Honda CIVIC ES IMA HYBRID For Sale

News | Green Cars | Best in Class | Coming Soon | Concepts | Environment | Classifieds | Forums Home Green Car News Green Cars Hybrid Cars Electric Cars Bio Fuel Cars Diesel Green Cars Petrol Green Cars Other Green Cars Reviews Buyers Guide Coming Soon Concept Cars About Green Cars Environment About Us Site Map Contact Us Resources Best Online Deals Green Car Hire Car Insurance Car Finance FAQs Classifieds Forums Green Links Find Best in Class Super Mini/Hatch Family Large Family MPV Executive Convertable 4x4 Sports Commercial Home » Hybrid Cars » Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Civic IMA Hybrid Click here to write a Review about the Honda Civic Hybrid Used Hybrid Cars on GreenCarSite - Classifieds The Honda Civic IMA was first seen in 2003. Now under the new name of the Honda Civic Hybrid it is even more efficient and more powerful. The 1.3 engine has the performance of a 1.8 petrol engine yet the efficiency of a 1.0 litre engine. It uses the small petrol engine to accelerate with an electric motor-generator to power the car while cruising on level roads. Prices start from a reasonable £16,300 and for this you get a comfortable four door saloon with the performance you would expect from a car of this size. Economy figures of 61.4mpg are quoted from Honda on a combined cycle although in real life driving, especially out of town driving and on motorway driving this figure will be far off. A range of 720miles is achievable from one tank of fuel, however petrol is not the only saving. The Honda Civic Hybrid also benefits from a low insurance group, low tax due to its 109g/km CO2 emissions and like all hybrids is except from the London Congestion Charge. The batteries never need to be plugged in, they are charged by the regenerative braking system. Other clever bits are the 7 speed CVT Auto gearbox and the fact the cars switched it self off when the car is stationary and idling saving you more fuel and not emitting any emissions. The hybrid system is covered by Honda for 8 year warranty. Statistics CO2 emissions: 109g/km MPG Combined: 61.4 Engine: 1339cc Petrol/Electric Motor Transmission : 7 speed CVT Auto BHP/Torque: 113/225 NM Kerb Weight: 1297 kg Top Speed: 115 MPH 0-62 MPH: 12.1 secs Insurance Group: 7 Warranty: 36months/90,000miles Notes March 2006 facelift including new more powerful engine, lower emissions and re-styling. Honda News New Honda Insight Civic Hybrid goes sky high with BA Continued growth for Civic Hybrid Hybrid cars to represent 10% of Honda's sales Hydrogen Honda available 2008 in the US Honda CR-Z hybrid and PUYO Fuel Cell Concept Top spec Honda Civic hybrid announced IKEA's fleet goes Hybrid with Honda Hybrid car market doubles in a year Honda Hybrid to be revealed at Geneva Revised Honda Civic Hybrid for 2009 Reviews: Review by Nick Roach on 30 November 2009 A really super car - I had to compromise on two of my choices (no rooflight possible and no hatchback version) but perhaps next time? Very quiet and tractable, acceleration very responsive, which I frankly didn't expect. Lease comes to an end in 2011, and will happily go for another, perhaps smaller hybrid this time. Review by Trey from London on 26 August 2008 We've had this car for over a year and unlike other reviews - we EASILY get 54MPG. NEVER under 48MPG and that's in stop and go traffic. I don't know, maybe it's the way some people drive? My only complaint is that it has no get-up-and-go. The acceleration is horrible, especially on an incline. We had a bicyclist pass us up the other day on an incline. It looks great in comparison to other Hybrids, saves our bank account, is good for the environment, and serves it's purpose taking us from point A to point B. Review by Mike Smith from Huntingdon, Kent on 11 July 2008 I have owned a Honda Civic IMA 2003 now for over 6months, having had a Mercedes CLK270 Diesel and a Hyundai Santa Fe 1.9CDX just before 'going green'. The honda is very well equipped with full tan and black leather, obviously the Mercedes was very luxurious though. With my car tax only being £15, very cheap insurance and on average town/a-road driving I am achieving approx 52-55MPG (best ever was 67.2MPG for a 180mile journey), this is a very healthy saving compared to both the Mercedes and Hyundai. Especially when diesel is a good 15-20p more per litre + car tax is a lot more. I am saving on average in fuel costs £75 per month alone, since I have owned the Honda Civic IMA. Recently I have fitted 4x Brand New Michelin Energy Saver tyres, these are ideal for this car. My wife owns a 2007 Toyota Auris 1.6 petrol and she only gets approx 34-36MPG from it, tax will be going up to £250 in 2009 whilst the IMA will only be going up to £25. I would recommend this car to anyone, especially people who live near big hills! Review by Chris from Essex, Kent on 26 June 2008 Honda Hybrid: I dare anyone to get more than 45 mpg from the Honda ....I have had mine for 2 yrs and never got more than 45mpg let alone 50mpg or 61mpg which Honda say it does ....nice car though Review by Pat Allen from Chatham, Kent on 16 June 2008 Honda Civic IMA: I have owned, from new a Civic Hybrid for 8 months now and have found it to be reasonably economical, 45mpg worst & 53mpg best. I drive to work via motorway & town 28miles per day and have been told that the mpg will increase from 4000 miles onwards. It is different to a normal car to