2006 Honda Civic Reviews

A firm called Honda makes high-revving, efficient and desirable cars that focus on the driver. The Accord Euro, for example, is a Honda. Similar but subtly different is a company that sells mainly in the US. Pronounced as Hahn-da by Americans it makes larger, more softly sprung vehicles with slightly ungainly styling and an agenda that's more domestic appliance than driver's car. The Accord V6 is most definitely a Hahn-da - and so is the new Civic sedan.There's no longer a Civic hatch, at least not in Australia. Europeans get a Civic hatch built in Swindon, England, but Honda Australia says the impregnable British Pound makes that car too expensive for Australia. Instead we get a Thai-built version of the US-market Civic sedan. There's no reason to worry about its origins. This is no thrown-together takeaway. Build quality on both the cars we drove was very good, and difficult to tell from a Japanese made car.Civic comes in three versions. The glamour model is the hybrid, which uses a 15kW electric motor in combination with its 1.3-litre 70kW petrol engine. And there's a luxury Civic Sport with a larger 2.0-litre engine developing 114kW. But most sales will be the 1.8-litre Civic VTi, which we drove on test.It may be the basic Civic but with cruise control, power windows, air-conditioning and an MP3 compatible CD player, the VTi offers all the essentials of modern motoring life. It also shares a radical new interior with the rest of the Civic range.There are two instrument panels, one in the usual place near the steering wheel and one further forward, just below the bottom of the windscreen. The forward panel contains a splendidly legible digital speedometer. It's one of the best we've used and the next best thing to a head-up display. It sits between electronic bar-graph style fuel and temperature gauges. The lower panel contains the odometer, tripmeter, various warning lights and the tachometer — the only traditional needle and dial instrument in the car.The previous model's dashboard mounted gearshift has moved back down to a sort of plinth halfway between the dashboard and the floor, where it sits next to a stubby handbrake. Above them sit simple and straightforward radio and climate controls.There's no attempt to disguise the overwhelming acreage of plastic trim. But it's good quality, well-finished plastic and well-designed, with no shortage of storage spaces.Exterior design is not quite as successful to our eyes. Although the frontal treatment is striking, the body seems a little slab-sided with an awkwardness around the rear door and the wheel arch. It's the look of a car designed outwards from a set of interior dimensions, with the emphasis on practicality rather than desirability.But the most serious design flaw shows up once on the move. The windscreen pillars are both elephantine and awkwardly angled. The need to do well in crash tests has made thick windscreen pillars the curse of many modern cars, but the Civic's are particularly bad.Something about their angle and width seems to always put them in the way. A less serious but potentially annoying consequence of its design is that neither bonnet nor boot can be seen from the driver's seat, making parking a challenge.Things are better on the open road — for a start the Civic has a distinctly plush ride by small car standards. The seats are plush with decent-sized bases, and it's quiet, with road and wind noise well controlled. There's little intrusion from the 1.8-litre engine once moving. The five-speed gearshift is light, in typical Asian car fashion, but has enough weight and positive feel for serious driving.The steering wheel is a groovy, vaguely 1970s-looking item, slightly squared off and the same diameter as the wheel on Honda's S2000 sportscar. Unfortunately the power steering system it's connected to feels a little vague, although usefully direct.Roadholding is not the Civic's forte. Although perfectly competent in dry conditions at normal speeds, it lacks the satisfying precision of a Mazda 3 or Ford Focus, or even a Holden Astra. It doesn't inspire great confidence in the wet or over challenging roads. The price of its placid ride is a suspension that's too soft for committed driving and leads to a fair bit of wallowing and leaning. It also feels under-tyred, with less grip than expected.Despite the body roll and lack of sharpness there's a reasonably balanced feel to the handling — even though it lacks grip it doesn't feel terminally nose-heavy. But it's definitely more Hahn-da than Honda. But the engine retains most of the Honda virtues. Its willingnes to rev hard without sounding strained is a reminder that Honda began as a motorcycle manufacturer. Worked hard it's lively but in more mundane driving situations, such as climbing a long freeway grade in top gear, it can lack low-down torque. It redeems itself with very good fuel consumption. Car makers' fuel-use figures are often hard to match, but the 7.2 litres per 100km we saw in real-world urban driving was not far off Honda's quoted figure of 