2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

2008 was pretty good for the Honda Civic Hybrid. As the original Insight was but a distant memory and the Accord Hybrid faded into obscurity, the Civic was the lone hybrid in Honda's portfolio. The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid is the highest-mileage member of the Civic family. Its four-door body style delivers the same practicality as the basic Civic sedan, but delivers EPA fuel economy ratings of 40 mpg city, 45 mpg highway, and 42 mpg combined. As for a life-justifying reason to exist, being a mileage king isn't a bad start.

Another strong point is the Civic Hybrid's price. At only a $3100 premium over a similarly equipped Civic EX-L, one can imagine buyers making the step up to the Hybrid-L (at $24,850) to benefit from the significant mileage improvement over the non-hybrid's 26/34 mpg. (At $2/gallon, the fuel-savings payoff driving 15,000 miles per year is about 9 years; half that if the price of gas doubles.)

A third consideration is that while the 2010 Insight borrows nameplate awareness and brand equity from the first-generation Insight -- a car that has acquired cult-like status in some car circles -- the new Insight is slotted below the Civic in terms of price, starting at under $20,000. The least expensive Civic Hybrid starts at about $23,650, but is considered a more "premium" small car offering many more features including four-wheel disc brakes (the Insight's rear brakes are cost-efficient drums) and the availability of a leather interior.

Additionally, the Insight is about five inches shorter, two inches narrower and has a six-inch shorter wheelbase compared to Honda Civic Hybrid, so the Insight offers less passenger room.

The 2009 Civic Hybrid receives a few tweaks underhood as well. The 1.3-liter I-4 carries over for 2009, but it's rated at 110 hp, 17 more than in 2008. Through Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system, it's aided by a 20-hp electric motor, which works in one of five different ways (one method allows the Civic Hybrid to run on electric power alone, but not from a standing start. The extra horsepower, larger motor, and aerodynamic snout help earn the Civic Hybrid an advantage on the highway - it's rated at 45 mpg, while the Insight is certified at 42 mpg.

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Honda Civic Type R Championship White

For enthusiastic drivers, the Honda Civic Type R never fails to delight and testing the Championship White version was merely an excuse to do it all again. It is also another opportunity to tell anyone who will listen, just what they are missing.

The Championship White paintwork is simply icing on the cake and seeing it in the car park, it does indeed look like some sort of confection. As the name suggests, the emphasis is on white, including the 18-inch Championship White alloys, through which can be seen the Type R brake callipers and come complete with a red Honda logo on the hubs.

Apart from that, the Honda Civic Type R Championship White is distinguishable by body-coloured bumpers, door mirrors, rear spoiler and what is described as lower side, sill garnish. The rear skirt incorporates the two triangular tailpipes and the low, front skirt somehow manages to miss scraping speed bumps. Contrasting smoked chrome finish can be seen on the door handles, fuel cap, badges and an exclusive Type R plaque.

But what does the Championship White represent? Way back in 1992 a certain Ayrton Senna had a hand in developing a race performance version of the NSX, Honda's answer to the Ferrari. The result was the Honda NSX-R and the first Type R was born. It was finished in Championship White paint and the Red 'H' emblem in honour of the first Honda F1 car to win a Grand Prix in 1963, the RA272.

Although the newest version of the Honda Civic Type R, or CTR as it is known in certain circles, went on sale in 2007, the Championship White GT has only just been made available to order (January 2009) and is priced at £20,140 OTR or £21,540 with satellite navigation.

The 'normal' Honda Civic Type R, if you can call it that, is well specified with switchable, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), powered and heated door mirrors, drilled aluminium sports pedals and foot rest, an alloy gear-knob that is very cold to the touch, rake and reach adjustable steering column and driver's seat height adjustment. The GT version adds cruise control, folding mirrors, automatic headlights and wipers, front fogs and dual curtain airbags front and rear, to go with the front and side airbags.

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2009 Honda Civic

Back in the mid-1970s, fuel prices jumped during the first gas crisis of that decade. Honda was there with a neat solution: the Civic, which it had introduced to Americans just a couple years earlier. With its petite yet space-efficient dimensions, 40 mpg fuel economy and reliable nature, the Civic was a big hit for Honda. Compared to the heavy, sluggish American small cars of the time -- automotive luminaries such as the Vega, Pinto and Gremlin -- the much smaller Civic had a light, sporty feel, a lot more room for passengers and fuel economy ratings about 50 percent higher.

More than three decades later, fuel prices have increased again and savvy consumers are again flocking to Honda dealers in search of Civics. But the 2009 Honda Civic is a far cry from that vehicular roller skate of the disco era. The latest Civic is larger and much more luxurious than its puny ancestor. In fact, it's no longer Honda's smallest car; that would be the Fit. And there are now a wide range of Civics, from the give-sports-cars-the-bird-on-a-twisty-road Civic Si to the give-oil-companies-the-bird Civic Hybrid and natural-gas-powered Civic GX.

The current Civic generation bowed for 2006, and we're quite fond of it. Some styling elements are rather odd, such as the minivan-like windshield, snub nose and the dual-tiered instrument panel that combines digital and analog gauges. But the high build quality, sporty driving dynamics, rock-solid reputation for reliability and impressive fuel efficiency more than make up for a few aesthetic quirks. Some may even think of such quirkiness as a plus.