drive. You do tend to drive while watching the Bar graph trying to achieve the maximum 100 mpg especially when coasting down hill. The boot space is only average and as has already been mentioned (because of the battery pack) the back seats do not fold down. Compared to the Toyota Prius (which I did try) god what an old styled car that is. My wife could not be asked to drive it! Why have i got to move that lever, I thought it was an automatic! she exclaimed. Overall I would recommend the Civic Hybrid for style, comfort, economy, Hondas renowned reliability. Review by Jonathan from Ipswich on 16 June 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid: Had a short test drive and wasn't happy with it. -Road noise at 70mpg too much for my ears -Seats and ride too hard, no adjustable lumbar support - started off my bad back -Interior - very well laid out and looks good -Driving - quite smooth but engine very noisy under full acceleration and not much poke -Economy - only managed 47mpg from cold on a leisurely ride on dual carriageway, country and town mixed roads. Managed 55mpg in Prius over similar conditions. -Boot quite small and no folding rear seats due to battery. Impractical for me. Summary - All that technology and cost didn't really make much difference! Review by John from Wolverhampton on 05 June 2008 ES Honda Civic Hybrid: Averages 50mpg on a 16 mile run to work which is part dual carriageway and part normal stop start. Very quiet, deceptively quick and as fuel prices have risen to silly proportions now (June 08) work mates are jealous of saloon car size and frugal consumption AND cheap, cheap car tax. Until the hydrogen car arrives, this will do nicely. Review by Eric Purnell from Cheshire on 23 May 2008 Honda civic hybrid 1.4: I have had this car for four months now, replaceing a Honda civic V.Tec 1.4, which I had for over 12years from new. I am 69yrs of age and a disabled driver. This car is an absolute gem in every aspect, economy - comfort - reliability. It is a little belter!! Reviewed by Martin from Surrey on 13 May 2008 Honda Civic IMA: Having had this car now for over one year i have to say im very pleased with it. Its not the fastest car nor the best handling but its very cheap to run and good for the pocket! I didnt buy this car because of environmental issues, I simply bought it to pay less tax to the government! If you commute along the motorway everyday then this is the car for you. Stop starting any car will severly reduce fuel economy regardless of being efficient or not. The key is to keep the car rolling at all times, in london this is impossible but there are tricks around this! To date my best figures i have acheived are: 80 mile trip to dover where I slipstreamed a dutch lorry...76mpg. Travelling 40 miles to work and back every day over 691 miles...67.2mpg. At the moment my car is returning 63.6mpg, it is an 04 plate IMA. A good trick with this car is when coming to a hill is to get the engine to switch off and basically coast down hills using no power! If you want good economy then you have to drive very carefully at all times!! Overall a comfy quiet car which is cheap to run and tax. Reviewed by Stanley Ooi from London on 25 April 2008 Have had this car for a couple of months now. We used to have a 3 litre Merc but got rid of it because we wanted to be environmentally friendly and, also, because Red Ken threatened to charge us £25 per day even though we live in the congestion charge zone. I love this car. Handles well and consumes much less petrol than our old car. The only gripe I have is that when we are on the motorway, the Merc was much quieter but as we are usually in London, this is not a big issue. Anyway, I feel this is a good car to have in London - very spacious inside and good for the environment and also for your wallet (in terms of petrol). Took a bit of getting used to the "engine cut off" when I was idling at traffic lights etc but now it is fine. Love the car! Reviewed by Philip from Worcester on 24 April 2008 This June 07 plated car, purchased in February '08, only returns an average of 44 mpg, since purchase. Diagnostic testing revealed no faults and Honda Swindon confirm receiving customer complaints about poor mpg figures. Their own test car does not exceed 51 mpg, as long as you do not exceed 51 mph!! Honda customer service are not interested in the brochure figures of 61 mpg. I previously drove the manual gearbox version and achieved an average of 55 mpg. I am very unhappy about this car and the misleading sales brochure. Has anyone taken Honda to court yet as the car is not as described? Reviewed by Ngozi Ezi from Sheffield on 21 April 2008 I exchanged a Lexus GS300 SE-L for this car being a good boy and going green. It drives well but obviously a far cry from the Lex. The fittings are also a bit mediocre. The Navigation is good but very difficult to navigate through the buttons. I drive mainly in Sheffield city and no matter how careful and less revvy I go, I cannot only return about 33.5miles per gallon. So I wonder where the 51miles/gallon urban promise has gone. Another annoying bit is the very jerky re-start after the engine stop. It could have been made smoother. The technology in Toyota and Lexus appears more refined despite the fuel consumption and emission figures. Will I keep it? Maybe another year. I have already been looking elsewhere Reviewed by Walker from London on 09 October 2007 