Re: News Report re: Hybrid Accords
 

"..get the best mileage of any SIMILAR SIZED vehicle with comparable
performance,..."
CC

On Sun, 23 Apr 2006 11:23:03 -0500, CC <cwcjunior@REM.juno.com> wrote:

>(Note: also posted elsewhere in the topic)
>
>I have had an 03 Civic Hybrid and now have an 05' Accord Hybrid. If I
>had to have one or the other, in today's market and gas prices, I
>still choose the Accord. It is my trip vehicle and the 03 Civic did
>not cut it. Wandered, under powered (Do NOT get the CVT Civic if you
>pull out onto busy 50 mph two lane roads, regularly), and
>uncomfortable, even with the Leather interior (aftermarket) upgrade I
>had on it.
>
>Yes, I like power and my first new car was a V8 back in the day -
>'70s. The Accord Hybrid (as is true of ALL current Hybrids) will NOT
>save you money over the life of ownership, fact - read any study. The
>premium cost is too high to be made up by gas savings. Heaven help
>you should need something unique fixed. (The AC radiator/condensor is
>$750) So, why own it.
>
>It is the fastest production Honda Accord with 15 hp ('05) more than
>the non-hybrid V6. The Hybrid gets 29 mpg in town (and I do get about
>that) and I get 34.5 mpg at 80 mph average highway and the rated 37
>mpg if I average 60 - 65 mph. The non-hybrid 05 V6 comparably
>equipped, actually gets 18-22 city and 27- 32 highway.
>
>So, I ride in luxury (the Accord starts with everything and adds
>hybrid), get the best mileage of any vehicle with comparable
>performance, can comfortably transport 5 and have LOCKOUT-ABLE trunk
>storage (the Prius has no secure storage when you leave it for service
>or leave valuables in the "trunk").
>
>I work around and build military hybrids and chose to own one, just to
>say that I do. Status - which is the only reason to own one - today.
>That will not be the case in 5 to 10 years.
>
>BTW: Yes, I am hunting for some lightning bolt symbol magnets to put
>on the side to flaunt that it is a hybrid,
>
>Honda did just fine, by me. (except for the lack of a spare, which I
>have solved - after market.)
>
>On Tue, 18 Apr 2006 14:55:12 GMT, John Horner <jthorner@yahoo.com>
>wrote:
>
>>IMO Honda completely missed the boat on this one by going for a
>>"performance hybrid". Nobody needs even higher performance than the V-6
>>Accord already offers, and the price of the Hybrid Accord is a show
>>stopper. Why pay the price on an Acura TL to get a Honda sedan?
>>
>>Hybrids should be about great fuel economy, and the Accord hybrid real
>>world economy is little better than the 4 cylinder Accord.
>>
>>IMO Honda would do much better selling a high economy 1.8 L turbocharged
>>version of the Accord instead of the silly V-6 hybrid. With the new
>>focus on fuel economy we are going to see more use of smaller engines
>>with turbochargers. Even Honda is about to get into the turbo act with
>>the new Acura RDX.
>>
>>John