It’s only supposed to get 26mpg. Spend a lot of time idling in traffic?
I do spend a fair amount of time idling at stoplights, but the 2006 sticker promised 30 city / 40 highway. Don't take my word for it. See:
With the optional five-speed automatic transmission, the Civic is rated at 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).http://www.automedia.com/2006_Honda_Civic_Sedan/rts20051101hc/1
I know that in a traffic-clogged city, my numbers might end up being a bit lower, but they shouldn't be THAT much lower. My old GM vehicle promised 23 city / 32 highway, and I used to average around 24 mpg, so I expected to do at least that well with the supposedly more fuel efficient Civic. Instead, I'm doing a bit worse. No wonder Honda had to reduce their estimate to the 26 figure that you cite.