Have you ever watched that old cartoon “The Jetsons”? It’s fabulous. As a child I was positive that by the time I was old enough to get behind the wheel of a car I’d be behind the wheel of one of those self propelled flying cars that the Jetsons drove all over the place. And I have to admit while I’m at it that I always wanted to access the inter city transit that Judy Jetson got to take to the mall. You know…the suction tubes that sucked you right up where you were and spit you right out where you wanted to go? But it wasn’t meant to be. I’ve never found an inter city transit system like the one on the Jetsons and when I took my driver’s test it wasn’t in a flying car. It was a Honda Civic.

It was still a great day even though I didn’t get to fly my car through the various steps required to get my license. The Honda Civic was a trusted friend and performed like one! Honda Civic’s have a reputation for being solid, trustworthy and lasting. And that’s exactly what I found in my experience. It’s not a flying car, but it’s a good choice!

But the introduction and wider and wider acceptance of the Hybrid cars are giving me hope that me may someday hit a point at which we’re ready to make the leap to the sort of futuristic transportation that left such a mark on my gullible brain as a child. The sort of travel suggested by The Jetsons isn’t yet an option, but at least we’re getting more options. That’s the first step, right?

We’ve all heard about Hybrid cars for a while now, but they’ve been labeled the “new” item for long enough now to have earned a spot in the industry that a larger and larger portion of the buying public trusts. They’ve shown that they fulfill their purpose and that they are an advantageous purchase for many. They are an especially advantageous purchase now that traditional fuel pricing is rising to painful amounts.

The Hybrid has a 1.3 liter, 95 bhp engine. It’s connected to the electric motor which is actually a part of the flywheel. The crankshaft revolves endlessly even when the power is coming directly from the electric motor. Newer models can run on pure electricity taking us one step closer to the elusive Jetson car (at least I hope so! Keep your fingers crossed.)

The Honda Civic Hybrid is designed with inlet and exhaust valves that lower mechanical resistance because they are always shut. It doesn’t allow for compressions or pumping losses which makes a big difference. The regenerative braking is another favorite “function” feature of mine. It allows the Hybrid to recover energy when drivers use the brake by accessing the electric motor and using it as a generator. These aren’t the only features that work together to make the Hybrid a car worth looking into. It’s got unique aspects that appeal to a wide crowd in today’s industry. For instance, it offers an average fuel consumption of 58 miles per gallon!

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