Honda Civic Hybrid Class Action Settlement Tentatively Approved

 

A San Diego judge has tentatively approved a class action lawsuit settlement that will give Honda Civic Hybrid owners up to $200 cash to resolve claims that Honda falsely advertised the car’s fuel economy.

The Honda Civic Hybrid settlement pays owners of about 200,000 Civic Hybrids spanning from model years 2003 to 2009 between $100 and $200, plus a $500 or $1,000 rebate toward the purchase of a new Honda.

The class action lawsuit gained widespread attention after a Los Angeles woman, Heather Peters, won $9,867 in small claims court last month. Peters opted out of the Civic Hybrid class action lawsuit so she could try to claim a larger damage award for her 2006 Civic’s failure to deliver the 50 mpg that was promised. She encouraged other Civic owners to do the same, resulting in 1,700 Honda owners opting out of the class action settlement.

Peters’ victory prompted California and four other states to briefly consider objecting to the proposed class action settlement, but they eventually found it to be a fair compromise.

Superior Court Judge Timothy Taylor agreed, saying, “No doubt plaintiffs would have loved to have gotten more; certainly their counsel had every incentive to get as much as possible. … Honda undoubtedly has many arrows left in its quiver, and certainly would have preferred to pay nothing.”  

Class Members who did not opt out of the Honda Civic Hybrid settlement have until October 15, 2012 (estimated) April 19, 2013 to submit a valid claim form to receive their class action settlement benefits.

Claim forms and more information on your rights in the Honda Civic Hybrid Class Action Lawsuit Settlement can be found at the Settlement Administrator’s website, www.HCHSettlement.com.