2006 Honda Civic Hybrid First Drive

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Introduction

Honda Civic Hybrid -- 2006 First Drive: It ain't easy being green. Just ask Kermit the Frog, the wise and personable Muppet who always got sucker punched by Grover on the children's television show "Sesame Street," and who later dated a self-absorbed pig in a series of forgettable movies.

Likewise, choosing a high-mileage Honda hybrid hasn't made it easy to be green. Compromises in terms of space, comfort, utility, and image were an integral part of the package. If you wanted everyone to know how much you cared about the environment, the sleek but strange Insight two-seater proclaimed your green leanings to the world, but lacked power and interior space. Then there was the Civic Hybrid, which looked pretty much like the standard Civic sedan, keeping the owner's activism a secret. But, the Civic's added room for passengers and cargo, along with enough power to cruise all the way to Vegas with the air conditioning blasting, was the trade-off for the Civic Hybrid's anonymity.

For 2006, Honda makes it easier being green. The Honda Civic Hybrid is completely redesigned with daring new styling, a more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrain, added interior space, and a bigger trunk. It still looks too much like a regular Civic sedan, and it doesn't feature the handy utility of the Toyota Prius's folding rear seats and hatchback configuration, but for about $21,500 and with real-world fuel economy in the high 40s, it might be worth getting out of line at the local Toyota dealer and checking out the latest high-mileage car from Honda.

Design

Initially, the 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid will get noticed if for no other reason that its shape is a dramatic departure from the staid three-box look of the current model. But once Honda sells its planned 160,000 DX, LX, and EX gas-engine sedans during the first year of production, the new Civic Hybrid will fade into the background. Differences between it and the "regular" sedans are limited to a subtle lip spoiler on the trunk, flat-faced alloy wheels that look like punctured pie tins, turn signals embedded in the sideview mirrors, clear front turn signal lenses, and a micro antenna affixed to the trailing edge of the roof. Oh, and it says "Hybrid" on the back.