California Woman Wins Lawsuit Over Honda Hybrid's Mileage Claim

(NewsCore) - A California woman scored a victory over Honda on Wednesday -- successfully arguing that the auto giant misled her about the fuel economy of her 2006 Civic Hybrid.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan awarded Heather Peters $9,867 in damages, very close to the maximum $10,000 allowed in Small Claims Court, in the lawsuit against American Honda Motor Co., the Los Angeles Times reported.

"It is a victory for Civic Hybrid owners and consumers everywhere," Peters said. "Sometimes big justice comes in small packages."

After Honda advertised that the car would get about 50 miles per gallon, Peters argued that "the car never got more than 41 or 42 even on its very best day."

After a software update intended to prolong the life of the car's battery and improve performance, Peters said fuel economy dropped below 30mpg.

Peters, a former attorney, took her case to the Small Claims Court instead of signing on to a class-action lawsuit after learning that Civic Hybrid owners could get as little as $100 and rebate coupons for the purchase of a new car under a proposed settlement with Honda.

She also started a website, DontSettleWithHonda.org, to urge other owners to file their grievances with the smaller court.

Read more: The Los Angeles Times