best tank 801.5 miles


laurie, central minnesota

Well, I happen to love my Eternal Blue Pearl color, and I'm glad Honda offered it as an option on the 05 HCH. If I were to buy a regular Civic, I'd still choose that color. I'm sorry to see it was discontinued on the new hybrids. I rather like the notion that I have a one-of-a-kind as far as model, trim, and color are concerned. Like a collectible item.

Funny but that's EXACTLY what I was thinking as I drove/bought the (White) Accord - "at least I can't see the color while driving it."


But I *did* ask at least 47 times throughout the whole deal - were they SURE they didn't have a Graphite one hanging in the back of the lot somewhere that they'd forgotten about that I could buy instead.

One thing about white, though...It looks clean for a very long time and it doesn't show small dents as much as dark colors. We have had white sedans before and it is great not having to wash it all the time. We also had one that received about $2K in hail damage. When we traded it in, we left it "dirty" (a slight layer of dust) and they never noticed.

2005 Honda Odyssey EX-L RES & NAV - Desert Rock Metallic

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid NAV - Magnetic Pearl

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser - Black Cherry (First Toyota, Third non-Honda)

True, and you don't have to worry about paint fade (as much) with a white car, or trying to match a spot-painted metallic body panel.

And in the summer we'll see if I need to RUN (don't walk, RUN) to get the windows tinted (it's not all that hot here in NC, more nastily humid.) I think that's going to be the first expense on the HCH next season. Even though that car is the Opal Silver, the AC in that car really "struggles" in the hottest part of summer to keep the interior of the car cool, even on a long highway trip. It DOES keep it cool, but not without a valiant battle.

At least I'm seeing in BOTH cars here that the Honda heating system can best be described as "Hellmouth"

I thought that the Civic's heater was just very-VERY efficient because the interior of the car is so small, and then when I got in the Accord it nearly ran me out of the car! Once that car is up to temp, I have to crank the temperature down to 65-68 to keep from having to re-connect with my redneck roots and drive around shirtless.

At my age now, that would just look like Chewbacca out on saturday nite, cruising for chicks in his mom's car. (sigh)