Hybrids have worse fuel economy than many other cars on the road

A Honda customer is taking the road less traveled to sue the Japanese auto maker for allegedly making false mileage claims about her 2006 Civic Hybrid.

Heather Peters is set to appear in court Jan. 3rd,  2012 in Torrance, Calif., the home of American Honda Motor, to argue that her vehicle never delivered the 50 mpg touted by the auto maker in a sales brochure.

Peters said that her car never delivered "more than 41 or 42 mpg on its very best day," adding that the mileage normally came in around the high 30s.

All of this for a car with a $7,000 premium in its price tag and a $7,500 greenie weenie rebate paid for by you and I the taxpayer. Total cost of this vehicle today without rebate?

$26,000.

A bit pricey for a weed- whacker you say? The contention of the green goblins was that you would "make up the difference" in the overpriced, over-subsidized, uncomfortable, unsafe vehicles by recouping money on fuel. Of course - the economics of that fall apart when fuel is less than $3.50 per gallon.

Let's read some more of what Ms. Peters has to say about her hybrid. She said she became really "ticked off" last year when Honda performed a software update to prevent vehicle batteries from deteriorating too quickly. The car's mileage suffered as a result of the battery fix, Peters said, dropping to the high 20s per gallon, which eventually forced her to take legal matters into her own hands.

Peters, a former corporate defense attorney, is urging other disgruntled Honda customers to opt out of a class action lawsuit over the mileage claims, and seek a larger payout in small claims court.

She launched a website "Don'tSettleWithHonda.org" with the intention of taking her legal fight viral.

Peters said claimants could be awarded up to $10,000 in small claims court, as opposed to the $200 in cash and a rebate of $500 to $1,000 toward a new Honda vehicle that will be awarded in the class action settlement.

"Class actions are great for little cases, but not for cases like this where Honda's false advertising is costing already cash-strapped families more every day at the gas pump," Peters said.

Peters estimates that if other customers follow her lead, the automaker could be forced to pay $2 billion for its questionable fuel-efficiency claims - all of which were backed, endorsed and certified by (wait for it!) - the government agency responsible for all false claims of greenness - the EPA!

So let's take the high road and give the Hybrid Civic a 34 MPG COMBINED city/highway rate since she mentions both high 20's and low 30's - we'll split the difference. We'll analyze what the difference is between a wind-up mobile and a real car if you are thinking with your head, and not with your tiny greenie weenie. Surely no non-hybrid car could approach the EPA ratings of these expensive, uncomfortable, poor performing and dangerous little cars? Let's take a look:

Jetta TDI Diesel

• Diesel engines get better mpg generally speaking, but they are still a tough sell in North America. The 1970s brought several underpowered, smelly, smoke-belching diesels to American shores, and the buying public hasn't forgotten them. It's too bad, because clean diesel technology powers the sleek Jetta to a muscular 41 mpg on the highway with a very respectable 34 mpg for combined highway and city driving.

Wow - the Jetta is at least as good as the pie-brid.

Mini Cooper

• The Cooper delivers good fuel efficiency, along with a cool factor, though the luster has worn off a bit since its release. Very good highway numbers (37 mpg) bring the Mini's combined mpg to a robust 32.

Wow - I can look cool, and get the same mileage as the pie-brid?

Chevy Cobalt

• A surprise for Americans is that they have such a versatile gas-sipper in their own backyard. The Cobalt uses a large overdrive gear and direct injection to achieve 37 mpg on the highway, which more than offsets its middling 25 in the city for a great 32 mpg average.

            American made? And still as efficient as a hybrid? For $10,000 less????

Ford Focus

• Another American-born entry quietly delivers solid numbers by virtue of its gaudy 34 on the highway. The low city number of 24 prevents this from being a standout pick, but 29 mpg combined makes it worth consideration.

Wow - 10% more gas than the hybrid - over the course of a year it will cost me an extra $100 bucks or so to have a cool car with comfort and power - not to mention the $10,000 savings?

Nissan Versa

• There's not a "2" in sight on this miser's stat sheet. A superior 30 in the city (that's just three less than the tiny Dumb for Fortwo) yields a combined 32 mpg. City dwellers often suffer in the mpg category, but the Versa spreads the wealth for outstanding surface street driving and an adequate highway number of 34 mpg.

Larger trunk space, better handling, no batteries, seats 4 comfortably, priced some $15,000 cheaper than the hybrid Civic and has BETTER mileage? Given this range of choices, calling your vehicle a "Smart Car" can't make up for the fact you are a dumb consumer. Hang your heads in shame.

Next on Ketchup Chips - the Great Battery Bailout, or when the value of used hybrids falls to zero in the next two years.