Judge mulls Honda appeal of hybrid judgment Judge mulls Honda appeal of hybrid judgment - Autos The case has prompted 1,700 other small-claims actions against Honda TORRANCE, Calif. - A Los Angeles County judge has taken into submission American Honda Motor Co.'s appeal of a small-claims court award given to car owner who said the automaker misrepresented the gas mileage of her hybrid Civic. A court clerk says Superior Court Judge Dudley W. Gray II took the case under submission on Friday and will issue a ruling later. Gray heard testimony in the highly publicized case this week as Honda sought to reverse an award of $9,867 to Heather Peters. Peters opted out of a class-action settlement giving some 200,000 owners between $100 and $200 each, plus a rebate if they buy a new Honda, electing instead to sue the automaker on her own. Her case has since prompted 1,700 other small-claims actions against Honda.