Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
#1
Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
I have an Escape Hybrid and love it. My fiancee will be getting a new car here soon and is leaning toward a Civic Hybrid. We haven't tested one yet, but she likes the look and the idea of it.
She has one concern, though. The only thing that she doesn't like about my Escape is the A/C. On the Escape Hybrid, there are 3 A/C settings: 2 of them will allow the engine to shut off during idle but the air starts to warm up, 1 of them will keep the engine on during idle to keep the air cold. So, you have to decide if you want cool air or better gas mileage.
Does the Civic Hybrid have any similar issues? I thought I heard something about an electric compressor for the A/C. Is that true?
Thanks for any info,
Mark
She has one concern, though. The only thing that she doesn't like about my Escape is the A/C. On the Escape Hybrid, there are 3 A/C settings: 2 of them will allow the engine to shut off during idle but the air starts to warm up, 1 of them will keep the engine on during idle to keep the air cold. So, you have to decide if you want cool air or better gas mileage.
Does the Civic Hybrid have any similar issues? I thought I heard something about an electric compressor for the A/C. Is that true?
Thanks for any info,
Mark
#2
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Yes! the civic has a small electric AC compressor (15cc) to compliment the standard belt driven unit (75cc). Under heavy load (ie. very hot outside and/or c.c. temp turned all the way down) both units run to deliver max cooling - no autostop when this is the case. Once the interior temp is cool enough, the vehicle will autostop and the small electric a/c unit will keep the interior cool. So, IMHO, you most certainly do not have to choose between good FE and keeping cool.
Other's may tell you that you have to choose because running the A/C certainly takes it's (relatively minor) toll on the FE! Relatively minor meaning 5-10% of 50MPG equals a drop of 3-5MPG. A vehicle that acheives only 25MPG on average, with the same overall 5-10% decrease will yield only 2-3MPG difference....
Other's may tell you that you have to choose because running the A/C certainly takes it's (relatively minor) toll on the FE! Relatively minor meaning 5-10% of 50MPG equals a drop of 3-5MPG. A vehicle that acheives only 25MPG on average, with the same overall 5-10% decrease will yield only 2-3MPG difference....
#3
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Thanks.
So just to get this right, on the A/C in the Civic, you set an internal temperature, and the car regulates the A/C to achieve/maintain that temperature?
If so, I like that idea. I wished Ford would have done that in the FEH.
Thanks again,
Mark
So just to get this right, on the A/C in the Civic, you set an internal temperature, and the car regulates the A/C to achieve/maintain that temperature?
If so, I like that idea. I wished Ford would have done that in the FEH.
Thanks again,
Mark
#4
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Mark,
You are correct. The HCH-II has automatic climate control which changes the fan speed and the vent according to the temperature at which you set it. There is a small vent on the dash right at your right knee, this is where the internal AC thermometer goes.
When the fan is on high, the Auto Stop feature of the Combustion engine does not activate. However, as soon as the fan slows a bit and the compressor is running on one source the Auto Stop feature will activate.
The HCH-II does not have settings on the AC that allow for 'better' gas mileage. So, to answer your initial question, the AC will always run the way you like it, it will always produce cool air. I have yet to feel a 'hit' to the AC during the auto stop or any other time.
Joe
You are correct. The HCH-II has automatic climate control which changes the fan speed and the vent according to the temperature at which you set it. There is a small vent on the dash right at your right knee, this is where the internal AC thermometer goes.
When the fan is on high, the Auto Stop feature of the Combustion engine does not activate. However, as soon as the fan slows a bit and the compressor is running on one source the Auto Stop feature will activate.
The HCH-II does not have settings on the AC that allow for 'better' gas mileage. So, to answer your initial question, the AC will always run the way you like it, it will always produce cool air. I have yet to feel a 'hit' to the AC during the auto stop or any other time.
Joe
#5
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Originally Posted by mamorgan2
Thanks.
So just to get this right, on the A/C in the Civic, you set an internal temperature, and the car regulates the A/C to achieve/maintain that temperature?
If so, I like that idea. I wished Ford would have done that in the FEH.
Thanks again,
Mark
So just to get this right, on the A/C in the Civic, you set an internal temperature, and the car regulates the A/C to achieve/maintain that temperature?
If so, I like that idea. I wished Ford would have done that in the FEH.
