Accord hybrid not keeping up with Civic: "Chicago Tribune
By Jim Mateja
CHICAGO _ Not all gas/electric vehicles have consumers doing handstands.
Though there's a waiting list for a compact Honda Civic hybrid, the midsize Accord hybrid is struggling and shipments from Japan may be cut, according to Dick Colliver, executive vice president of Honda.
'The Civic hybrid is no problem and selling very well, but we're going to re-evaluate our posture on the Accord hybrid,' Colliver said in an interview.
The hybrid Accord went on sale late in January, and only a handful were sold the first month. In February sales were 500 units and in March 700 units. Honda didn't issue a sales forecast.
The problem is that while Honda bills the Accord as 'the fastest hybrid' in the market, consumers buy hybrids for mileage, not speed.
The V-6 engine and battery pack in the hybrid Accord provide nearly the power of a V-8 while delivering the fuel-economy of a 4-cylinder engine _ 29 mpg city/37 mpg highway.
'But when people want a hybrid, they want 50 mpg,' said Honda spokesman Sage Marie.
Colliver said he doesn't intend to energize Accord with an incentive, like Ford has done with zero percent financing for 60 months on its hybrid Escape sport utility.
Cisco Codina, group vice president of sales for Ford, said last week that the incentive was tested in Washington and San Francisco and now is going national.
'Sales doubled with incentives in those two markets,' he said. As an added benefit, 'people didn't talk just about Prius anymore.'
The Toyota Prius is the best selling hybrid in the market.
Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan, celebrated the news of the Accord weakness and Escape incentives.
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