No sacrifice in power for Accord Hybrid

[Accord Man]

The number of hybrids are growing, but it's still a niche market and buyers are balking at paying a premium

By JEREMY CATO
Thursday, September 23, 2004 - Page G16





CARLSBAD, CALIF. -- A black/brown cloud of polluted muck hangs in the California air above Interstate 15 as we fly along at 145 km/h, trying -- and failing -- to keep abreast of traffic as we head north toward Gopher Canyon Road on this four-lane stretch carved between two steep, imposing hillsides lined with million-dollar homes.

The air here is dry, the ground parched and covered with straw wherever sprinklers haven't gone to work feeding moisture to the desert soil. This is exactly the kind of place automotive-based air pollution is at its worst, trapped in valleys lined with speeding cars.

Naturally, this is where Honda has chosen to showcase its 255-horsepower 2005 Accord hybrid sedan -- its newest model powered partly by gas, partly by batteries.

Honda is billing this Accord, its third gasoline-electric production car, as the "no compromises hybrid." No compromises in that it is faster than a regular V-6-engine powered Accord and as fuel efficient as a Honda Civic.

It also drives just like any other V-6-powered Accord, albeit one with a slightly smaller trunk to make room for a battery pack continuously charged by an engine running on good old regular gas.

When the car hits showrooms in December, Miller says, it will star as the Japanese auto maker's flagship model, priced somewhere less than $40,000 and loaded with luxury features above and beyond the fancy hybrid power train technology. Expect it to cost $3,000 to $5,000 more than a fully dressed Accord EX V-6 now selling for $32,700.


http://www.globemegawheels.com/servl...YBRIDS23/cars/

Sounds Great but a little price heavy not to mention if it breaks down hello dealership repair bills