Honda Accord Hybrid
I tried the Honda Accord V-6 Hybrid the other night.
Very strong acceleration, well beyond needs. What was cool: -stop at a light, engine shut off; let go of brake, engine starts smoothly and immediately. -cruise at 120 km/h, three cylinders shut off (little light on dash "ECO" turns on). -let off gas during cruise and you could feel the electic motor "drag" as it generated electricity for the battery. -apply brakes, and even more energy was diverted to the motor/generator. (There's a little meter bar that shows when the battery is discharging or recharging) What was not cool: - automatic transmission - ... and not so well programmed at that - 3 litre engine - no fold down rear seats (the battery is there) - 253 total HP.... what's economical about that? - does not qualify for the Quebec hybrid rebate (misses the mileage goal) -stopped the car in "D", engine stops. Shifted to "P" and the engine started up again. Should have remained off, IMO. I guess it's the way this is mechanized that allowed the engine to restart. - price ($39,400 in Canada, $31,000 in the US). The CAD $ is running 89 - 90 cents these days... I could probably talk them down a couple K on the car; and up a couple K on the trade in, but it's still not worth it to me. I take it that they put in a 6 banger in order to get 3 cylinder cruise on the highway, and that this might not have worked well with a 4 banger. Why not a 5 banger? Why not a smaller displacement 6 banger? I simply can't believe that a Honda Accord really needs 200 HP, never minf 253 with the assist. Any Canadians here who can explain the price differential (US / CAD) that is way beyond the exchange rate? Cheers, Alan FreeLunch. |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message news:yJpcg.59496$yN.645818@weber.videotron.net... > <snipped for space> > Any Canadians here who can explain the price differential (US / CAD) that > is way beyond the exchange rate? I can't explain the vast difference in the prices. But I can tell you that I like the 200 hp under the hood of my '01 Accord. |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message news:yJpcg.59496$yN.645818@weber.videotron.net... > <snipped for space> > Any Canadians here who can explain the price differential (US / CAD) that > is way beyond the exchange rate? I can't explain the vast difference in the prices. But I can tell you that I like the 200 hp under the hood of my '01 Accord. |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message news:yJpcg.59496$yN.645818@weber.videotron.net... > <snipped for space> > Any Canadians here who can explain the price differential (US / CAD) that > is way beyond the exchange rate? I can't explain the vast difference in the prices. But I can tell you that I like the 200 hp under the hood of my '01 Accord. |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The
standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel economy. John |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The
standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel economy. John |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The
standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel economy. John |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
John Horner wrote:
> IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The > standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North > American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? > > An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel > economy. I agree completely and I've posted on the subject (and the "cons" reflect that. I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of deceleration. Period. Part of the problem, I suspect, is how well would the 2 litre engine behave with two cylinders shut down? Cheers, Alan |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
John Horner wrote:
> IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The > standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North > American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? > > An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel > economy. I agree completely and I've posted on the subject (and the "cons" reflect that. I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of deceleration. Period. Part of the problem, I suspect, is how well would the 2 litre engine behave with two cylinders shut down? Cheers, Alan |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
John Horner wrote:
> IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The > standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North > American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? > > An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for fuel > economy. I agree completely and I've posted on the subject (and the "cons" reflect that. I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of deceleration. Period. Part of the problem, I suspect, is how well would the 2 litre engine behave with two cylinders shut down? Cheers, Alan |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
news:z96dg.15998$DC3.451506@wagner.videotron.net.. . > > I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of > deceleration. Period. > The way Honda is doing it on their production models that is mostly true. Their concept car, the Dualnote, is a different story: http://world.honda.com/Tokyo2001/aut...nit/index.html According to the September 2002 article in Popular Mechanics, Honda engineers say the electrics effectively double the off-the-line acceleration to roughly what is expected from a 600 HP conventional power train. As the electric technology improves we will see performance increasingly being a reason for hybridization. But the Accord "hybrid?" Hardly worth the effort, IMHO. Mike |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
news:z96dg.15998$DC3.451506@wagner.videotron.net.. . > > I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of > deceleration. Period. > The way Honda is doing it on their production models that is mostly true. Their concept car, the Dualnote, is a different story: http://world.honda.com/Tokyo2001/aut...nit/index.html According to the September 2002 article in Popular Mechanics, Honda engineers say the electrics effectively double the off-the-line acceleration to roughly what is expected from a 600 HP conventional power train. As the electric technology improves we will see performance increasingly being a reason for hybridization. But the Accord "hybrid?" Hardly worth the effort, IMHO. Mike |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
"Alan Browne" <alan.browne@FreelunchVideotron.ca> wrote in message
news:z96dg.15998$DC3.451506@wagner.videotron.net.. . > > I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of > deceleration. Period. > The way Honda is doing it on their production models that is mostly true. Their concept car, the Dualnote, is a different story: http://world.honda.com/Tokyo2001/aut...nit/index.html According to the September 2002 article in Popular Mechanics, Honda engineers say the electrics effectively double the off-the-line acceleration to roughly what is expected from a 600 HP conventional power train. As the electric technology improves we will see performance increasingly being a reason for hybridization. But the Accord "hybrid?" Hardly worth the effort, IMHO. Mike |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
Alan Browne wrote:
> John Horner wrote: > >> IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The >> standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North >> American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? >> >> An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for >> fuel economy. > > > I agree completely and I've posted on the subject (and the "cons" > reflect that. > > I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of > deceleration. Period. > > Part of the problem, I suspect, is how well would the 2 litre engine > behave with two cylinders shut down? > > Cheers, > Alan With a small 4 cylinder motor you don't need cylinder deactivation. Cylinder deactivation only seems to provide a minimal fuel economy boost and is mostly be used on V-8s and V-12s (MBZ). John |
Re: Honda Accord Hybrid
Alan Browne wrote:
> John Horner wrote: > >> IMO the Accord Hybrid is a dumb marketing/engineering move. The >> standard V-6 Accord already has more power than any reasonable North >> American driver needs. Why add a hybrid boost on top of that? >> >> An ~2.0l four cylinder hybrid Accord would make much more sense for >> fuel economy. > > > I agree completely and I've posted on the subject (and the "cons" > reflect that. > > I don't see hybrid "boost" as a performance item but as reuse of > deceleration. Period. > > Part of the problem, I suspect, is how well would the 2 litre engine > behave with two cylinders shut down? > > Cheers, > Alan With a small 4 cylinder motor you don't need cylinder deactivation. Cylinder deactivation only seems to provide a minimal fuel economy boost and is mostly be used on V-8s and V-12s (MBZ). John |
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