Prius vs. Civic: A hood-to-hood comparison of two hybrids
By William Dietrich
The plan was to swap my wife's aging Acura Integra for a Toyota Prius, which I'd take when I drive long-distance commutes.
Trouble was, a part-time university teaching job, coupled with work for The Seattle Times, meant I was hogging her new baby.
New solution: trade my beloved Mazda Tribute SUV for a Honda Civic Hybrid. I didn't want two identical cars, even though I'm a Prius fan, but I wanted a gas sipper. Result: two Consumer Reports favorites in our driveway.
Boy, do we feel green. The Prius gets twice the gas mileage of the 1998 Integra, and the Civic 2.5 times that of the Tribute.
According to EPA estimates, the Civic should reduce my greenhouse gas emissions by 8,000 pounds a year over the SUV, and it scores a sterling 9.5 (out of 10) on air-pollution emissions, compared with the four-wheel-drive's embarrassing 1. The Prius numbers are similar.
Combined, the two cars should save us more than $2,000 a year in gasoline. According to EPA estimates, our oil consumption (based on 15,000 miles per year per car) has dropped from 29.9 barrels a year to 13.1. Imagine the effect on world politics if everyone could do this.
But which of these two mileage champs, nearly identical in price, horsepower, size and weight, is better? Which is a tree hugger to choose?
You can't go wrong with either one. While a tight supply of hybrids and their popularity has allowed dealers to charge MSRP or above, the roughly $24,000 price tags (with destination charge) gets you two well-equipped, low-maintenance and safe cars from manufacturers who rank tops in reliability. We're expecting a tax credit from the government of $3,150 for the Prius and $2,100 for the Civic, to encourage hybrid technology. (The amount of credit is declining with time — on Oct. 1, the $3,150 Prius tax credit was cut in half — so research this before buying.)
The interaction between the gasoline and electric motors has been seamless, acceleration is adequate, and as a 6-footer I fit fine in either one.
The Prius comes with more option choices, while the Civic Hybrid has all the accessories of the high-end Civics, making addition of a navigation system and satellite radio the only option.
So how do they stack up hood-to-hood?
Mileage: Prius by a nose. You won't get EPA numbers for either car, but we're averaging high-40s for the Prius, in hilly terrain and city driving, and mid-40s for the Civic. It's fascinating to see how driving habits, hills, cold temperatures and rain can trim good mileage. Both averages should improve in summer.
Technology: One reason Prius gets better mileage is it can run at very low speeds on electric power alone. The Civic gas engine shuts down at lights, but comes on as soon as you lift your foot off the brake. So, edge to Toyota. The higher-end Prius models also have no need for a key. A pocket transmitter unlocks the doors automatically when you approach and then lets you start the car by pushing a button. Very cool. But the Civic's pollution control is slightly better, and it has a slick transmission.
Instruments: The Prius is different, which will charm some and put off others. I had a devil of a time figuring out how to put it into neutral at a carwash, but the novel controls become second nature after driving for a while. If you want normality, choose the Civic; if you're a revolutionary, go Prius.
Handling: The wheelbases are identical, but the Civic is 2 inches longer, an inch wider, an inch lower and 60 pounds lighter. Its steering is sportier and its braking is better. The Prius goes from 0 to 60 one second faster. Neither will excite James Bond, but hey, he would be saving the world.
Roominess and storage: The Prius looks smaller outside and feels bigger inside. Its hatchback and fold-down rear seats allow it to carry more than the Civic Hybrid, and it has more storage compartments and cup-holders than the Civic. The Prius batteries are below the rear floor while the Civic's are behind the rear seat, subtracting slightly from trunk space. For these reasons alone, I'd give Prius the edge as a family car.
Visibility: Higher-end Prius models have had to add a backup camera to aid visibility through its obscuring hatchback, and you can't turn off the annoying interior beeping when the car is in reverse. The Civic's conventional shape avoids this problem. Both have good forward visibility and effective wipers.
Range: The Prius gets a few miles more per gallon; the Civic has a slightly bigger fuel tank.
Safety: Both cars get high marks. The Civic ranks slightly better for front passengers, the Prius slightly better for rear.
Style: This is personal taste. The Civic is prettier, the Prius cuter. The Civic is understated, the Prius shouts "Green!" The Civic dash is classier, the Prius has the big, intriguing mileage screen. The Prius has brighter color choices. Honda doesn't offer its practical gray interior with its Hybrid. But the Toyota strikes some buyers as too odd.
Initial quality: Both cars came without problems.
Bottom line: Neither my wife nor I wants to swap vehicles. Both are predicted to be more reliable than costlier luxury cars. Both should earn back their price premium in gas savings and tax credits. Both should retain high resale value. And we both can drive to see "An Inconvenient Truth" without embarrassment.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
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