<p>I don’t know about that for sure, but I think ( though I’m not sure) that all Civic Hybrids, no matter where sold, meet CA emissions. I know ours was rated at the lowest possible emission level when we bought it (I forget what the exact name for that is.) that was one of the things that was important to us.</p>
<p>H was always waved through the emissions tests at our local motor vehicles with our HCH. He didn’t mind paying the fee, but thought he shouldn’t have to wait in line to just be waved through! I think it was rated ULEV (ultra low emissions vehicle). The new standards may be a bit different, our Camry Hybrid is PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle). I wonder if there’s any real difference between the adjectives?</p>
<p>In terms of emissions, LEV > ULEV > SULEV > PZEV (as in LEV has more emissions than ULEV, etc.). However, all emissions categories for cars are tiny fractions of the allowed emissions from a decade or few ago. It is to the point where if you end up behind a 1970s car, the emissions smell is overpowering – and then you realize that all cars were like that in the 1970s.</p>
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<p>However, hybrids are not all that common in all vehicle categories, and many of them have greater drawbacks or smaller advantages than the Prius does. So someone with a Prius who wants to buy a minivan will not be buying a hybrid because no hybrid minivans are available. Someone with a Prius who wants to buy a big station wagon had no hybrid choices until the recent introduction of the Prius V. The sedan hybrids have non-folding back seats due to the placement of the batteries there, so the trunk space is small and non-expandable, unlike in other sedans.</p>
<p>Another California 2006 HCH owner here. My mileage has never exceeded 40 mpg, rather it has averaged around 34 mpg. :(</p>
<p>About nine months ago, my dashboard started lighting up like a Christmas tree. I can’t remember the exact messages displayed, but I took it into the dealer twice within about a month’s time. They insisted it just need a software upgrade the first time (which lowered my mileage even further), and then said they couldn’t replicate the problem the second time. Despite the fact that I told them that my car was not functioning as it should - the engine wasn’t shutting down at stoplights, the assist wasn’t working - they insisted that nothing was wrong. A couple of weeks later, the lights came on when I was on my way out of town for the weekend. I was furious and drove straight to the dealer. The service rep said he would have to call Honda to get permission to replace the battery, which they did within the next couple of days. </p>
<p>It wasn’t until they replaced the battery that I realized how poorly the car had been running the past several months. The mileage still hasn’t risen above 40 mpg, however.</p>
<p>The class action lawsuit will give a minimal amount of $100-200 per class member, and an instructional video, plus a discount voucher for $1,000 to buy a new Honda. The attorneys will get paid $8 million!!</p>
<p>There is an interesting opinion piece by a lemon law attorney here:</p>
<p>[The</a> Honda Civic Hybrid Class Action lawsuit is a ?sweetheart deal? for Honda! | PRLog](<a href=“The Honda Civic Hybrid Class Action lawsuit is a ‘sweetheart deal’ for Honda! -- Allen S Miller, HitmanPR | PRLog”>The Honda Civic Hybrid Class Action lawsuit is a ‘sweetheart deal’ for Honda! -- Allen S Miller, HitmanPR | PRLog)</p>
<p>This is written by a HCH hybrid owner to the US District Court about his objections to the settlement.</p>
<p>[Honda</a> Civic Hybrid Lawsuit Mike’s Lookout](<a href=“http://www.belshe.com/2012/01/04/honda-civic-hybrid-lawsuit/]Honda”>Honda Civic Hybrid Lawsuit – Mike Belshe)</p>
<p>My advice to any HCH hybrid owners experiencing problems would be to insist that your batteries be replaced while the warranty is still valid. Based upon my experience, I wouldn’t listen to the dealer’s assurances that all that is needed is a software update.</p>
<p>ucbalum, the 2011 Prius III model we test drove had 40/60 fold down rear seats. All 2012 Prius models have them.</p>
<p>I have been thinking of buying a hybrid, after read this now I have second thoughts. I also have heard that Prius is bad in the snow, what are your experiences?</p>
<p>So I just looked it up, and my car is in fact PzEV standard and CARB certified. So my mileage is not because it wasn’t sold in CA.</p>
<p>It’s weird that you’re getting such low mileage–I’d have been really angry if that’s what I had gotten. We’ve only ever had a few tanks of gas average lower than 40, and have had some average as high as 51-52, though not recently. I would guess our overall average has been low 40s. Maybe it’s driving styles? (we’re very lightfooted, and we don’t use the AC very often.)</p>
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<p>The current Prius is a hatchback with folding back seats. “Sedan hybrids” refers to hybrids like the Civic, Camry, Fusion, Altima, and 2001-2003 Prius, not hatchbacks or wagons like the current Prius, Prius C, Prius V, and Insight.</p>
<p>PackMom: I know you asked about Prius in snow. My '06 Honda Civic Hybrid is fine in the snow (6 months of the year here) but I use Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded tires. The summer tires are Ecopia: I replaced the original tires due to rocky road sidewall blowout. Noticed better mileage. As earlier poster noted, sometimes the better mileage isn’t worth it for what you pay to get there. But I’m happy and pleased with both sets of tires.
