My wife does not like the Civic hybrid after we test drove it last week.

She is complaining the wheel is too heavy and not responsive, the brake has the same problem and the car feel powerless and the "delay" from releasing brake to really picked up is way too long...

On the other hand, she tried the Civic EX and said it is WAY better. Am I unluck to test a bad HCH or the woamn is spoiled?
She is driving a 99 AWD T&C 3.8l and sometimes 05 Accord EX-V6. I can understand the HCH is no way close to the Accord power. But she muted me saying the HCH is not as powerful as our 8 years old van...

What happened here? Am I suggesting the wrong car for her to start with or the test car is no good?

Harryliusa,
Hybrids are not race cars. Most HCH owners are interested in fuel economy, less pollution, and our dependance on foreign oil. If you embrace these ideals, test drive another HCH or a Prius - leave the Mrs. at home. My HCH has adequate acceleration and great mileage.

Don
Best tank 67.5 mpg (555.5 mi.)
Best trip 91.5 mpg (42.2 mi.)

I have to agree with Donald. Comparing an HCH with HCEX in regards to pick-up and overall power is not a fair comparison. I am not sure what is being referenced as far as the "wheel is too heavy and not responsive", but having most recently driven a Dodge Dakota pick-up, I find the HCH responsiveness to be very good.

You asked, so I would say your wife is spoiled. I would say let her pick the car she wants as Proverbs 21:19 warns, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman."

Larry
'06 Magnetic Pearl HCH #7264

Who is going to be the primary driver? If it's your wife and she already said she didn't like it I wouldn't bother trying to convince her.

A hybrid car will have a different feel than an all fuel powered vehicle, either you like them or you don't.

Retired: 2/11/06

To each his own, or chacun a son gout as the French would put it. It is not our job to push you in any particular direction, after all there are waiting lists and hungry would-be owners all over the place.

What do they say, " you can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make it drink".

And you can take them out of a burning barn and they will run back into it. Pardon the pun, but it sounds a little like our Presidential administration.

Sorry.. It won't happen again.

If she is used to powerful cars, she will be disappointed with *either* Honda Civic. Neither car is going to be overly powerful, unless you go with the Si.

Personally, I have the HCH, and I bought my daughter a regular Civic over the summer. I really can't stand to drive her car, because the HCH is so much smoother, and quieter, and even more responsive (when the IMA kicks in).

But like everybody says, if it's going to be her car, and she already is predisposed to dislike the hybrid, I would not recommend buying it. "She who must be obeyed," and all that stuff... ;-)

The woman sounds like a lead foot and would be useless to put her in a HCH and have her unhappy leadfooting it and getting poor mileage to boot.

Get her a Corvette or a HAH, both have zip and fair gas mileage.

Get your priorities straight.

Dump the broad.
Buy the hybrid.

There will be other fish in the sea.

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

Do what I did. Give her your manual shift Subaru Forester (great car, she's the one who really wanted the stick) and you take the HCH.