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2007 Honda Civic Hybrid vs. 2007 Honda Civic EX w/ Auto. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/articles/t-2007-hch-ii-vs-civic-ex-w-auto-cost-and-features-analysis-5961.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Honda_Civic.jpgBob Winger - CleanMPG.com (www.CleanMPG.com) - August 14, 2007

The 8th generation Civic represents an extreme transformation of design and dynamics. Multiple powertrains include a 140-horsepower EX and a 50 mpg gas-sipping hybrid representing one of the most diverse vehicle lineups in the industry. An expressive and futuristic design with exciting performance and a dedication to providing advanced safety technology set the Civic apart from the competition.

Advanced safety systems include Honda-exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) Body Structure for vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility and collision energy management, and a long list of standard safety equipment including side curtain airbags, driver's and front passenger's side airbags, and anti-lock braking are standard on both the Civic Hybrid and EX.

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid|2007 Honda Civic EX w/ Auto

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_HCH-II.jpg|http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/506/2006_Honda_Civic_Sedan_Left_Front.jpg

|Civic Hybrid|Civic EX
||
07 EPA FE Ratings (City/Highway mpg)|49/51|30/40
|
Mechanical|1.3L ICE w/ 158V Ni-MH pack and CVT based hybrid drivetrain|1.8L ICE w/ Atkinsonized intake and Automatic transmission
|Rear drum brakes|Rear disc brakes
|13.2 gallon tank|13.2 gallon tank
||
Interior|A/C - Dual-zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control|Std. A/C
||
Warranty|Basic 3/36 and 5/60 Power train plus 8-year/100,000-mile Hybrid and/or 10-year/150,000-mile Hybrid Battery Limited Warranty in California, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and Vermont.|Basic 3/36 and 5/60 Power train.
||
Pricing|MSRP/Invoice incl. dest. of $595: $23,195/$21,384|MSRP/Invoice incl. dest. of $595: $20,105/$18,550

|Federal Tax Credit of $2,150 available until 60,000 HCH-II’s are sold|Not Available

Size and Performance: In terms of size, the HCH-II loses 1.6 Cu. Ft. of cargo volume behind the second row seats but gains 2.3 Cu. Ft. of passenger volume and an extra 1.3” of headroom due to the lack of a sun-roof vs. the Civic EX. Considering performance, the HCH-II is ~ 2 seconds slower to 60 then the non-hybrid Civic. The HCH-II has the far superior FE of 50 combined per the 07 EPA specs vs. 35 for the EX. The HCH-II’s PZEV emissions are far lower then that of the EX’s ULEV-2.

Pricing and 5 Year Cost of Ownership: The current 2007 HCH-II costs $3,090 more then a comparably equipped non-Hybrid Civic EX w/ Auto. The price delta between the Hybrid and EX falls to just $940 when the current Federal tax credit of $2,150 is applied. See your tax advisor as AMT can remove some or all of this Tax Credit depending on your financial status. Purchasing a 07 HCH-II for near invoice is not as easy as it was 9 months ago but it would not be unheard of to find a $500 over invoice HCH-II ready to be delivered to your home.

5 year cost of ownership from IntelliChoice:

|HCH-II|Civic EX
Value Rating|Excellent|Excellent
Depreciation|$8,251|$8,345
Financing|$3,518|$2,982
Insurance|$7,915|$7,494
State Fees|$340|$318
Fuel|$3,886|$5,525
Maintenance|$1,552|$1,566
Repairs|$503|$444
Total 5-Yr. Ownership Cost:|$23,867|$26,677

A few odds and ends: As shown, the HCH-II and EX w/ Auto match up nicely. Besides the HCH-II’s superior warranty, its feature additions over and above the EX include the cleaner and more fuel efficient CVT based Hybrid drivetrain attached to the 1.3L ICE and lowered emissions (SMOG and GHG based). The HCH-II lacks a fold down rear seat and power sun roof however.

Conclusion: With the HCH-II’s included luxury amenities not available on the EX and higher FE in both the real world and per the EPA, the HCH-II is a bargain as long as the Federal Tax credit can be fully applied. With present pricing and Federal Tax credit, you can spend $950 more to buy the vehicle today. Over a 5 year period, you will save $2,810 over and above the Civic EX. Either decision will result in a “wealth transfer” from the US economy to the Japanese economy but the HCH-II will result in a significantly less “wealth transfer” to increasingly nationalized oil producing nations overseas – a lot of whom are not our friends.