6.9 litres/100km.The rear seat is roomy enough to qualify the Civic as a four-adult car; it's too narrow to carry five full-sized adults in comfort for any substantial distance. The seatback folds down, but in once piece. Split-folding seatbacks (standard on many cars, including the bargain-basement Proton Savvy) are reserved for more expensive Civic versions.The folding seat makes the best of a disappointingly small boot. At 376 litres it is by Honda's own figures, 74 litres smaller than the previous model's boot. A high floor is the space invader. It's there to allow Honda to fit a full-sized spare wheel. Many will see that as an admirable exception to the trend towards space saver spares, but it does come at a price.Also slightly disappointing is the lack of side airbags in the volume-selling VTi. They can be had for another $3500 in the $24,490 Civic VTi-L — or for $17,990 if you buy any Holden Viva. And no Civic model offers electronic stability control, an omission somewhat at odds with Honda's otherwise deserved reputation as a technological leader.Honda Australia has ambitions to sell 12,000 Civics a year, nearly twice as many as it sold of the old model last year. Given the strength of the small car market and the Thai-sourced Civic's good quality and keen pricing it may well beat that target. Despite its faults the Civic is small car that drives like a big one.Verdict:

Honda relies heavily on the name and many owners hang off the badge's coat tails such is the integrity of the Civic.It has arrived new for the eighth time since the first one, a much smaller and more modest version, put a new spin on the local small car landscape in the early 1970s.There are four versions of the newest Civic (including the hybrid petrol/electric) which have joined the heavyweight small car fight led by the Toyota Corolla, Holden Astra and Mazda 3, among others.Sales have never been hotter in this segment so any contender needs to cut it against some heavy hitters or risk being floored by an uppercut.There are a few weaknesses in the new eighth generation range but none which threaten to expose the Civic to a knockout blow.For the most part the Civic remains an extremely well-oiled civil servant to its many thousands of loyal fans.And what's more there's a Civic for every taste.So how do the different trim choices measure up?VTi, $20,990 (add $2000 for automatic)This is the entree to the range and the base banger has a good dose of standard kit including power windows, single CD player and airconditioning.It is quite cosy and inviting in this guise and probably the biggest let-down is the low-rent cloth seat trim.Still, there is a lot of comfort here, good vision and it is easy to find the optimum seating position.Braking safety hasn't been skimped on either with ABS aided by electric brakeforce distribution helping the four-disc package.There is a bit more space than the previous model, 70mm longer and 35mm wider.The 1.8 litre four-cylinder engine, which is claimed to produce 103kW of power, seemed a little dozy on this test although it probably frees up a bit with a few more clicks on the clock.It is by no means as sprightly as a Mazda 3 or Corolla, biased more toward being neutral in handling.The VTi offers a good, honest calm ride and there are airbags for the driver and front passenger.For the main, the interior is neat, tidy and uncluttered. But what is going on with the spacecraft dash layout?Right smack bang in the middle of where the conventional odo and speedos are is the rev-counter.Then go up another level, closer to the bottom of the windscreen, and there is a digital speedo which, depending on a driver's height, seating and steering wheel positions, runs the risk of being obscured by the top of the tiller.It's a little disconcerting and maybe a little distracting initially but there is no doubt that if you get the position just right it is much easier and safer to monitor your speed because you don't have to adjust your line of sight as much as with a conventional dash.The design of the dash is the one thing that that stands to divide opinion on the latest Civic.VTi-L, $24,490 (add $2000 for automatic)This is the luxury-spec and it, along with the Sport and Hybrid, gain front and rear curtain airbags.And other gains are 15-inch alloy wheels, climate control aircon and a six-disc CD player.That is the thrust of the difference but don't expect hide-covered seats - there is still the rather drab cloth found in the entry model.Sport, $29,990 (add $2000 for automatic)You move from the 1.8 to the 2 litre engine and a rise in power to 114kW but it still doesn't go as hard as it should or could.But to be fair, the Sport Civic is not meant to be a Type R or Type S, even though the powerplant is a hobbled version from the S.Where it does gain kudos is the leather seats and sunroof.There's also a bit more to choose from in the colour and trim department over and above the VTi and VTi-L underlings.What it does like is to be driven hard, the motor kept on the boil and that's where it does its best work.