The 2009 Honda Civic is a small car available as a sedan or coupe. For both, there are five main trim levels: DX, LX, EX, EX-L and Si. On the Civic sedan, Honda also offers the DX Value Package, the LX-S, the Hybrid and the GX.

The DX is meant for those on a very tight budget and offers little more than 15-inch steel wheels, power windows, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and a height-adjustable driver seat. At least with this year's new DX Value Package, you get air-conditioning and a four-speaker CD/MP3 audio system with an auxiliary audio jack. The popular midgrade LX has the above features plus 16-inch wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, a folding rear seat and cruise control. The LX-S adds alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust outlet, a rear spoiler and front sport seats.

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Honda Civic 5D Mugen

The Honda Civic 5D Mugen concept car has been premiered at this year's Moscow Motor Show. No technical details on the Honda Civic 5D Mugen have been released yet. This is the second Mugen model released on the Russian market, the first one being the Accord Mugen.

As seen from the photos, the Honda Civic 5D Mugen underwent a number of aerodynamic modifications, including new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, hood and a new rear wing. The Honda Civic 5D Mugen also features a new round dual exhaust system and black alloy wheels.

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2009 Honda Civic

Honda introduced its new Civic for 2006 . With a broad lineup, which includes coupes and sedans ranging from the ultrafrugal Honda Civic Hybrid to the sport-themed Civic Si, the Civic is one of the best-selling cars in America, and the recent spike in gas prices has helped the Civic challenge the Accord as Honda's most-popular model. But recently the automaker's Japanese rivals have been fighting back, with an all-new Corolla in showrooms now and a replacement Mazda3 due next year. So to keep the Civic going strong, the 2009 version is getting a mid-cycle update with a host of small improvements featuring revised styling, an improved interior, new technology, additional safety features, as well as two new sedan variants -- the DX-VP and LX-S -- that offer customers additional choice when shopping for the range's low- and mid-priced models.

When the latest-generation Civic first hit the market, many were surprised by its unusual styling, but the Civic's looks have proven a hit with buyers and for 2009 Honda decided not to mess with success. Changes are minor, including a new bumper that now incorporates three air intakes, a slightly restyled grille, and a new headlight color combination. Together these give the Civic's front end a slightly bolder look, while revised taillights now feature clear turn indicators and amber bulbs. All 2009 sedans also receive a new chrome trim piece above the rear license-plate holder, while the Si gets standard foglights. In addition, the upscale Civic EX, EX-L, and Si each sport a new set of alloy wheels.

Honda did a little more work on the Civic's interior, when compared with its minimal sheetmetal changes, notably in the form of more upscale trim options and additional tech goodies. While the automaker is sticking with its controversial two-tier dashboard introduced three years ago, all Civic sedans now feature a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, improved cloth seating surfaces and patterns, and matching trim on the door linings and armrests.

For eco-warriors who prefer a little luxury, the Civic Hybrid can now be had with leather and heated seats, along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated side mirrors. Nav-equipped cars feature a Bluetooth HandsFreeLink mobile phone interface, which can be controlled via buttons on the steering wheel, while the EX, EX-L, and Si gain a USB audio interface for an MP3 player. Adding to the Civic's already impressive set of safety features, VSA stability control also is now standard on all EX-L, Hybrid, and Si models.

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2008 Honda Civic Hybrid

The 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid shares much of its body design with conventional Honda Civics, the current Civic sedan looks futuristic compared to its predecessor, and the hybrid takes the look even further, with disc-like 15-inch alloy wheels fitted with low-rolling-resistance tires. Kelley Blue Book notes that other visual distinctions between conventional Honda Civics and the Civic Hybrid are "side mirrors with integrated turn indicators" along with "clear front turn signal lenses, mild trunk spoiler, small roof-mounted antenna and hybrid badging." Overall, reviewers tend to side with Edmunds, whose testers are "quite fond of the current-generation Civic" and its futuristic styling.

The exterior of this hybrid-powered 2008 Honda can be described as mildly controversial, and the interior follows suit, at least in terms of the dashboard. Edmunds writes that the "digital speedometer and gas gauge are at the base of the windshield," and "some drivers find the two-tier display distracting," though "others say it makes quick visual checks of speed easier." ConsumerGuide also sings the virtues of the "two-tier instrument panel" where the "speedometer's digits are in driver's line of sight for viewing without taking focus off the road."

However, Car and Driver testers feel that the dashboard is "odd" and gives "the impression that a designer is trying a bit too hard to make the civilian Civic into a Formula 1 racer." Aside from the dashboard styling, Kelley Blue Book writes that, for 2008, Honda offers "a two-tone blue cloth interior" as standard, and Edmunds praises the "easy to operate" controls. One knock on the Honda Civic Hybrid's control design comes from ConsumerGuide, where reviewers find that "the navigation system takes time to master, has undersized buttons, and absorbs too many audio functions"; they also complain that "its screen is difficult to read in changing light conditions."

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Honda Civic rally crash 2008

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