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In-depth Review

Toyota Prius vs. Honda Civic Hybrid Review

Are you trying to decide between the two highest MPG production cars sold in the USA? They are the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid. This Web page will hopefully help you decide. The reviewer has road-tested both cars. The best features or specs in each category are highlighted in green.

1. Fuel/MPG

The new 2008 EPA ratings for these cars are below. Actual mileage will differ due to many reasons, for example running of heaters or air conditioning. It is best to use an accepted standard to compare, such as the US Government EPA rating. They are below (green showing winner):

	City	Highway	Combined
Toyota Prius	48	45	46
Honda Civic	40	45	42

The bottom line is:

- The Prius is optimized for city driving

- The Civic is overall 10% less efficient for an average driver

- The Civic is about the same efficiency for a mostly-freeway driver

2. Price

The prices for both vehicles are very competitive. The comparison of base model MSRP is as follows:

	MSRP	Tax Credit	Net
Toyota Prius	$21,100	(expired)	$21,100
Honda Civic	$22,600	$1,050	$21,550

As typical with cars, added options, destination fees, and dealer markups can substantially increase the above prices.

3. Driving

There are many aspects of usability, having both pluses and minuses. The table below summarizes the opinion of this reviewer:

	Aspect	Plus	Minus
Toyota Prius	Ignition	Opt. Remote Engine Start, car can be opened without a key, and started via pushbutton	Drivers who have never driven a Prius may be confused on how to start it
Honda Civic		Car starts just like a non-hybrid, by inserting and then turning an ignition key (familiar to all drivers)	If engine is started and there is a delay before driving the car, gas is wasted
Toyota Prius	Visibility	Rear visibility is poor due to spoiler but partially compensated by opt. backup camera and opt. rear wiper	Front visibility is obscured by the oversize dashboard
Honda Civic		Both front and rear visibility are acceptable
Toyota Prius	Gauges	Shows instantaneous MPG, trip MPG, and regeneration (diagram)	Diagram can be distracting to the driver
Honda Civic		Shows instantaneous MPG, trip MPG, and regeneration level
Toyota Prius	Nav System	Opt. satellite nav system w/color touch-screen and speech recognition
Honda Civic		Opt. satellite nav system w/color touch-screen and speech recognition
Toyota Prius	Traction	Opt. Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
Honda Civic		---
Toyota Prius	Rear-View Mirror	Opt. dimming rear view mirror w/compass; opt. rear camera
Honda Civic		---
Toyota Prius	Cruise Control	Opt. cruise control
Honda Civic		Std. Cruise control
Toyota Prius	Anti-Theft	Opt. Anti-Theft system
Honda Civic		Included Anti-Theft system

4. Reliability

Regarding reliability of components, both Toyota and Honda have an excellent repair history. There are many new components involved in hybrids, and both of these models have not been out long enough to determine longevity of those components. Both use high quality NMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) drive batteries, along with charge controllers, which should make them last over 10 years. Here are the manufacturer warranties:

	Overall Warranty	Drivetrain Warranty	Hybrid Battery Warranty
Toyota Prius	3 yrs / 36,000 mi	5 yrs / 60,000 mi	10 yrs / 150,000 mi
Honda Civic	3 yrs / 36,000 mi	7 yrs / 60,000 mi	10 yrs / 150,000 mi

5. Engine

Acceleration is slightly better for the Prius (0-60 in 10.1 sec for Prius, 12.4 for Civic), but the difference is not very noticeable, and both models are unremarkable compared to fully-gas-engine-driven sports cars.

Both models drive very smoothly. The Civic has a tighter suspension, which provides a closer feeling of the road (good) but more vibration and noise (bad). Which is preferred will depend upon the driver.

Turning radius is almost identical (34.1 for Prius, 34.8 for Civic). Both transmissions are continuously variable, thus there are no 'clanks' from shifting. The Prius transmission has planetary gears, vs the Civic is belt-driven (which may not last as long).

6. Comfort

Both cars can seat 5 people. Comfort aspects are largely a matter of personal opinion; these are mine:

	Aspect	Plus	Minus
Toyota Prius	Seats	Seat is comfortable and adjusts forward/backward and tilt; opt. heated front seat or leather-trim	No lumbar or up/down adjustment
Honda Civic		Seat is comfortable and adjusts forward/backward, tilt, and up/down	no lumbar adjustment
Toyota Prius	Steering Wheel	Steering wheel is adjustable	Center console hits elbow for tall people
Honda Civic		Steering wheel is adjustable; adequate space in driver seat
Toyota Prius	Radio	Std. AM/FM/CD 6-spkr w/MP3 jack; Opt. JBL AM/FM 9-spkr 6-disc CD changer w/XM or Sirius satellite radio (w/subscrip), MP3 jack, Bluetooth	Dials for radio, but climate controls are all thru touch console
Honda Civic		Std. AM/FM/CD 6-spkr with 18 Preset Scan channels and MP3 jack, XM satellite radio (w/subscrip), Bluetooth

7. Style

Both the Toyota Prius and Civic Hybrid have a limited number of colors available, due to their limited production. Here they are:

Toyota Prius	Super White	Classic Silver Metallic	Magnetic Gray Metallic	Driftwood Pearl	Barcelona Red Metallic	Silver Pine Mica	Seaside Pearl	Black	Spectra Blue Mica
Honda Civic	Alabaster Silver Metallic	Galaxy Gray Metallic	Magnetic Pearl	Opal Silver Metallic	Taffeta White

Another determinant is body style. The Toyota has an unusual exterior style that does not resemble other cars on the road; the Honda has a more conventional appearance. The choice is up to individual taste.

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