Spearheading the new Civic lineup, the Civic Sport is powered by a 114kW, 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine.The 2.0-litre engine pumps out 114kW at 6200rpm and 188Nm of torque at 4200rpm.It's the last figure that is most important.In comparison, the lamented VTi-R's smaller 1.6-litre donk cranked out an amazing 118kW at 7600rpm - but not nearly as much torque (just 148Nm at 7000rpm).Last sold in 2000, the high-revving VTi-R was more powerful but nowhere near as "driveable", with considerably less torque that was available only at high revs.Torque is the muscle that makes driving larger, more powerful cars that much easier, requiring less gear changes and making short work of steep hills.Other models in the new Civic range get a 103kW 1.8-litre power plant, apart from the petrol-electric Hybrid.Our test car was 2.0-litre Civic Sport equipped with optional five-speed auto that includes steering wheel-mounted gear shift paddles.A five-speed manual is standard.The buttons are okay for cruising around but it is easy to lose track of them once the driver's hands start to move around the wheel, especially during enthusiastic cornering.The best system sees the buttons fixed to the steering column itself where they don't budge.Australia misses out on the space age hatch, but the new sedan holds its own as a slick, smart looking unit.It's longer, lower and wider than the previous model, with a raked aggressive stance.Like the rest of the range the Civic Sport is a four-door sedan, despite its sporty pretensions.It has a reasonable sized boot and rear seat that splits 60/40 for longer loads, with a "dive down" feature that allows the seats to lie flat.The interior is dominated by the two-tier instrument cluster, with a separate high mounted speedometer.It means your eyes don't have to stray far from the road to check what speed you're doing, something we find ourselves doing a lot.Safety is taken care of with front, side and curtain airbags, plus ABS brakes and new electronic brake force distribution system that acts on left and right sides independently to prevent rear-end steer during emergency braking.Like most VTEC engines the Sport likes to rev and really doesn't come into its own until around the 4000 to 5000rpm mark.Performance is strong but unconvincing.We'd like to see how the five-speed manual peforms.As well as change paddles, the transmission features a sport setting that keeps the revs on the boil - good for performance but not so good for economy.Handling is good but not spectacular, especially on the limits.Fuel consumption for the auto as tested is rated at 8.0L/100km.Cruise control is standard but the Sport gains a number of extras, including a sunroof, leather seats and steering wheel, front foglights, twin tailpipes and 16-inch alloys with 205/55 profile rubber.Honda Civic Sport is priced from $29,990. Automatic transmission adds $2000 bringing the price to the same figure as the Hybrid. 

