If I stall out the car, I can just shift into first and it turns the car back on. I love it!

 

fyi for those of us who have a manual tranny it seem as though your style of driving may affect battery longevity caution, that may be the reason there are no manual sold anymore

 

i can't imagine that's the reason they won't put a manual transmission into a civic hybrid, but i was disappointed when i heard that. i won't drive an automatic, never really liked them. with minnesota winters, i have always like to be able to choose my gear when the snow requires it.

i bought a 2005 in september of that year. i might have waited a couple of weeks for s 2006 until i heard about the lack of the MT option.

 

That's exactly the reason. Most people with manual transmission would lug the car at a high gear to maximize FE by forcing the assist to come on more often. This in turns causes the battery to "wear" more quickly. In a CVT it's impossible to lug the car in a high gear.

Also, how do you stall a civic hybrid mt? It's almost impossible with all the torque of the battery assist. It's a beginners dream MT car (imo)... Compared to the Civic HF (80s) which had a tall 1st gear. I believe I could hit 42mph in 1st gear. Try starting that car on a steep hill from a dead stop. It was fun.

 

Heh, this thread has turned into the "big things I don't like about my 5 sp HCH."

I don't stall out my car very much, but occasionally you just do something stupid, like let go of the clutch while it's in gear.

I do think it would be a great car to learn to drive manual in. It has arrows telling you when to shift, and it also is easy to recover from the inevitable stalls. My fiance's son is learning to drive, but fortunately somehow he already knows how to drive stick. Thank goodness! Mainly now I need to teach him not to go into neutral so soon when coasting to the stop lights, so that he charges the battery more with the regenerative braking.

Since I had the battery replaced I'm a little nervous about how long this one will last. We have such steep grades here in northern NM that you *have* to shift down or the car will come to a stop. But it seems like just the kind of stuff that will wear that battery down. ah well.

 

in other words, they "dumbed it down" instead of providing some instruction. so those of us who won't give up our manual are out of luck........

 

Hi Livvie - I suppose knowing then what you know now - would you ever try to start UP a steep hill from a dead stop - isnt that a cardinal FE sin

Im with you and Laurie though - I would prefer a MT (last 3 were MT) though I would try to avoid using assist, right?

Carl

 

Yeah..About that. I was going up Rt 256 today in Pickerington and they were doing construction at the top of a short steep hill, and right when I was half up it the guy motions me to stop. I of course was thinking, "Are you kidding me?" but of course he wasn't. And then a car comes right up behind me and gives me no space...The assist went to the roof when I got going again! I had 8 miles on the trip counter and lost 3 mpg instantly for the trip from that manuever.

 

i think the last automatic i had was an very unwieldy ford granada back in the late 70s. i bought it used from my sister-in-law and didn't have a choice. very luxurious, and very lousy driving, way too soft.

our pickup has an automatic, but i only drive that a couple of times a year, so i don't even count that.....though i tend to reach for the clutch when i have to slow down.

 

can't help it, there are many roads where the stop light or stop sign is at the creast of a steep hill.