• 06
  • February
    2012

A woman who is a former lawyer filed suit in a Southern California small claims court against automaker giant Honda for fraud in advertising its fuel efficiency of the Civic and won. The woman claimed that the actual miles per gallon for the Civic were much lower than advertised.

The woman opted out of a similar class action suit against Honda because the payout is approximately $100 to $200. Instead, by winning in small claims court, she was awarded $9,867. The judge presiding over the case said that there was evidence of fraud but not an intentional tort, which would have allowed the Civic owner to seek punitive damages.

This type of misrepresentation could be costly for Honda. While not a typical type of auto defect such as a tire failure or seat belt defect, the inability for the Civic to get the up to 50 mph that is advertised does amount to fraud, at least in the California judge's eyes. It was not clear at this time why the Civic is unable to obtain the strong numbers for fuel efficiency that were advertised.

The woman is also actively encouraging other Honda owner to file suit in small claims courts throughout the country to hold the automaker accountable. Honda has said that they will appeal the decision.

Source: Insurance Journal, "Woman Takes Honda to Small-Claims, Wins Big," Linda Deutsch, 2/3/2012