Long-Term Road Tests

One of our editors noted that the Accord Hybrid tends to sometimes exhibit a weird shudder when braking at freeway speeds. I wasn't able to duplicate the issue, nor was another editor who drove the car. We did, of course, notice that the car's non-linear acceleration causes the Accord to lurch and shake like a dancer at a burlesque show when you hit the the gas -- but that, apparently, is par for the course with this Honda's hybrid drivetrain. Or maybe it isn't...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: Braking and shaking.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

Our long-term test of the Honda Accord Hybrid is drawing to a close with an official end date of December 29.

Any last thoughts from owners, prospective owners or otherwise interested parties?

Kelly Toepke, Manger of Vehicle Testing

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

One of my favorite features of the Honda Accord Hybrid's navigation system is that it not only shows the location of gas stations, it displays their logo as the icon. This way if you have gasoline credit cards, you can see your refueling options.

This weekend, however, the Accord kept faking me out. Twice in my holiday shopping travels, the display showed Shell stations and when I got there, there was no gas station any where near...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid - Navi Icons.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

Like most other Hondas that have passed through our long-term test fleet, the Accord Hybrid is holding up well on the inside and aside from the stains on the floor mats, it looks pretty close to new after more than 25K miles. The only other sign of wear is the leather upholstery, which is starting to look dry and creased.

It's nothing a little leather conditioner wouldn't help, but aside from serious Hondaphiles, most people probably don't think of giving this kind of TLC to a workaday Accord. Which is why I'd rather have cloth (unfortunately not offered on the Hybrid)...

Continue reading Accord Hybrid Interior: Holding up well after 25K+, but leather needs conditioning.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

The fuel economy on our long-term Accord Hybrid continues to be underwhelming at best. Our log book shows an average miles per gallon figure of 23.4 since we first purchased the sedan back in December of 2004  -- way , way, way below EPA estimates of 29 city/37 highway. Fuel economy over the past couple of months has tended to be in the low- to mid-20s per tank. Not too impressive, especially when you consider how punishing this hybrid's herky-jerky handling can sometimes be...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: Fuel Economy Heartbreak Continues.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

Having recently moved, I'm still trying to find the best route from the office to my new home.

Last week I drove our long-term Mercedes R500 back-to-back with our Honda Accord Hybrid. Both have navigations systems which I tested on my daily commute. This gave me the opportunity to compare their features and ease of use...

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz R500 - comparing nav systems.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid,2006 Mercedes-Benz R500

I drove our Accord Hybrid this past weekend, and in a fit of pre-holiday enthusiasm (that's a euphemism for laziness), my husband and I decided to run to Target and buy our first artificial Christmas tree prelit with 600 white lights. The 7.5-foot tree was packed into a sizeable box, and we knew we'd need to fold down the Honda's rear seat to expand the cargo area in the trunk.

Suprise. No folding seat in the Accord...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid will find coal in its stocking this year.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

I can appreciate the hybrid-ness of our long-term Accord (yay), but in all honesty it really sucks to drive it. I basically have the same complaints Chris did in the previous post . The brakes seem too touchy, the car is slow to accelerate and the steering wheel feels too loose. I probably look like I'm drunk driving when I'm piloting it around town because every movement I make is exaggerated...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: A Fat Suit of a Car.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

I've recently spent quite a lot of time behind the wheel of our Accord Hybrid, mostly by default. Why? I usually work at home on Thursday which means the vehicle I take home on Wednesday doesn't return to the office until Friday morning. I've discovered that the one long-termer least likely to be in missed by our staff is the Accord Hybrid. Now I know why. Nobody else wants it.

Continue reading Compromising positions.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

The service light clicked on just as we rolled 23,300 miles on our Honda Accord Hybrid. We called our local Honda of Santa Monica and scheduled an appointment. The dealer considers this a minor service, consisting of: oil/filter change, tire rotation and inspection of fluids, brakes, wipers and various uderbody components. The total cost for parts was a "minor" $28.14 while the cost of labor was quite the opposite at $135. Total cost with tax: $165.26

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Assistant - 23,379 miles

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

I'm moving house soon, so I set out to explore different routes from our offices in Santa Monica to my new neighborhood. I punched my new address into the Accord's nav system and it quickly calculated a path using the L.A. freeway system. But since I know that traffic on the freeway will be at a standstill on most work days, I ignored the directions and figured it would recalculate a course once it realized I wanted to use surface streets...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid - Listen to the Navigation System.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the Accord Hybrid's navigation system and debated the merits of spending $2,000 to have it. Well, here's one minor advantage to having a factory system: Honda dealerships. Every dealership and its phone number is programmed into the system. Not owning a Honda myself, I got directions to the closest dealership to me last week when taking the Hybrid in for its 22,500-mile service. Of course, this feature is of very limited usefullness in your hometown – you already know where the dealers are. But it could come in handy on a road trip should your Honda require service...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: Nav Part II.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

I took our long-term 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid in for its 22,500-mile service last week. This was a minor service, with only an oil change and tire rotation being required. I took the Accord to Clawson Honda of Fresno, Calif. I arrived at the scheduled time of 8 a.m., and a service advisor, Vicky, promptly met me and took town my details...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: 22,500-mile Service.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

Lackluster fuel economy is a common complaint about our long-term 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid. For the life of the vehicle, we've averaged just 23.1 mpg. Getting above 30 mpg from a tank is possible, but sub-20 mpg tanks are a more frequent occurrence on our fuel log spreadsheet.

The Accord is due for its next service and we'll be taking it to the dealership later this week...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: Fuel Economy Update.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid

Navigation systems are sort of like insurance; you don't use it very often, but when it comes into play, you're really grateful you have it. Both also happen to rather expensive. Honda charges a $2,000 premium to equip the 2006 Honda Accord Hybrid with navigation. Alternately, you can look at it from a financing perspective. If you buy an Accord with navigation and finance via a five-year loan, you'll be paying about $40 more a month...

Continue reading Honda Accord Hybrid: Nav or No Nav?.

Categories: 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid