Honda Accord

2015 Honda CR-V: Best crossover SUV gets better

In its 21st year, the Honda CR-V is mature, a standard bearer in the sport utility market. The 2015 edition further defines the top-selling people mover. The 2015 edition isn’t a new generation, but there’s plenty new. For starters, the 2.4-liter, 185-horsepower engine is now the same as the Accord’s direct-injection, four-cylinder with a continuously variable transmission. The exterior styling has been refreshed. And, so, too has the interior. New are a front console armrest, rear climate vents, a 7-inch touchscreen linked to the LaneWatch blind spot monitoring system on the higher-level trim. The Touring trim also has upgraded safety technologies. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda CR-V is a five-passenger crossover sport utility vehicle. It’s available in

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Say goodbye to three Honda models in 2015

Honda makes great cars. The Honda Civic, Accord and CR-V are annually among the top-10 best selling vehicles in the United States. But even Honda admits failure sometimes. Which is why at the end of the 2015 model year, three Honda models will be discontinued. Gone will be the Civic Hybrid, the Accord Plug-In Hybrid and the natural-gas powered Civic GX. Honda has plans for a new plug-in hybrid and battery electric models. But in the meantime, here’s a look at the three departing Honda models: It’s a Natural Honda Gas The innovative Civic GX was arguably the least appreciated car in the United States. About four years ago, Honda made a concerted effort to market its natural gas vehicle.

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2016 Honda Accord: Five cool new features for sedan icon

Manufactured since 1976 and soon debuting in its 10th generation, the 2016 Honda Accord remains among the most popular and reliable vehicles in the United States. The new edition will be available at dealers in August and it will showcase a new exterior and interior and a good share of new technology. The new features of the 2016 Honda Accord can be grouped into five distinct categories. Here’s the list: New, Modern Wheels A host of new designs will be available, including 19-inch options. The new choices will provide the vehicle with a more aggressive appearance. Bright Lights At Night With new angles taken from its higher-end relative, the Acura, the new Accord will have new new LED headlights and

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 Honda Accord

With an emphasis on technology and safety, the 2016 Honda Accord will debut in August. It will have new exterior and interior look and will be the first Honda to offer both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Further advancing, the vehicle’s modernization, the 2016 Honda Accord sedan and coupe will have HD Radio, heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors an several additional upgrades. The 2016 Accord’s facelift will mean sportier, more sophisticated styling, front and rear. The front restyling will be more sharply creased and with a intricately structured bumper fascia with outside edges that tuck into intake-like meshed areas that house new LED fog lights (Sport trim and above). A new aluminum hood features sharper character lines

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10 cars To Drive 200,000 miles? Meet Toyota, Honda

Since the average price of a new car in the United States hovers at around $30,000, it’s safe to assume more consumers are considering keeping their current cars longer. It’s probably a good idea, too, since Consumer Reports has released a list of 10 vehicles likely to drive at least 200,000 miles. The list has some obvious and some surprising choices and it’s lead by a sure bet — the Toyota Prius. It’s the top-selling hybrid, of course, and the Prius family of cars is expansive. The Prius C is the smallest Prius offered and the lineup extends through several editions of the Prius hatchback and continues to the largest in the family, the Prius V. The Consumer Reports’ list

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2016 Mazda 6: Watch out Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

It’s hard to believe the 2016 Mazda 6 marks the 14th year since the manufacturer replaced the Mazda 626 with its current midsize sedan. The current third generation debuted in 2013, and the new offering is packed with considerable improvements — particularly in the highest-level trim. The Weekly Driver Test Drive A five-passenger sedan, the Mazda 6 is offered in Sport, Touring and top-line Grand Touring trims, and my weekly driver was the latter. It has so many changes, how could it not be a new generation? For 2016, the Mazda 6 features revised front and rear styling, making it appreciably more handsome. The previous xenon headlights have been replaced with LED headlights and there’s a larger (7-inch) touchscreen interface

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Airbag apocalypse: Takata recall leaps to 34 million

Takata, the Japanese airbag supplier, has jolted the automotive industry with its announcement Tuesday that 34 million vehicles from 10 manufacturers were equipped with defective inflator mechanisms. The total is double the previously released total, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall is believed to be the largest in NHTSA’s history. Under an agreement, NHTSA issued what’s called a consent order to Takata. It requires the company to cooperate fully with the agency’s investigation. NHTSA also announced it will begin a formal legal process “to organize and prioritize the replacement of defective Takata inflators under the agency’s legal authority.” The problem: Takata airbags can potentially explode, sending metal shards flying into the passenger compartment. The airbags

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2015 Honda Accord Hybrid: Iconic sedan gets better

After a seven-year hiatus, the Honda Accord Hybrid was reintroduced for the 2014 model year and has no major changes for 2015. The hybrid trim further adds to the versatility of the already iconic sedan, a perennial top-10 seller for decades. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda Accord is available in three trims in gas and hybrid offerings. My weekly driver was the hybrid with the Touring trim. It’s chocked-packed with features. It includes all of the equipment of the hybrid EX and EX-L models. The EX trim equipment: 17-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, full power accessories, cruise control, keyless ignition and entry, an 8-inch video display, Bluetooth phone and audio

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2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco: New design, better economy

