Yeah, pretty much what everyone has said here already, clean running, looks, gas mileage, dash, interior size, legroom, headroom, no start button, no center display no silly shifter hanging out of the dash like some guys little....never mind......
But here is my # 1 reason, I went into the dealer ready to buy a Civic LX, I wanted a hybrid but knew I could not afford one....I wanted a dark blue car but I HATED the grey interior, I wanted tan, but only red and white come with a tan interior, I did NOT want a red or white car....but I wanted a Civic.
I was dismayed...walking down the line of cars I saw the blue car with a 2 tone blue and tan interior....I loved it, I saw the Hybrid logo, I wanted it, the dealer worked with me, got me a better intrest rate than I anticipated and a relly good trade in.... I ended up getting the car I really wanted for just a few $$ a month more than I had originally anticipated spending and dont have to live with a blue/grey car or a red/tan car.
Today, I buy 10 gallons of gas every 3-3/12 weeks and laugh (to myself) when people at work are screaming about buying $60-$100 a week in gas.

I agree with all that has been said about the HCH II but the biggest reason for me was the dealer. They have been simply great. I recomend them all the time. Walker Honda of Alexandria Louisiana.

I can site the following reasons (not in any order of priority) why I chose to buy the HCH-II instead of the Prius. It was a close decision but the HCH-II won out over the Prius, and I still have absolutely no regrets.

Styling (prefer the interior and exterior styling)
Legroom (for 6' tall driver)
rearward visibility (without needing a backup camera)
handling & vehicle dynamics (feels more solid over rough surfaces and better cornering)
brake feel & performance
superior crash test results
Lower price (comparably equipped)
Higher Hybrid Tax Credit (when purchased Mar 2007)
superior visibility of gauge cluster (especially when in bright light conditions or wearing polarized lenses)
Easier to work with Honda Dealer when negotiating purchase price
Availability of car with preferred color and equipment.

1. Linda sold her beloved 1985 Accord LX hatchback (she was the original owner) last year, and we had both liked the way it worked, the controls, ergonomics, etc.

2. She needed a car quickly for a new job in LA, and we knew it had to be a hybrid or other high-mileage vehicle.

3. We had looked at the Prius, but found it cramped, esp. in the back seat. (We also have very tall friends who said they could not sit in the back seat of a Prius.)

4. HCH2 had better safety ratings than Prius (5 stars versus 4, I think).

5. Seats were more comfortable, except for the headrests, which we replaced with Accord ones.

6. We had friends with both Priuses and HCH2s who loved them. I had also looked at the Ford Escape Hybrid, which would have been a better outdoors car, but was less energy-efficient. (I would replace our 1996 Mercury Sable wagon with an Escape Hybrid for camping, hauling, carpentry projects, etc., but we are not there financially yet.)

7. A Yakima roof rack on a HCH2 has a wider crossbar spread and thus a higher load rating than a roof rack on a Prius.

8. We liked the interior and controls on the HCH2 better than those on the Prius. In comparing small hybrids, Linda and I clearly preferred the HCH2 overall to the Prius.

Jon

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid 4-dr
1996 Mercury Sable Wagon
4 bicycles, 2 Yakima racks

Looks
The Prius reminds me of the Toyota minivan.
Lifetime power train warranty.

Reminds me of a suppository, especially the white ones....

BINGO, My thoughts exactly!!!! I priced out a Prius to the HCHII w/o navi and the Prius came out almost $4000 higher, and had a bunch of crap I DIDN't want, because of their "packges"

Just got my 08 HCH a week ago today (Magnetic Pearl basic package). I originally started looking at the HCH due to availability issues - local waiting lists for the Prius were on the order of 3-6 months, as opposed to 2-3 weeks for the HCH. While I'd never driven a Prius, I did get to sit in one that was in a dealer showroom bound for a car show. When I tried sitting in a Civic, it was FAR more comfortable - my knees fit much better, and the overall fit of the vehicle was much better for me. The combination of it being more comfortable and being able to get one faster ended up making me put a deposit on one on the spot after test driving a regular Civic. Just in time, too - apparently mine is the last HCH the dealer is getting until September O.o

Overall price and options. For the same options that we got for our HCHII, the Prius dealer was charging us about $5K more than the Civic.

Strangely enough, that is one of the reasons, after the price issue that sold me. I ent to a Toyota dealer to drive a Prius, NOT! "We won't have a Prius in stock for the rest of the year. There's a 5 month wait if you order one." I called Eskridge Honda in Oklahoma City (April 15) and told them I wanted a 2008 White HCHII without navi. He told me that he needed to check his inventory and would call me back in a few minutes. About ten minutes later he called back and told me he had exactly what I was looking for sitting on his lot. He promised me that he had personally laid his hand on it. My wife and I drove over and he wasn't lying! We test drove it, got $2995.00 trade-in for my 2001 Taurus (excellent cond. 93,300 miles) , and also got a $1000.00 price break on the MSRP. (They even threw in the $55 wheel locks for free.)

The more I read, the more I realize how unusual our experience was!