Hybrid Gas Mileage (MPG) Ford Escape, Honda Civic, Toyota Prius ...
Manufacturers, Ford with its Escape, Honda with its Civic Hybrid, and Toyota with its Prius among them, have been touting the performance of their hybrid vehicles. They have even lobbied to get special access to car pool lanes for these vehicles. The problem is that many owners are not getting the hybrid gas mileage that was promised. Some owners of hybrid vehicles get dramatically lower mileage than advertised.
Hybrid Cars: Best Hybrid Car Reviews, Hybrid Vehicle Reviews
Best hybrid sedan. The Honda Civic Hybrid, according to reviews, can be a bit dull compared to the Toyota Prius. The Civic Hybrid looks pretty much like any other 4-door Honda Civic and doesn't trumpet its hybrid status. Although the Civic generally trails the Toyota Prius in reviews, it gets good marks for highway handling at higher speeds and gets good highway gas mileage of around 42 mpg.
2003 Honda Civic Hybrid : Page 2
The Hybrid has two interesting, and crucial, features built into the batteries' charging capabilities. One is that the battery can not be overcharged and the other is that the battery can not be completely drained during regular driving. The first featureis importance is obvious; a very large and potentially explosive battery should not be overcharged, especially when people are leaning against it. The second feature, the inability to drain the battery, is less obvious but equally important. The Hybrid not only gets good gas mileage but is also an Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV).
Honda Civic Hybrid Reviews
As a skier, the battery pack barrier between the trunk and passenger compartment means that the boards need to go on the roof. As such, it requires a rack up there during ski season, which drops the gas mileage substantially. Furthermore, snow tires (studded, preferably), are a must in the rockies in winter.
Honda Civic Hybrid MPG?? - AuHO? Car Talk!
For a regular car, the inherent inefficiency of high speed driving is partially offset by the fact that its big engine is more efficient at those speeds. Every engine has its sweet spot, the speed and load at which it works most efficiently. For a regular car, the engine has to be big and powerful, to give adaquate acceleration up hills and while passing at highway speeds, so the sweet spot tends to be at higher speeds, and otherwise the engine is usually loafing. Not so for the tiny engine in a hybrid car. In a hybrid, the engine doesn't have to be as big, so it can run closer to its sweet spot of best efficiency most of the time, even at lower speeds (which is why hybrids can get better gas mileage under typical driving conditions).
Wired News: For Speeders, Hybrids Suck Gas
Enthusiastic hybrid owners share their knowledge with their dissatisfied brethren in newsgroups and blogs, but according to Civic Hybrid owner Pete Blackshaw, the advice is often conflicting or insufficient. Blackshaw said his Honda dealer did not offer any helpful answers as to why his car was getting 10 mpg less than other Civic Hybrids. Naughton said that contrary to what the dealer told Blackshaw, he was not aware of any break-in period after which mileage would improve. Despite the varied customer experiences and numerous questions about hybrid fuel-efficiency, Naughton said Honda does not have a program to educate dealers on how to respond to dissatisfied customers. Generally speaking, Naughton advised Civic Hybrid owners not to drive too fast or brake too hard. Jeremy Warren of Massillon, Ohio, said he was able to boost the mileage for his Civic Hybrid by paying close attention to when he shifts gears. "Part of the problem lies in the fact that people have to change their driving habits slightly when driving hybrids," Warren said in an e-mail interview.
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