Toyota Prius vs Honda Civic Hybrid?

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Can anyone give me their general knowledge on these cars...If one had to choose between buying one which would it be?
I think they're fairy similar but which one would be better overall? (features, durability, all those other factors :D)

thanks! general opinions on one or both of the cars appreciated.
 
Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion. 80mpg and faster than both of them even with the piddly 1.3L diesel. Hybrids are not the way to go for fuel economy. Not to mention the Polo is quite a bit cheaper and you get more kit.
 
The Prius has a more durable drivetrain.

The Honda Civic Hybrid uses a pulley-and-belt CVT transmission and torque converter, which is a pretty complicated setup.

The Prius uses a Power Split Device transmission, which is a simple planetary gearset. No torque converter, no clutch, no CVT belts. It has all of 22 moving parts. This simplicity means the Prius transmission has far fewer potential failure points than the Civic Hybrid transmission, or any regular car transmission for that matter, including diesels. How the Prius PSD transmission works: http://www.eahart.com/prius/psd

And the guy who thinks the battery in the hybrids need to be replaced every 100,000 miles is flat out wrong. There have been plenty of Prius hybrids in service as taxi cabs in cities like Vancouver, and they have exceeded 200,000 miles with ZERO battery issues. http://www.hybridcars.com/high-road/how-long-do-hybrid-batteries-last.html

I'd like that guy to explain how the battery lasts only 100,000 miles when Toyota's warranty for that battery is for 150,000 miles / 10 years in the CARB states. When you hear someone talk crap about the Prius battery, you can tell right away the guy knows absolutely NOTHING about hybrids.

The 2010 Prius is a more refined third-generation, and it goes on sale this May. That would be my choice if I'm looking to buy a new hybrid.
 
the Toyota Prius Touring 4-cyl CVT is the better vehicle.

A 2010 redesign is around the corner.

get the touring version, it gets a little less mpg but the steering and handling are superior

the Volkswagen Jetta Sedan TDI 4-cyl is a good alternative as the other answer suggests.

one of the best and least expensive on the road today is the Kia Optima EX 4-cyl
 
the answer to this question is the jetta diesel.

the jetta diesel does not sacrifice space in the trunk, it has more torque than normal cars, and if you drive carefully, you'll get over 50 mpg on the highway.

stay away from hybrids. hybrids only save money in the short term. the jetta gets all the tax breaks that the hybrids get, but there's one major difference: reliability.

a hybrid's batteries need replacing after about 100,000 miles, and that costs anywhere from $5,000-$10,000, thus throwing out all the money you have saved on fuel.

diesels are known as the most reliable type of engine, and will drive 400,000 miles without even breaking a sweat, and will drive and feel like a normal car.

please promise you'll take my advice, not many people understand this, i hope you do now.
 
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