The Honda Hybrid is a nice looking car and very comfortable to drive, even the fact that its now only available as an automatic did not put me off, Honda claim to get 61.4mpg and 720 miles to a Tank. In real terms this is 41mpg and 420 miles to a tank, I have been hugely disappointed with the fuel economy on this car. I have even complained to Honda Customer Care, who to be frank were not interested in slightest, even after the car was tested under Honda Test conditions by the dealer and still could not make more than 41mpg, Honda thought this was acceptable. In my view get a Diesel and play it safe. Reviewed by David Higginson from Basingstoke on 23 November 2007 To be quite honest - it's disappointing, and is a gimmick. I have driven the vehicle for the past 6 months and covered 9,000 miles, in and out of London. The average MPG is 42.9, which is not as good as the Ford Focus diesel that it replaced. The auto engine restart is at best adequate, and at worst 'lumpy'. The build quality is good, as one would expect from a Honda. The concept however, I believe is fundamentally flawed. The VW bluemotion is a far better bet. Reviewed by John from Leeds on 08 October 2007 I currently drive both a 2007 Civic IMA Hybrid and a 2007 Civic 2.2 CDTi diesel and the differences for me are quite apparent. For the same money you could have either variant at similar trim level, so the choice is heavily dependent on who you are & where/how you drive. On regular 25 mile trips on A-roads & B-roads the diesel will quite easily achieve 48-50mpg whilst the Hybrid typically gets around 45mpg. This does not include much stop-start driving or stationary traffic & in these situations the Hybrid will probably favour a little better in comparison as it switches off automatically in traffic (note however that the Civic Hybrid won't ever run purely on battery power, and it won't switch of all in certain situations with headlights, air con, etc switched on). In contrast the diesel is a little better at motorway speeds. So, despite the Hybrid having better CO2 & fuel economy on paper the diesel is arguably the 'greener' of the two, particularly when you consider the recycling of the batteries of the Hybrid. So what really separates them? If you commute in to London then the congestion charge is the single biggest factor & the Hybrid could save you £3k per year. In addition to this the car tax is only £35 for 1 year vs £115 for the diesel & the lower tax bracket will benefit company car drivers. However, if you're fortunate enough to be able to drive on roads that aren't congested and you aren't a company car driver, the diesel is leagues better as a drivers car with masses of torque & far superior acceleration. The Hybrid by comparison feels big & lethargic and the CVT gearbox, whilst being a very clever bit of kit, can be infuriatingly unresponsive, particularly when trying to pull out at busy roundabouts. For practicality the Hybrid also loses out as the presence of the batteries means it doesn't get Honda's very useful lifting/folding "magic seats" in the back, which also means that you can't load-through from the boot. Reviewed by Ian from Surrey on 04 October 2007 Although much better interior design than the Toyota Prius it has a disappointingly low mpg. I have averaged somewhere around 46/47mpg. On small local journeys this drops even lower. Also frustrating that the rear sets don't fold down or split to allow larger goods to be carried. Reviewed by Nigel from Darlington on 31 July 2007 Don't take any notice of Stuart from Edinburghs review. I think he's obviously having problems getting over the loss of his Skoda Octavia ! Stuart, with reference to the cruise control. Please be advised that it's quite normal for it to shut off at the touch of the footbrake. All cars with cruise control react like this (unless you want to pay at least £10K more for a totally different type of vehicle with "adaptive cruise". This is a safety feature cleverly designed by motor manufacturers to prevent you running into the back of lorries or stationary traffic. The Honda Hybrid is a little gem and especially kind to the pockets of company car drivers. So wake up Stuart and smell the coffee ! One day all cars will be like this. Honda Rules !!!!! Reviewed by Frank from Leeds on 04 July 2007 I've now had the car for three months and I love it. The auto box is marvelous and gives you big car convenience with a very relaxed, laid back style of motoring. I thought the little 1.4 engine would struggle on the 70 mile round trip on the M62 but it covers it with ease with power to spare. I don't know how Honda have managed it but the car is a cracker It has all the toys you'll ever need with the exception of one, Sat Nav ! Not the end of the world though as I'm going to buy one of those TOM TOM units. I do get fed up with all the questions and jibes from office colleagues who have more expensive cars but soon as I tell them I save over 3K a year on tax in comparison to my Mondeo Titanium they soon shut up. I would recommend to anyone wanting a comfortable, quiet, refined, autobox cruiser. It won't break the land speed record but neither will it break your bank account in terms of company car tax. Reviewed by Brian from Cambridge on 02 July 2007 I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR TWO YEARS FROM NEW WITH A AVERAGE OF 50 MPG OVER 18000 MILES AND NO FAULTS. MANY OF THESE OF JOURNEYS ONLY 