Honda Accord Hybrid Supply Tight (non-existent)

The FFH is very quiet compared to the Prius. The FFH even has the odd shaped canister shown below on the air intake to quiet the noise of the ICE. Our first FFH (a very early build) didn't have this canister. The new one (one of the last 2013s built) does and its ICE is noticeably quieter. The Prius ICE is quiet as long as you don't go into the PWR zone, but as far as noise levels comparing the Prius & FFH at the same HP output from the ICE then the FFH is way quieter at say 40 HP than the Prius is at 40 HP.

 

It's interesting that a quick cars.com search shows no HAHs in stock at any dealers in the Twin Cities area. But there are quite a few rural MN Honda dealers in small towns who have an Accord Hybrid in stock. I'm surprised that Honda hasn't bothered to get more hybrids to the Twin Cities, but is sending them to small town dealers.

 

perhaps they are allocated the same amounts and don't sell that well in the country?

 

We've got more stock around SF bay Area, 12 units within 50 miles, up from 2 within 500 miles last month. according to cars.com

 

I think you're right. I don't understand why Honda would allocate hybrids to areas where they won't sell as quickly and deny areas where they are selling like the Twin Cities.

 

it's a complicated relationship between dealers and manufacturers.

 

While Honda probably has an idea from Civic and Insight sales on where hybrids would sell, the Accord is new with a new hybrid system. Part of the slow roll out is likely in getting an idea where they will be popular by offering them all over. The ones in the city may have been sold as soon as they arrived. With the same happening with subsequent shipments, while those cars out in the sticks are from the first wave of shipments.

In other words, Honda isn't denying an area, the cars are just selling fast enough to not be listed in an online database.

Going to a rural dealer might mean getting a deal now.

 

After looking favorably at the 2014.5 Accord Hybrid, I just might wait a little longer to see how the 4th Gen Prius turns out.

 

I'm a real stickler on ergonomics and controls layouts in cars. I think the 4th gen Prius will use the same chassis as the all-new 2014 Corolla. Corolla has one thing I can see clearly as daylight ... the steering column is not inline with the driver's seat. Steering column comes out of the dash from right of the seat. Net effect is the right hand ends up closer than the left when holding the steering wheel. I wouldn't be surprised if 4th gen Prius ends up with this same 'feature'.

Accord steering wheels are, from my eye, completely centered and inline with the driver's seats.