In article <vm5nm1lgt0plq6fmmi1phd8jo6vv17ouj7@4ax.com>, Steve
<nmvc@kytr.inv> wrote:

> Excerpts from
> http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...6/b3959057.htm
>
>
> While the Toyota Prius sells in eight days, the Honda Accord hybrid
> takes some two months to exit the lot. The Honda Civic hybrid is no
> Prius either - it takes 36 days to move.
>
> Clearly, the Prius's conspicuous display of uber-greenness is key to
> its success. But it also features a radically new driving experience.
> It's quite a thrill to hit the accelerator and slip along in near
> silence.
>
> Not so for Honda hybrids. Because the gasoline engine is working most
> of the time - getting an electrical boost during acceleration - it
> drives much like a regular car. Honda says its technology is fuel
> efficient and cheaper, but that may not be enough to wow drivers.

Thank you for the exerpts, Steve.

A reason why my wife & I opted for the Prius is that it is such a
*usable* car. The premium MSRP buys you an intelligently designed
transportation system, not just an ordinary car with a modified
propulsion package.

All the hybrids have been pared down in various weight-saving ways, but
sometimes I have to wonder at the decisions. The hybrid Accord, e.g.,
has no spare tire. In its place you get a can of puncture-sealer to
spray in through the valve stem. Fine if your tire picked up a nail,
uselss if it hit road debris; fine if you're in a metropolitan area,
infuriating if the nearest help is the gas station you passed a long
time ago.

There are good ways to save weight. It's instructive to test a hybrid's
body panels with a magnet.

Brent.