What is the better hybrid car? Prius or Civic Hybrid?

Question

What is the better hybrid car? Prius or Civic Hybrid?

Answer 1

Both are excellent and equally relaible.

The Prius will get you a little better mileage in the city, (48/45 vs 40/45) but other than that they are pretty comparable.

You can get a $525 tax credit on the Civic Hybrid if you buy one before 12/31/08, but they are a little more expensive than the base Prius.

Answer 2

I don't know much about the prius but the civic hybrid is quite wonderful. my sister-in-law has one. we borrowed it to go on a trip to washington and it was amazing on gas.

Answer 3

Prius

Answer 4

i just rented a prius it is excellent! get one trust me!

Answer 5

Both hybrids are great cars. Nothing wrong with either choice. Take both for a test drive, and see which one fits you better.

Other than size (Civic is a compact, 2004-current Prius is a larger midsize) and styling, be aware that both hybrid choices are different. Honda's IMA is primarily a gasoline engine with electric assist (the newer HCH II has little electric-only propulsion), while Toyota's HSD is a full hybrid design that can be gasoline, electric, or a combination of the two. Some people like the simplicity of one hybrid design over another, but that's a personal choice. Same goes for the instrumentation gages in the HCH vs. the touchscreen in the Prius.

Pricing wise, I'd say go with the Prius.

Toyota Prius, starting at $21,100: http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/

Honda Civic Hybrid, starting at $22,600: http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-hybri...

even the US federal income tax credit for this Honda (new purchases only) doesn't make up the initial price difference...)

Hybrids do cost less in the long term than their conventional counterparts. (Intellichoice used a 5 year ownership comparison in 2006) See http://www.intellichoice.com/press/Hybri... and http://www.intellichoice.com/carBuying10...

While Consumer Reports in 2006 only found the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid would pay off within the same 5 year frame. The Honda Accord Hybrid, the Ford Escape Hybrid, the Lexus RX400h, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid were also studied. (I'll note that there was a mathematical error in the initial publication of Consumer Reports' hybrid vehicle cost analysis, which a retraction was published later... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11637968/ ) Since this publication, many more hybrid models have become available, so I can't use this to say about hybrids "in general." However, in the US, the Toyota hybrids have sold so many that they no longer qualify for the US Federal hybrid vehicle income tax credit, but Honda and others still have theirs.

Check out the April issue of Consumer Reports if you want reliability information. Both the Honda Civic and Toyota Prius make their best bets for new cars and for used cars.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/...

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/...

In the US, hybrid models (like the Prius and HCH II) tend to be the best in fuel economy in their respective classes, using the same testing procedure to compare all cars (hybrid/gasoline/diesel/flex-fuel/etc.), and that is for BOTH highway and city driving:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/f*g/best/best...

2008 Toyota Prius: 48 mpg city/45mpg highway/46mpg combined, http://www.fueleconomy.gov/f*g/noframes/...

Owners report average mpg in the mid-high 40s:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?ac... (remember that the 2004-current Prius are the same)

http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/milea...

2008 Honda Civic Hybrid: 40mpg city/45mpg highway/42mpg combined

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/f*g/noframes/...

Owners report average mpg in the 40s:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?ac... (remember that the 2006-current model year are the same)

http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/milea...

Both are rated an AT-PZEV in CA emission states, so they have Super Ultra Low Emissions, zero evaporative emissions, plus a long warranty (10 years/150,000 miles) on the hybrid battery in CA emission states. (outside of CA, it's 8 years or 80,000 miles (Honda)/100,000 miles (Toyota).) (The gasoline-only Civics are only ULEV in comparison.)

The Prius and Honda Civic are also in Kelley Blue Book's 2007 Best Resale Value Awards: http://www.kbb.com/kbb/ReviewsAndRatings... (Though the Prius was dropped in the 2008 list...)

The Prius is also in edmunds' used cars best bets list as well, and their lowest true cost to own list (2007 and 2008).

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/bestbet/a...

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/tco/2007/...

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/tco/2008/...

Both the Prius and HCH are great cars. But, only you can decide which will work out best for you. Take both for a test drive, and see which one you like better, which you like the seating better, and/or like the available options better... Do you prefer a sedan (Honda Civic Hybrid or 2001-2003 Toyota Prius), or do you like a hatchback (2004-current Toyota Prius)? Is a compact OK with you (Honda Civic Hybrid or 2001-2003 Toyota Prius), or would you prefer a larger midsized vehicle (2004-current Toyota Prius)? If you want a manual transmission, then you'll have to look for a used HCH. Do you want to show off that you have a hybrid or not? The Prius is only available as a hybrid and its distinctive aerodynamic design gives it away, while the HCH blends in and looks like most every other Civic on the road...

It's not that difficult to find a comparison site, such as:

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/nvc/edmunds/...

Answer 6

both r good but i do have a good experience with civic

Answer 7

I think the main downside to the Prius is that you'll probably pay more than you would buying a Civic Hybrid, especially considering the tax credit phase out, but the Prius, because it was designed as a hybrid from the ground up will offer you:

Better Mileage

More Cargo Room (Hatchback)

Better Resale Value

More High-Tech Interior (Smart Key System, Backup Camera, etc.)