Honda Civic

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Edmunds.com unveils recommended cars, trucks for 2010

The guide contains Edmunds.com’s Top Recommended Vehicles — shopping lists for consumers interested in any market segment. Another section of the guide, What You Should Know before Buying, provides valuable segment-specific guidance no car shopper should miss. “You’re ready to buy a new vehicle, but how do you go about narrowing down the choices?” Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Edmunds.com asked. “Consumers can really use a friend in this overwhelming process; our buying guides give them the benefit of our extensive experience testing and researching every car on the market.” Here are Edmunds.com top recommended vehicles for 2010: Sedans Under $15,000 —- Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra Under $20,000 —- Mazda MAZDA3, Suzuki Kizashi, Ford Fusion Under $25,000 —- Honda

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Honda, Toyota dominate Kelley Blue Book car searches in 2009

Honda has the top two searches with the Accord and Civic and also the fourth position with the Honda CR-V. Toyota has four spots in the top 10 and Nissan has one position. American manufacturers combined for only five spots among the top-20 most search cars on KBB.com. Ford and Chevrolet each had two vehicles represent, but Chrysler wasn’t represented. The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. The top-20 cars researched in 2009 in KBB.com: 1. Honda Accord; 2. Honda Civic; 3. Toyota Camry; 4. Honda CR-V; 5. Toyota Corolla; 6. Toyota RAV4; 7. Toyota Highlander; 8. Toyota Prius; 9.

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Honda Fit to Lexus GS450h, The Weekly Driver's Cars of the Year, 2009

Lots of car buyers purchase $15,000 cars or prefer SUVs and midsize sedans. Hybrids and sports cars are fun drives, but they still comprise niche market choices compared to more popular choices — Honda Accord to Ford F-150 pick-ups to Toyota Camry. It’s these cars I’ve most often reviewed since 2003. In 2007, I began a Best-of-the-Year list. Like during the list’s previous two editions,  I waited until the end of the year — the opposite approach of the major car publications. The industry’s renowned magazines and web sites often select their lists to outdo each other. Sometimes, some of the cars chosen have just debuted or in some instances they’re not yet available to the public. How does that

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Subaru tops all manufacturers in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2010 ratings

The other car manufacturers to do well in 2010 include: Ford and its subsidiary, Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi with five top picks, and Chrysler with four cars in the top categories. “With the addition of our new roof strength evaluation, our crash test results now cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “Consumers can use this list to zero in on the vehicles that are on the top rung for safety.” Toyota and its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries had a strong showing in 2009 with 11 winners but were shut out for 2010. Four other manufacturers whose vehicles have earned Top Safety Pick in the past didn’t have a qualifying vehicle for

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Honda Civic (Hybrid), 2009: The Weekly Driver Car Review

But the 2009 Civic hybrid has a refreshed exterior design, more interior space and is more attractive than its biggest competitor. Still, the new and improved Civic hybrid isn’t an overt bargain. Among four available trims, the Civic hybrid with leather trim seats and a navigation system is now a $27,000 car. That’s pricey for a Honda Civic — until considering that the average new price of a car in the United States is now nearly $30,000. Then the Civic hybrid makes a lot more sense. The Weekly Driver’s Ratings Acceleration (4) With its continuously variable transmission, the Civic has a near-limitless number of gear ratios. It’s a nice feature, but none of the gears help the hybrid’s acceleration. But

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Hybrids Rule: 2008 's Top Five (Part 2)

Honda Civic — Base Price, 24,350; Safety Features, Dual front, front side and side curtain airbags; Fuel Mileage estimates, 49-51 mpg; Warranty, Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 10 years/100,000 miles, Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited miles. Economy to design, functionality to comfort, the country’s second most popular hybrid has as much to offer as any car on the road and at any price. The 2008 edition (the Civic’s 36th year) is the third year of the second generation of the hybrid and is part of the ever-expanding array of one the most enduring enduring vehicles on the road today. Long gone is the Civic’s former staid appearance. It’s now a sporty, full-sized sedan that comfortably seats five. And it has

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Hybrid, eco-friendly, 'green cars' now mainstream

Today, owning an eco-friendly car has become mainstream—the same family down the street may still have their odd-looking hybrid, but the fraternity now includes soccer moms, bank executives and college students. Here are five distinct eco-friendly cars to consider: SmartCar: The ultra-compact ForTwo two-seater, built by a division of Mercedes Benz, was first distributed in foreign markets in 1998. Just shy of nine feet long, and slightly more than five feet wide, the ForTwo has a three-cylinder, 70-horsepower engine, and gas (premium recommended) mileage averages of 33 mpg. (city) and 41 mpg. (highway). It’s available nationwide at about seventy Mercedes Benz and stand-alone dealerships, including locations in Stockton and Sacramento. Base price range: $11,590-$16,950. Final words: Forget cargo space, but

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Honda Fit, 2009: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Add it all up, and once again Honda has taken a good car that would have fared well without upgrades and innovation and made it more attractive. It was and remains arguably the finest entry level car in the United States. It’s hard, though, to classify the Fit as entry level. It’s Honda’s smallest vehicle. Yet, with a price range from $13,950 to approaching $20,000 (with all options), it’s an entry level car on par with other brands priced well into the $20,000 range. The Fit is still fit, for sure. But it’s now a more well-rounded “athlete.” It’s hard to notice at first glance, but consider: The Fit’s wheelbase has been increased 2 inches to 98.4 inches; the overall

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Toyota, Lexus top Consumer Reports' 2009 best car lists