6-8 MILES. I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE IT AS BIG CAR MOTORING ON SMALL CAR ECONOMY GIVING COMFORT AND ROOM AS WELL AS A QUIET SMOOTH RIDE. Reviewed by Stuart from Edinburgh on 20 June 2007 My work have very recently taken on a 3 year lease deal on a fleet of these. They were to replace a fleet of diesel Octavia Estates we had run for around 2 years. Having now acquainted myself with the Civic I find myself extremely unimpressed. The claimed efficiency is complete nonsense. If you drive with a very light right foot, on dual carriageways you can find the revs jumping to 6krpm for the slightest change in speed. The cruise control is not radar controlled so is constantly cancelled on braking when in traffic so manual speed control is required more often than not. I have found the fuel economy to be substantially less than I could eek out of the Octavias. Reckon on averaging 45mpg in the Civic and you might be near the reality. Added to this, the dynamics of the car are extremely poor. There is very little steering feel and far too much assistance on a very short rack to judge corners accurately. The brakes also feel over servoed, I assume a side effect of being a regenerative system. This made it quite intimidating to drive in stop start traffic. It is well equipped and the drivers seat is a fairly comfortable place to be, but there are better alternatives out there if you want a car for comfort. The TDi Octavia for example! Reviewed by Dave from Berks on 29th March 2007 I work within the congestion charging zone in London and it was costing me £8 a day with my old car - i considered this dead money. I had been looking for an option and was looking at LPG - probably an Astra, but couldn't find what i was after. My wife stumbled on the Civic Hybrid by chance. It was a 2003 model with only 7K on the clock. It was up for £9K from a dealer in the New Forest. When we saw it, there was no reason I could find not to buy it - it looked and drove like a brand new car. Talk about well equipped - it has leather seats, heated front seats, multi CD player, electric heated mirrors, electric windows all round, etc in short far better than an Astra. Best of all, i see lots of Prius's, and think they look odd. With the civic, you wouldn't know you were in anything other than a normal car - it looks like a normal saloon. My various passengers cannot believe the benefits - good fuel consumption, no congestion charge and even best of all, the car tax has gone down! Any bad points? I've had it 8 months and can't think of any. 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Compare car loans Check a car's history Value a car Get Auto Trader Insurance More motoring services You are here : Home Main Content Auto Trader Honda Civic IMA Hybrid car review Fuel economy is an average 61.4mpg while car tax falls within Band B - £35 a year Model tested: Honda Civic Hybrid 1.4 IMAPrice as tested: £17,100 (Buy used Civic | Buy new Civic)Range price: £17,100 - £20,250Insurance group as tested: 7Insurance group range: 7Date tested: December 2007Road tester: Adrian Higgins Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 83% Honda has dubbed its Honda Civic Hybrid: “the first-ever “no-compromise” alternative energy car. The power of a 1.6-litre engine and the fuel economy of a 1.1-litre engine delivered in one package? No congestion charge? A £35 annual tax bill? Sounds great. But what’s it like to drive. We borrowed one for a week to find out. Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance Running Costs |Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor | Rivals 1. Looks Honda admits “green” cars are not always the prettiest. “Who wants to drive around in something that looks like a deflated rugby ball and struggles to overtake a milk-float?” is the rather cutting comment which could well be directed at the Toyota Prius. Speaking of its own car Honda says: “It looks like a modern, stylish saloon”, and it does. It is based on the 4-door saloon version of the 8th generation model which is on sale in many countries outside the UK (we get the triangular-looking modern hatchback). It is longer and wider than the outgoing IMA, with a sharply-raked windscreen. A good choice if you want to wear your Green motoring badge discreetly. 8/10 2. Looks inside Inside, the car will be more familiar to UK drivers, most notably the “dual-zone” or split instrument panel. This means some parts of the display are positioned in the conventional location “through” the steering wheel, while others including the digital speedometer are in a higher position, set a little towards the windscreen. Once the novelty has worn offit becomes very simple to use and intuitive. The central console houses the audio and air-con controls and is straightforward. The dark grey and silver trim interior is simple and stylish. 7/10 3. Practicality Inside the car there are plenty of storage spaces with decent door wells, centre storage area and trays. Honda has also created more room for driver and front seat passenger by redesigning the front seats to make them wider and more supportive. Hip, shoulder and knee room has been improved in all positions and we found the Honda Civic a comfortable environment. However, the 350 litres boot space available in the saloon-style car is considerably less than on offer in the standard five door hatchback. 