Concerned with your mileage?

I had an opportunity to test drive a Hybrid Honda Civic late last night. The car was on loan to a journalist friend who will be conducting a review of the car.

Truth is. Its an excellent car.

The car is dual powered by a regular engine which is coupled with an electric motor which assists the small engine in the go faster department. Its quite a complicated bit of engineering and the people at Honda should be lauded in bringing regular consumers like you and I, such impressive technology and at a rather surprising low price. For just two thousand ringgits more than your regular Civic, you get oodles of tech, and many nods of approval from your greenie friends when you tell them of the substancial fuel savings you get. The hybrid averages 15km per litre of fuel, much better than the paltry 8km per litre in my Alfa, that is roughly 750km for a full tank of petrol (50litres). And this is city driving mind you. Expect far better results if you do more highway driving.

The engine stops running when you come to a full stop with your foot brake engaged. You won't even feel the difference, only knowing the engine has stopped by the tachometer reading zero. All other electrical components in your car remains active. When you release the foot brake, the engine returns to life as if by magic. Again, this operation happens unintrusively and quickly, because by the time your right foot reaches the accelerator pedal, the car is already ready to roll.

The electric motor comes in seamlessly when you require a more urgent passage. Somehow the engineers have managed to tie both powertrains together into one cohesive unit. The only way that you know the electric motor has engaged is by looking at the dashboard. The dashboard is rather informative, providing the driver practically all the information he needs to know. Besides the regular, speed and tach dials, the driver can monitor his battery life, the electric motor power assist ratios, and when the battery is being charged.

The system is efficient! When you brake, the battery is being charged, as the kinetic force is being tranfered into electricity that recharges the batteries for the electric motor. You never have to plug this baby in, it takes care of itself.

The car comes with a three year waranty, that covers all aspects of maintanence including lubricants. Not bad eh?