2014 Honda Civic Hybrid Review, Photo's, Features, Overview

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The 2014 Civic Hybrid employs the fifth generation hybrid powertrain system that Honda calls Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). It’s a descriptive moniker in that a thin, pancake-type electric motor/generator is “integrated” between the engine and transmission and only “assists” the gasoline engine. This compares to all 2014 hybrid systems from Ford and Toyota where the electric motor can assist the gas engine plus, propel the vehicle on electric power alone. In certain instances, the 2014 Civic Hybrid engine does cut off fuel and the car operates briefly on electric power only, but the engine’s parts still move. Like other hybrid vehicles, the 2014 Civic shuts off the engine when the car comes to a stop, and then fires up again when it’s time to go.

In addition to the shift to lithium-ion batteries, the 2014 Civic Hybrid gains a larger gasoline engine, a 1.5-liter four-cylinder in place of a 1.3-liter. Combined gasoline and electric horsepower is unchanged at 110 and torque is up a nominal four pounds-feet, to 127. Yuuji Fujiki, chief engineer for Honda’s IMA hybrid system, explained that the larger displacement allows the engine to run at lower RPMs, which in turn allows for more frequent use of the electric motor and produces a quieter ride.

Fujiki said every aspect of the 2014 hybrid system’s design was tweaked for optimal efficiency – such as the motor that increases output from 15 kW to 20 kW, uses more coils and widely spaced magnets, and employs plastic spacers to better manage temperature. The motor provides up to 23 horsepower, a three horsepower gain over the previous motor.

The 20-kW Li-ion battery is more powerful by 5 kW and 30 percent lighter than the previous generation’s nickel-metal hydride battery. The IMA system’s greater power and the battery’s 35 percent increase in efficiency allow the Civic Hybrid to operate more frequently on the electric motor’s power alone in certain low-speed cruising situations.

There’s a side benefit in going lithium: so the next generation of 2014 Civic Hybrid owners don’t go postal.

The 2014 Civic Hybrid is the only hybrid model for which we’ve seen numerous customer complaints about critical battery failures. 2014 Civic Hybrid owners have reported loss of power or outright pack failures, and have not been satisfied with the company’s fixes. The shift to lithium hopefully will put the issue in the rear view mirror.

Completing the IMA system is a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The CVT consists of a drive pulley and driven pulley that are linked by a steel belt, and operates sort of like a 10-speed bicycle. It combines the fuel economy of a high-gear ratio manual transmission, the performance of a low-gear manual with the smooth, stepless shifting of a conventional geared automatic transmission.