Prius versus Civic. Which should you get?

When it comes to hybrid sedans, two cars have dominated the market for years: the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic Hybrid. They have many similarities, but several key differences as well. Which model should you get? Let’s compare some of the key features.

Prius versus Civic | Pricing

Pricing is surprisingly one of the least important factors. The Civic Hybrid came in at $24,050 in 2011, while the Toyota Prius came in at $22,120.

While the $2,000 difference isn’t negligible, it shouldn’t be the most important considerations.

Prius versus Civic | Specs

The Toyota Prius uses two twin motors and a 1.8 liter engine with four cylinders. The Prius is capable of driving with purely electricity, but generally uses a combination of gas and electricity.

The Civic Hybrid on the other hand uses a motor that sits between a continuously variable transmission and the engine. The civic hybrid’s engine needs to run continuously and cannot run on purely electricity with the engine off.

The Civic runs a 1.3 liter, four cylinder engine with 110 horsepower.

Prius versus Civic | Look & Feel

The Civic Hybrid has a more angular, powerful look than the Toyota Prius. The Prius has a sleeker look with a classy touch.

The Prius has a very futuristic feel inside the car. When you’re driving a Prius, you definitely feel like you’re driving the car of the future.

The Hybrid on the other hand feels like a normal car on the inside, except for the dashboard. The dashboard will tell you exactly how much power to electricity you’re using in an easy to use interface.

Prius versus Civic | Driving Experience

As a rule of thumb, the Toyota Prius has a very responsive system. The only common customer complaint is that the steering and the brakes are “too smooth.” The smoothness almost takes the excitement out of driving – but not quite.

The Civic Hybrid on the other hand has quite an impressive ride quality. Its steering and braking are responsive and feel like silk. The only downside is that its 0 to 30 acceleration is quite sluggish.

Making Your Pick

The best way to make your pick is to test drive both the Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

Often time’s making the pick is more of an emotional decision than a logical one. When you look at the technical specs, both cars are really quite similar.

Take a test drive and see which car calls to you. Which car’s handling do you prefer? How about the interior interface? The exterior look?

Don’t get pressured into making your decision. Always walk into the dealership with invoice in hand and make sure you don’t pay too much over invoice. If you can, get a quote over the internet before going to the dealership.