Honda had better be careful though, the new Civic is larger than previous model rivalling the stylish Accord Euro in dimensions and even though it has a 1.8-litre or 2.0-litre engine compared to the Euro's 2.4 why would a buyer spend $10,000 or more on the Euro when the Civic is nearly as good and costs less to run?It's a good problem for Honda to have and is great for consumers who can tap into Honda technology for as little as $20,990.The Civic VTi-L costs $24,490 with a five speed auto adding about $2000. Styling shares a lot with Accord Euro - modern, sporty, attractive and practical. Interior is roomy offering accommodation for five. Impressive rear seat legroom. Boot is large, easy to load/unload. Interior styling is modern and chic with a little too much hard plastic but different colours and textures lift the appearance. Love positioning of handbrake, speedo, switches, gearshift. Steering wheel is one of the best in the business – has squared off shape. Full size spare, big tick. Heavier than previous model – up around 200kg but returns 7.2/litres/100km average in auto. Performance from 1.8-litre, SOHC engine is good – 103kw/174Nm output and it's a low emission engine (LEV). Has 15in alloys, climate control air and cruise control as standard. Ride and handling are competent, safe, a little sporty from double wishbone suspension and strong chassis. Impressive safety credentials, scores ABS, four air bags, fire retardant interior, five three point seat belts. Interior has airy feel, functional, modern, good to travel in.Verdict:Is this the king of the small cars? A difficult decision between Civic, Mazda3 and Ford Focus. Toss a coin, go on the styling.

It's no longer the baby either, with the Jazz taking over the mantle as Honda's little 'un, but Civic is still the most recognisable Honda. Or should I say, was.The look is undoubtedly different, but the jury is still out on whether the Honda stylists should be put away or put on a pedestal.The hot hatch Civic models are nowhere in sight, including the Type R enjoyed by enthusiasts elsewhere – Australian Civic buyers will need to be sedan-shoppers, or they can go elsewhere.It is certainly larger and roomier, having grown 70mm in length to 4550mm but 80mm in wheelbase, with an extra 35mm added to the width. It's not far off the Accord Euro in terms of size, but $10,000 cheaper, with a longer wheelbase that also has it just 20mm short of Toyota's Camry and 30mm ahead of the Subaru Liberty.Cabin space – thanks to its generous wheelbase in particular – is more than ample for four adults and, despite being slightly shorter than some of the aforementioned models, headroom is also more than adequate.The eighth-generation Civic, the latest in a line that has seen more than 16 million Civics built by the company, is laying claim to more power, better fuel economy, refinement and comfort.The entry-level Civic VTi gets a newly developed 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with the i-VTEC variable valve system, which is responsible for providing the driver with 103kW and 174Nm – up 15kW and 24Nm on the superseded 1.7-litre Civic engine.But it's asked to carry an additional 140kg, or 145kg if you opt for the five-speed auto such as the one we're driving.The engine has a slightly coarser sound to it, unlike some of the more refined power plants from Honda, but the outputs are adequate for the job at hand, rather than being outstanding.The variable valve i-VTEC system helps wring plenty out in the top end if you're that way inclined, but more genteel motoring should, according to Honda, return figures in the realm of 7.3 litres per 100km in the auto, or 6.9 litres for the manual.The Civic range is offered with either a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission, the five-speed auto a first. The five-speed auto does take the edge off the liveliness of the engine, which is par for the course in this segment – few small engines retain their sparkle when dealing with the torque converter of an auto transmission.The new automatic overall works well with the power plant, but does require some manual shifting – dropping it back to D3 and locking out the last two gears helps quicken the response in overtaking.The driver's instrumentation has been split to put the love-or-hate digital speedometer further up into the main eye-line, with the tachometer further south – something which can work well but the driving position might have to be adjusted to avoid partially obscuring the instruments.The bulk of the dashboard is well laid out and easy to use, although some functions are a little difficult to decipher at first. But there's ample storage in the console and doors, as well as a flat floor in the cabin's rear and boot, which claims a 376-litre capacity, increasing