I predict that the Civic Hybrid's will soon get their fuel economy numbers up to the point where the average will beat the Prius II's in the Real Hybrid Mileage Database.

Regards,

You are right, because the 2006 Civic is coming out in a few months (maybe early September) and has been touted by Honda as "more powerful and more fuel efficient" than the existing version.

Even if it's only 2 MPG better, that will help boost the Civic in the RHMD....

That is flame bait, that is.

The HCH is a great highway car already, and will probably get better. It's hybrid architecture implementation however, puts and keeps it at a disadvantage in city driving compared to HSD.

The 06 civic external styling is, however, drop dead gorgeous.

If the new Civic is drastically differen't, it'll be added as a separate model in the database (ie Prius I Prius II)

Read my new biweekly column, The Western Street 7.
Visit my political debate forum, Volconvo.

Not flame bait at all (I never do that). I wanted to insert my confirmation of the first poster's opinion. I think that is correct, and it is now inevitable with the new Civic coming out.....

I haven't been watching the Prius MPG, but I have noticed that the HCH numbers have declined about .2 mpg over the last couple of weeks.

Jason, is there a historical trend upward or downward on the Prius and HCH? Do you have that kind of data available??

-Charlie...

What's considered "drastic" when if comes to differences? We already pretty much know what it's gonna look like - more rounded like the Prius.

As far as MPG ratings, my best guess is that it's gonna be something like 51/55 or close to that.

Now that I have typed that, it seems like probably drastic enough to get it a different classification of it's own.....

new here -- do we know whether the 2006 civic hybrids will be available in 2-door ?
thanks.

IMO, a restyling alone should not classify as a separate car entry. A different hybrid schema should. Thus, if you look at the differences between Prius I and Prius II, I think that classifies as 'different car', especially since 'Yota made changes to the hybrid system that warranted them *renaming* it (?)

3rd-gen (3.5 ? 4th-gen ?) IMA, as long as the workings are similar (electric motor, battery pack, no propulsion w/o ICE) should stay in the existing HCH category (denoting model year, of course). This includes reworkings to the ICE itself, unless it's something major that Honda doesn't normally do (like, Atkinson-izing the engine, for example), including an engine family change - but as long as it's an Otto-cycle engine, that keeps it in it's existing class.

Just my opinion, others' are welcome to chime in. And I'm looking forward to this car as well - I may actually replace the HAH with one

To address the original topic - there's a chance. Expect 8th-gen Civic sales to be fairly brisk - people have been sitting on their hands for almost 2 years now for the new Civic. What helps is that the delta between 'listed' and 'real-world' mileage seems to be less for the Hondas than for the Prius. What hinders is that the Prius outsells the HCH by a substantial margin (but, then, this could be a help for the HCH, as well). In any case, it'll take time - look at all of us new HAH owners just now coming into our own, most of us not having owned hybrids before, and having to learn how to get the best out of the car. So you may actually see the avg *drop*, before rising

While the 8th-gen Civic will be released for September, something tells me the new HCH won't be sold for a month or two after that ? Just a feeling I have, nothing to substantiate it.

Mark

Sometimes we could all use a little less

My hybrid automobiles:

Current:
2006 Honda Civic Hybrid (CVT, w/o Nav)
Magnetic Pearl / Blue - 008661, born 12/28/05
Mods: Neck pillows, Garmin C330 Nav, Draw-tite 1.25" hitch (for bikes, not towing!), Pioneer Inno XM receiver via Aux jack, OEM mud flaps, more to come!

Hypermiler status on 3/12/06 @ 3077mi.

Previous:
2005 Honda Accord Hybrid (5AT/Navi)
Desert Mist / Ivory - 001254
Retired 1/21/06 - LMPG 34.1

New to the site ? Have a question ?
'Search' is your friend - there's a good chance someone has asked / answered your question already, so give it a try!

I think any change that has an effect/affect (?) on MPG should be a new spot in the database. If the new model is really better, our old Civics would drag the numbers down. Best to let the new model shine IMO.