Now gasoline prices are up about 60 cents a gallon from a year ago and motorists can buy a device that allows them to get natural gas fill ups at home. Honda plans to expand sales of the natural gas Civic GX next year to major cities around the country.

The automaker, which makes the car in this western Ohio city, hopes to triple its retail business -- going from about 500 cars this year to 1,500 in 2006.