to 485 litres with the seat backs dropped – a single split, with the 60/40 saved for the upper models.On the road, the Civic offers a decent ride, taking the edge off most metropolitan road imperfections without fuss and it sits flatter than expected through corners. That said, it will lean when pushed, and the tyres – which produce a little more noise than the norm – also relinquish grip before the Civic begins to feel unsettled.Any untidiness in the corners is easily controlled, with the Civic dutifully returning to civilised cornering with a mild reduction in throttle pressure.But the feel from the controls and the eagerness of the engine does make you wonder how entertaining the hot hatch models would be, if Honda ever decides to return them to our shores.Safety equipment includes dual front airbags as standard, with side airbags standard on all bar the VTi, while curtain airbags are standard on Sport and Hybrid models.The range gets anti-lock (with electronic brake-force distribution) brakes and cruise control as standard. However, the latter does let the speed wander a little more than most, something that can get expensive.If the styling doesn't erode its appeal the new Civic should be a popular choice in the small-car segment.SMALL TORQUEHonda Civic VTiPrice: $22,990Engine: 1.8-litre i-VTEC SOHC 16-valve alloy four-cylinderPower: 103kW at 6300rpmTorque: 174Nm at 4200rpmTransmission: Five-speed manual or automaticBrakes: Four-wheel discs, front ventilatedWeight: 1240kgWheels: 15in steel

The car has an edgy look is all its own.It is the same in the cabin, where the double-decker dash has futuristic blue lighting and the speedometer is set high up against the base of the windscreen for maximum visibility.Honda says the new Civic is a breakthrough and talks about the styling, technology and the Hybrid model at the top of the line.The eighth-generation Civic models spread from the VTi at $20,990 to the Sport auto and the Hybrid at $31,990.There are two four-cylinder motors, a 1.8 and a 2.0-litre, in a body that is longer, lower, wider and cuts through the air much better than the car it replaces.The previous Civic was not nearly as adventurous — or appealing — as the cars that won it such a strong following in the 1980s and 1990s.The seventh-gen Civic was a bit boxy, a bit cheap and a bit boring.It did well enough for Honda Australia but was overwhelmed by everything from the classy Ford Focus and Holden Astra to the price-driven Nissan Pulsar.So number eight is the response. And it is a good looker that gives exactly what you would expect from Honda.With one exception. There is no hatch and, in a small-car class in which up to 80 per cent of sales are hatches, Honda has backed itself into a corner filled mostly with older and more conservative customers.That is fine, but that doesn't leave much room for growth in coming years.So, after saying at first that the Civic hatch was built only in Britain and would be far too costly Down Under, Honda Australia is working hard to get the wickedly good-looking hatch here.But it won't be this year, and it is not ever going to be a price leader, but the super-quick Type R would be a great start.But, for now, we're talking about the sedan.Honda Australia has tried to cover all the bases with the car, which has been built up from what the company calls a "flat-floor" design.The idea is to maximise the cabin space while still having a low roofline and a wedgy shape, which calls for small triangular "peek-a-boo" windows near the wing mirrors to eliminate blind spots.Twin airbags are standard, with more bags as you move up the models, and standard equipment from VTi includes airconditioning, anti-skid brakes, cruise control, electric windows and mirrors and a full-sized spare tyre.The basic Civic engine is a 1.8 with i-VTEC that produces 103kW and 174Nm. The engine stays the same on the Civic VTi-L, but the car picks up a six-stack CD sound system with MP3, a 60-40 split-fold rear seat (it is a one-piece in the VTi), side airbags, alloy wheels and automatic aircon.The flagship Civic Sport has 114kW and 188Nm from its four, which Honda says is the "gruntiest Civic ever", and the fancy stuff includes electric power steering, curtain airbags, a sunroof, leather in the cabin and a chromed tip on the exhaust.The Hybrid is another story, for another day.ON THE ROADTHE new Civic looks good but is not as special as it looks.It is a nice enough drive, but not as outstanding as the latest Focus or even as enjoyable as the Euro-built Astra.Though impressive at first, once you spend a few days with the car, it settles comfortably into the Civic zone.It ticks all the boxes, but just does not ring the bells. That sounds like criticism, but it is not.The car is good, very good for the price and