Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
October 10, 2005 For more information: Chris Schneider of Honda Motorwerks 608-784-6433 or Mark Metzler of Vision Design 507-453-0767 For Immediate Release Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Honda Motorwerks' Hybrid Drivers' Clinic and Challenge is looking for a special guest at 6 p.m. Monday October 24 in Consumer Reports' David Champion. Champion, the senior director of the Auto Test Department at Consumer Reports, was in charge of testing that showed hybrid vehicles failing to meet EPA mileage claims. The report came out in April and showed a 2003 Honda Civic at 26 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway -- 36 mpg overall, not the 48 mpg in the city and 47 mpg on the highway as the EPA claimed. Chris Schneider, president of Honda Motorwerks and hybrid expert, believes that the Consumer Reports' numbers are wrong and would like Champion to take part in a test at Honda Motorwerks. Schneider has sent Champion an invitation and has offered to pay for Champion's air fare and accommodations if the numbers show like those reported in Consumer Reports during the Hybrid Drivers' Clinic and Challenge. "We'll let him drive a car if he'd like," Schneider said, "I don't think you can drive a Civic Hybrid badly enough to get the numbers they reported." During the Clinic portion of the event, Schneider will show Hybrid owners and prospective owners how to get the most mileage from their vehicles. After the clinic, Insight, Civic and Accord owners will compete against each other to see who can get the best mileage on a course set by Honda Motorwerks. The winners in each category will then be given Civic Hybrids and be asked to drive the cars poorly to see if they can replicate Champion's findings. We look forward to you attending. If you have questions, please call Chris Schneider at 608-784-6433. |
Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
That's FABULOUS !! I'd love to be there when that test is done. Boy, I hope CR takes the challenge !!
What in God's name did CR do to get 26 MPG in an HCH? Floor it the whole test? Drive around the block once in 100 degree heat with the A/C on Max? |
Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Read my post on how I got 28mpg in a civic hybrid. I'm sure I can do worse in the winter. I will try this winter so we can get a baseline low number for first gen civic hybrids.
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Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Tom, I can't find that post. Did you describe your technique? I am skeptical that it could be anything like a normal drive, but I'd love to read it.....:D
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Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
LOL, man, I'd like to be there for that!
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Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Based on my own experience and 2 coworkers, 45 on the highway sounds about right. I assume everyone/Honda is protesting the city rating of 26? I can see how heavy stop-n-go and crawling traffic (that disables auto-stop) could get that low.
During a recent trip to Chicago, I was running about 32 mpg in bad city traffic. Acceleration just kills the mpg. In decently flowing city traffic, I was running 50-60 mpg. I think it depends heavily on the test environment. |
Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Originally Posted by Jason
October 10, 2005 . . .
We know that:
What we need is a letter, like this note, sent and signed by individual drivers and owners to our respective hybrid makers listing these problems. Fix the cars so they support hyper-mileage and Consumer Reports and the other automotive press will sing a different tune. That is what is missing. Bob Wilson |
Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Originally Posted by lars-ss
That's FABULOUS !! I'd love to be there when that test is done. Boy, I hope CR takes the challenge !!
What in God's name did CR do to get 26 MPG in an HCH? Floor it the whole test? Drive around the block once in 100 degree heat with the A/C on Max? |
Re: Honda Motorwerks Invites Consumer Reports to Put Hybrids to the Test
Because Consumer Reports gives a $hit about Honda Motorwerks, a Honda dealership in Winsconsin. I'm sure they'll stake their reputation on this challenge.
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