Wife and I spent a long day cussing and discussing our new car purchase. Hybrid lost out. We got to drive a hybrid, coupe, insight and Si today.

The MPG is great. But it ends there. The new Sedan is fugly as hell. The ultra low belt line with the semi art deco chisel look at the belt line is pooo. A car at over 15k and no rear disc brakes is a ding in the head. I dont care how many air bags they put in the car. No rear disc brakes at the price point is a insult. I cant make myself buy another CVT tranny car. It reminded me of a rubber band powered modle airplane. Yeah knew the rubber band was going to break. I think there blow up boxes and untill I see 200k mile proof,, there still nothing more than want to be trannys IMO. Then theres the sorry stereo. WTF is up with that? Big money and tunes like or less than the Accord we own already. The Ex's and Si's get good tunes at near Acura level.

In reveiw I think Honda has really screwed the doggie hard here. The Insight would be very vaild for us if they had took it a step farther. The alum coach work and other light weight designs are a big plus. But I dont see a hybrid a/c compressor, no rear disc brakes and a stereo from the dark ages. I can live with plain jane door panels and lack of futher refines. But again,, a high price point for MPG alone isnt going to cut it for me.

Ive tossed and turned over this for months... And I mean tossed and turned. Lost sleep over it. The tech is GREAT,, the MPG is GREAT,,, the package sucks.

So with that said. Im gunning for a Si as my next car. We already own a sedan and other than MPG the Civic cant hold up against it compared to the Accord we already own,, sorry it aint worth it for just MPG. I can hyper mile the Accord and even get a Si in 6th gear fast and get MPG out of it. And have a car that will scream bloody hell when needed and other nice adders.

I guess this Honda has been used as a yard stick. Fare to do so I dont know. But a Civics still a Civic against this. And the only way a Civic can change this is with a Si. I guess the sedan idea and format and being fugly with lack of features I think are important lost out.

Sorry,,, but the HCH is out

psy

http://www.psyshack.com/905a1.jpg

No need to appologise. Buying cars is always about personal preferences and priorities.

My hydroponics experiment

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?
"Crazy is what the sane call Delta Flyer"

Jeff; I think you will be very happy with the 06 SI, I thought about one myself but I have such an attitude now about this gas pricing thing that I have decided not to buy another vehicle that has to burn 93 Octane fuel. If it was not for that I think I would have to go with the SI it is really cool and loaded up with all the high tech. goodies.
Congrads:

Terry

BTW: don't forget to post and do a heads-up once you get it.

I forgot to ask do you have a brochure on it? I do if you can't find one.

Terry

The fuel is the only down side on the whole thing. But seeing i run 91 in the Accord anyway ( and its a good mod ) ,,, what the hell. If the Insight would have rear disc brakes and afew other adders or the sedan had the good brakes in the rear and a 5MT. I would be thinking diff. The pie pan art deco looking wheels on the hybrid almost pull the ugly belt line in. But knowing theres drums behind those wheels is a major turn off for me. And the stereo. Its suppose to be the same as in our Accord, which is barely good enough to listen to,,, was awful. I think the hard rake of the windshield didnt help. But the one in the Si and the Coupe was far better.

No moon roof is another thing. Come on Honda,, make a hybrid sedan at this price point and dont put a moon roof in it. I dont think a moon roof being added would hurt MPG one bit. Car just didnt show me any love.

psy

Jeff; your points are well made and to the point on the HCH and BTW I suppose you know that for 06 Honda put a Sunroof in the Accord Hybrid and the 05 Accord Hybrid did-not have one, so your point is valid the sunroof has little to do with FE more to do with cost of product IMO. Am I understanding you to say that your dealer has these vehicles now? I thought the HCH was not released until Oct. 5th and the 06 SI was a release date of Dec. 1st? I take it you are making these comments from a brochure is that correct? I know that the Civic Sedan is at the dealers now because I have already been in them but not the HCH or SI.

Please; clarify.

Terry

psyshack,don't hold back your feelings on our account!I agree the biggest problem with the Civic is the Accord.Right now you can get a 2005 LX Accord 4 door for~19500 and change.A LX Civic will be about 17500 or more since the dealers won't come off list for many months.When you look at those two together,drive them,sit in the back seats,listen for wind noise etc,think about the safety factor,then the 4-5 mpg that the Civic gives you just doesn't seem like enough.
The Accord is just too good.Luck,Charlie

Hi CHARLIE; I notice that you do-not have a Hybrid yet so what are you considering if anything? I'M curious.

Terry

tiger

The 04 Insight is a buddy of mines. The 05 Insight, 06 HCH and 06 Si are lab cars from a petro. company here in Okiehoma. the HCH and Si are loaners. The 06 Civic Coupe and 06 Accord LX se are dealer cars.

Charlie

I already own a 05 Accord sedan. So yes it does play apart in what we buy and why. As for the Civic being compared to the Accord. I think a 06 Civic is really a very good ccompare. They are way ahead of the last gen. Civics have went up scale in looks and function to a large degree. I just dont think I could live with the way the hybrid and Insight are packaged. MPG is great!!! But thats kinda like lusting for a chick with big boobs and no butt and fat ankles. The total package wasnt there for me.

Mmmmm...cankles...


J/K!

All valid points against the Civic Hybrid. You would think that it an age of cars with 8 airbags, they'd create a $20,000+ ar with 4-wheel disks, don't you? And I knew that the stock Insight's stereo was, as they say, teh suxors, but Iwas hoping that newer generations of Hondas would put more $$$ into their systems. I mean, geez, you can get new Accords with XM satellite as an option, but so what if the stock speakers aren't so hot? (Maybe the Accords have better sounds systems, I really don't know).

I must admit also that in person, the new Civics take a little getting used to...They are certainly less conspicous then last year's model... I don't think they are ugly, but will take a bit of getting used to on my part.

Later!

John Smash!!

I'd love to see an upgrade to the Insight - the "Insight II" or IMAS concept car has some wondering if Honda will do it. I'd love to see one with an 2006 HCH engine type at 1.5 litters, that can cut from 4 to 2 cylinders at cruising and be touted as a hypermiler with Mini Cooper performance.

The stereo has been a big negative of the Insight but thought recent years they had upgraded it.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

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