A few years after its debut in South Korea, the Hyundai Sonata arrived in the United States in late 1988 as a 1989 model. Several generations later, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata has a new design in five trims and a hybrid model. The expanding lineup helps further establish the carmaker solidly into the mainstream. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is available in SE, Sports, Eco, Limited and 2.0T trims, and the unheralded hybrid model. My weekly test driver was the new Eco trim. It features a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with 177 horsepower with a seven-speed automatic transmission, thus the Eco name. The transmission is basically an automated manual transmission, and it gets better gas mileage and

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VW Jetta TDI tops TheWeeklyDriver.com’s 2014 top 10

For the eighth straight year, TheWeeklyDriver.com has selected its top-10 cars of the year. Honda again leads the list with the three selections, followed by Chevrolet and Ford, each with two selections. The Honda Accord is the only vehicle to make the list every year. This is the first year we’ve picked a single automobile to top the list. It’s the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the most economical, best priced, best designed and best- performing car available in the United States for $25,000. As editor and publisher of TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004, I drove 49 cars this year to consider for the top-10 list. Most automotive publications pick their top choice early in the model year. I think it’s to

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Air bags woes prompt expanded Honda recall

Seven months after it began as a regional issue, pressure by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has expanded a current regional Honda recall nationally because of faulty driver’s side airbags. According to the NHTSA, the air bags, made by Japanese supplier Takata Corp., can explode with too much force. As a result: metal shrapnel be can forced into the passenger compartment. The Honda recall list was posted on the NHTSA ate last month. It includes: 2001 – 2007 Honda Accord; 2001 – 2005 Honda Civic; 2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V; 2003 – 2011 Honda Element; 2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey; 2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot; 2006 – Honda Ridgeline; 2003 – 2006 Acura MDX; 2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL;

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2015 Chrysler 200: Watch out Honda Accord

The 2015 Chrysler 200 marks the inauguration of the midsize sedan’s second generation. Introduced in late 2010 as a replacement for the much-maligned Sebring, the Chrysler 200 was named via a keen marketing idea as the smaller and younger sibling of the Chrysler 300. While the new model features a host of new features, 2015 also marks the demise of the previous generation’s convertible option. Like the Sebring, the Chrysler 200 Convertible has now been relegated to used car lots and in leftover fleet purchases for rental agencies. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Chrysler 200 was my second straight weekly driver sedan test vehicle. And like the Kia K900 I drove on a 900-mile roundtrip trek to Los

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Toyota Camry: Top sedan through the years

Since its humble debut nearly 32 years ago, the Toyota Camry has been a hit. It wasn’t touted much, but soon after it replaced the Toyota Corona, the public responded. As such, with impressive quality, comfortable ride and durability, the Camry has been near the top or the top-selling sedan in the United States for more than 25 years. It’s been the sedan sales leader for the past 12 years. While impressive, Toyota made several surprising changes across all trims for the 2015 Camry, available at dealers since September. The changes include: a stiffer body, new grille, softer interior materials, new controls and, according to the manufacturer, about 2000 new parts. The surprise is that Toyota also revised the now

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Ford F-150 again tops best-selling vehicle list

The Ford F-150 pick-up truck and the Toyota Corolla don’t appear to have much in common. But they do. The Ford-150 had been made for 67 years; the Toyota Corolla is now 43 years old. The two enduring vehicles are perennially on the top-10 selling vehicle list in the United States. Although 2014 totals won’t be tallied until early January 2015, the Ford 150 will again lead the top-10 vehicle sales for the year. It will mark the 44th consecutive year the F-150 will lead truck sales. The Toyota Corolla may not lead the pack, but its enduring popularity is remarkable. Several years ago, it became the best-selling vehicle in history. Here’s a synopsis of the Ford F-150 and Toyota

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Honda Odyssey, Ford Flex among 10 best family cars

Minivans take a bad rap. They’re the ultimate family cars and have sometimes been referred to as “loser cruisers” or the vehicles of choice for overprotective soccer moms who carry endless supplies of juice packs. The less-than stellar reputation is unfair, however. Minivans make ideal family vehicles. They’re more economical in some instances than family sedans. And for long vacation hauls, comfort and cargo space are import. TheWeeklyDriver.com’s two favorite family are the Honda Odyssey and Ford Flex. The Odyssey is arguably the most versatile vehicle available in the United States. The seat configuration, high seating and, of course, it’s now famous accoutrement — a portable vacuum cleaner — make it the ultimate family mover. The Flex is likely the

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2015 Mazda6: Good option to costly foreign sedans

Mazda continues its strong emphasis on sporty cars with The 2015 Mazda6. It’s a roomy, sporty mid-sized sedan with a fun-to-drive personality and sparkling fuel economy. No wonder its sales are escalating in the highly competitive mid-size car market, which includes the formidable Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The 2015 Mazda6 is mostly a carry-over from the fairly recently redesigned Mazda6 with updates to select features and packaging options. Mazda doesn’t promote this model as a BMW or Mercedes fighter, but rather as a sporty, roomy, economical family car. For one thing, it has front-wheel drive, instead of the rear-drive traditionally found with high-performance foreign sedans. Yet, my rakish-looking Mazda6 Grand Touring model, complete with bright dual exhaust outlets, drove

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