Honda Accord

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2014 Honda Accord plug-in hybrid rated at 115 mpg(e)

The Honda Accord plug-in hybrid, which will debut January 15 at dealerships in California and New York, will be priced from $39,780 and is expected to compete with the Toyota Prius, Chevy Volt and just released Ford Energi. The Ford Fusion is priced ($39,495), while the Volt is priced at $39,145. The Toyota Prius begins at $32,000. According to information released at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which continues through January 9 at the LA Convention Center, the EPA rates the new Honda at 115 MPGe in electric mode. The Chevy Volt is rated at 98 MPGe, and the Prius Plug-in at 95 MPGe. Ford has promoted the Fusion Energi at “over 100 MPGe.” The new Accord Plug-In will achieve

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2013 best sedans: Ford Fiesta to Audi A8

Sedans are arguably the most competitive car segment, and the uniqueness of the Edmunds.com list for 2013 is that Toyota, which manufacturers the Camry and Corolla, both perennially among the top-10 selling cars in the United States, is not on the  recommended list in any sedan price category. None of the members of the Toyota Prius family of hybrid cars are on recommended sedan list, either, although Toyota products are listed in other recommended categories. Here’s the top-three in eight price categories for Edmunds.com, the online automotive information resource guide headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Under $15K Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent Under $18K Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus Under $25K Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Ultima Under

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LA Auto Show: Honda, Subaru, Toyota among 12 carmakers in new green technology showcase

The Los Angeles Auto Show for several years has been at the forefront of the automotive industry’s green car technology. The selection of the Green Car of the Year is a highlight of the year’s first major car show. But this year, under a new category, approximately 25 vehicles from a dozen manufacturers will participate in the Green and Advanced Technology Ride & Drive. The program will offer a preview and media test drive sessions of the latest in-car innovations and fuel-efficient vehicles. The participating vehicles will represent the latest evolutions of electric, hybrid, clean diesel and fuel cell. The latest driver assist platforms featured will include front crash mitigation, adaptive cruise control, radar-based object detection systems, blind spot monitoring

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Honda Accord’s dubious honor: most stolen car in the United States

Nearly one million vehicles are stolen every year in the United States, which breaks down to one about every 33 seconds. But those two statistics, while staggering, only tell part of the story of car theft, particularly among the most popular stolen cars brands — Honda and Dodge. One reason for the massive problem of stolen vehicles is that owners make it easy for those in the car theft occupation. Consider: * 50 percent of all vehicles stolen are unlocked. * 25 percent of all vehicles stolen have a purse of wallet in plain sight. * 15 percent of all cars stolen have the key in the ignition. Also: * 33 percent of all vehicles stolen are in California and

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Honda recall now nearly 2 miillion in one week after CR-V window woes

Honda is recalling about 500,000 CR-V sport utility vehicles pushing the Japanese manufacturer’s potentially faulty vehicle total announced in the past week to more than nearly 1.1 million. Honda‘s latest call includes CR-Vs built between 2002 and 2006 and sold on the three continents because of issues with the vehicles’ power window switch. The company discovered rain water may enter the power window switch on the driver’s door, which could eventually cause the switch to overheat and catch fire. The automaker is recalling about 220,000 CR-V sport utility vehicles in Europe, around 268,000 units in the U.S. and less than 100 in Africa, a Honda spokeswoman said — pushing the total more than 490,000 units. There have been reports of

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Honda recall: faulty power steering hose affects 600,000 Accords

Honda is recalling five model years of Accords totaling 600,000 units in the United States and Canada and dating to 2003 because the popular sedan has a faulty power steering hose that can leak fluid and cause a fire. The recall, which extends through the 2007 edition, is the result of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posting on its website that the Accord’s power steering hose can deteriorate with prolonged exposure to engine heat. In addition to a cracked hose and loss of power-assisted steering, the problem could result in an engine fire in Accords V-6 engines. Honda has a report of one fire but no injuries or crashes. For the past several years, the Honda Accord has been

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Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion lead best mpg list for 2013 family sedans

Midsize family sedans comprise a huge chunk purchases amongnew car buyers, and gas mileage is a top priority whether consumers are considering Kia, Toyota, Ford or Hyundai. Ryan ZumMallen of High Gear Media has compiled a list of Best Mileage Midsize Family Sedans for 2013. The list includes a wide-ranging selection of gas and hybrid models as well as expected and surprising models that share at least one common trait — practicality. Here’s the list and a brief assessment of High Gear Media’s assessment of the 2013 Toyota Prius, the No. 1 most fuel efficient family sedan.“Despite the industry’s repeated attempts to knock it off the throne, the Toyota Prius still reigns supreme when it comes to fuel efficiency. What’s

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Honda announces average $300 price increase on 2013 Accord models

Honda has revealed prices for the entire 2013 Accord lineup with the average MSRP about $300 more than in 2012 and with the manufacturer maintaining its current 3-year, 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/unlimited mileage corrosion warranty on all models. Prices for the 2013 Honda Accord sedan begin at $21,680 for the Accord LX with a 6-speed manual and extend to $33,430 for Accord Touring V6 with a 6-speed automatic — the top-of-the-line Accord. Prices for the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe start at $23,350 for the Accord LX-S 4-cylinder and top out at $32,350 for the Accord EX-L Navi V6. Standard equipment on all Accords now includes: alloy wheels rearview camera, an expanded view driver’s mirror,  Bluetooth handsfreelink, USB/iPod integration,

