Hi Folks,

I picked up my desert mist Hybrid Accord on December 18. It is a great car and a pleasure to drive. I had been driving a 96 Accord DX and the hybrid is a big step up. My wife has a 2000 Accord SE.

I know folks may be curious about mileage. So far, I have only driven it for a few short (3-8 mile) trips, during cold conditions (0 to 40 degrees F), in city driving with heavy traffic and some light snow. I have about 80 total miles on the odometer and the trip computer tells me I'm averaging just 18.7 mpg. Some of the hybrid technology does not kick in until the car has warmed up, which can take perhaps 15 minutes in cold weather. For example, this morning the temperature was 2 degrees F and the Auto Stop functionality didn't start working until I pulled in to my parking spot at work, even though I had to stop repeatedly along the way. My drive to work is just 6 miles and typically takes around 15-25 minutes. Over the next few days, I will be taking some drives on the highway so I anticipate the mileage will improve.

By the way, the car handled fine with stock tires driving slowly on packed, plowed snowy roads. No wheel spin was apparent during light acceleration.

Folks might be interested to know that there are a couple of hidden storage compartments underneath the trunk floor, where the spare tire would be. Without measuring, I would say that each one is somewhat smaller than a shoebox. Might be a good place to put tools, a first aid kit, flashlight, or something.

Anyway, in a few weeks when I fill up I will post some numbers to the database. If you have questions about the car, I will try to answer.

Regards,

Mike