Consumer Reports has selected the 2009 Toyota Prius (Touring) as best overall value among 300 American and foreign cars reviewed. The Lexus LS 460, Mini Cooper, Infiniti G37, and Toyota Highlander are among the top cars of 2009 as rated by Consumer Reports. The Mini Cooper, Volkswagen Rabbit, Honda Civic EX and the Honda Fit completed the top-five selections among the best valued cars, according to magazine. In its yearly auto issue, Consumer Reports highlights the best new-car value vehicles in nine categories: small cars, family cars, upscale cars, hatchbacks/wagons, sporty cars, minivans, small SUVs, midsized SUVs and pickup trucks. Here are the highlights: Best Value Small Cars: Honda Civic EX, Honda Fit (base), Hyundai Elantra SE, Toyota Corolla LE

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Toyota Prius (again) tops most fuel efficient cars for 2010

Nine of the top-10 most fuel efficient vehicles in the U.S. are hybrids. The agency, which sets guidelines and gives estimated fuel costs and mileage standards each year in its Fuel Economy Guide, released the following EPA ratings for 2010 models: 1. Toyota Prius, 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway; 2. Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan, 41/36; 3. Honda Civic Hybrid, 40/45; 4. Honda Insight (hybrid), 40/43; 5. Lexus HS250h (hybrid), 35/34; 6. Nissan Altima Hybrid, 35/33; 7. Ford Escape Hybrid FWD, Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD, Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD, 34/31; 8. Smart fortwo Cabriolet (automatic) Smart fortwo Coupe (automatic), 33/41; 9. Toyota Camry Hybrid, 33/34 10. Lexus RX450h (hybrid, 2WD), 32/28. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45

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Audi to Honda, BMW to Nissan: The Weekly Driver's Cars Of The Year, 2008

The biggest automotive news of 2008 remains the ongoing crisis among the “Big Three” manufacturers — General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. But beyond all the serious stuff, there was a lot of fun and intrigue for automotive enthusiasts in 2008. This year marked the sixth full year of The Weekly Driver reviews. I reviewed 32 new cars in 2008 — Audi to Volkswagen, BMW to Suzuki. I drove about two dozen other vehicles at car shows and manufacturers’ functions. A few dozen additional reviews from contributing writers also appeared on dev.theweeklydriver.com during 2008. My friend Bruce Aldrich and I also collaborated on about a dozen car videos in 2008. It was great fun, and I learned something. I said the

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CarMax, Young Drivers Non-Profit Pick Safest Cars For Teenagers

Each vehicle on this list is rated on affordability, style, and has at least a four-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in each of the past three years. The list, in alphabetical order by manufacturer, includes: Chevrolet Malibu (2008 only), Dodge Caliber (models with optional side airbags and ABS), Ford Fusion, Honda Civic, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Pontiac G6, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta. Not a bad list, not at all. James RaiaA sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and

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Honda Fit, 2008: Weidel on Wheels

So, let’s state upfront its price and gas mileage. The base model Fit costs $13,453 and mileage range from 27-33 mpg (with a manual transmission). So, it’s easy to see where the Fit fits a tight budge. Adding one more car to its extensive stable of vehicles, the Japanese manufacturer introduced the Fit in 2007, replacing the Civic as its entry-level vehicle. Although the Fit was new to the United States, it’s been sold in Japan since 2001 and progressed to the European market one year later. Another reason the Fit is considered by youthful car shoppers is it’s a four-door hatchback that seats five and offers versatility. Another feature sure to interest the younger generation is a dealer-installed adapter

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Mazda 3S (Grand Touring), 2009: Belew’s Car Buzz

It’s handsome, nimble, has a good road feel and is peppy. My wife had a 2002 Honda Civic and now a Honda CR-V. My son has a 2005 Honda Civic. Next in our family, a Mazda 3 maybe? Only the price is holding me back. I read the current Mazda 3 is going to be replaced in 2010. But the adage, “If it ain’t broken, why fix it?” applies. The Grand Touring model has auto on/off xenon headlights, automatic rain-sensing wipers, automatic climate control, a six-way power driver seat, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a trip computer. And I figured out how to operate all of features without reading a 400-page manual. The Grand Touring model also has a

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Toyota Prius, VW Jetta Top Only 15 Cars In U.S. Averaging At Least 30 mpg

Chevrolet (Cobalt, Aero) and Honda (Civic hybrid and Fit) each have two vehicles on the list. Six of the vehicles are hybrids and the total of 15 are the only new offerings in the United States averaging more than 30 mpg in combined driving averages. Here’s the list in deceasing order, with city, highway and combined gas mileage averages listed: Toyota Prius (hybrid, 2008, (combined 46 miles per gallon); Honda Civic (hybrid), 40/46, 42 mpg combined; Smart Fortwo, 2008, 33/41, 36 mpg combined; Volkswagen Jetta TDI, 2009, 30/41, 34 mpg combined; Nissan Altima (hybrid), 35/33, 34 mpg combined; Toyota Camry (hybrid), 33/34, 34 mpg combined; Mini Cooper, 2008, 28/37 32 mpg combined; Toyota Yaris, 2008 29/36, 32 mpg combined; Ford

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Dubious honors for old Honda Civics, Accords: Thieves' favorite cars

Beauty is in the eyes of thieves. That’s the ruth in terms of stolen cars since the most No. 1 hot-wired car in the United States is a 1995 Honda Civic. According to a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB, the Civic is followed by its older sibling, the 1991 Honda Accord in terms of susceptibility to thieves. According to the report, published in Forbes Magazine, “junkers” like older Honda Civics and Accord are more valuable to thieves because they can easily strip the cars and sell the parts on the street. According to the  NICB, a car is stolen in the United States every 2.5 seconds. Here’s the list of the top 10 most stolen cars

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