Honda Plans Revamp of Accord, Civic Hybrid

Washington DC June 17, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that according to Bloomberg, Honda plans to redesign the Civic Hybrid and its flagship sedan, the Accord, to help boost sales. John Mendel, sales chief for American Honda, was quoted as saying, "We’re planning some fairly major refreshes coming this year," in reference to plans for the Accord, which is about halfway through its four-to-five-year model life. As for the Civic Hybrid, Mendel said the car "will be a stronger competitor," and said Honda would position the car to beat Toyota’s best-selling Prius. "I think you’ll see a vehicle that from a performance standpoint will be spot on or better than Prius. Better packaging, better safety," Mendel said.