I was worried about the software upgrade but–knock on wood–my mileage is still nice, the engine stops at lights, and the assist seems to function normally.</p>
<p>We just got our 2006 HCH back from the dealer yesterday. They replaced the (main) battery. My wife, the primary driver of the vehicle, couldn’t believe the improved performance stating “it hasn’t been that peppy for several years now”. (Yes dear, I know. I’m the one that complained to YOU every time I drove it!) It will be interesting to see if our mileage improves much over the approx. 37 MPG we got when the car was newer.</p>
<p>I have an '05 Prius with over 100k miles on it. I traded my '03 Prius in for it. There are so few reports of Prius batteries being replaced that you’ll hard time finding them. </p>
<p>I average about 52 mpg and I do think that driving style is key. When my daughter first started driving the Prius, she always destroyed my gas mileage. Then she took it back to college with her and perfected the technique. I have been driving “her” car so when I now drive the Prius, I destroy her gas mileage.</p>
<p>I love love LOVE my 2010 Prius. Gas mileage = approximately 48 mpg rather than the reported 50, primarily because my husband refuses to drive it in “eco” mode. Surprisingly roomy. Handles beautifully. Good amount of space in the hatchback.</p>
<p>One of my friends with a Prius feels that its handling of wintry conditions is worse than that of a traditional car like a Camry. Do others feel the same way or is it just his personal prejudice?</p>
<p>Well, now that the weather is warming up, my 2006 HCH just averaged 50 mpg on a long highway drive yesterday. So I’m back to loving it again.</p>
<p>Regarding Prius in snow - the crappy OEM tires contribute to the problem. They are designed for gas mileage, not driving conditions. The best thing I ever did was get rid of them and put some good all weathers on. I have had no problems driving in snow and was able to get out of my neighborhood on an icy morning a couple of years ago when my SUV owning neighborhood only managed to slide into his garage door. Too much power on ice not a good thing. </p>
<p>I think many people are not sure what to think of the traction control on the Prius. There can be a feeling of being out of control if you don’t know how to drive with it rather than fight it.</p>
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<p>Driving style makes a huge difference in fuel economy in any car. It may be more noticeable in the Prius due to the screens which give quicker feedback to the driver (e.g. instant or trip fuel economy).</p>
<p>^cartera45 and ucbalumnus, I would also add type of tire and tire pressure will also significantly affect MPG. We are running on Michelin HydroEdge tires at 40 psi (cold) air pressure. These tires have a fairly low rolling resistance.</p>
<p>I think the driving style definitely makes a difference. and having those numbers in front of me (not a screen–the big screen was the thing i hated the most when i test-drove a Prius), is a constant challenge to how high a can get the mpg on each tank of gas (we reset the tripmeter when we fill up.)</p>
<p>My parents have been happy with the performance of their Prius, which I think is 5-6 years old. My mother is unhappy with the blind spot and the comfort of the driver’s seat, but never had any trouble with the functioning. The mpg regularly exceeds the advertised rate, and the screen seems to be underestimating the mileage according to the pump/odometer.</p>