my response to Autoweek's request
attn: Jon Wong, AutoWeek
Dear Sir,
I am a member of Greenhybrid.com and was told that you are soliciting input for a forthcoming article on the Accord Hybrid. I have been an owner since May 2005, and have put 7500 miles on my "HAH" to date.
My information:
trim: 05 Accord Hybrid (no navigation system), appearance pkg (mud flaps & striping)
price paid: $28,300.00 (with destination, excluding T/T/L)
This car comes very close to the ideal vehicle for me and my family. I was driving a 96 Cavalier as my commuter-mobile (34 miles one-way), and was in the market to upgrade to a family sedan that I would use mostly for commuting and weekend family duties, up to $25 or 30K. The Accord hybrid is simply the only game in town for a good mileage, power, and luxury combination.
I am an electrical engineer and have collegaues who have driven hybrids since 2000, so I was very aware of the benefits and shortcomings of the various flavors of the breed. To me it was not a question of "if" but only a matter of "when" I got one myself...like when it was time to let the trusty Cavalier go to a better place.
Gas prices were not a factor at all- I knew in 2000 that I was going to get a hybrid. It is technology that is easy to implement and simply makes sense- isn't something so easy that improves efficiency even a bit worth a serious look? They don't all need to be 50mpg econoboxes- we dealt with that in the 80s, and as a culture decided it was not for us. 10 or 20% increased efficiency is 10 or 20%, no matter what vehicle- it's still using less fuel. How can that ever be bad? You can see that I am very much in favor of promoting and mainstreaming technology when it is win-win.
No car gets EPA numbers when driven by the 50th percentile driver, so I don't understand the frustration felt by some about hybrids not hitting EPA numbers. I know where it comes from: hybrids have an MPG gage to see exactly what mileage is being achieved, while most regular cars don't. Put an MPG gage in every vehicle and there would possibly be a general outrage.
A side note: I have a strong bias for American cars, and have only owned Big-3 products prior to this. Detroit simply had nothing to offer, period (I was not in the market for a mini-SUV, a la Escape hybrid). So it was with more than a little groaning by my wife and ancestors, and quite possibly some adjustments to a few wills, that I examined the Prius, and then Accord. I wanted a family sedan, but wanted a hybrid more. Had there been a Taurus, LaCrosse, Impala, Malibu, or Stratus available in hybrid trim, I'd be writing to you about one of them now instead. Even if they got somewhat worse MPG or weren't quite as reliable as a Honda.
I quickly decided that, although I prefer Toyota's HSD system and really liked the Prius, the Accord was the way to go for my family. It's an Accord- nobody will ever laugh at you (or lust for you) in an Accord. I'm not sure the same will be said about the Prius, now or in 8 years (my average ownership period). The Accord is not that much roomier in fact, but it feels roomier and a whole lot more solid. It 'looks and drives normal' as my wife put it.
Do I get 50 or 60mpg like I could in the Prius? No. But I get 35-38 on a tank, 42 on my commute. That's a whole lot better than any non-hybrid I would have bought. The Accord hybrid, 255 horses and all, gets better EPA combined mileage than EVERY 2005 US vehicle? Only the Vibe and Neon (maybe the Malibu?) match or come close. And when my manhood feels threatened, I've yet to be beaten off the line. All while looking very suburban-nondescript.
My worst tank was the 2nd tank after I bought it- 28mpg, mostly in-town driving. Since then I've improved- car's broken in and my driving habits have shifted, and my last half-dozen tanks are all right at 38mpg. Yes, 38. In a V6 car. About 35% city driving. Did I mention how nice it is to think about that as you sit in leather seats and can hear almost zero road or engine noise at 70mph? I took the family with all our luggage on a 250 mile trip last weekend- ended up with 40mpg for the trip even after toting around in the beach traffic, back and forth to ice cream and mini-golf, etc.
I am focusing on mileage here because that's all there is to really talk about. I mean this is an Accord. It's a known quantity, like chocolate chip cookies. Ecxept mine has a few extra chips thrown in for good measure.
Most important likes (not in particular order):
- The MPG gage on the dash!!! Just putting this in every car would make everyone aware of their economy (or lack of), and probably help them improve it as they can see their results right away. Its part of OBD2, so why not make the information visible?
- It's a normal car, even the oil it uses. Doesn't require expensive 0W-20 like the Prius or Civic.
- It's an Accord- what more is there to say? Nothing feels different from the regular EX.
- I go almost 600 miles on a tank- almost 2 weeks between fillups.
- No trim options makes buying one very very easy. You get it all. Buying a Model T must've been like this. You're in, you're out- no wavering over option packages, etc. Definitely easier for me.
- The squeals of glee from the kids when I accelerate away quickly. Try that in any other car over 30mpg!
- Yes, there is a certain smugness I feel as I pull up next to my neighbors in their Expeditions and Tahoes or even regular Maximas, Avalons, and Accords. I gave up nothing, and use less fuel to boot. It's good to feed the ego now and again.
Dislikes:
- With all the bells and whistles at what is basically the EX trim level, why doesn't Honda offer multi-driver seating and mirror memory?
- I'd like to see a CVT option instead of the 5speed auto.
- Engine cutoff speed (about 12mph when coming to a stop) is too low- cut the engine off earlier and coast longer. (This is largely solved in the 06 Civic, and will hopefully find its way into the Accord too)
- Around town and at low speed, the engine is almost always in 6cylinder mode, and sucking gas like one. For parking lot and very low-speed driving, it would be nice to see cylinder shutdown come into play. I know that's a tough engineering nut to crack at low load conditions, though. Again, this may be solved in the 06 Civic...let's evolve it to the Accord too!
In closing, you can tell that I have very few (and no substantial) complaints about the Accord hybrid. I am 100% certain that I bought the right car for my family, given what is available on the market today. Yes I paid a premium over a similar 6 cylinder sedan, but not excessively so. To my set of priorities, it was worth it to help promote something that simply makes sense- a better vehicle than what I would have otherwise purchased.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback to the public about the vehicle.
|