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Subaru Legacy, 2013: Overlooked sedan offers good value, great safety

Many mid-size sedan buyers act like lemmings, continually buying the same make of vehicle year after year. Otherwise, a lot more Subaru Legacy mid-size sedans would be bought. Rivals to the Legacy — essentially an overlooked gem — include the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Most receive far more advertising and have a considerably larger owner body. Not that Subaru hasn’t been around for decades. It began to get its feet as a small, cramped front-wheel drive model that nevertheless was rugged. It became a favorite for rough New England winters, and for years was known as a “New England” or “Northeast” car. Few Americans knew it scored well in tough European rallies. Subaru began switching from inexpensive  economy cars

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Hyundai Sonata, 2012 2.0T: Spacious, better gas mileage for stylish sedan

Now in the second year of its sixth generation, the Hyundai Sonata is a midsize family sedan. It has steadily advanced in its highly competitive segment and is no longer a fringe alternative to the automotive mainstream represented by the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. With its redesign in 2011, the Sonata had its most successful year (225,961 units sold). It was the first time a Hyundai model sold more than 200,000 units in a year, and the stellar year vaulted the Sonata into 11th on the season-end, best-selling list where Honda, Ford, Nissan and Toyota all had sedan entries. The 2012 Hyundai Sonata, therefore, largely remains the same as last year (why tinker with success?) with only a few

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Honda Crosstour, 2012: A practical SUV alternative, but sadly no Accord wagon

What do you call a Honda Accord wagon that isn’t a wagon but should appeal to those who would buy an Accord wagon? If you’re Honda, it's the Crosstour. Introduced in 2010 as the Accord Crosstour, Honda dropped Accord for the name for 2012. The Crosstour still shares its chassis and powertrain with the Accord, but it has its own identity. Honda refers to the Crosstour as a 5-door hatchback. Since its rear hatch limits available cargo space, it doesn't have the functionality of a full-blown wagon. The car's size makes the term hatchback inappropriate, though, and so I've lumped the Crosstour with other category-defying models such as the Toyota Venza. Another key change for 2012 is the availability of

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Toyota Camry, 2012: Change is good for U.S. top-selling sedan

It must be a difficult decision for manufacturers with popular models to substantially change what sells. The Toyota Camry, for example, has been the top-selling sedan in the United States in 13 of the past 14 years. Nevertheless, the seventh-generation Camry debuted in the 2012 edition with vast changes. The standard Toyota Camry, with its 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine, has increased horsepower to 178. Additionally, the use of lower viscosity oil, according to the manufacturer, has helped increase gas mileage averages. Beyond the engine, the exterior and interior designs are new. The exterior lines are sharper and the front fascia and taillights are new. The interior, completely redesigned, features upgraded materials. Toyota's new Entune infotainment system is now an option, and

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Infiniti M Hybrid, 2012: World’s fastest full hybrid combines performance, economy

According to Infiniti, the 2012 M Hybrid luxury sedan features the performance of a V8 engine with the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder. If this sounds too good to be true, consider the numbers: Infiniti claims 0 to 60 in well under six seconds, and up to 32 mpg. Could the M Hybrid be the automotive equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too? The M Hybrid, or M35h, utilizes Infiniti’s new Direct Response Hybrid system, the first hybrid system developed fully in-house by Nissan/Infiniti. The system combines a 302 hp 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 7-speed automatic transmission, and a 50 kW electric motor powered by a lithium ion battery. Total output is a notable 360 hp engine with

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Toyota Corolla: Still top-selling car in history, 37.5 million and counting

It's hard to imagine: Somewhere in the world someone buys a Toyota Corolla about every 40 seconds. As such, since 2007 the entry level compact has been the best-selling car in history. With a base price of slightly more than $16,000, the Corolla has had 10 model generations and has had sales of more than 37.5 million since its debut in 1966. The current model has four-cylinders, 132 horsepower and gets about 35 mpg on the freeway. The combination of reliability, economy and durability add up to make the Corolla the ideal car in its native Japan and in the United States. It tops the list of the top-10 best-selling cars in history. In a detailed piece by Douglas A.

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NAIAS hits and misses: Ford Fusion 2013, Honda Accord Coupe, 2013

After several media-only days, the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), often called the Detroit Auto Show, is now open to public for the next week or so. Ford and Honda — two of the expected most popular manufacturers — are getting a lot of attention, but for opposite reasons. The 2013 Ford Fusion is getting heavily praised and has been selected by Yahoo Autos as one of the top five hits of the NAIAS. The 2012 Honda Accord Coupe has been selected by Justin Hyde of Yahoo Autos as one of the top give misses. Here's what Yahoo wrote about the Ford Fusion: "Like anything popular, midsize sedans can get boring fast. The new Fusion, which Ford will sell

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NAIAS 2012: Honda Accord Coupe 2013, Scion FR-S 2013, Toyota Prius C 2013

Honda Accord Coupe Concept Honda unveiled the Accord Coupe Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, providing the first official glimpse of the athletic styling direction, as well as revealing new technologies for the ninth-generation 2013 model. It's set to go on-sale this fall. The 2013 Accord will feature three new powertrains, including the first U.S. application of both a 2.4-liter direct-injected engine and two-motor plug-in hybrid system from Honda's suite of next-generation Earth Dreams powertrain technologies. In addition, the V-6 Accord will be the first Honda sedan to feature a six-speed automatic transmission. The Accord Sedan and the Accord Coupe models are expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy ratings and will be available many new safety

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