class, but the standard is now so high — and there are so many contenders — that a newcar has to be very, very special to jump any of its rivals.We suspect the Civic hatch would give the extra zing we expected from a car that looks pretty impressive, but we will not knowuntil Honda Australia gets it Down Under.Our test Civic was, not surprisingly, the flagship Sport model. It is well-equipped and beautifully finished, but still comes in at $29,990, though the showroom sticker goes up to $31,990 if you go for the five-speed automatic with F1-style shift paddles behind the steering wheel.All very nice and typically Honda in the quality of the materials and finishing.The cabin is pretty roomy, the seats are comfy and the electric steering and gearshift are light and easy to use.The Civic goes nicely, with a wonderful Honda-style surge to the redline.There is more than enough power for any job, but the car will also lug along well in the higher gears with few revs on board.But the 1.8-litre engine is not far behind and there is a good argument for slipping down from the Sport to the lesser models without worrying about loss of power or response.Still, the two-litre is surprisingly frugal and we got 8.2 litres/100km with a lot of freeway running, using standard unleaded in a car that qualifies for a low-emission rating.Which brings us to the suspension. Hmmm. The Civic is all right, but we found the ride a bit choppy and the cornering performance was well short of what we expect in a Sport model.The grip is fine, too, but the car runs wide pretty early, and well before the tyres should be losing grip.Honda has a hi-tech fully-independent suspension system in the Civic but it is not properly tuned — or focused enough — for Australian roads, drivers and its rivals.On the red tick side of the business, we also found the Civic tough to park (no visibility at either end), too noisy for our liking on country roads, a bit bland in the back end and no match for the Focus as a driving car.One thing we liked was the full-sized spare. More and more small cars are switching to space savers, but when we got a flat in the Civic it was good to have the security of a real tyre for the long run home.So the Civic is good and very classy, but is not top of the class.THE BOTTOM LINEA smooth looker and a nice drive, but outpointed by the Focus and not a value match for the Holden Astra. 76/100

Go figure, indeed. Still, it does require a quantum imaginative leap to accept that this vehicle is a Honda Civic.The eighth-generation Civic resembles in no way the previous sedan variants, let alone the three- and five-door hatches of yore with which the Civic name was synonymous. It's vastly bigger and appreciably more powerful.As has been lamented previously, Australia won't be getting the almost unbearably hip-looking new Civic hatch. Instead, there are four variants of a Thai-built sedan, including this one, the mid-range VTI-L.Priced at $24,990 for the five-speed manual, exactly midway between the entry-level iteration and the Sport (there's also a petrol-electric Hybrid), the VTI-L is the one likely to sell in the greatest numbers. Visually, all models are almost identical — which is to say pleasant, but not really pretty, to the eye.The sedan-only gambit makes more sense than it might initially appear. Consider the Civic's chief rival, Mazda3, which happens to be Australia's best-selling fully imported car.When launched in 2004, no one — least of all Mazda — expected punters to opt for the 3 sedan over the 3 hatch by a ratio of some 70 to 30 per cent, or that 30 per cent overall would go for the premium SP23 models.The VTI-L's very direct competitor is a slightly lesser Mazda3 — the $25,455 Maxx Sport sedan. The former has its work cut out to displace the primacy of the latter.The shock of the new Honda is just as pronounced within as without. The instrument panel has been designed around the "Multiplex Meter".Driving information, including the digital speedo, is displayed in the upper part of the instrument panel, while odometer is beneath the tacho, which is the only conventional dial in the set-up.Lack of legibility detracts from what would otherwise be a fine driver's workstation, which boasts body-hugging seats of the sort that you would like to see in the rorty Integra coupe.The same fully adjustable and funky little steering wheel that's impossible to grip in any but the correct way obscures the lower read-outs. The sun can outshine those above the dash.Rear visibility is excellent via almost outsize wing mirrors, but the thick A-pillars required to support the long, sloping windshield constitute a massive visual incumbrance.So, what looks a deucedly clever interior is just too smart for its own good.Pity. Elsewhere, functionality is to the fore, with