| Hybrids are hot property these days, but not | | | | engine and a five-speed manual transmission. |
| so with Honda's hybrid version of the Accord. | | | | |
| | | | The 2007 Accord Hybrid ranged from $31,000 to |
| On June 4 Honda officials announced that the | | | | $33,000 in price however, compared with |
| company will discontinue the hybrid Accord at | | | | $18,500 to $29,500 for gas-fueled Accord |
| the end of the current model year. The new | | | | sedans. |
| Honda Accord, which will go on sale in | | | | |
| September, will not be available in a | | | | Honda has previously announced that it will |
| gasoline-electric hybrid version, according | | | | introduce a new hybrid car in 2009. That car |
| to a company spokesman. | | | | will be smaller in size and less expensive |
| | | | than the Honda Civic Hybrid. The Accord, a |
| Hybrid cars use electric motors to supplement | | | | midsized car, is larger and more expensive |
| power from the gasoline, resulting in | | | | than the Civic. |
| improved fuel economy. | | | | |
| | | | The competing Toyota Camry Hybrid uses a |
| Since the model debut in the market in 2004, | | | | four-cylinder engine resulting in |
| the Japanese automaker sold roughly 25,000 of | | | | considerably better fuel economy than the |
| the cars in North America. Slightly more than | | | | Accord Hybrid. |
| 6,000 were sold last year. | | | | |
| | | | Hybrids accounted for 14 percent of Camrys |
| Auto industry analysts characterized the | | | | sold last month, but just 1.4 percent of |
| car's brief run as a cautionary tale, with | | | | Accords, according to data from Power |
| the lesson being that only a small segment of | | | | Information Networks, an auto research firm. |
| the public will buy a vehicle that carries a | | | | The Accord and Camry are the two best-selling |
| high price for hybrid technology but delivers | | | | passenger cars in the United States. |
| limited fuel economy compared with other | | | | |
| gas-electric vehicles. | | | | Honda - also maker of top of the line Honda |
| | | | axle assembly has not revealed whether the |
| Federal fuel mileage estimates on the 2007 | | | | Accord would get the diesel engine. The |
| Honda Accord Hybrid came in at 28 m.p.g. in | | | | European version of the Accord - a car sold |
| the city and 35 m.p.g. on the highway -- only | | | | in the United States as the Acura TSX - is |
| marginally better than 26/34 m.p.g. ratings | | | | available in Europe with a diesel engine. |
| on an Accord sedan with a four-cylinder gas | | | | |