Thanks again,
Mark
Also, I didn't see where you lived but here I can tell you the idle stop won't work if it's over 105 degrees outside. Here in Phoenix that happens a lot in the summer months. And I can also tell you the AC is a pretty substantial hit on FE in the summer.
#6
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Originally Posted by EZ2beGreen
Other's may tell you that you have to choose because running the A/C certainly takes it's (relatively minor) toll on the FE! Relatively minor meaning 5-10% of 50MPG equals a drop of 3-5MPG. A vehicle that acheives only 25MPG on average, with the same overall 5-10% decrease will yield only 2-3MPG difference....
Another reason for the heavy impact on AC for vehicles like the Civic have to do with steeply sloped windshields for aerodynamics generating greater solar heating.
#7
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Originally Posted by AZMerf
It's a shame but the Escape uses the same method as the old Prius. The older Prius' did the same thing. One more area of clarification, only the 2006 Civic has the feature that allows idle stop when the AC is on. The earlier models of the Civic work the same as your Escape.
Originally Posted by AZMerf
Also, I didn't see where you lived but here I can tell you the idle stop won't work if it's over 105 degrees outside. Here in Phoenix that happens a lot in the summer months. And I can also tell you the AC is a pretty substantial hit on FE in the summer.
#8
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
You have a choice- it depends on whether you use Econ mode or not. Econ mode will affect the fan when you are stopped, but on the 2005 HCH, if you turn on A/C, then you won't auto-stop and your fan will stay on. This sounds like the issue you mention with the FEH.
If you use the Auto setting, then you can set a temperature with the dial and the heating/cooling system moderates the speed of the fan etc. to achieve and maintain that temperature. I have never had any trouble getting to the temperature I want if I use the Auto feature, and it does not kill my mpg too badly. At the same time, if I let it turn off when I'm auto-stopped, the temperature doesn't change very much before I start up again and the fan starts back up. It's just not a very big deal- most people ignore it; I'm just more likely to set a high temperature or avoid running the A/C than most people, because those last little 3-5 mpg matter a lot to me. If you live in the midwest like me, then most of the time, I think it's temperate enough to get the mileage I want without taking the A/C hit, but some people prefer to just set a temperature and leave it alone, which is fine, too.
It's not as if driving a less fuel efficient car would mean that the air conditioning system uses LESS energy- in fact, the automatic system is really a very efficient way to go about the heating and cooling process. So in answer to your question, you are not really deciding between cool air and better gas mileage- you are deciding between cool air/good gas mileage and slightly warmer air/slightly better gas mileage. And if she thinks about it,
If you use the Auto setting, then you can set a temperature with the dial and the heating/cooling system moderates the speed of the fan etc. to achieve and maintain that temperature. I have never had any trouble getting to the temperature I want if I use the Auto feature, and it does not kill my mpg too badly. At the same time, if I let it turn off when I'm auto-stopped, the temperature doesn't change very much before I start up again and the fan starts back up. It's just not a very big deal- most people ignore it; I'm just more likely to set a high temperature or avoid running the A/C than most people, because those last little 3-5 mpg matter a lot to me. If you live in the midwest like me, then most of the time, I think it's temperate enough to get the mileage I want without taking the A/C hit, but some people prefer to just set a temperature and leave it alone, which is fine, too.
It's not as if driving a less fuel efficient car would mean that the air conditioning system uses LESS energy- in fact, the automatic system is really a very efficient way to go about the heating and cooling process. So in answer to your question, you are not really deciding between cool air and better gas mileage- you are deciding between cool air/good gas mileage and slightly warmer air/slightly better gas mileage. And if she thinks about it,
#9
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Anyone notice on the 06 HCH that in Auto it will adjust recirculate or fresh if the outside is cooler than the inside?
Usually I like fresh air even if it's really hot out but I found out hitting the fresh button takes it off Auto. Well this is my first car with climate control vs low/med/hi so I dealt with the recirc until this morning when I noticed it had switched itself to fresh since outside temp was lower than inside.
Usually I like fresh air even if it's really hot out but I found out hitting the fresh button takes it off Auto. Well this is my first car with climate control vs low/med/hi so I dealt with the recirc until this morning when I noticed it had switched itself to fresh since outside temp was lower than inside.
#10
Re: Question of the A/C on the Honda Civic Hybrid
Originally Posted by AZMerf
...One more area of clarification, only the 2006 Civic has the feature that allows idle stop when the AC is on. The earlier models of the Civic work the same as your Escape.