2009 Honda Civic Hybrid - Quality Review

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Editors at TheCarConnection.com find that while the 2009 Honda Civic has decent interior space, the design necessitates a lot of wasted space above the dash. The backseat is hard to get in and out of—an inconvenience that is again a product of the car's sassy design.

Kelley Blue Book reviewers bring word of the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid's "comfortable" front seats. At Car and Driver, however, writers feel that "the backrest of the front seats" are "uncomfortable to the point of being a deal breaker" since, for 2009, "Honda has decided not to offer adjustable lumbar support." J.D. Power finds that "the Hybrid is very comfortable save one exception: the location of the parking brake handle," which can dig into the driver's right leg. The interior of the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid has "room for five," according to Cars.com. ConsumerGuide contends that the rear seats in the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid offer "decent adult headroom," though "knee space is tight with the front seats far aft."

To accommodate the space required for the hybrid drive system on the Honda Civic Hybrid, some small sacrifices have been made in terms of cargo space. Edmunds reports that this leaves "about 10" cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk versus "12 cubic feet of trunk space" on traditional Honda Civics, and ForbesAutos says "trunk space is slightly compromised to accommodate the hybrid system's battery pack." Other than the reduced trunk space, ConsumerGuide adds that "interior storage is very good," but reviewers miss the "folding rear seatback" removed from the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid. Kelley Blue Book remarks that the interior of this 2009 Honda features excellent storage, thanks to "a voluminous center console/armrest."

The Honda Civic Hybrid features an appealing and well-crafted interior, highlighted by a "laudable mix of high-grade plastics and fabrics" and "upmarket feel" in the cabin, according to ConsumerGuide. Edmunds also notes that the interior "materials are of high quality," and the car as a whole is well crafted. For 2009, buyers can opt for a leather-trimmed interior.

The "CVT promotes pronounced engine noise in rapid acceleration," says J.D. Power, whose reviewer notices an "odd warble" when accelerating. Other minor noise comments come from Car and Driver, which identifies "occasional whirring and beeping noises" during driving that are "odd but not annoying." ConsumerGuide, however, contends that sound suppressions is "near the top of the class" when cruising.