While I agree the HAH is sub-optimal, Honda did an excellent job with what they had to work with, short of a bottom-up redesign of the car and engine. The entire point of the HAH program was to be the 1st to market for the species (family sedan). Mission accomplished. They wanted to sell 15000 last year. They came very close. Given better marketing and a choice of trim they would've done a lot better.

There was and remains a very very strong case for creating hybrid entries in the family-sedan market. No family sedan will ever match a Civic or Prius, on size alone. The TCH and Fusion hybrids will establish thesegment firmly in the industry, but they weren't the first.

The 08 (? 09?) re-design will very very probably have a 4cylinder HAH that will make the TCH look very 20th century on the highway, and probably give it a run for its money in town, as they evolve the HCH-II's EV further and implement it in the next-gen HAH. Never bet against Honda when it comes to squeezing energy from a drop of fuel.