6/10 4. Ride and Handling Honda has lengthened the car’s wheelbase and re-engineered the suspension to improve both the ride and handling against the outgoing model. It is sharp to drive and offers a high level of comfort. 8/10 5. Performance IMA stands for Integrated Motor Assist. The Honda runs on a combination of a conventional petrol engine and an electric motor which, while not providing too much in the way of driving thrills, means Green motorists get a perfectly acceptable driving experience. The emissions-free electric motor provides a boost during times of acceleration, takes the strain when the vehicle is idling and is recharged by harnessing some of the energy provided by accelerating and braking. The 115bhp comes partly from the 1.4-litre petrol engine (accounting for 95bhp) and partly from the electric motor (which supplies the remaining 20bhp) and delivers a 0-62mph speed of 12.1 seconds with an available top speed of 115mph. The automatic gearbox is very smooth. 8/10 6. Running Costs The Honda Civic IMA’s strongest suit. Fuel economy is an average 61.4mpg, car tax falls within Band B - £35 a year, and there is no congestion charge for driving through central London. Buyers also get a 90,000 mile warranty - extended to eight years for IMA-related parts. 10/10 7. Reliability It’s a Honda! The Japanese manufacturer’s reputation for reliability is well-deserved with the company third in the UK’s list of most reliable carmakers. IMA has been around since 1999 when it was launched in the Honda Insight and, as mentioned above, this is the eighth generation model of a very reliable car. 9/10 8. Safety The Honda Civic IMA achieved a four star rating following EuroNCAP crash tests. Features to keep you out of trouble include anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, vehicle stability assist for better control during cornering. Should these not prove enough, active front headrests should reduce whiplash injuries? 8/10 9. Equipment The standard ES model features a good level of equipment including the safety features listed above, 6 CD player and radio, cruise control and front and rear electric windows, 15-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, front fog lights and heated front seats. The EX model adds leather. 9/10 10. X-Factor Economical motoring. The Honda Civic IMA will keep plenty of pounds in your pocket once you’ve bought it. Great fuel economy and cheap car tax are great no matter where you live – and if you live or drive through central London when the Congestion Charge is applicable you will be making a significant saving. 10/10 Rivals You might also want to consider: Toyota PriusFord Focus FFVSaab 9-3 Bio-Power Auto Trader Links Read more car reviews Compare the best prices on a new Honda Civic Hybrid with Auto Trader's New Car Search Page 1 Have your say on the Auto Trader Blog read more news articles Send to a friend | Back to top ^^ Send to a friend Essential Auto Trader Links New Cars homepage Search for New Cars Compare Loans Compare Insurance quotes Read Auto Trader Car News & Reviews RSS RSS Feeds Receive the latest news and features directly to your internet browser or RSS reader. 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Terms & conditions of access to and use of the website Privacy policy Accessibility statement Careers Channels Get Auto Trader on your Mobile Get Auto Trader in Print Van , Farm , Plant and Truck Commercial trader Get Auto Trader Dealer Portal || if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['Hc8OBNmSuyM-']='&U=12cdn9qbe%2fN%3dHc8OBNmSuyM-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dHEAD%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0'; if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['Hs8OBNmSuyM-']='&U=13ldithsd%2fN%3dHs8OBNmSuyM-%2fC%3d200101456.201965577.203250011.200060250%2fD%3dN%2fB%3d200784459%2fV%3d1'; HomeNews/ReviewsFeaturesPhotosBuySellForumVideosGreen CentreFrankfurt 2007 if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['H88OBNmSuyM-']='&U=12ampt1rf%2fN%3dH88OBNmSuyM-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dMH%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0'; NewsReviewsPreviewsWomen´s ReviewsVan Reviews Cars > News and Reviews > Car Reviews > Honda > Honda CIVIC IMA if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['IM8OBNmSuyM-']='&U=12bglfjap%2fN%3dIM8OBNmSuyM-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dOEM%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d0'; Honda CIVIC IMA Tuesday November 15 (First written on 2005-09-02) Hondas Civic IMA Is The Most Viable Hybrid Family Car Weve Yet Seen. Jonathan Crouch Checks It OutPerhaps hybrid heaven starts here, with this car, Hondas Civic IMA. The petrol/electric motoring bandwagon certainly needs to gather some momentum given that so far, most customers havent even considered it.You cant blame them either. When the concept first reached the British market in 2000, there were only two hybrid models on offer, Hondas cramped and quirky Insight coupe and Toyotas frumpy and rather pricey Prius saloon. Today the Prius is frumpy no more and it has established itself as the best known Hybrid vehicle on the market. This isnt a hugely impressive feat, however, given that public recognition and sales of Hybrids remain small but Hondas Civic IMA has price on its side and isnt saving money what these vehicles are supposed to be all about? Perhaps it has the potential to thrust Hybrids