I know this is a super LOW performance question, but does anyone know what's up with the 5th gen (92-95) Honda Civic HB VX and the gas mileage? I'm looking for a second car, an economical DD, and I was looking at this 95 Civic HB VX at a dealership, and when I went onto the government's fuel efficiency site, it's rated at 50 mpg hwy! And like 39 or something for city... It looks like this is just for the 5th gen hatch in the "HB VX" model. Does anyone know if there are any other models like this, perhaps a little newer, other than the hybrid of course... Looks like there's one CRX too that has a similar rating, but that's going backwards a generation.

I'm going to be having to do some driving for work, going from Portland to Boise, about a 450 mi trip, and it would be sick if I could do it without filling up... figure about a 10-11 gallon tank with 50 mpg just might do it. My knowledge of Hondas is quite limited, so I was just wondering if this is a common trait among other models.

Trevor

 

The only newer hatchback is the 96-00 model is the EK model. The 02-05 Si HB has the K20 engine in it, and still gets about 31hwy 25 city. The realistic numbers for the 92-95 HB is really like 42hwy 35 city. The main thing to look for with civics is the engine thats in them. The common thing to do with 92-95 HBs is swap in a B, H, or K series engine in them and toss the more fuel efficient D series engine in them. In fact, now a days its rare to see a 92-95 hatchback without some sort of swap/change from original. I have a 98 Civic EX coupe, and I get solid 36hwy 29 city with the stock D16 engine, unmodified. Hatchback version with same engine really gains only about 5mpg more, 50mpg is pretty difficult to get with a nonhybrid (maybe some biodiesel VWs)

 

Cool, thanks for the info...

It was pretty funny actually, we did a carfax, and it's this rather sleezy used dealer, and the odometer reads 114k miles on a '95... so we looked it up w/ carfax, and the most recent reading was a few months ago, through emissions, and it was at 260k .. and all the records showed how it went up to that... it was at 120k about 5 years ago, hahah... I know those motors can last pretty much forever with the proper maintenance, but that's quite the difference. They claimed they just got it from a repo truck and didn't know what was up with it.

 

the VX had a special motor that was tuned for pure fuel economy a friend of mine had one and it got around 50mph highway lol

 

I used to have one. I averaged 45mpg. Slow as hell, but it hauled a lot of stuff.

If you want something newer with similar MPG, try an EK ('96-'00) Civic HX coupe. It gets damn near the same mileage, just a bit less practical since it gives up the flexibility and cargo space of the hatch.

If you're going to flat out mileage only and don't care at all about utility, you can't beat an Insight.

 

Also, you can pick up early model Civic Hybrids for fairly cheap. My dad recently bought one with about 80,000 miles on it for ~$8k (2004 model, I think.) Slow as **** but gets decent city mileage (about 45 or so.)

 

It's pretty amazing how fuel efficient the VX motors were. I have a buddy that has well over 300K miles on his...and it still returns 40mpg on the freeway.

I have a 99 Civic Si as a commuter and I'm averaging 34mpg with 160K on the motor...Hondas are fantastic for commuting. Just give them good gas and do your oil changes and it will run forever.

 

yea i was going to say but it was already mentioned the civic HX model. i had a 1993 cx hatchback and it was slow as ***** but did get around 40 mpg. IMO if you want something with a little more pep id go with a VW tdi their also great fuel economy

 

I had a 92 Civic VX, and if I drove a steady 55mph, I'd get well over 50mpg. Usually I drove much faster or slower. But the gas mileage on the Civic VX blows every other car ever made away. These tiny Smart Cars are half the size of the VX and can't touch it for mileage.

 

Or go south and find a late 80s or early 90s Civic DX. One of our winter beaters. She gets 35-45 highway MPG. Downside, its a giant rolling pile of ****, that sucks the life out of you to drive it.

 

I had a VX before, the cylinder head is different and it keeps the admission valve half close or some crazy mechanism of that nature. The CRX had the HF model which was the (High fuel eficcient). There is a better model yet, the CX rated at 70hp with a 1.3 liters.