Honda was one of the first if not the first to introduce a car with the new Hybrid technology to the United States car buying public. They introduced the Insight in 1999. The very first one I ever saw was at a truck stop in Cheyenne Wyoming. I asked my brother what it was and he didn’t know either so we went over to look at it and the owner told us about it. It was a little two passenger coupe that was kind of weird looking but when the guy told us he was getting about 72 miles per the gallon we were interested to find out more about it. It was too small for a family and people were buying the Civic instead so later on they introduced the Civic Hybrid. Now in 2010 they are coming out with a new four dsoor Insight to compete with the Toyota Prius. I have driven a couple different Civic Hybrids and this new body style that they came out with last year is really a nice car and even though it is considered a compact, it is pretty roomy even i the backseat, It has plenty of power to do anything you would ever want to do with a family sedan.The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid comes with a 1.3 liter in line four cylinder gasoline engine that develops 110 horsepower and then a high output elelctric motor that works with the gas motor to give the car more power. It is mated to a Continously Variable Transmission (CVT). Th 2009 Hybrid is rated at 40 miles per gallon city and 45 miles per gallon highway for a combined 42 MPG average. Not bad for a 2900 pound car. The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid has received the Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle status. That is the most stringent emissions stadard yet achieved by a gasoline engine.The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid comes with automatic climate control, a 6 speaker audio system with Honda’s USB Interface and power windows, mirrors and door locks. Also for the first time you can get leather seats that can be heated and you can get heated side mirrors.The way the Hybrid System worksd is pretty neat. It uses Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) along with the gas engine. When the engine is started it uses the IMA systems motor to start. If the IMA battery pack chaarge is too low or it is very cold outside, the system has a separate battery and starter motor to back it up. Any time the engine needs a burst of power such as while accelerating,passing, or climbing up an incline, the IMA Systems’s electric motor can add its torque automatically to the engines to give you instant ample response. At steady speeds below 35 miles per Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil