[QUOTE="Alan Browne"] <snipped> I don't disagree with you. However, a more modest 4 banger Accord would very easilly achieve acceptable performance in a hybrid with better mileage numbers.[/QUOTE] Hence the 4 cylinder Civic Hybrid ... sheesh, I'll bet you're going to carp about that too. 49/51 mpg with performance on a par with the NA 1.8 4 cylinder. Honda just didn't slap the 3.0 liter V6 into the nearest Accord and throw in the electric motor for grins and giggles. It is a system, a system that includes the shut down of 3 of the cylinders under the certain conditions, effectively becoming a 3 cylinder. The Civic has a 1.3 liter 4. Hummm, 1.5 3 cylinder, 1.3 4 cylinder. The Accord is a larger, heavier car that some people need. Of course you might want to opt for a Yugo. Neither of the 4 - 6 passenger Hondas is a failure. Different specs for different markets, yes but not failures. At least neither of them has had a massive recall because the gas engines shut down at speed like the Toyota hybrid. How many were there ... 75,000 or so? Then there's always that other line of Hondas ... motorcycles.