LA Auto Show: Honda Civic GX quick test drive
I arranged to drive the Honda Civic GX in an extended test after the holidays, but I wanted to offer a capsule review following a short 5-minute drive during the LA Auto Show. I'm a fan of natural gas as a fuel and have been interested in the practical week-to-week possibilities of a CNG-powered car since Honda started promoting Phill, the home-based refueling station.
Cost and convenience aside, my first impression of the GX is the lack of snap in the throttle. There is a reduction of power when using natural gas in the 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine. The GX is rated at 113 horsepower while a gas-powered model pumps out 140 horsepower. The GX is also heavier, so the car seems lazy or sluggish at times.
But the real values in the GX are fuel costs and peace of mind knowing you're driving perhaps the cleanest production internal combustion engine available. I'll need more seat time in the GX and then some time with a calculator, but in a future report you can expect a full breakdown of the numbers and driving impressions.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 9:21AM (12/05/2006)
With CNG we're still addicted to the petroleum cartels drugs. It's a filtered cigarette. Ultimately, solar, wind, wave, tide and other electric sources combined with E100 or B100 will be the only way to end monopoly control. I'd rather we transmit electricity and ship locally grown biodegradable renewable fuel types than have those giant ship-bombs enter a port near me. I hear that they go boom with the power of a small nuclear devise. CNG is a Terrorist’s dream.
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Bill Maher is an Idiot 3:47PM (12/05/2006)
Yeah, but too bad solar and wind power would require a huge percentage of US land to be seized just to produce enought energy to replace the 2/3 of oil used for transportation.
Let's come back down to Reality.
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CM 11:50PM (12/05/2006)
No need to "seize land" for solar or wind power.
Most sunny rooftops are suitable for solar, and most prime wind sites are hillsides unsuitable for other use, or land that can still be used for ranching or farming with the wind poles in place.
Back to the subject: CNG is clean burning and cheaper than gasoline, but with limited refueling locales has limited use, mainly for daily commuters and commercial use.
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MikeW 5:47PM (12/06/2006)
Good thing Honda shortened the axle ratio to compensate for the extra weight and the reduced power.
Oh wait, Honda did not.
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MikeW 5:47PM (12/06/2006)
Well at least Honda upsizes the brakes from 10.3" to 11.1" front, and the rear drums from 7.9" to 8.7"
and isn't the redline reduced 500rpm to 6300?
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