#HondaCivicHybrid

Toyota’s Prius has become the go-to vehicle for people looking to save money at the gas pump. Sure, it looks like an alien science project gone wrong and its driving dynamics are less fun than a trip to the ER, but this car’s groundbreaking combination of high technology, phenomenal fuel economy and unimpeachable reliability have made it a perennial favorite.

Fuel economy is a major purchase consideration for new-vehicle shoppers; in fact it’s the No. 1 thing they look for in a car or truck. Consumers continue to demand ever greater mileage, and so does the federal government. Washington keeps turning up the wick on its Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. In response to these stimuli automakers are working day and night to improve the efficiency of their products.

Fuel efficiency is at the forefront of every new car-buyer’s mind. No one wants to spend $30,000 and find themselves throwing money away at the gas pump, so we’ve compiled a list of the cheapest vehicles that get 40 miles per gallon (combined) in order from most expensive to least expensive.

Hybrid vehicles are considered a risky long-term purchase by some, with unknown reliability of hybrid batteries and worries of possible replacement costs. While those fears may be exaggerated, Consumer Reports has found some damning evidence on one particular model: the Honda Civic Hybrid.

Worldwide sales for Honda‘s hybrid vehicles have reached one million units as of the end of September 2012, according to the Japanese automaker.

Consumer Watchdog is working with a Hyundai Elantra owner to put the company on the hot seat for its 40 mpg claims, saying the car can’t come close in reality.

After Honda lost in its small claims court gas mileage suit, the Japanese automaker filed an appeal on the ruling and headed back to court. Earlier on Wednesday, Honda won the reversal of the small claims loss to Heather Peters.

As promised back in March after Heather Peters won her settlement concerning the Honda Civic Hybrid’s MPG claims, Honda is heading back to court to appeal the small claims decision.

It’s amazing to think that it’s been 12 years since Honda introduced its first hybrid vehicle – the first generation Insight – to the world. Back in November 1999, the Insight was a peculiar hybrid but still boasted the world’s highest fuel economy among all gasoline-powered vehicles.

She’s had it with Honda, and Heather Peters, a former lawyer, hopes her unusual legal approach will garner as much as 10 times the cash reward and potentially serious consequences for the company if others follow her lead.

Honda is offering an extended 10-year/120,000-mile warranty to 2006-2011 Civic Hybrid owners due to a possible gas leak. And while it’s a little strange that there’s no recall for the 80,000 or so impacted vehicles, we’re pretty sure owners are going to be just fine with such a nice and lengthy warranty from Honda.

The Top 10 Most Fuel Efficient cars have been named for 2012 by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA (those guys that come up with the official ratings for cars) has compiled the list, which is dominated by Japanese automakers. Those remaining two are domestic vehicles, although with one being a commercial van, it almost should count. On the list are electric and hybrid vehicles only, with no diesels or pure gasoline engines.

Honda says that the 2012 Civic Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient sedan (i.e. not a hatchback) on U.S. roads.

The 2012 Honda Civic bows at New York with new styling across the line, and new powertrains for Si and Hybrid models.

When Honda recently unveiled its 2012 Civic design, and announced that the new Civic Hybrid would use lithium ion batteries for the first time, we weren’t surprised.