into the mainstream spotlight. Build Comfort Depreciation Economy Equipment Handling Insurance Performance Styling Value Lets take the price: £15,300. Thats nearly £2,500 less than the Toyota and just £1,000 more than an regular Civic 1.6 Executive 5-door hatchback. Not that this is a hatchback. Unlike the Prius, its actually a small saloon, the only 4-door Civic you can buy here, this courtesy of the fact that the IMA is a model really developed for the US market where sedans are preferable to hatches. But why should you take the plunge and buy one? Just to be the greenest and most ecologically-friendly person in your street? Well maybe, but try these reasons as well. A combined fuel consumption figure of nearly 58mpg, 30% better than the kind of comparable petrol-powered 1.4-litre Family Hatch which will suffer from far inferior residual values. You might also want to consider the 100% discount from London congestion charge (a charging system soon to be installed in UK cities country-wide). And low 12% benefit in kind tax. Then theres the fact that just 6.3 hours maintenance is needed over the first 60,000 miles. And a huge 8-year/100,000 mile warranty."There are plenty of reasons to buy one even if youre not signed up to the Green party."Convinced yet? Well if not, maybe you need to be convinced over the whole subject of hybrid technology. For decades, the motor industry has struggled to bring us anything better than a choice between petrol and diesel power. Only electric cars have offered the prospect of something new but theyve usually been dismissed as sluggards that need their batteries charging every five minutes. Only with hybrid technology has battery power become a viable everyday option for ordinary buyers: the combination of petrol push when you need it, constantly charging the batteries so that theres electric frugality when you dont. Hondas approach to the whole hybrid issue is rather more sophisticated than Toyotas. Instead of separate petrol and electric motors as youd find in a Prius, this Civic combines the two into one unit that Honda calls an Integrated Motor Assist system, hence the IMA tag. Apart from three large electric cables attached above the clutch, it looks much like any conventional petrol engine and gearbox combination. The petrol section incorporates all sorts of things that Honda, renowned for superb engines, has developed over the years including variable valve timing, four valves per cylinder and lean-burn combustion. The engineers have even found a way of integrating the exhaust manifold into the cylinder head so that the catalyst (which neutralises noxious emissions in the exhaust) heats up more quickly and goes to work sooner. The little electric motor doubles as the starter and is neatly sandwiched between the petrol engine and gearbox. Unlike the Prius, whose petrol engine stops when the car is able to run solely on the battery-powered electric motor, this Civics engine runs all the time. When youre driving gently, the 1340cc petrol engine does all the work while the electric motor becomes a generator and charges the batteries in the boot. When you need faster acceleration, the electric motor uses the battery power to give the petrol engine a hand, boosting power and increasing torque (pulling power). Its a bit like two riders on a tandem bicycle. When its level, the one in front does all the pedaling while the one behind puts his feet up and recharges his batteries. When they reach a hill, the one behind gets on the pedals, too. As a result, Honda claims that the Civic IMA has the performance of a conventional 1.6-litre petrol car yet returns nearly 60 miles to the gallon. As with all Civic models, handling is quite fun, proving that environmental responsibility neednt always go hand in hand with a miserable experience behind the wheel. You could be forgiven for being a bit wary about all this high technology but theres actually no need to be. The special 8 year / 100,000 mile guarantee is a measure of how confident Honda feels about it, cover that includes the Panasonic nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery pack. Like most new Honda cars, the Civic IMA has 12 month / 12,500 mile service intervals and there are no special maintenance needs. Residuals values are likely to be another issue of concern for customers though not, it seems, for industry analysts. CAP Monitor expect the new technology to create a premium on the used car market of around 1.5% when it comes to used values. As far as overall cost per mile is concerned, independent data for Service Maintenance and Repair (SMR) costs indicate highly competitive figures equal to or less than other Focus or Astra Family Hatchback-sector models. As far as fuel consumption is concerned, the Civic IMA achieves an Urban return of 47. 1 mpg, an Extra Urban figure of 65.7 mpg and a combined figure of 57.6 mpg. Using the latter figure, a motorist travelling 20,000 miles per annum would save over 100 gallons a petrol each year, at a current price of around £400, using a Civic IMA instead of the ordinary 1. 4 litre petrol version. Of course, you could quite reasonably argue that you could also achieve fuel savings by opting for a diesel-powered model. The 1.7-litre Civic turbo diesel returns very similar consumption figures to the IMA variant. There are two problems with this argument. First, you have to have a diesel, with all the usual problems of noise and smell. Second, no diesel can get near a hybrid engines clean emissions level, which in this case is just 116g/km, qualifying buyers for the lowest Group B VED road tax bracket of just £70 per annum. In contrast, a Civic diesel manages 134g/km (group C), while a 1. 