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The most tragically ignored vehicle in the universe is getting a new name and new price.

It's the natural-gas powered version of the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas. It used to be called the Civic GX, which was, frankly, a bit confusing as names go. The new Civic Natural Gas is priced at $26,155.

Driving a car powered by natural gas cuts a driver's fuel bill by a third or more. Natural gas burns so cleanly that it's eligible for car-pool lane access in some states that otherwise would be available only to electric vehicles. You can refuel a natural gas car in your own garage by tapping into the home's gas line. Plus, there is a well-established network of natural gas stations -- not as many as for gasoline, of course, but far more than, say, electric-car recharging stations.

Yet, the natural-car is completely ignored. The Bush administration fell in love with hydrogen cars, (we suspect because Detroit automakers knew that they would not be practical for decades.) The Obama administration fell in love with electric cars, and hundreds of millions of tax dollars have been invested in battery factories and loans to automakers to support them. Yet, natural gas is a quick fix when it comes to getting off Mideast oil and creating jobs for tens of thousands of Americans. It is abundant and domestically produced, providing a quick way use less foreign oil. Fleets, from taxicabs to trash trucks, have embraced natural gas, mostly because it's cheaper to operate them. Yet, the latest Civic Natural Gas, just like the car it replaced, is sure to be virtually ignored:

Why? Because it still lacks the political clout it would need to get off the ground.

Honda, the only major automaker with a natural gas-powered car, says it is expanding its network of U.S. dealers qualified to sell and service the Civic Natural Gas . Now, there will be 200 dealers in 38 states. Previously, retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic had been limited to four states -- California, New York, Utah and Oklahoma.

A modified 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine powers the new Civic Natural Gas. A 5-speed automatic transmission is standard. The Civic Natural Gas has an EPA-rated city/highway/combined fuel economy of 27/38/31 miles per gallon (gasoline-gallon equivalent). Compared with the previous model, city fuel economy is up by 12.5%, and highway fuel economy is improved by 5.5%.

in usatoday.com