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Honda Civic hybrid

Honda Civic hybrid
Impressive CV – Did Lord Archer Write It?
Honda Civic hybrid
Honda Civic hybrid
Huge fuel economy claims not borne out on the road
Honda stands by its figures. Rating ** out of 5

I’ve been driving the future and it doesn’t work.

The Civic IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) hybrid is Honda’s high-tech flagship with a remit to lead the world towards high fuel economy and low emissions. Unfortunately, if my experience is anything to go by, the car doesn’t come even close to fulfilling its orders.

Honda claims close to 58 miles per gallon and emissions of 116 grammes per kilometre for this car, powered by a 1.3 litre petrol engine, and a lightweight electric motor. The Civic IMA fails to meet its economy claims by almost 30 per cent, according to my data.

If the proof of the pudding is in the eating, the Civic IMA is serving up gruel.

Manufacturers around the world are investing huge sums of money to improve the fuel economy of their cars to face down pressure from environmentalists and politicians.

European companies are mainly embracing diesel engines to wring the maximum amount of power from a gallon of fuel.

The Japanese are concentrating on so-called “hybrids” - which use two motors – a traditional internal combustion power plant combined with an electric motor.

Exaggerating Economy
Even though the companies are making big strides forward, they are being tempted into an annoying syndrome. They are exaggerating the economy of their cars, often by a quite scandalous amount.

I published a story just over a year ago that showed car manufacturers were ripping off customers by claiming fuel economy figures for their products which bore little relation to reality and which often exaggerated actual consumption by 25 per cent or more.

The most egregious offender was the Toyota Prius I, a leading-edge technology, petrol-electric hybrid, which only existed because of its supposed incredible economy. It failed to measure up to its claims of 57.6 miles to the gallon by a shocking 33.9 per cent. Toyota claims the new Prius II, about to be launched on the world’s markets, will get 65.7 miles per gallon.

Fast And Loose With The Truth
And it wasn’t just the hybrid faction being fast and loose with the facts. Both petrol and diesel powered cars were being economical with the truth, but not the fuel.

Cars which failed to live up to manufacturers claims by more than 20 per cent included the BMW 330D, Audi A2, Honda Jazz, Mercedes A class, and the Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX. Failures by more than 25 per cent included the Peugeot 307, Nissan Primera, and Honda Civic CTD. The Renault Clio 1.5dCi, and the Renault Espace 2.2 dsl failed by more than 30 per cent.

28.1 Per Cent Wrong, Or 16 Per Cent?
I’ve just been driving the latest high-tech, hybrid state-of-the -art Honda Civic IMA and the claims that it will achieve up to 58 miles per gallon were out by 28.1 per cent, according to my calculations. I managed an average of only 41.5 miles per gallon in the most favourable circumstances, most of which entailed trundling through the Sussex countryside doing about 50 miles per hour, admittedly with four people, in the rain.

In mitigation, I should add that the onboard computer in the Civic IMA was a little more trustworthy. It claimed that the consumption achieved by each tank of fuel in the car was an overall 49.4 miles per gallon, even though the actual figure was 41.5 mpg, an error of only about 16 per cent.

Honda says its economy figures are fine.
"Fuel consumption figures are achieved by Honda and other manufacturers adhering to a tried and tested formula to act as a guide for the consumer. We strive for accuracy though variences will occur due to different road conditions and driving styles. We believe for Civic IMA we have achieved an accurate assessment of the car's frugal capabilities and we feel confident that over a longer time period you would achieve figures considerably closer to our own," said Honda UK spokesman Paul Ormond.

Blame The European Union
The root of the problem lies in the fact that the companies test fuel consumption under rules covered by a European Union directive. Wouldn’t you know that if anything bad happens, the European Union would be at the bottom of it? The E.U. rates “official urban” and “extra urban” driving and an average “official combined” figure. The good news is that this method brings consistency across the board. The bad news: testing is conducted in laboratories, which have little relevance to the real world.

The “official combined” average number will be the figure which a buyer of a new car will focus on when filling up the car and calculating fuel economy. Almost everyone is going to be disappointed when they do their sums.

Delightful
At least the new Civic IMA is a delightful little car. The version I tested, the 4-door SE Executive had a stunning, leather interior. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, CD tuner, remote central locking, leather, and heated front seats.

The 5-speed gearbox was terrific. The handling was fine. Performance was nondescript, but impressive when you think it is only a 1.3 litre; the electric motor makes a real difference. The dashboard dials were attractive with the numbers in blue. One dial tells you when to change up for maximum economy. Another shows the performance of the power plants and the interaction between the petrol engine, electric motor, and battery.

Braking Charges The Battery
The battery is charging when the car is easing along or under braking, or giving power via the electric motor when accelerating or working uphill. The nickel-metal hydride battery is located behind the rear seats, but still leaves room for a decent sized boot. The electric motor sits between the engine and transmission. The IMA system is sealed and maintenance free. Servicing costs are the same as conventional Civics.

Honda and Toyota are the only current producers of hybrid cars. But that is all about to change. In 2004, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler will be introducing hybrid power plants in their Chevrolet and Dodge pickup trucks in the U.S.

Ford will offer the Escape, a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with a hybrid. Toyota, which has licensed its hybrid system to Ford and Nissan, will also sell its RX300 SUV with a hybrid in 2004.

I wonder if the economy claims will carry a health warning?

Honda Civic IMA SE Executive
Engine – 1.3 litre, 4-cylinder
Power – 90 bhp (including IMA)
Drive – front wheels
Acceleration – 0-62 12.8 seconds
Top speed – 110 mph
Fuel consumption – combined 57.7 mpg (claimed) or 4.1 litres per 100 km
CO2 – 116 g/km
Length – 4,440 mm
Width – 1,715
Height – 1,430
Suspension – front: MacPherson strut and anti-roll bar
Suspension – rear: double wishbone, anti-roll bar
Warranty – 3 years/90,000 miles
Price - £15,000, less £1,000 government subsidiary for clean technology, less exemption from London congestion charging
Competition – no direct competitor

Would I buy one? – No. I might if the economy claims added up.

Rating ** out of 5 – it just doesn’t deliver what’s claimed on the packet

Neil Winton, December 5, 2003