4-litre petrol Civic is 150g/km. Run a conventional petrol-powered Civic rather than the IMA version and youll pump out more than one tonne of extra CO2 into the atmosphere every year. The only drawback is when it comes to performance. The extra battery weight means that the IMA car is about a second slower to sixty (12. 5s) and about 9mph flat out (100mph) slower than its conventional 1.4-litre stablemate. Otherwise, the recipe is pretty much Civic standard. Only one plush trim level Executive is on offer for IMA customers and theres just that saloon bodystyle. If you can live with this and the slightly blunted performance, then the IMA has plenty in its favour, even if youre not signed up on a lifetime membership of the green party.FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Honda Civic IMA PRICE: £15,300 on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 8 CO2 EMISSIONS: 116g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.5s / Max Speed 105mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 47.1mpg / (extra urban) 65.7mpg / (combined) 57.6mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS Send by Messenger Email this article Print More news and reviews from Honda More motoring news Message Boards - Talk about it Latest Videos Latest Message Board Threads Got an opinion? Have your say! ADVERTISEMENT if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['Ic8OBNmSuyM-']='&U=13o7vk06f%2fN%3dIc8OBNmSuyM-%2fC%3d200129053.202047095.203314499.200493719%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d201144963%2fV%3d1'; Search new and used cars var kk_num_offers=3; RECENT OFFERS FROM YAHOO! 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First name Email £249 - Honda Civic 1.4 ES IMA Hybrid from GMC Car Leasing GMC Leasing now offer you the opportunity to contract hire lease a Honda�Civic 1.4 ES IMA Hybrid for as little as £249 + VAT per month based on a 3+35 leasing agreement. For more details please speak to the GMC Car Leasing Team on 0870 770 4944 or see the page within our website Honda was 2nd in the market to introduce its Hybrid Model and are now reporting sales increasing and catching the Prius.�The Civic Hybrid is�available as a four-door saloon, which is different to the�futuristic lines of the Prius. The Civic Hybrid has a 1.4-litre petrol engine linked to an electric motor/generator and a CVT automatic transmission. The electric motor is there chiefly to boost the petrol engine during brisk acceleration, although it can also run the car on its own during cruising or, briefly, low-speed manoeuvring. Together they make 113bhp and 166lb-ft of torque, which is about as much power as you'd expect from a conventional 1.6-litre petrol engine and rather more torque. The Honda Civic Hybrid�gets all its charge from the engine and from the improved regenerative braking system, which not only soaks up energy that would otherwise be wasted during deceleration but also aids the slowing-down process. It's a Honda, so it's built well and built to last. The oddest thing about the Civic Hybrid is just how normal it feels. Unlike the rival Toyota Prius's, the instruments don't display a fetishistic interest in where the power is coming from and going to at any given moment. This all makes perfect sense, in so far as the Civic's not meant to be a car for driving enthusiasts or techno buffs - it's transport for commuters, reps and families who want to get from A to B with minimal fuss and without causing undue harm to the environment. The IMA system also brings the electric motor to the fore during idling at a standstill, when the petrol engine cuts out. The engine uses Honda's i-DSI (Intelligent Dual and Sequential Ignition) system, with two spark plugs per cylinder. Their firing can be staggered to maximise the efficiency of the combustion process. The i-VTEC valve control system incorporates VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) which, during deceleration, ensures all four cylinders are sealed shut, so the pistons carry on moving but aren't wastefully pumping fuel or air. The suspension includes a multi-link double wishbone system at the rear, which is fancier than the Civic hatchback's, and gives a smooth, comfortable ride. However, there's a lot of slack in the steering, which has none of the hatchback's precision, and the brakes feel overwhelmed by the 1,297kg kerb weight. