Changes You'd Like To See in the Honda Civic Hybrid
Put on your thinking cap, break out your wish list, and let us know what you would do to improve upon the Civic Hybrid!
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If they can make the front (nose) appear a little more nicer, it would be great.
2. folding rear seats
3. smart key
4. Blooth option
You do realize that the car would slow down further and further if you limit the engine?
A 1.3 liter Atkinson cycle engine? As soon as the battery depleted, you would be at 1/2 of the original speed (depending on hill steepness).
In Summary wider, more comfortable seats.
The handling I've had with the Civic is great. The smaller thicker rally like steering wheel is very tight feeling. Less body roll around the corners than the Prius.
1. Heads-up tach; fast acceleration is killer for MPG, but really hard to gage RPM when watching road; I used to get 50+MPG (when I was really careful), now only 41.
2. Total control over air flow, A/C and Econ setting. Right now, if I want air on the windshield (even for light fogging), the A/C comes on and the econ goes off (on my 2003). When I turn defrost off, the A/C stays on! I want to direct outside air to the windshield without turning on A/C and turning off Econ.
3. Factory window tint. It's hot in Arizona!
4. Smoother transition into cruise. I find I get the best mileage when cruise is on, but cruise doesn't work below 25MPH, so I'd like for the cruise computer to be smarter about resuming cruise after stop.
5. Electric only, for short trips; overnight plugin. I can dream, right?
6. Absolute (digital) cruise speed setting.
7. More storage in console. I like the hand brake, but it could move elsewhere.
I'm not a big fan of the Prius, so I'd pick the Civic Hybrid, but there are just a few things about the Civic that drive me crazy. For the 2009 MMC, I would love to see some exterior revisions - new bumpers, grille, and revised rear. It sounds like we will be getting those changes and I hope they are for the better. I'm not a huge fan of the Hybrid's flying saucer rims - I know they have a function, but I wish they were a little nicer. New exterior colors are a must! Alabaster Silver is nice but there are just too many of them on the road. I really like the exclusive Hybrid colors, Magnetic and Opal Blue. But they need to ditch the hideous Galaxy Gray and get something nicer. And a few more color options on the Hybrid would be nice, too. I don't understand why they limit the choices.
As for the interior of the Civic/Hybrid... umm... can we have a do-over? The space-age dash, two-tiered instrument panel, gear shift... rip it all out and start over. And would it be so hard to put doors/covers on the cubby holes and storage areas? And for the love of God, offer gray or charcoal fabric instead of blue!
Charcoal grey interior.
Sunroof.
Bluetooth and USB interfaces.
Plug-in battery charging.
Standard engine block heating. Warm up is a mileage killer!
More exterior color choices. Black and red for sure.
More durable front floor mats!
:shades:
Standard Rear Cupholders
Dual Glove Box Compartment
Projector Headlights
A moonroof would be nice (and I don't see why they won't add that as an option..) but third parties can do that for you without voiding the warranty.
"2. Total control over air flow, A/C and Econ setting. Right now, if I want air on the windshield (even for light fogging), the A/C comes on and the econ goes off (on my 2003). When I turn defrost off, the A/C stays on! I want to direct outside air to the windshield without turning on A/C and turning off Econ."
Especially now that the AC condenser bearing on mine has failed and I have to replace it in order to drive, because I can't keep the dumb thing from turning on.
(What brilliant engineer came up with a design that requires the air conditioner to be functional for the car to run?) :confuse:
The fasteners that keep the undercarriage cover on are a real pain to remove, and are very brittle, I thing Honda should do away with them and use bolts and lock washers
Changing the oil is a drag because of them, specially if you don't have a lift.
I buy new fasteners every other oil change, the Honda ones are expensive and still won't last, the after-market a little cheaper but just as brittle. Gravel and sand just destroys them.
Also, a solar panel on the roof that actually recharges the batteries, not just one that turns on the cabin fan on hot days, since nobody else can figure that one out.
Maybe a battery sensor that actually tracks voltage at ALL times, even when the car is off, so that we don't get anymore of those stupid 'recals'
That was until the latest "update". We received a recall-like notification for an update that was to be made. Received two...one for mine and one for her's. I made an appointment for mine, as it needed an oil change anyway. The car has been nearly undriveable since. It performs so poorly is verges on dangerous. No acceration. Little assist now. Battery charging all the time. Rarely charges above 50%. Terrible hesitation from stop. Gas mileage down significantly. It is obvious Honda had a battery issue and are covering it up with "work-arounds" (adjusting the car to charge the batteries less, use them less and rely on the engine only way more), rather than address/fix the issue (REPLACE THE FREAKIN' DEFECTIVE BATTERY PACK). The service manager at the dealership is TRYING to get Honda to address my issues, but he is having no luck and is avoiding my calls at this point.
I REFUSE TO TAKE MY WIFE'S CAR IN FOR THIS LATEST UPDATE. I'll not take her car to the dealership for even an oil change as I fear they will do the update. I will not take the chance.
This situation is B.S. And owning two of these pieces of crap is a terrible situation to be in. I've noted values of our used hybrids dropping as word of Honda's issues with the Civic Hybrid spreads via internet forums. Our nearly $46,000 total investment in our hybrids is evaporating. Honda should be [non-permissible content removed]-slapped,sued to the max and criminally punished for perputrating this scam on us.
We have purchased nothing buy Hondas since 1978! After the two we own are gone there will NEVER be another Honda seeing the inside of MY garage. Even if Honda did the right thing and fix our cars, I'd never buy another Honda.
So you folks can dream of better worthless junk on future Honda Hybrids, more power to you. But Honda missed the mark under-engineering this hybrid and it will be nothing but a piece of crap until the IMA system, including the battery pack, is redesigned and built right.