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 When you are behind the wheel of an executive premium sedan on an expressway , what average speed would you maintain? Cut that down by half and imagine cruising at that for an hour. Two-wheelers flew past me , overloaded truckers grinned as they slowly lost me in their rear view mirrors and even the odd three-wheeler gave me a tough run to overtake it. But i was on a mission , to extract the maximum possible fuel economy from a special car I was driving , the Honda Civic Hybrid , on sale now in India.
At a time when fuel prices are hitting the roof and there is a dire need to protect our environment (ahem ahem) , alternative means of transport are few. Electric vehicles are slow and expensive with a limited range and solar powered automobiles are still decades away. I wouldn�t even include hydrogen powered cars here. The solution comes in the form of hybrid vehicles , which in layman terms , refers to an automobile that runs a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor.
Honda had showcased the hybrid at the Auto Expo earlier this year and strongly hinted about selling it commercially as well. So there I was , on the Superb six-lane Greater Noida expressway , trying to keep myself from dozing off as the digital speedometer  showed a lazy 40-45km/h. The latest generation Civic hybrid comes with what Honda has termed as IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) technology. The unit works in tandem with a 1.3-litre petrol engine to deliver the car�s impressive green statistics.
Turning on the ignition , you almost can�t make out when the 1.3-litre engine comes to life. Pulling off a standstill is impressive with the electric motor (it has a power and torque rating of 20PS and 103Nm) aiding the petrol mill during acceleration. This assist continues till the car reaches a low cruising speed (generally between 38-45km/h). Maintaining this speed will shut off the petrol mill with only the electric motor running the car. However , accelerate further and the petrol mill kicks in. While braking , re-generation of energy takes place and the battery gets charged , the indication for which can be seen on the console. Out on the highways , however , if you wish to keep higher speeds , then both the engine and motor work in tandem.
The assist and charge modes of the motor are displayed on the slightly modified speedometer console (see insight). It takes some time getting used to the motor assist , but a good driver can learn fast and utilize the assist to the max and save fuel. Another brilliant feature is the cutting off of the petrol engine when the brake pedal is depressed continuously while coming to standstill at a red light. Lifting off the brake pedal , kicks the petrol engine back to life and all this happens without any jerks thus cocooning the occupants from all the drama that goes on behind saving every single drop of fuel.
 On the drive , in Delhi�s evening rush hour traffic when average speeds dipped to 15-20km/h , the Civic , with the A/C on still showed a fuel economy of around 14kmpl. Simple mathematics proves that the hybrid version is 40% lighter on gas , while also being an eco-friendly vehicle.
Looks wise , there is not much of a difference. You will notice the aluminum alloy wheels , small boot spoiler , roof mounted antenna and of course the hybrid badges. On the inside too , you feel familiar in the same cream and black lavish treatment. The instrumentation console is a little different and there is switch below the driver air vents to switch between different information displays. Boot space too remains the same as the battery cells are located behind the rear seat. On the weight front , the car is heavier by just 30odd kilos.
Abroad , the difference in the cost of the regular and hybrid Civic isn�t much. But in India , given the fact that it is imported as a CBU , Honda has priced the hybrid version at almost double the price of the regular car. This makes it far from being affordable , though there will be significant fuel savings over a period of time. Plus , you will be doing your bit to preserve mother nature.
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At a time when fuel prices are hitting the roof and there is a dire need to protect our environment (ahem ahem) , alternative means of transport are few. Electric vehicles are slow and expensive with a limited range and solar powered automobiles are still decades away. I wouldn�t even include hydrogen powered cars here. The solution comes in the form of hybrid vehicles , which in layman terms , refers to an automobile that runs a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor.
Honda had showcased the hybrid at the Auto Expo earlier this year and strongly hinted about selling it commercially as well. So there I was , on the Superb six-lane Greater Noida expressway , trying to keep myself from dozing off as the digital speedometer
showed a lazy 40-45km/h. The latest generation Civic hybrid comes with what Honda has termed as IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) technology. The unit works in tandem with a 1.3-litre petrol engine to deliver the car�s impressive green statistics.
Turning on the ignition , you almost can�t make out when the 1.3-litre engine comes to life. Pulling off a standstill is impressive with the electric motor (it has a power and torque rating of 20PS and 103Nm) aiding the petrol mill during acceleration. This assist continues till the car reaches a low cruising speed (generally between 38-45km/h). Maintaining this speed will shut off the petrol mill with only the electric motor running the car. However , accelerate further and the petrol mill kicks in. While braking , re-generation of energy takes place and the battery gets charged , the indication for which can be seen on the console. Out on the highways , however , if you wish to keep higher speeds , then both the engine and motor work in tandem.
The assist and charge modes of the motor are displayed on the slightly modified speedometer console (see insight). It takes some time getting used to the motor assist , but a good driver can learn fast and utilize the assist to the max and save fuel. Another brilliant feature is the cutting off of the petrol engine when the brake pedal is depressed continuously while coming to standstill at a red light. Lifting off the brake pedal , kicks the petrol engine back to life and all this happens without any jerks thus cocooning the occupants from all the drama that goes on behind saving every single drop of fuel.
Looks wise , there is not much of a difference. You will notice the aluminum alloy wheels , small boot spoiler , roof mounted antenna and of course the hybrid badges. On the inside too , you feel familiar in the same cream and black lavish treatment. The instrumentation console is a little different and there is switch below the driver air vents to switch between different information displays. Boot space too remains the same as the battery cells are located behind the rear seat. On the weight front , the car is heavier by just 30odd kilos.
Abroad , the difference in the cost of the regular and hybrid Civic isn�t much. But in India , given the fact that it is imported as a CBU , Honda has priced the hybrid version at almost double the price of the regular car. This makes it far from being affordable , though there will be significant fuel savings over a period of time. Plus , you will be doing your bit to preserve mother nature.
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sir i want to know about the honda city car. in this car have a klich. i means honda is a automatic gear system it will take automatic gear according to speed. please give me infomation about honda city. please call me at my phone no-9887377032.