Honda Car Forum

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.



************************************************** *

Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.

....Robert Benchley

: Honda says its technology is fuel
: efficient and cheaper, but that may not be enough to wow drivers.

Honda missed the point.

Their hybrid just too ugly - and the blame falls partly on that funky
looking, fender-covered thing they tried to peddle (the Insight??).

Mack

"M. MacDonald" <mmacdon@bc.cc.ca.us> wrote in message
news:WUMaf.134$W4.30594@okeanos.csu.net...
>: Honda says its technology is fuel
> : efficient and cheaper, but that may not be enough to wow drivers.
>
> Honda missed the point.
>
> Their hybrid just too ugly - and the blame falls partly on that funky
> looking, fender-covered thing they tried to peddle (the Insight??).

That may be true for the Insight, but the Civic and Accord Hybrids look just
like regular Accords and Civics.

Persoanlly, I think the Toyota system is superior, although I remain
unconvinced that I really care that much about hybrids in general. However,
I think the size of the Prius, and the very positive press are major factors
contributing to it sales sucess. Also the distinctive, if unual styling
lets the world know that the driver really cares about the environment. The
enviromentalist driving a Civic Hybrid might not get noticed....

Insight (CVT) - 57 City / 56 Hwy / 56 combined
Insight (manual) - 60 City / 66 Hwy / 63 combined
Civic Hybrid - 49 City / 51 Hwy / 50 combined
Prius - 60 City / 51 Highway / 55 combined
Accord Hybrid (2005) - 29 City / 37 Hwy / 32 combined
Ford Escape (FWD) - 36 City / 31 Hwy / 33 combined
Toyota Highlander Hybrid (FWD) - 33 City / 28 Hwy / 30 combined
Toyota Camry (4 cylinder, 5 sp manual) - 24 City / 34 Hwy / 28 combined

Ed

Perhaps they don't want to stand out as not being a very astute buyer who
fell for the hybrid hype?


mike hunt




"C. E. White" <cewhite3@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:2kNaf.4128$2y.1107@newsread2.news.atl.earthli nk.net...
>
> "M. MacDonald" <mmacdon@bc.cc.ca.us> wrote in message
> news:WUMaf.134$W4.30594@okeanos.csu.net...
>>: Honda says its technology is fuel
>> : efficient and cheaper, but that may not be enough to wow drivers.
>>
>> Honda missed the point.
>>
>> Their hybrid just too ugly - and the blame falls partly on that funky
>> looking, fender-covered thing they tried to peddle (the Insight??).
>
> That may be true for the Insight, but the Civic and Accord Hybrids look
> just like regular Accords and Civics.
>
> Persoanlly, I think the Toyota system is superior, although I remain
> unconvinced that I really care that much about hybrids in general.
> However, I think the size of the Prius, and the very positive press are
> major factors contributing to it sales sucess. Also the distinctive, if
> unual styling lets the world know that the driver really cares about the
> environment. The enviromentalist driving a Civic Hybrid might not get
> noticed....
> Ed
>

I suppose the reason is the Civic buyer can get a better perspective on the
premium price one must pay to buy a hybrid when looking at the came car with
the different power plants. That premium will buy nearly ALL of the fuel
for a conventional powered Civic. In the case of the Prius most buyers do
not think to compare it to the Corolla for size, price, and fuel mileage.
To say nothing of the fact dealers never mention the huge battery
replacement cost somewhere down the line.

mike hunt


"Steve" <nmvc@kytr.inv> wrote in message
news:vm5nm1lgt0plq6fmmi1phd8jo6vv17ouj7@4ax.com...
>
> 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.
>
>
>
> ************************************************** *
>
> Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.
>
> ...Robert Benchley

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.

Steve 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.


The Accord hybrid is almost as bad of an idea as the 8 cylinder powered
VW Passat was (not quite that bad though). Pushing an Accord into
Acura TSX pricing levels really makes no sense.

Now Diesel powered Accords and Civics getting better than hybrid fuel
economy in the real world and selling for no more that a $999 premium
over the gasoline engine car ... that would be a great idea!

John

Not if you live in NY or CA though!

"John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:i1Xaf.4029$dU6.3327@trnddc03...
> Steve 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.
>
>
> The Accord hybrid is almost as bad of an idea as the 8 cylinder powered VW
> Passat was (not quite that bad though). Pushing an Accord into Acura TSX
> pricing levels really makes no sense.
>
> Now Diesel powered Accords and Civics getting better than hybrid fuel
> economy in the real world and selling for no more that a $999 premium over
> the gasoline engine car ... that would be a great idea!
>
> John

Supposedly the low-sulfer fuels will be rolled out in 2006 which should
solve the emissions regulations problems for diesels. Even so, there
are a whole lot of vehicles sold in the other 48 states!

John

Sapper wrote:
> Not if you live in NY or CA though!
>
> "John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:i1Xaf.4029$dU6.3327@trnddc03...
>
>>Steve 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.
>>
>>
>>The Accord hybrid is almost as bad of an idea as the 8 cylinder powered VW
>>Passat was (not quite that bad though). Pushing an Accord into Acura TSX
>>pricing levels really makes no sense.
>>
>>Now Diesel powered Accords and Civics getting better than hybrid fuel
>>economy in the real world and selling for no more that a $999 premium over
>>the gasoline engine car ... that would be a great idea!
>>
>>John
>
>
>

When we were shopping for a new car three years ago, we only looked at
hybrids. There were four Prius on the lot, and no Civic hybrids to even test
drive, so the choice was pretty much made at that point.

We couldn't be happier. The only repair we've done in those three years is
replacement of a broken windshield. The transmissionless Prius is a joy to
drive; my wife wouldn't have a manual (she knows how but doesn't like it).
There is 50K miles left on the hybrid system warranty (including the
battery... the hybrid system warranty is 10 yrs/150K miles in about half a
dozen states but only 8 yr/100K in AZ). We average upper 40s mpg in real
world driving, more around town where we do the most driving. It's clean,
quiet, comfortable, responsive and superbly maneuverable. What's not to
like?

On the diesel front, count me out. I just got a new work truck last month -
a TDi F350 Super Duty. As a work vehicle there's a lot to like. It gets
easily double the fuel economy of my previous gasser. On the highway, the
power is phenomenal... at 25 psi boost I'm not surprised! Off the line is a
whole different story. Making a left turn across traffic requires great
patience and sometimes the kindness of strangers. I wish I had four feet:
one for the accelerator, one for the clutch, and two more to do the Fred
Flintstone thing. Add in the clatter and smell and it just isn't something
I'd want in a family car.

Mike