Counterpoint: The lack of Discs all-around, fold down rear seat and sun-roof may be troubling to some on the HCH-II. If you do not qualify for a large percentage of the Federal Tax credit, the $3,090 price differential can be a very tough sell.

Bob

Bob, this is perhaps the most detailed CoO comparison between the two Civic trim levels I have seen to date. Awesome work.
You know what? This is a pretty handy report and I bet this same thread is going to be a valuable reference from here on. Watch out for the read hits ;)

On the counterpoint:
The lack of rear disks may be troublesome for some (sorry Psy), but the HCH-II still has a measurably shorter stopping distance than most other Civics (including the EX and excluding perhaps the Si coupe? please, someone correct me if I am wrong).
So in terms of safety (and that is what brakes are for), for many of us the lack of rear disks is really not a loss at all.

Cheers;

MSantos

Bob, this is perhaps the most detailed CoO comparison between the two Civic trim levels I have seen to date. Awesome work.
You know what? This is a pretty handy report and I bet this same thread is going to be a valuable reference from here on. Watch out for the read hits ;)


I agree--great reference article. Thanks Bob!

This is a great writeup and will be extremely useful as a reference.

One thing to add is that some states and locales offer additional rebates/breaks. For example, here in CT the 6% state sales tax is waived on hybrids rated >40mpg. So you save an additional $1200+. Assuming you get all of the Federal tax credit as well, this would make it several hundred $$ cheaper out the door than the EX with auto.

"One thing to add is that some states and locales offer additional rebates/breaks. For example, here in CT the 6% state sales tax is waived on hybrids rated >40mpg. So you save an additional $1200+. Assuming you get all of the Federal tax credit as well, this would make it several hundred $$ cheaper out the door than the EX with auto."

Thanks lightfoot. You bring up a very good point. Wouldn't it be nice if all states had the same incentives?

Thanks,

Bob

Who ever posts the EPA Fuel Economy figures is incorrect the EPA has new ratings and they have been out for awhile now. The HCH 2007 is 40/45MPG and I think the regular civic is 21/31 but not 100%. Which means all of the EPA quotes on peoples profiles are incorrect and need to be updated!

Don't belive me see for yourself. www.fueleconomy.gov

Good Luck

Scott

I got my ex coupe for 19K out the door. So if you can get a good deal on it (Buy in 1st quarter when sales are down), the difference between the hybrid and the EX is pretty close. The Hybrid will always have a premium, but then again federal discounts might off set that.

Hi Scott:

___Your post was a bit OT but we know what the EPA numbers are on all cars prior to 2008 as well as those after. The pre-08 EPA estimates of the 08 Test cycles are estimates as to what that car "may" have received on the 5-test cycle, it was not actually tested on the 08's 5-test cycle. Because the EPA ratings for pre-08 vehicles are simply estimates vs. the actuals from the 2-test cycle with offsets incorporated, we are currently using only the actual Manufacturer supplied EPA test data of the particular years vehicle for all pre-08 vehicles.

___I hope that help clear up the confusion for you.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

hi Lightfoot...sure wish I had this info...counterpart in Niantic, before purchasing 2007 civic 4dr, auto.....

How long does the battery of the Hybrid last?

Is it covered by warranty? If not, how much does it cost to replace?

It is covered by warranty -- I believe up to 80K. There are plenty of vehicles out here with more miles than that on their original packs so don't consider that a replacement interval (mine is at 82K in the Insight now).

I'm not sure about pricing. The last I heard it was in the $4-5K range?

Hi Flatty:

___Sean nailed it. For the CARB clean states, 15-year/150,000 miles. For the rest of us, 8-year/80,000 miles. The Honda pack protection schemes are not as robust and longevity will be less than Toyota’s is about the best answer I can give you.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

We have 108,000 miles on our battery pack and still going good! kevin

If I was in the market for a sedan, my pick would most likely be a Civic Hybrid- given the costs.

However, for 8-9K $$ less money, I'd probably opt for a 2009 Fit (given the '09 new car model year).
My local Honda dealer, near a university- they are hard nose sticklers for getting top dollar $$ not just out of new Hondas, but even used ones. There is a certain aurra about Honda dealers I've noticed (not to compare them against another make of car). Honda makes a good car/generator/motorcycle no doubt , but I guess its about the service you recieve + value + how much $$ you have to kick out to get what you want (in comparison to what ever else is out there- the competition).

That cross country trip those three took in that Civic Hybrid, and got 68.5 mpg average is most impressive, plus less costly then a Prius. Rock on :woot: