wow factor

In September I purchased a low kilometere Honda Civic Hybrid sedan.

The car was delivered with a fuel average of 5.9 L per 100KM.
After nearly 3 months I'm averaging 5.5 and doubt my patience to do much better considering 85% of my trips are short and city based.

Highway driving is where this car thrives. I set the cruise control to 110 KPH on the trip to Sydney and back and did little else other than avoid braking. The car held it's fuel economy over the whole 6 hours of the up hill and down dale trip. The battery assistance was far more noticable than it is around town.

The Good:
From the driver's seat, it's a comfortable car around town and on the long haul to Sydney.
It's no big break from driving a non Hybrid unless your a fuel efficiency freak.

I've grown accustomed to the whizzes and whirs of the electric motor and the complete silence when stopped at the lights.

My driving habits have changed though I refuse to dawdle in traffic flows and usually drive close to the speed limit. I'm a lot more aware of the status and sequence of traffic lights. While the engine shuts down at the lights, it's still a lot better to avoid stopping if you can. Acceleration is the fuel efficiency killer.

The Bad:
I can't believe Honda still provide rigid "poke a hole in your pocket" car keys. The 10 year old Audi at least had flip keys.

I shouldn't have to use a key in a key hole to open the boot after I've clicked the Unlock button.

Honda's windmill laden website declares a fuel efficiency rating of 4.8 Litres per 100KM but offers little else to assist drivers get anywhere near this. They should because those wind generators have nothing to do with it.

Conclusion:
It's early days, however the 10 year old manual Audi A3 was rated at 7.7 and I'm sure it was delivering mid to high 8's. The Honda is roomier, more comfortable, better appointed and, without becoming an anal retentive driver, delivers real time 5.5 L per 100KM.
How anyone achieves Honda's rated 4.8 is beyond me.

Today is car change day. The trusty 10 year old (75,000 klm) Audi A3 gets traded for a barely used 07/08 (10,000 klm) Honda Civic Hybrid.

I would keep the Audi, but the better half wont drive a car with more than two pedals and two gears.

We originally wanted a Toyota Prius, but the gold bracelet wearing smarmy Toyota Sales Manager said he wasn't interested in trading the Audi for an out of warranty, overpriced ($35,000+), 30,000+ klm Prius. The decision was made.