I take it that HCH I's came with an option of either manual or automatic transmission, but that that option was discontinued with the HCH II's... Does anyone know of the reason for this, and whether there are plans to bring back a manual transmission in a future line, i.e. HCH III's?

 

I think it was too difficult to manage the battery charge/discharge cycling with a manual. The CVT itself helps modulate rpm and load, individual driving styles with a manual transmission could be very demanding on the IMA battery life.

I think the chances of seeing a manual shift hybrid from Honda again are pretty slim. Rowing your own may be more fun for the driver (and POTENTIALLY more fuel efficient) but it makes the engineer's job, given today's battery technology, a bit too problematic.

I snatched up a used '05 HCH MT in 2006 when I heard rumors they would be discontinued. I'm going to try to make it last for a long long time!