Apparently, Honda has done some redesigns on the 06 Civic Hybrid. Does anyone know what type of changes were made? Will it be more competitive with Toyota Prius? I just put down a deposit for a Prius, and wondering if I should be considering the Honda Civic Hybrid for 06 as well.

 

It should be more competative. It will have an EV mode. But the EV mode doesn't start at 0 it starts at 10mph to 30mph and only is active for about a minute and a half. I can't wait to see what the real world results are. They should be around in the next month or so and you may be able to take a test drive in one.

 

My daughter sent me the following link in which they describe the 2006 Civic, including the new HCH:

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....4023358&src=LP

The new heads-up display sounds neat...

I am constantly looking down at my dash information and then back at the road, which isn't the safest of all things to do in stop-and-go traffic. I can't wait to see one in person.

 

Technology-wise the HCH still doesn't come close to the Prius, but in terms of FE and gaining some of the Prius-like features such as electric A/C, yes it's more competitive.

I'm curious about the Cd since they made it look a lot more Prius-like with the sloped front window, I still haven't seen that statistic.

 

That is the one feature that may keep me from buying the car. My brain (and most people's) can compute how fast one is accelarating easier with an analog gauge rather than a digital number.

Something about seeing the needle move from left to right is easier to understand than having to read number and think. If it was an analog "heads up" display for your speed, that would be better.

 

I agree.
Reading a number is much less intuitive than seeing where a needle is.

I also dislike digital clocks for the exact same reason.

 

It is significantly easier maintaining a fixed speed with a digital display than an analog one. With an analog speedometer it is very difficult telling the difference between 71 and 72, or 66 and 67, etc. Plus you have to look directly at the speedometer to see it; peripheral vision isn't good enough.

With a digital display you can see your exact speed and you can see the numbers change very easily with your peripheral vision. I've driven the Prius and the 2006 Civic (non-hybrid) and believe me, the digital display is really nice. Its only disadvantage is some people will find it too noticeable. I like knowing my speed at all times, as some other people here expressed similar feelings for, but alot of people don't want to have to see any gauges when they drive, and those people will be disappointed.

 

Wow, I didn't think about that. So anybody driving by will be able to see your speed? I guess that's OK since they will have to be going faster than you to see it go by.

 

No, by "noticeable" I mean you can see it without having to look directly at it, e.g. when looking out the windshield, but that would annoy some people who don't care to be constantly reminded how fast they're going and who find it distracting.

No one in any other car can see it as it's recessed into the dashboard. I'm not even sure how well the front passenger can see it.

 

Hi All:

___Since the HCH-II probably does not have a lean-burn capable ICE and Catalyst, what if it receives less FE then what the lean-burn capable HCH-I’s are worth out on the highway? I have been in Tbaleno’s CVT based HCH-I and lean burn with a few FAS’s thrown in every 15 + miles is good for almost 80 mpg in and around Chicago on a relatively light traffic day drive. It would be a crying shame if the HCH-II could not match what the HCH-I is capable of out on the highway.

___Food for thought for those raring to go throw some serious $’s Honda’s way for an HCH-II within the next 4 + months … As a heads up, watch the various hybrid forums closely and wait until you see a qual’ed hypermiler get behind the wheel of one for a shakedown cruise. Those results will speak volumes about what Honda’s latest Civic w/ IMA tech is worth … and what it is not?

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net