Re: [Paddlewise] Honda Civic Hybrid with roof racks

From: John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:13:52 -0400
At 08:14 AM 10/17/2007, rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com wrote:
>>our other car (a Civic Hybrid) was paid off we looked at the used 
>>market. I ended up getting a 2004 Pontiac >Vibe, which is 
>>essentially the same car as a Toyota >Matrix. It has a factory roof 
>>rack but I want to put a >Yakima or Thule rack on it.
>
>G'day John,
>
>Afraid I can't answer your question but had one of my own regarding 
>your Honda Civic Hybrid. I was thinking of buying one and noticed 
>that they supplied a kayak rack. It occurred to me that although its 
>only a 1300 cc engine the electric motor might give it enough torque 
>to cope with a boat on the roof provided I didn't mind just cruising 
>in the slow lane.
>I'm looking for a medium sized low fuel consumption car and don't 
>mind if its slow. Wondered if you had any thoughts on this as an 
>option. I know the conventional wisdom is that its a city car but 
>the less conventional wisdom is that the electric motor assist might 
>make it a high torque low consumption car capable of carrying a boat 
>albeit at low speed?

I don't have a roof rack for the Civic Hybrid so I can't really 
provide any information on how it might do with a kayak or two on 
top.  At very low end it doesn't seem to have much power (certainly 
not as much as the Vibe) but it moves along quite nicely at highway 
speeds.  It's hard to say what carrying a kayak will do to the 
mileage but my wife drives it about 80 miles a day, mostly on 50mph 
rural roads.  She has been averaging about 43mpg (convert to km per 
liter as necessary).


John Fereira
jaf30_at_cornell.edu
Ithaca, NY 
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Received on Wed Oct 17 2007 - 17:14:02 PDT

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