The 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid does not make a lot of sense, based purely on economics. It has less power than the regular Civic, a slightly smaller trunk, and it costs about $2,500 more. Apart from a slightly more luxurious interior, its only advantage is an EPA City fuel-economy rating of 48 mpg compared to about 35 to 40 mpg for an equivalent Civic EX sedan with a CVT. Sadly, this translates to only about $100 in savings per year, based on 12,000 miles and gasoline prices of $1.50 a gallon. Put another way, the higher initial cost is not recovered until the car reaches over 250,000 miles!

Having said that, anyone who wants to help advance a new technology that can improve the environment in the long run should consider the Honda Civic Hybrid. It happens to be a nice, almost luxurious small car that has a different feel to it without giving up any creature comforts. It's a car for people who don't want to follow the crowd and, instead, prefer to lead it.

Available in several bodystyles, the Honda Civic provides excellent reliability, practicality, fuel economy, and sporty handling.
For 2003, sedans and coupes come with improved seat fabrics and adjustable outboard rear headrests. LX and EX models come with a sporty four-spoke steering wheel, while LX and HX models offer a standard CD player.