http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000037053254/

 

I don't see a problem as a lot of the consumers are interested more in performance than FE. All they want is to pay about $30 or $40 a month for gas and they would be happy.

 

Its advancing the technology and bringing it more into the mainstream...there will always be those few cars that focus on economy, and then those that focus on performance, its just the way the cookie crumbles.

 

Indeed, part of the reason we have cars with as much fuel economy as we do is because of the persuit of performance. After all, look at VTEC - it was brought out on the 1989 CRX SiR and Integra XSi in Japan as the top of the line performance engine. It then surfaced on the Honda/Acura NSX, Prelude VTEC, del Sol VTEC, Integra GS-R, and so on.

Once it was well established as a performance mechanism, it was then used on high FE models like the Civic VX, HX, and in multi-stage VTEC, cylinder deactivation, etc. What started as a performance system was applied to maximize fuel economy. Increasing market acceptance is probably more important than trying to force marketing change at this point.

 

That's a shame, but I suppose they need to 'keep up with the Jones' and in this case it's the Accord.

I'm hoping both Toyota and Honda offer gas sipping versions of their hybrids. It's good that people will be pleased with the power, but we're not getting very far when it comes to saving fuel. As I see it there's no reason they can't make 2 different models, one with an inline 4 and another with a v6, both with the same electric motor size.

 

Forgive me in advance for the rant but I'm fed up with the low mileage hybrids. In fact I feel like this site has been taken over by cars that get crappy mileage. It was ok when there was just one SUV (FEH) and one fast car (HAH) and the rest were high mileage hybrids. Now we are overrun. Fully half the hybrids listed get crappy mileage and it is looking worse on the horizon with even more low mileage cars and SUVs on the way.

 

Just think of it this way. Sure the new cars aren't getting super gas mileage compared to the earlier hybrids. But they are getting better gas mileage than the non-hybrids of the same vehicle.

You can't force everyone to drive a Prius. People have different needs from a vehcile so sometimes that need dictates a heavier vehicle and that means lower FE.

I think its great people that made that choice come here and hear what we have to say about FE and environment and other hybrid related issues. I think there are some that would never hear these things elsewhere.

The thing that makes Greenhbyrid.com great is the people here and all their diverse opinions.

If someone with a Highlander comes here and wants to learn how to get better mileage should we shun them because they will never achieve 40mpg?

Where do we draw the line? Do we say to people owning Accord Hybrids that their car isn't worthy?

Don't get frustrated. Look at what we have here and work with it.

What does it realy matter to you that someone has a vehicle that gets poorer mileage? These people are still raising the bar for the non hybrid owners.

 

Your are of course correct Tom.

 

You hate me now don't you

 

Hey, now. Don't hate the messenger! This site is just an outlet. Realize that if tomorrow hybrids are apple juice-powered, the entire content of the site will shift automatically, except for my publishing articles manually. This site simply mirrors what's going on in the world.

That said, the real mileage database logs real mileage! The point isn't to only display those who are doing "well." It's to display what people really are getting!

Performance cars may be coming out now, sure. But when gas hits $3 a gallon and people suddenly ask for that fuel economy booste again, we'll have the technology to implement it. We'll have 60 MPG sedans instead of 30 MPG sedans.