Honda 2003 Civic Hybrid Owner's Manual page 151

Depending on traffic conditions, try
to maintain a constant speed. Every
time you slow down and speed up,
your car uses extra fuel. Use the
cruise control, when appropriate, to
increase fuel economy.
Wind resistance causes vehicles to
use more fuel at higher speeds.
Driving at moderate speeds on the
highway reduces wind resistance
and conserves fuel.
A cold engine uses more fuel than a
warm engine. It is not necessary to
''warm-up'' a cold engine by letting it
idle for a long time. You can drive
away in about a minute, no matter
how cold it is outside. The engine
will warm up faster, and you get
better fuel economy. To cut down on
the number of ''cold starts,'' try to
combine several short trips into one.
The air conditioning puts an extra
load on the engine which makes it
use more fuel. Turn off the A/C to
cut down on air conditioning use.
Use the flow-through ventilation
when the outside air temperature is
moderate.
If air conditioning is needed, you can
save some fuel by using the A/C in
''ECON'' mode. When the outside
temperature is above 41°F (5°C),
this mode allows the Auto Idle Stop
function to shut off the engine when
the vehicle is stopped, resulting in
fuel savings.
Fuel Economy
You may notice that using the A/C
causes a greater drop in fuel
economy than you are used to in
other vehicles. Although the amount
of extra fuel used by the A/C load on
the engine is no greater than other
vehicles, it is more noticeable
because of your Civic Hybrid's
excellent fuel mileage. Using the
A/C in hot weather may result in
fuel economy that is lower than
expected.
Before Driving
151