Way back in mid-2007, I interviewed John True after he first filed what would eventually become a class action lawsuit against Honda alleging that they misrepresented the fuel economy of the Civic Hybrid. http://green.autoblog.com/2007/07/07/autobloggreen-qanda-civic-hybrid-owner-john-true-hes-the-guy-su/
Like many (although not all by any means) drivers of hybrid cars he didn't come anywhere close to matching the EPA estimates published on the window sticker. That lawsuit eventually resulted in a settlement that awarded owners a discount worth $50-100 off a new Honda. No doubt the lawyers involved were much more handsomely rewarded.
Heather Peters decided a measly $100 didn't come close to a reasonable settlement. Instead of signing the claim form for the settlement, she opted to sue Honda on her own in California small claims court and remarkably today she won her case.
If other Civic Hybrid owners follow Ms Peters' lead, Honda could end up losing a lot of money on this. It will be interesting to see if this ruling has any impact on the class action settlement.
#honda #hybrid
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Civic Hybrid Owner Wins $9,867 In Small Claims Case Against Honda
Heather Peters was successful in her small claims case against Honda, in which she alleged that the car wasn't getting anywhere near the 50 MPG she says the company advertised her car would get.
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LOVE IT!
Maybe now Honda will put some pressure on the EPA to give us more realistic mileage estimates.
Good for her.
Since 2008, the revised formulas for calculating mileage estimates have proved to be much more realistic. However, many vehicles still score values substantially higher than what drivers achieve on the road.
The problem is that manufacturers game the system by calibrating powertrains to perform exceptionally well on the test cycles. They aren't cheating, they are just working to the limit of the rules.
It's basically the same problem we see in schools when we use standardized tests. Teachers teach kids how to pass the test, but it doesn't necessarily train them to be productive members of society.