I find the HCH2 ride a bit on the hard side? Maybe it is our frost heave roads, but what do you feel about the ride overall

 

Compared to my 04 Civic VP, it is a nicer ride with less road noise. I'm inpressed with it overall, considering that it is a small car. That said, it is not as nice a ride as my old Accord, but that's apples and oranges, as far as comfort goes.

 

Check your tire pressures. If you like it soft, bring them down to the recommended factory sticker levels (but no lower!)... this will cause a mileage penalty, however.

I keep mine up between 40 - 44 (max on sidewall of my tires is 44). I live with the noise and harshness, but get somewhat better MPG.

Another option, if it's a real problem, is to change to a softer tire. The factory tires are low rolling resistance and are supposedly harsher than "regular" tires. I wouldn't know. Anything on my HCHII is better than the ride in my old SUV!!!

 

I think the ride is fantastic for its blend of comfort level / noise level / semi decent handling capabilities for a car of this type. I run +2 lbs pressure in the tires.
Dare I say Lexus quiet? Pretty close. Of course Im mid 30's and drive a modded Evo also so anythings quiter / softer / more luxurious than that beast.

 

I am running on winter tires and after-market wheels @ 32 lbs.. I love the car overal but find the ride a little choppy. Great fe. Drove too Colville Wa., about 80 miles and managed 54mpg!return trip. My last car was a Nissan Altima which had a soft ride, so it apears that I will have to adjust. The car only has 700 miles on it, so it should soften up with age. I live 120 miles nth. of Spokane in British Columbia on Hi. # 3. Thanks for the comments.

 

Hey Hybrid Eer! (I'm a transplanted WV-dweller btw).

Hey alloyz - my last car was a '95 3000GT VR-4 and echo your comments that anything is better than how that car drove (loved it - but was not built for all-out comfort). I routinely drove 8-10 hrs in it to some Gatherings and in the Sparco race seat with 5-pt harness and 800# F / 600# R springs on a 4,000# car means that one of those Lil' Red Wagons would feel better so this Civic is just marvelous (quiet, barely louder on winter tires, whisper-quiet from outside road noise, etc.). Love it so far. Glad to be owning a Honda again.

 

Flash-
Nice to hear from another from WV. There's not too many hybrid owners around here. Where did you live here?

 

32 lbs seems rather low for winter rubber. Isn't it?

Winter tires typically require a higher recommended pressure sometimes bordering on the 50+lbs for max sidewall pressure.

Unless, you want the tires that low for comfort reasons, I would adjust the pressure higher. A higher pressure would be safer and would increase winter traction as well.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Hey, what's up-Chuck (hehe). I grew up in New Martinsville (just a few miles south of the Mason-Dixon line at the Ohio River -- y'know -- the point where Mr. Mason told Mr. Dixon, "Well, we have to draw the line somewhere." <groan> Actually, at one time, there was a poll and I thought a small, small town down near Clarksburg or Parkersburg had the highest percentage of Hybrid owners at one time (like the town had 100 people and there were 10 Hybrid cars or 10% of the town was Hybrid -- fun with numbers when you have such a small town like that). I moved away in '85 though but my sis is an 'Eer and I'm a Nittany Lion so we have some fun sometimes though not as much now that the Conferences are all split.

 

I think that HCH2 suspension/tires are a bit on the stiffer side for a non-sporty car, but still very comfortable (I have 36 psi in my stock tires). It's stiffer than my previous 00 civic HX, similar to our 03 accord, and way softer than my previous 02 civic si.

For me, it's a good tradeoff of handling vs ride quality for my long commutes.