Confused man suing Honda over Civic mileage

By Leroy Brown on July 10th, 2007

A California man bought a Civic Hybrid to save some money on gas - only he’s getting just 32 mpg with it. Technicians at the Honda dealership weren’t able to find a fault, which leads me to believe than the man is an idiot.

See, I own a 2007 Honda Accord 4 cylinder, and I average 28 MPG with it. The Accord is a larger, heavier car, with a larger, more powerful engine. That’s not to mention the fact that it also lacks a hybrid powertrain. So why do I nearly match this man’s Civic Hybrid MPG numbers? Driving style. This cat is probably one of those folks who drives 90 MPH on the freeway, and loves to drop the hammer rather than gently press the gas pedal.

The biggest reason I think that this man is an idiot is because he is suing Honda. See, Honda doesn’t come up with the fuel economy ratings. The EPA ( a government agency ) determines, through their own testing, what numbers to put on the window sticker. Honda has precisely zero to do with that process. It would be like me suing Honda because my laptop battery doesn’t last long enough.

After this guy gets laughed out of court, he needs to sit down and re-think things. One, learn how to drive more efficiently. There are ways to meet, or even exceed, the current ( Pre-2008 ) EPA numbers by driving differently. After he takes some responsibility and learns how to drive correctly, he needs to go back to school. It doesn’t make sense to sue someone about something they have no control over.

Categories: Honda

6 Responses to “Confused man suing Honda over Civic mileage”

QueenMab on Jul 10th, 2007 at 1:32 pm

I saw this story, and had to laugh. I agree with you - the guy is an idiot - first for suing Honda, second for not learning how to drive a hybrid properly. Or maybe those should be reversed.

It’s like the car equivalent of suing McDonald’s over hot coffee.
Leroy Brown on Jul 10th, 2007 at 2:01 pm

Exactly - the coffee / McDonald’s is the metaphor I should’ve used. This guy is so far off his rocker I couldn’t even think right. To have a successful lawsuit these days, you really need to do your homework, and cover all your bases. Suing the wrong person is just so far past dumb that I don’t know a word for it.
Tom, Spotsylvania VA on Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm

While the EPA is setting the numbers, i find that my 07 civic Hyb. is averaging 39 in the winter months, and 42ish during the summer time. The posted numbers on my Hybrid were 49/51 which i have never seen. An automobile manufacturer has its own set of standards and tests and should take some accountability for what another organization is saying about its product. Afterall had the EPA stated mileage of only 30/25 Honda would have been Screaming, literrally Screaming bloody murder! and then who would have paid a premium for the Hybrid? My advice, rather than judge, ask the questions and then offer the advice. Good luck!
Leroy Brown on Feb 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm

Tom,

I actually bouth an 07 Civic Hybrid in August or September of last year. My overall average is about 48 MPG, with some summer and some winter driving included. It’s all about how you drive it - if I concentrate and shoot for gas mileage, then I’ll stay in the high 50’s, low 60’s. If I’m in a rush, high 30’s - low 40’s. But maintaining low 50’s for an extended period of time isn’t difficult if you drive reasonably.

Cold weather hurts though - do you keep yours in a garage at night? PA winters are brutal for sure. Also, what do you have your tires PSI set at? I run with mine at 40 PSI.
Tom, Spotsylvania VA on Feb 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 pm

Here it is, I live in VA, car is garaged, Tires are run at 38lbs all around, tried 40lbs, but picked up a nail to fast so i am compromising. I have a 45 mile commute each way each day (the reason I gave up my F150) I find that i can hit high 40/mpg’s in the milder weeks of the year. Youre right, the A/C and the heater make an impact. I love my car all the way around, but mileage is going to be affected by where you live, the geography of that area, the temparature and of course driving style. I have changed my patterns almost to an extreme, but am excited each time I see a new high on my MPG. Reading between the lines on your comments, one would surmise that you dont drive your hybrid everyday, sounds like you pick and choose the trips you take it on and live in a rather consistent climatic area. In my opinion while you have a hybrid you are only partly committed? What is your “other” car? Hmmmm!
Leroy Brown on Feb 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pm

I do drive my hybrid every day, though I don’t always strive for maximum gas mileage. Sometimes the rushing of daily life takes precedence. I’m down here in southern Texas, so the winters are relatively mild ( though still low 30’s in the AM ) and the summer’s very harsh.

For the record, my wife’s other car is a CR-V, but we take my Civic nearly everywhere, unless we have the dog with us and need the extra space the CR-V affords.

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