Fast and Frugal

The new Honda Civic Hybrid may have innovations that further scrimp on petrol but it is the element of sportiness that makes it so much more desirable than the old car. The words 'hybrid' and 'sporty' haven't been used in the same sentence since Japanese car makers Toyota and Honda rolled out production versions of fuel-frugal automobiles in the late 1990s. Now, however, Honda has managed to dial in some driving pleasure.

In a drive this month at Honda's R&D facility in Tochigi - about three hours by car from Tokyo - the new Civic Hybrid was surprisingly responsive. It has 20 per cent more output than the previous model and therefore doesn't have the usually anaemic nature of a hybrid car. Step hard on the accelerator and there is an almost aggressive growl as the Hybrid surges forward like a conventional car. Despite this enhanced performance, the 1.4-litre petrol engine with its new IMA, or integrated motor assist, has been tweaked to deliver a 5 per cent improvement in fuel economy for a car that's bigger and heavier.

There is no doubt that the fun factor has been injected into the new Civic Hybrid. And although its pricing has not been finalised, it should remain relatively affordable when it arrives in March. The previous Civic Hybrid cost about $90,000 with COE when stocks ran out in the middle of this year. The new Hybrid is likely to cost less than this, partly because of lower COE premiums and partly because of green rebates.

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