Top 50 MPG in a Honda Civic Hybrid

At four or more bucks a gallon at the pump, 50 mpg fuel economy looks pretty good, indeed. This was reinforced recently during an extended road test of a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid, which illustrated that high fuel economy is worth changing a few habits. In the past, Green Car editors have managed in excess of 50 mpg in the Honda Civic Hybrid by practicing conservative driving. That magic mileage number is achieved if you're willing to really pay attention to your driving style and maintain highway driving speeds in the 60-65 mph range. Push speeds higher or drive more aggressively and your mileage will vary.

In 2007, the Civic Hybrid had an EPA fuel economy rating of 49 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway using EPA's old testing procedure. For 2008, the more aggressive federal tests lowered the EPA mileage rating to 40 mpg city and 45 mpg highway. The new tests are designed to reflect "real-world" mileage, but tend to dumb down obtainable fuel economy for those willing to practice high-mileage driving habits. Our experience bears this out as more aggressive driving in the Civic Hybrid dropped our mileage down in the low 40 mpg range. That was running 75+ mph on the highway to keep with the flow of traffic over the rolling terrain of California's Central Coast.

Introduced to the North American market in 1973, the Honda Civic has grown from a diminutive $2,200 economy car weighing just 1,500 pounds to a comfortable five passenger vehicle that's a true jack-of-all-trades. Over the past 35 years, the Civic has become the commuter car by which all others are judged. The current eighth generation Civic is comfortable, confident, and capable.

The 2008 model is a very refined package that's great for around-town errands and comfortable for extended trips. The Civic Hybrid is a right-sized sedan that is equally at home in the city as it is on a scenic country two lane road. Ride and handling quality are pleasant enough, too, with Honda striking a balance that meets expectations for this class of vehicle. Just don't expect luxury car plushness or sports car level road feel.

The Civic Hybrid is powered by Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) parallel full gas-electric hybrid powertrain. The gasoline engine is a 1.3-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder producing 110 horsepower and 123 lbs-ft of torque. Electric assist is provided by a 20 hp, permanent magnet electric motor powering through Honda's continuously variable automatic transmission. The combination is enough to propel the Civic Hybrid from 0-60 mph in 11.3 seconds when you're in a hurry. Auto stop-start shuts the gas engine down when the car is at rest out on the road, but unlike other full-hybrids, IMA doesn't deliver a noticeable electric-only driving mode. The Civic Hybrid is one of the cleanest cars on the road and achieves an Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating from the EPA.

At the aforementioned $4.00 a gallon gasoline, the difference between 40 mpg and 50 mpg is worth the effort. Topping off the Civic Hybrid's 12.3 gallon tank can now cost upwards of 40 bucks. At 40 mpg you can travel 492 miles before running out of gas; at 50 mpg that no-reserve range increases to 615 miles, covering an additional 123 miles on the same gas and saving $9.84. Our personal best in the mileage department with the Honda Civic Hybrid is a 51.4 mpg tank under nearly ideal conditions. Seasoned Civic Hybrid drivers passionate about high fuel economy assert better mileage yet.