New Honda 2012 Civic Natural Gas goes on sale 18 October at Honda dealers in 35 states, up from 4

2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas. Click to enlarge.

The all-new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas (formally known as the Civic GX), the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger vehicle manufactured and sold in the US, will go on sale at qualified Honda dealerships nationwide on 18 October with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $26,155.

To support growing consumer interest in alternative-fuel vehicles, American Honda is expanding its network of US dealers which are qualified to sell and service the Civic Natural Gas to retail customers—expanding sales to 200 dealers in 35 states. Previously, retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic had been limited to four states: California, New York, Utah and Oklahoma.

The Civic Natural Gas offers multiple benefits including significantly reduced operating costs compared to gasoline and lower fuel costs, with natural gas purchased at public fueling stations historically costing about 30% less than gasoline on a gasoline-gallon-equivalent basis.

As an alternative-fuel vehicle with extremely low smog-forming emissions, the Civic Natural Gas currently qualifies for a state-issued decal allowing single-occupant access to High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) “carpool” lanes in California and several other states. The Civic Natural Gas engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the EPA (Tier-II, Bin-2 and ILEV certification as of August 2010).

The Civic Natural Gas is recognized by the state of California as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) by meeting SULEV emissions standards and warranting its emissions durability for at least 150,000 miles or 15 year (in California and those states that have adopted California’s ZEV regulations). Natural gas, as a lower carbon fuel, emits 25% less CO₂ emissions than gasoline when used to power an internal combustion engine.

2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas engine bay with 1.8-liter i-VTEC dedicated natural gas 4-cylinder engine. Click to enlarge.

A modified 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine found in the Civic Sedan and Coupe models powers the new Civic Natural Gas. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment.

The Civic Natural Gas engine incorporates features to operate exclusively on compressed natural gas. The compression ratio is increased to 12.7:1, compared to 10.6:1 in the Civic Sedan’s gasoline-powered engine. Exclusive fuel injectors, intake and exhaust valves, and valve seats are designed to accommodate the unique properties of natural gas. Stronger connecting rods and crankshaft as well as special pistons are used to accommodate both the higher compression ratio of the engine and octane rating of the fuel.

The Civic Natural Gas has its 3600-psi fuel tank located between the rear wheels. The safety-engineered, aluminum-lined composite fuel tank can contain the gasoline-gallon equivalent (GGE) of 7.8 gallons of gasoline when filled with CNG to 3600 psi.

The Civic Natural Gas has an EPA-rated city/highway/combined fuel economy of 27/38/31 mpg (8.7/6.2/7.6 L/100km), gasoline-gallon equivalent (gge).Compared to the previous model, city fuel economy is up by 12.5% and highway fuel economy is improved by 5.5%. Additionally, the 2012 Civic Natural Gas achieves a 10.7% improvement in combined fuel economy and range. The new model also incorporates the Honda ECO Assist system, a technology that can enhance efficient vehicle operation at the touch of a button, while also providing visual feedback to the driver to promote and confirm a more efficient driving style.

Building on the successful packaging of the previous generation Civic, the passenger volume of 94.6 cubic feet increases by 3.7 cubic feet, and gains have also been made in front shoulder room (+2.9 inches) and rear legroom (+1.6 inches).

For safety, a wide variety of standard equipment includes Honda’s exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure for enhanced frontal collision energy management and vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility. ACE enhances frontal collision energy management through a network of load bearing structures in the front of the vehicle. Additional standard safety equipment includes Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) that integrates with the new Motion-Adaptive electric power steering (EPS) system; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; front side airbags with occupant position detection system (OPDS); side curtain airbags; and a 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist.

Standard equipment on the 2012 Civic Natural Gas includes the new “intelligent” Multi-Information Display (i-MID) that provides a platform for integration of vehicle information and compatible personal electronics with a driver-oriented 5-inch color LCD display and intuitive steering wheel controls. All models also come equipped with Bluetooth HandsFreeLink for wirelessly connecting compatible mobile phones and a USB audio interface for compatible music players.

The redesigned 2012 Civic Natural Gas can now be equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System featuring an exclusive database of publicly accessible Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refueling stations across the United States.

All Civic Natural Gas models are produced at Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN). The 2012 Honda Civic is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile New Car Limited Warranty; a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and a 5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion limited warranty.

Source: Green Car Congress