The Accord is already well established as Canada's most popular mid-size car, and hybrid-electric drive systems have been widely acclaimed as the next big step in the evolution of the automobile. The combination of the two in the Honda Accord Hybrid builds on the strengths of both, taking the concept of a hybrid-electric vehicle from novelty to mainstream. As such, it makes a hybrid an attractive proposition for everyday buyers - not just those with a strong 'green' commitment. Full Article Other excerpts: While the terms 'mild' and 'full' are non-qualitative technical descriptors, Honda is concerned that they imply something different - that full is inherently better than mild - an interpretation one of its competitors has been keen to promote. Consequently, Honda is calling the Accord Hybrid a full hybrid, choosing to apply that terminology to any vehicle in which the electric motor provides power to the wheels. Too bad, for with everybody applying their own definitions, as GM has already done with its Hybrid pickup, the term hybrid is destined to become as confusing and meaningless to the consumer as AWD has already become. :x stupid marketing people.
I see the push to make "full" a well understood term has caused Honda to panic. Apparently, we've been quite successful. Interesting. I wonder how this change will play out, from their honest "assist" promotion to pretending their design is as capable as Toyota's & Ford's. Recently, a few Honda owners that only have ULEV hybrids have been pretty upset by the push to raise awareness about SULEV. They've been trying to convince people that their isn't that much of a difference and obscuring the facts by doing cross-class comparisons. They are obviously getting desperate. Today's announcement confirming that Highlander-Hybrid will be available as a SULEV with full-electric A/C is something they'll have a hard time hiding with a label. Those abilities are pretty sweet, something only a real "full" is capable of. The key difference is the fact that our hybrids use PERSISTENT electrical systems, creating significantly more electricity than their PASSIVE electrical system. The power-split-device is how. It's designed to efficiently support the continuous generation of electricity, preventing low battery situations. The assist design is not. In fact, many Honda hybrid give owner advice about how to avoid "forced charge" mode, since it cause a big MPG penalty. So they rely heavily on regeneration for electricity instead... which begs the question: How much electricity will actually be available for their partial-electric A/C? But if all else fails, we can is use "old school" marketing. More horsepower sells vehicles now. More kW could in the future. Their 14kW motor in Accord-Hybrid simply cannot compete with the 50kW motor in Prius. By the way, I get the biggest kick out of how they try to convince people that "stealth" is just a gimmick, that there's no pleasure actually received from gliding along without any engine vibration or sound at 40 MPH. Of course, all I have to do is ask them how nasty their MPG is in stop & slow traffic. In short, I'm tired of this kind of nonsense. It was bad when coming from the anti-hybrid crowd. Now their is a growing concern about misrepresentation from other hybrids.
thought you'd might have a say in this Yeah so I see them as using hybrid as a marketing thing for performance rather than to gain efficiency. I know a friend who's a diehard Honda fan. He will never buy a Prius but would gladly take the Accord Hybrid. He wants to save a few mpg but wants power. It's kinda sad that marketing has to intentionally blur the line and confuse consumers to hide their inferiority.
I like the 14 vs 50 kw comparison.......... oppps sorry no comparison. Maybe it's time for Ford and Toyota to launch a law suit against GM and Honda for false advertising. PERSISTENT is a very good statement regarding the Prius. It is truly a electric/gas hybrid, not a gas/electric hybrid.
My wife has had her hybrid Accord for just over two weeks, and loves it. It's a magnificent driving experience, and the car's already getting 30 mpg after just a few hundred miles.
And isn't this the same marketing direction that Toyota, too, is going in, with the Hylander/RX400h, GS450h, and perhaps other Lexus models?
That is true, but note that the 3.3 litre V6 has been DEtuned to 200hp down from the 230hp in original spec and the variable valve timing has been modified with efficiency in mind. Toyota's motors are also larger (50kW as opposed to 14kW) so that will result in a higher maximum output. It's no different from the Prius which has that same electric motor.
Orsino is it an automatic or a standard? Or for that matter do they come with a standard? Also how much in US dollars? and I'll try and convert it. Thanks.
Frank, the hybrid Accord comes only in automatic. My wife wasn't even going to think about giving up her stick--and I was reluctant to lose the shifting skill myself--but all it took was a test drive. I didn't even get behind the wheel, so ecstatic was I that she'd consider a hybrid. I knew I'd love it, and I was right. All told, without the nav system (which would have necessitated a long wait; the only one in the Southeast was in Orlando), the price was about US$30,700, IIRC. That includes the extended warranty and the Lo-Jack. This was actually a few hundred dollars less than my #6 Prius.
Perhaps this is a stretch, but I'm getting tired of "executives" receiving perks that I don't. Therefore, I choose to call anyone who works an executive because continuing the distinction hurts my self-respect and marketability.
Orsino, I have a question, more so for your wife, but here goes: what did she not like about the Prius (you let her drive your's once in awhile?) that she decided to get an Accord Hybrid, not another Prius? Just curious where and what comparisons can be drawn between the Accord Hybrid and the Prius with respect to customers, NOT the marketing gurus!
Curt, my wife just listed three reasons why she picked the Accord instead of another Prius: Heh. She really, really likes the Prius, but was happy to get any hybrid with reasonable EPA mileage. We've agreed that one feature of these cars is potentially much more important than our gas savings, and that's the visible word "hybrid" on the back end. We want to sway other drivers, and figure that the more hybrids there are on the highway, the more will be sold in the future. The road warriors who turn up their noses at my Prius might be surprised and excited to see that Accords can be hybrids, too.
Well, at least you have one of each so you can give people who ask an owner's perspective of the two hybrids!
