Civic hybrids review - Honda launches new hybrid for 2003

Honda has introduced its newest hybrid car - a Civic hybrid that combines a power assist electric engine with a regular gasoline engine. This is the same IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) system that was first developed for the Impulse 2 seater released a few years ago. Now, we have the same technology available in the popular Honda Civic sedan series.




They've modified the body with with panels underneath that are said to increase fuel efficiency by 7%, quite aside from the fuel economy gains provided by the extra energy recovered from regenerative braking. A CVT (Continuously Variable automatic Transmission) is also available, as well as a new electrically operated rack-and-pinion steering system.Civic hybrids are fully OBD compatible and work well with our diagnostic software systems. Use your computer for something new: you can plug your PC into the data port on the Civic Hybrid and monitor the engine diagnostic data stream on your computer monitor.

The instrumentation on these Civics is very extensive. The speedometer has digital  readouts that show miles traveled plus a display of the average fuel consumption for the journey along with a bar graph showing the instantaneous fuel consumption. Another gauge to the right of the speedo has four quadrants with bar graphs. Two are regular fuel and water temperature gauges, but other gauges display the state of charge of the batteries and whether the electric motor is being used to assist the gas engine or being used as a generator to charge the batteries.

If you're tired of big city smog, ever rising gas prices and oil politics, this may be the car for you. With the Civic and Prius, both Honda and Toyota have introduced a new breed of energy efficient, almost zero emission (Ultra Low Emission Vehicles - ULEV and Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles - SULEV) gas/electric combo cars that may define the immediate future of automotive technology.

If neither of these cars holds your interest, check out our review of the Toyota Camry Solara and see it connected to our OBD scan tool. This is an LEV (Low Emission Vehicle) with some very advanced features ...

Or, if you're a compact SUV fan, read our review of the Subaru Forester and see how it connects to our OBD scan tool.