Honda Car Forum

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...accord_hy.html

Mileage goes down significantly for 2006 though emissions improve and price
goes up.

"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:GBqGf.7905$Nv2.3190@newsread1.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
> http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...accord_hy.html
>
> Mileage goes down significantly for 2006 though emissions improve and
> price goes up.

Honda put the sun roof from the EX Accord on as standard and put a
mini-spare and jack in place of a can of Fix-a-Flat in the trunk. This
added about 80 pounds to the weight of the car, moving it to a different EPA
class and test. Per the EPA ESTIMATE the 2006 gets lower mileage than the
2005 ESTIMATE. In the real world, not EPA's statistical one, the 2006 will
most likely get the same mileage as the 2005 model.

The price increase (approx. $800) can also be attributed to the extra cost
of the sun roof.

Don't jump to conclusions.


--
Kent Finnell
From the Music City USA

Just a minor correction.... the 2005 does not have a fix a flat can in the
trunk. It has a small compressor, a jack, and a patch kit. Why they didn't
put a mini spare there is beyond me.

As for the EPA, they are not due to change mileage tests for several years.
Why would the figures change?


"Kent Finnell" <kentfinn@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:exsGf.260$S03.176@bignews1.bellsouth.net...
> "Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:GBqGf.7905$Nv2.3190@newsread1.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
>> http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...accord_hy.html
>>
>> Mileage goes down significantly for 2006 though emissions improve and
>> price goes up.
>
> Honda put the sun roof from the EX Accord on as standard and put a
> mini-spare and jack in place of a can of Fix-a-Flat in the trunk. This
> added about 80 pounds to the weight of the car, moving it to a different
> EPA class and test. Per the EPA ESTIMATE the 2006 gets lower mileage than
> the 2005 ESTIMATE. In the real world, not EPA's statistical one, the 2006
> will most likely get the same mileage as the 2005 model.
>
> The price increase (approx. $800) can also be attributed to the extra cost
> of the sun roof.
>
> Don't jump to conclusions.
>
>
> --
> Kent Finnell
> From the Music City USA
>

"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote in message
newsbvGf.8191$Nv2.7058@newsread1.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
> Just a minor correction.... the 2005 does not have a fix a flat can in the
> trunk. It has a small compressor, a jack, and a patch kit. Why they
> didn't put a mini spare there is beyond me.

Woops, but it was all for weight savings. The mini-spare and the sun roof
add about 80 pounds. That was enough to push the car into anouther EPA
class.

>
> As for the EPA, they are not due to change mileage tests for several
> years. Why would the figures change?
>
>

True, but there are weight/size classes now and each class has a different
mix of tests. The 2005 Accord Hybrid fit in one class and the addition of
80 pounds or so pushed the 2006 into a higher class with a different set of
criteria.

The new tests, if they are ever instituted, are supposed to be more
realistic. The current tests have all sorts of fudge factors. In the real
world, I doubt that there's much difference between the 2005 and the 2006.
Being Hondas, after about 5,000 miles to break them in and proper
maintenance, they'll probably beat the current EPA estimates.


--
Kent Finnell
From the Music City USA

Kent Finnell wrote:

> The new tests, if they are ever instituted, are supposed to be more
> realistic. The current tests have all sorts of fudge factors. In the real
> world, I doubt that there's much difference between the 2005 and the 2006.
> Being Hondas, after about 5,000 miles to break them in and proper
> maintenance, they'll probably beat the current EPA estimates.

Yes, and my '93 Accord automatic is proof of that. EPA estimated 28mpg on
the highway, and yet I consistently get 32-34mpg.

Kent Finnell wrote:
> The price increase (approx. $800) can also be attributed to the extra cost
> of the sun roof.

quite easily!

They also added stability control. But those lower epa mileage figures will
bother some customers I am sure. They would me.


"SoCalMike" <Mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FcednSUV7NN6UHfeRVn-pg@comcast.com...
> Kent Finnell wrote:
>> The price increase (approx. $800) can also be attributed to the extra
>> cost of the sun roof.
>
> quite easily!

In article <GBqGf.7905$Nv2.3190@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink. net>,
"Art" <begunaNOSPAMPLEASE@mindspring.com> wrote:

> http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...accord_hy.html
>
> Mileage goes down significantly for 2006 though emissions improve and price
> goes up.

Those numbers are more realistic.

It's interesting that the IMA system is less powerful now. I think it's
time to stop calling the Accord a hybrid. The electric motor is all
about stabilizing the engine during mode changes, and providing power to
the electric A/C. Its effect on the drivetrain is almost nothing in
such a heavy car.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
>snip
>
> It's interesting that the IMA system is less powerful now. I think it's
> time to stop calling the Accord a hybrid. The electric motor is all
> about stabilizing the engine during mode changes, and providing power to
> the electric A/C. Its effect on the drivetrain is almost nothing in
> such a heavy car.

I agree. If the electric motor can't run the car by itself, it
shouldn't be called a hybrid. Perhaps Honda engineers called it
"assist" but Honda marketing insisted on the hybrid moniker?

Toyota's 2007 Camry hybrid may be a more interesting model and 192 hp
is more than adequate. Price and real-world mpg are still unknows. As
evidence that the hybrid craze has abated, my local Toyota store
(CARMAX) has 4 Prius in stock, two at $22,308 and two at $25,318. None
priced higher. At about $22K the Prius is a pretty attractive deal for
those who use the car in the city and want to send a one-fingered
salute to the oil industry. The Prius works on the highway (my cousin
consistently gets 50+ mpg) for those willing to keep the speed down
(*everyone* passes my cousin).

A big savings from the Accord is its ability to turn off the engine during
stop and go traffic. If it requires the electric motor to do that (which I
assume it does), calling it a hybrid is reasonable. I remember a decade or
so ago, Volkswagon promised to produce a car that shut off its engine during
stop and go driving. To my knowledge it never happened.


<dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139487955.364284.79790@z14g2000cwz.googlegro ups.com...
> Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
>>snip
>>
>> It's interesting that the IMA system is less powerful now. I think it's
>> time to stop calling the Accord a hybrid. The electric motor is all
>> about stabilizing the engine during mode changes, and providing power to
>> the electric A/C. Its effect on the drivetrain is almost nothing in
>> such a heavy car.
>
> I agree. If the electric motor can't run the car by itself, it
> shouldn't be called a hybrid. Perhaps Honda engineers called it
> "assist" but Honda marketing insisted on the hybrid moniker?
>
> Toyota's 2007 Camry hybrid may be a more interesting model and 192 hp
> is more than adequate. Price and real-world mpg are still unknows. As
> evidence that the hybrid craze has abated, my local Toyota store
> (CARMAX) has 4 Prius in stock, two at $22,308 and two at $25,318. None
> priced higher. At about $22K the Prius is a pretty attractive deal for
> those who use the car in the city and want to send a one-fingered
> salute to the oil industry. The Prius works on the highway (my cousin
> consistently gets 50+ mpg) for those willing to keep the speed down
> (*everyone* passes my cousin).
>