The Civic now has 5,000 kilometers on the clock, mostly due to a trip to the south of France. So I got to know it a bit better.
The e:hev system is more refined than in the Jazz. The engine is quieter and is off for longer. At 90 kmph (55ish mph) you can drive 2500 meters on electricity and charging takes about 1100 meters. As smooth as the Jazz, but more economic. Engine was off at least 60% of time and distance.
Going downhill there is more electric braking, nicely controlled by the flappy paddles. Once the battery is full, engine braking is used but you do not hear it at all (the system graphic does show it). This is an improvement
.
Also an improvement is that the engine does not come on as often on a cold start. It lets you drive out of your street on electric power only.
On the highway, around 110 to 120 kmph (60 to 70 mph) consumption was 4.5 l/100km. Except when very windy and rainy, then it would go up to 5.5ish.
Now that the Civic has some more miles on the clock it becomes more economic: last 2 weeks back in the Netherlands it managed 3.27 l/100km which is a whopping 86 mpg
. The trip computer is spot on, same values as when filling up and calculating it. The Jazz always was too optimistic. My full tank record in the Jazz was 3.45, so it seems to be even more economic. Amazing! (btw: all on Shell Vpower e5)
So far no negative experiences encountered!