split-fold rear seats and a 376- litre boot that combine for load versatility that is impressive in a small sedan.No, it's not as capacious as the Mazda3, but Honda at least contrives to include a full-size spare tyre.When we reached the more interesting stretches of our 300km test loop, however, I rued that the tyres were not bigger.The Sport gets 16s, but our VTI-L made do with 15-inch Dunlop Sport 300s — nice shoes but not big enough to match the Civic's dynamic capability.Nor it's stopping ability. One simulated emergency braking from 80km/h produced distinct tail movement. The next, from 90km/h, was sufficient to dissuade me making one from 100.Yet the Civic takes comfortably most of what's chucked at it, riding firmly but capably over the coarse blacktop of the Bells Line of Road, but making a fair bit of engine noise about it. Being a Honda small capacity four-potter, revving out is of the essence to induce smart progress.That the 1.8-litre i-VTEC's 103kW doesn't arrive until 6300rpm would matter less if the 174Nm came in earlier than 4300rpm.Shifting is not a chore, with a typically slickly snicking Honda five-speed manual, mounted slightly forward and off the floor.The manner in which it drives is an even more emphatic reminder than its appearance that this Civic is a very different conveyance from those that have borne the name.Not so sharp as the marginally more powerful Mazda3, it is nevertheless possessed of a chassis that generally delivers great balance and poise.With a competitive equipment level including ABS standard across the range (are you listening, Toyota Corolla?) and attractive pricing, the VTI-L makes a lot of sense without extinguishing the nagging feeling that the top-of-the-range model would be worth the extra dough.More on that next week.

We're pretty sure you can add the rising price of petrol to this list, because it's unlikely that we'll ever see prices come down again.Expensive fuel is here to stay and in this context, 2006 is sure to see an even bigger swing to more fuel efficient vehicles, led by petrol-electric hybrids and diesel powered Euros.Hybrids have the inside running because they burn petrol and everyone knows and understands this type of fuel.Diesel on the other hand is still the subject of much distrust, based on the noisy, smelly trucks and utes of yesteryear – though this fear is totally unjustified these days.Honda was the first manufacturer to offer a hybrid in Australia and now markets a hybrid version of its popular Civic sedan, with a racier looking update just around the corner.We've had a Civic Hybrid in the garage for a few weeks now and have been impressed with he way it has slipped seamlessly into the family unit.Unless you knew you were driving a hybrid, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and a standard car.They even look the same.We've clocked up a few kays behind the wheel of our car and the big difference is the time between fill ups.Instead of once every few days, it stretches out to once every couple of weeks.The Civic Hybrid is an easy, comfortable car to live with, if a little conservative in the styling deparment.It's roomy and well equipped, with cruise control the only thing missing – left out because it's not a fuel saver.For commuting or for just running around town, it's an extremely economical prop- osition, particularly as it's not fazed by stop- start city driving.Like Toyota's Prius, the Civic Hybrid uses a combination of petrol and electric power to achieve remarkable fuel economy.It has a small 1.3-litre four cylinder i-DSI VTEC ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) petrol engine supplemented by an ultra-thin electric motor that is located between the engine and transmission.The petrol engine produces 63kW of power at 5700rpm and 119Nm of torque at 3300rpm.Combined with the assistance of the 10kW electric motor, total power output rises to 69kW at 5700rpm and 146Nm of torque at 2000rpm, with the electric motor's extra torque instantly on tap.The Civic employs a Continuously Variable automatic transmission (CVT) to maximise performance and economy.The shiftless system is smoother than conventional automatics with less torque loss, allowing the driver to make the most of the engine's characteristics.Aerodynamic aids have also been added to achieve a low wind drag co-efficient.The Hybrid's front bumper, engine under- cover, rear floor side under covers and rear spoiler are shaped to improve airflow over the car.The car also rolls on low rolling resistance 185/70 R14 88H tyres.The resulting fuel economy, Honda claims, is 5.2 litres per 100km.So far our test car's consumption seems to hover around the 6.6 litres per 100km mark, with a best of 730km from one 50-litre tank of fuel.Hybrid Civic is priced from $29,990.