For the record, I was about to pull the trigger on a non-nav Accord Hybrid for $27600, when the new Camry Hybrid sort of swept me off my feet. Its a little hard to compare, since the Camry has some features that the non-nav Accord doesn't (bluetooth, better stereo, folding rear seats), but without leather and nav, but with a sunroof, my Camry cost $26600. The tax credit on Accord is $1300, on Camry its $2600, so take another $1300 of the price of the Camry. You end up with $24 even for my particular Camry.

Became hard for me to justify the extra cost for the Accord. The only thing the Accord had that the Camry didn't was leather and heated seats...but was that worth $3600? No. Plus, I think Camry resale is going to be better down the road judging from what a tough time Honda dealers are having moving Accord Hybrids.

In real world aggressive driving, I'm getting 34.1 mpg with the Camry.

 

For all intents and purposes, the Camry-Accord comparison is apples to apples, or as close as one can get across makers. (Although bluetooth would be nice.) It comes down to the Camry has better FE especially local driving, and has EV capability while the Accord blazes off the line and still pulls well over 40mpg on the highway...take your pick of relative strengths.

Personally, although 80% of my driving is pure highway and I LOVE my HAH, I would've very probably gone for the TCH had it been available when I neede a new car. And I'd trade them all for a US-badged hybrid family sedan. EV capability is just too good to pass up, to me.

The 06 Accord credit is upped to 2600 with the new software update. Another equalizer.

 

Are you sure about the tax credit?

I spent a lot of time on that issue, and talked to Honda. I was told that the previous software was given a $600 tax credit, and with the new sofware, the 06 gets $1300. That jives with what I found online.

Forgive my ignorance--what is "EV?"

 

Yeah, I was right. This IRS page was updated last week, and it has the Accord at $1300, and the Camry at $2600.


http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/...157557,00.html


2006 Honda Accord Hybrid AT w/updated calibration and Navi AT w/updated calibration

$1,300*IR-2006-86, June 1, 2006



2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid

$2,600

IR-2006–67, April 25, 2006

 

oops- you're correct. sorry.

EV= electric vehicle mode. also in the glossary link on the top of the page.