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control are fitted as standard, as are active front head restraints. The tyres are designed to save fuel by having a low rolling resistance, but that's not left them short of grip. To deter thieves, the Civic Hybrid comes with remote central locking, deadlocks and an immobiliser with a rolling code. Posted in Latest Leasing News Post a comment Name * Email address* (will never be published) Website URL (optional) Comments * GMC Blog | Terms & Conditions Home | Tax & Insurance | Tax Info For Leased Cars | GAP Insurance | Misfuelling Insurance | Smart Protect | Smart Protect Plus | Key Insurance | Insurance Bundle Packages | About Us | Contact Us | Car Leasing FAQs | Car Leasing Buying Guide | Car Leasing Funding Explained | Terms and conditions | Meet the GMC team | Learn about Audi Car Leasing | Learn about BMW Car Leasing | Learn about Mercedes-Benz Car Leasing | Insurance Form | GMC Leasing Blog | Latest Motoring News | Latest Leasing News | Blog Archive | Special Offers | Sitemap © GMC Leasing 2010 || Skip to content Skip to navigation Skip to search Homepage Accessibility help Access keys help Change Country United Kingdom Australia United States Top Gear Account Login Register Top Gear Site search Search topgear.com for Go Site Navigation Home News Car News First Drives Formula One Latest from the Top Gear TV Show Video: Porsche 911 GT2 RS on track Most powerful road-going Porsche ever built hits SilverstoneMore Cars Car Reviews Car Chooser Galleries Ford Mondeo Titanium X Sport driven Still one of the greatest cars in the (real) world and now cheaper to runMore The Show The Top Gear blog Series Guide Latest from Clarkson Latest from Hammond Latest from May Latest from The Stig Who is the Stig? 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Rubens rags the Liana Stig-beating F1 ace blitzes TG track in old Reasonably Priced CarMore Games Online Games Cool Wall A Reasonably Brilliant Driving Game How quickly can you get round the test track in the Kia cee’d?More Shop Top Gear Magazine Top Gear Live Top Gear on Amazon Tickets to Top Gear New look mag out now The Top Gear Awards 2010, plus free supercar calendar More Honda Civic Hybrid Breadcrumbs Home Cars Honda Civic Hybrid Road Test Car details navigation Home Our reviews Photos Specs Cars for sale Honda Civic Hybrid Hybrid 1.4 IMA ES £18,705 Driven May 2006 Additional Info Deep within London's C-charge zone, a bendy bus blocks the road, cab drivers gesticulate and despatch riders weave around like grubby Valentino Rossis. Welcome to the Honda Civic Hybrid's natural environment: urban traffic chaos. While it's true that, on the open road, a diesel can be just as efficient as - or even more so than - a hybrid, in town, there's no avoiding this car's fuel-sipping credentials. The new Civic Hybrid quaffs unleaded at the impressive rate of 54.3mpg - 7.2mpg better than the old Civic IMA. Even better, the all-new car now also looks the part. It's much more futuristic and Honda has added plenty of aerodynamic aids, such as the low-drag 15-inch alloys and a cover under the engine bay. You've still got to put up with the saloon shape, though, because most of these cars will be sold in America, and they hate hatches over there. Like the old IMA, the Hybrid has both an electric and a 1.4-litre petrol motor to share the propulsion work, but a fresh trick for the new car is that the petrol engine shuts down when you're coasting at about 20mph, meaning you can just run on electric. The standard CVT gearbox is useful here, because it's more efficient and constantly keeps the Civic in its powerband - good for providing instant torque, not so special when it comes to refinement, as you feel like you're revving the bolts off it. That's the thing with the Civic Hybrid - should you ever escape town and find somewhere where you can reach 70mph, it gets a bit wheezy and needs working hard. The other downside is that the Civic doesn't have some of the Prius's gizmos, such as the graph showing exactly what power is being sent where - you only get a read-out saying whether you're charging or using the batteries. And when it's running on electric only, you don't know it because the engine is still turning over, just without fuel. That's because the Civic doesn't shut off its engine - it merely closes the valves so a combination of the drive from the transmission and the compression in the engine keep it revving. Your rev counter still shows a few thousand rpm. Equally, you can't hit a button to force it to run solely on electric like in the Prius. As such, there's a risk you won't feel like you're being quite so environmentally conscious, and that's the rub. Honda wanted to build a no-compromise hybrid car, which they've largely done, but you don't feel like you're driving one. Where's that sense of smugness that tree-hugging Hollywood A-listers and Westminster politicians are currently queuing up to savour? Piers Ward Model: Honda Civic Hybrid 1.4 ES Leather Rating: 12 out of 20 We say: Saloon body isn't quite as practical as a Prius, but it is clever nonetheless. More for town work, though. Price: £17,100 On your drive for: £422pcm Performance: 0-62mph in 12.1secs, 115mph max speed, 61.4mpg Tech: 1339cc 4cyl, FWD, 113bhp, 166lb ft, 1297kg, 109g/km CO2 Now share it More Advertisement Find your next car now Over 200,000 used and new cars available Search Honda Civic Hybrid for sale I fancy something else Toyota Prius £17,732 - £23,380 Advertisement Cars for sale: Honda Civic Hybrid Powered by Auto Trader Used car New car You can also search for a new Honda Civic Hybrid. Postcode Pop your postcode in here (or leave it and search for cars near the Top Gear office. Errr?) Price Go Related stuff News What's this mystery BMW? A BMW wearing a 6-Series body has surfaced with the line ‘don’t blog about this'. Which we shall, obviously Honda CR-Z: hard ’charging Porsche 918 Spyder: thumbs up See more news Videos In-car exclusive: TG drive a 911 GT3 R Hybrid Join TopGear magazine’s Piers Ward as he samples Porsche’s game-changing hybrid on track in Germany. Power. Lots of it. 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