That is a bit of a concern for me but if, as Rolf mentioned earlier, they are selling the hybrids over here now I think I will find a Honda dealer and check one out....come to think of it, it doesn't even have to be a hybrid! Thanks for the reply!

Is the speedo dimmable? I would assume so, but you never know...

 

Yes, there are 5 levels of brightness you can choose from. To be honest, I don't notice the glare anymore now that I have driven the car for a few months, but a couple people in this forum have complained about it.

I know it's slightly more expensive, but the Toyota Camry Hybrid has a traditional analog speedometer. If the glare really will bother you, it might be worth checking out the Toyota.

 

Thanks, I am pretty set on the Honda, as I have owned a couple in the past and (other than road noise) I have always been impressed with them.

With the brightness being dimmable, it probably won't be distracting for me. I do drive with the instrumentation very dim at night...I find it less fatiguing. I hope to be able to get out to a Honda dealer over here in Germany this week and crawl all over one of the new models!

 

I've had my Magnetic Pearl HCH2 (w/Nav & XM) since early May and couldn't be happier with its overall fit, finish and performance. I've got 2271 miles on it and currently have a lifetime average of 35.8 MPG. I've gotten as much as 38.9 for a tank (mostly long highway trips) and as little as 29.6 (most recent tank, all short trips).

I know that sounds pretty bad, but I'm a very aggressive driver and ALWAYS crank the AC when I or my passengers feel the need. Another contributing factor is the fact that most of my driving has been very short trips.

When I bought the car I was commuting 30 miles each way and was able to use the HOV lanes. As luck would have it, my next contract, which started a week after I bought the car, has me working from home.

From what I've read here, my mileage is probably the lowest of anyone here, but will only get better as I put on more miles. I sure hope so, because I don't intend to change the way I drive. The way I see it, even at its worst, my HCH2 gets well over twice the MPG of the Exploder that it replaced.

 

I bought my 06 HCH in February and have a little over 7000 miles on it. My normal commute is pretty short with a fair number of hills and I get mileage around 37mpg with city-only driving. Freeway miles I get between 42 and 50 mpg. My lifetime mileage is 42.8.

Trim is very classy looking on the interior. The metallic paint on the accents is easy to scratch, so be careful with your keys. I do notice some small rattles, but I'm overly sensitive to that sort of thing, most people don't notice. It's pretty quiet on a smooth road, rough road can be a bit noisy. I love the digital speedometer and all the controls in the dash are easy to reach, the stereo/cruise buttons on the steering wheel are terrific.

 

Mark & Kh02,


Thanks for the replies on the '06 model. I would love to have one, but I am not sure if the wife will let go of that much cash right now...

This car (2004-2006) truly sounds like it is on par with Honda's high level of craftmanship, and it sounds exactly like what I am looking for in a vehicle. Thanks again!...nsdq

Lyn

 

I think you WORST mileage, that is if you lead-footed it all the time would be above 30 mpg. 90-100 mph on an interstate you will still get over 30 mpg. So that is the worst you can get, it only goes up from there.

The 05 is nice, but I will be upgrading to an 06, I was going to get an Insight, but it hasn't been working out for me. The 05 was going to stay with me if I got an Insight, but now it will go to a family member.

All of this IMHO, but YMMV