Well you certainly hit the spot for HAH-specific thoughts. I hope you get a chance to browse through the old threads!

In the meantime, keep your RPMs under 2000 when accelerating, ignore the IMA charge/assist lights, focus on keeping the eco light on, use cruise control religiously, and drive as though your brakes are a last resort- you want to keep the injectors off and those 3 cylinders sleeping as much as possible.

Here's a benchmark: 33 mile flat-ish commute, 29 miles of it are highway. I drive 60mph, CC set. As long as the temp is over 50 I will always get between 42-44mpg.
But if you do any significant low-speed or stop/go stuff, then consider the HAH to be no better than any other small V6, since it is almost always using all 6 in those conditions.

 

You've got to be kidding! If you're going to drive the Accord Hybrid like this, you might as well have gotten the Insight instead!

 

I'm of exactly the same opinion, Dave. I don't understand why people buy a 255 HP V-6 hybrid, which was designed primarily to be faster than the regular V-6 Accord, and then baby it around at extremely low speeds with glacial acceleration.

 

Different strokes for different folks! Most of the time a car is just getting you from one place to another, and the fact that I can do that comfortably, reliably, safely and get 35-40mpg is the main reason I bought the car. In addition, I also have the option of actually "driving " the car on occasion, and it does this reasonably well also. Thus, the HAH may be the best of both worlds currently available. As with most things in life, it's a comprimise.

It's also nice to be able to merge without drama, and then cruise economically.

Bernie

 

But if you get 35-40 mpg in the HAH, a Prius or Civic Hybrid would get you 50-60 mpg, and you won't have to struggle to stay in fifth gear the way the HAH hypermilers do.

Of course for all I know you're not one of the extreme hypermilers, Bernie. My post was in response to gonavy and indirectly to some other Accord hypermilers we have here.

 

JEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZ, people. Bernie is right. And those who are interested can read my testimonial from a long time ago:
https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...light=autoweek

I gave recommendations as to the driving profile to optimize FE. RECOMMENDATIONS. Even I don't drive that way all the time. I too like to feel it drop me way back in my seat when stepping on it on occasion. But 35-40mpg is a fine compromise for me, my family, my needs, and my priorities.

There is no point in questioning why one chose a given model over another. Personal priorities are different, and everyone acts completely rationally within their personal context. I don't question other people's choices as to what vehicle they drive, and I expect the same courtesy. We'd all be a little better off with some less armchair quarterbacking- everywhere, not jut here.

I could question why some feel a need to comment on others' choices, or why they feel a need to use and display all the power at their disposal. What's wrong with NOT showing off? I've got nothing to prove- my Tshirt collection is plenty big already. I know what the car can do, and why does it matter to anyone else?

 

The issue was just that the Accord Hybrid was not nearly as well suited to the apparent needs of some people as other cars. It's not about people wanting to get good mileage, it's buying a performance car and using it [apparently] only to get as high mileage as they can with it. Similarly, I hate people buying SUVs and pickups when they have no need whatsoever for them (especially if they then have the nerve to complain about gas prices).

 

...and the Civic or Prius are not 'apparantly' suited to my needs (and wants too). The fault lies in the use of 'apparantly.' There is more and deeper context to everyone's situation; without knowing what it is, you are doing no more than throwing darts in the dark.

Its an ACCORD. Family Sedan. Comfy, lots of room. Gets better EPA mpg than EVERY SINGLE American car built in 2005 model year. Seems to fit my needs perfectly. Not my fault Honda got stupid and felt the need to soothe middle-aged dad egos by making and marketing it as a performance sedan. I bought it for its 9,999 OTHER superior qualities. The HAH is (still) the only game in town for anyone who wants a slightly-larger family car with good FE.

Life is a series of compromises. Sure I'd have loved the Camry or Fusion hybrids, but they were'n't available when I needed a new car, and needed a larger family car. The Civic would have worked, and the Prius, but my priorities had me looking for something a little different. The HAH came closest.

I understand what you are saying in general, but generalizations are almost always impossible to downscope to the individual. Case in point.

There is a huge difference between the consumer who buys a slightly-sprortier than-most-sedan and doesn't use all of its (pretty modest) capability vs the consumer who buys an Expedition and uses even less of its (quite formidable) capability. Each is being wasteful, but to different orders of magnitude.

 

Well put Gonavy. My situation dictated my choice. My wife was ready for a new car, and she had been driving a Maxima for the last 5 years. She expected (and deserved) a level of comfort, and was used to a level of performance (merge ability). She was also making noise about an SUV!!!
And since she puts 18-20,000 miles/year on her car, and we will keep for at least 5 years, I thought the added cost would be spread out, and maybe even justified.
I was afraid we would see this kind of gas price inflation, and didn't want to be caught holding an expensive piece of useless metal. So when she came home one day complaining that her check engine light had come on and she wanted a new car, we were at the Honda dealer in 30 minutes, and had signed a deal 30 minutes later.

Now we don't have to take my poor Integra (127,000 miles, 33 mpg) to save gas every time we go somewhere as a family.

I have done nothing to optimize the mileage she gets, and she basically just drives the car with complete disregard for the gas mileage. During this winter here in cold Mass., with a fairly lousy commute, she always got 32+,
with warmer weather, she gets 34+.

Bernie

 

sounds like she's a gentle driver to begin with. Good for you guys!