We recently spent a week in a
2008 Honda Civic GX, the only
natural gas vehicle (NGV)
available to consumers today,
and it didn't take long to
appreciate the range and
availability of regular ol'
gasoline. The Civic GX is
rated for combined fuel
economy of 28 miles per GGE
(Gasoline Gallon Equivalent,
an NGV standard), but th
more

We recently spent a week in a
2008 Honda Civic GX, the only
natural gas vehicle (NGV)
available to consumers today,
and it didn't take long to
appreciate the range and
availability of regular ol'
gasoline. The Civic GX is
rated for combined fuel
economy of 28 miles per GGE
(Gasoline Gallon Equivalent,
an NGV standard), but the tank
holds just eight GGE. Leaving
room for error, then, you have
to refill the GX about every
180 to 200 miles. That
wouldn't be as big a problem
if compressed natural gas
(CNG) were available on every
other street corner. The
thrust of it, we learned in a
typical week of cruising,
commuting and grocery
shopping, is that you have to
plan ahead. The 113-horsepower
GX is also slower than
traditional Civics, and the
extra-large fuel tank eats up
all but six cubic feet of
trunk space. Still, you can
count us in as fans. Our
nearby CNG stations are on the
pricey side, but we still
saved about 30 percent on fuel
versus a regular Civic. Factor
in solo access to the HOV
lane, tax incentives and
cleaner emissions, and it's
clear why the 2008Civic GX
sold out in the first few
months of the year. For more
new car reviews, interviews
and automotive news visit
kbb.com today.

Category Autos & Vehicles

Tags Honda, Civic, GX, 2008, 2009, Natural, Gas, NGV, green, fuel, efficiant, CNG, Kelley, Blue, Book, Kelly, kbb, kbb.com, Micah, Muzio, auto