Judge gives OK to Honda settlement John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Sales American Honda Motor Company, introduces the new Civic at the New York International Auto Show held at the Jacob Javits Center on April 20, 2011 in New York City. UPI/Monika Graff. SAN DIEGO, March 17 (UPI) -- A judge in California has given final approval to a settlement that awards 200,000 Honda Civic hybrid owners up to $200, court papers say. KGTV, San Diego, reported Saturday Superior Court Judge Timothy Taylor approved the final settlement that was tentatively agreed to in September. Civic hybrid owners had challenged the company on the car's gas mileage, saying it did not live up to advertising claims. Lawyers for the plaintiffs earned $8.5 million for the class-action suit that involves 2003-2009 model Honda Civics. Separately, a small claims court in Los Angeles awarded attorney Heather Peters $10,000 on similar claims. Peters said she filed the claim because her Civic was getting 30 miles per gallon. Honda has said it would appeal that decision.