Civic Vs. Prius: Compact Hybrid Comparison

Popularity can grow, and it can fade. Hybrid (gasoline/electric) cars saw gradual but steady escalation in the early years of the 21st century, but interest began to slip a bit in the second half of the decade. Suddenly, triggered by skyrocketing gasoline prices in 2007, and even more so in 2008, hybrids began to practically fly off dealer lots. Gas-guzzling SUVs could barely be given away, but small, fuel-efficient automobiles quickly became the superstars of the sales race.

Small Hybrid Sedans

Built on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, the Civic Hybrid is 176.7 inches long overall.

By mid-2008, frugal hybrid models were getting hard to find at dealerships. Honda and Toyota saw heightened interest in their small hybrid sedans, but the production lines couldn't keep up with demand. Motorists clamoring for thrifty vehicles have been paying full sticker price and beyond. In the used car market, too, compact cars that sipped fuel became hot items at hefty prices, while trucks were shrinking in value like ice cubes on a hot summer day.


Hybrid powertrains debuted as the 21st century began, in small cars: the two-passenger Honda Insight and the compact Toyota Prius sedan. Both vehicles were uniquely hybrid, offered only with a gasoline/electric powertrain. In 2003, Honda unveiled a compact Civic Hybrid sedan, taking an existing model and giving it the option of a hybrid powertrain. One year later, Toyota redesigned its Prius to midsize dimensions (as measured by passenger space).

Toyota's Prius has the same 106.3-inch wheelbase as the Civic Hybrid, but is 1.7 inches shorter overall.

In each hybrid automobile, a gasoline engine works in concert with an electric motor/generator. Computer control switches between the two power sources as needed. Depending on the model and driving conditions, a hybrid car might run on battery power alone, the gasoline engine alone, or most often, both together.


While the car is slowing down, regenerative braking captures energy from the powertrain to recharge the batteries. Nothing ever needs to be plugged in—though many engineers have been working on plug-in hybrids, which are expected to reach dealerships before long.

Only Two Competitors
Several midsize sedans come in hybrid form. So do a number of SUVs. In the smaller-car field, only two models compete for attention: the Honda Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. Honda's is a gasoline/electric variant of a model that's also sold with a conventional gasoline engine. Toyota's Prius is strictly a hybrid, with no gasoline equivalent.


Not much changed for the 2008 season with either hybrid, except that a lower-priced Standard model joined the Prius lineup. Nothing of consequence is expected to change for the 2009 model year.


Like gasoline-engine Civics, the Civic Hybrid is considered a compact sedan. Though its dimensions are similar, the Toyota Prius ranks as a midsize hatchback in the view of the Environmental Protection (EPA), which ranks cars according to passenger volume. Built on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, the Civic Hybrid is 176.7 inches long overall. Toyota's Prius has the same wheelbase, but is 1.7 inches shorter overall.