Honda Being Sued Over Hybrid Claims

Jan 11 2012

We all know the scenario: to get you to sign on the dotted line for your next car finance package, car manufacturers sometimes make claims that stretch the truth more than a little bit.  On the other hand, consumers do not always make sure they fully understand what they are getting for their money.

The case below concerns a woman in the United States, but it could just as well have been in the United Kingdom or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

This particular lady expected her 2006 high-tech Honda hybrid to deliver 50 miles per gallon, because that, she says, is what the manufacturer promised.  The company, however, says that Ms Heather Peters is being unreasonable.

Ms Peters is now suing Honda for damages amounting to $10,000.  She has taken her case to the small claims court in what could well be the first of thousands of similar claims against car manufacturers across the world.

According to experts, she has a better chance to win her case in a small claims court, where standards are more relaxed, than in a conventional court of law.

Honda says the figure of 50 miles per gallon they published was a maximum, which would vary if the owner used the car in heavy traffic and also was dependent on driving style.

This, Ms Peters says, was never explained to her by the Honda salesman.  If she had known the truth she would never have bought the car.

The lesson?  Next time you buy a new car make sure you understand the difference between “maximum” and “average.”

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