Honda

Honda Fit EV, 2013: Another new car joins green car parade

Key Takeaways Unveiled at the 2011 LA Auto Show: The production Fit EV followed its concept debut at the same show one year earlier, marking Honda’s entry into the mass-market battery electric vehicle segment. 90 mph top speed with 70-100 mile range: The concept demonstrated respectable performance limits and a driving range that would cover most daily commutes without needing a mid-day charge. Honda’s challenge to Toyota’s EV dominance: The Fit EV represented Honda’s direct response to Toyota’s leadership in alternative fuel vehicles, joining the FCX Clarity, Civic Natural Gas, and Insight in Honda’s green lineup. Familiar Fit platform with electric powertrain: By using the popular gas-powered Fit as its base, Honda aimed to deliver an EV that felt familiar

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Honda CR-V, 2012: New edition images leaked on Japan site

Like several other manufacturers, Honda was planning to debut the new edition e of its most successful vehicles, the CR-V sport utility vehicle, at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Instead, the 2012 edition was unveiled accidentally or accidentally on purse in automaker's Japanese-language website. Images of the 2012 CR-V crossover are not-too-different from the photos of concept of the car unveiled in September. If the images are correct, the new CR-V features a more prominent grille and more pointed windows and more steeply angled rear lines. The CR-V will also reportedly features a new platform with more interior space but a slightly lighter vehicle. The CR-V will include a new 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder with 201 horsepower. The 2012 edition

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Toyota, Honda pace top-10 best gas mileage car list

The 2012 Mitsubishi i, sometimes described as a jellybean, tops the list of the 10 cars with the best gas mileage currently available in the United States. Honda and Toyota each have two cars on the list. The website www.greencarreports compiled the list, which features 2012 and 2011 models and cars rated by MPG (miles per gallon) and MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). The website describes the leader of the list as "Mitsubishi's powered jellybean, the 'i' electric car. The looks might not be to all tastes but with an average of 112 MPGe, it currently ranks top on the EPA's leaderboard of fuel efficiency." Here's the list: 2012 Mitsubishi i, 112 MPGe 2011 Nissan Leaf, 99 MPG 2012 Chevrolet

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Honda Civic Natural Gas 2012: more states for October debut

Honda has announced the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas will have an MSRP starting prices of $26,155 with the manufacturer hoping to expand the only natural gas car made in the United States to 200 dealers across the country. Formerly called the Civic GX, the Natural Gas will go on sale October 18th at dealerships in 38 states. The car, set to be built in Indiana, was previously only available in California, New York, Utah, and Oklahoma. Honda claims the Civic Natural Gas emits almost zero smog-forming particles and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the EPA. It will receive a decal that qualifies for single-occupant access to HOV carpool lanes in several states across the country including California.

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Honda CR-V, 2012: Some new, some old for LA debut

The 2012 Honda CR-V, the fourth generation of the best-selling sport utility vehicle in the United States, will debut as a concept at the Orange County International Auto Show and then will debut in its production model at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2011 and 2012 models are similar but the new year model has a more angular front end, with a large three-bar grille and more rounded tailgate. Additionally, the vertical taillamps have been will now resemble the design on Civic and Accord models. Although specifications haven't been released, Honda said the 2012 CR-V will be more fuel efficient and weigh less than the current edition. The 2012 edition will also have a redesigned interior. Honda has sold

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Honda Pilot recalled for seatbelt quality issue

Honda is recalling 310,773 Pilot SUVs from the years 2009-2011 because driver and passenger seat belts whose anchor webbing may not have been properly completed and could detach. Honda said the first claim occurred in May 2010 of a seat belt anchor detaching and a second claim was made in July, prompting an investigation and recall. Honda will notify owners starting next month and dealers will replace the seat belts if necessary. No injuries or deaths have been reported, but the latest recall adds to Honda's woes. Last week, Honda announced a global recall of about 800,00 vehicles, including about 100,000 in the United States. The recall included about 80,000 CR-V sport utility vehicles from the 2006 model year in

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Honda recalls 962,000 Fit, CR-V models globally

Honda is recalling more than 950,000 vehicles worldwide including the Fit, Fit Aria, CR-V and CR-V hybrids because of faulty power windows and computer systems that could melt and and prompt fires. Honda will recall 936,000 units combined of the Fit subcompact, CR-V crossover and Fit Aria in North America, Asia, Europe and Africa totaling 936,000 units. The recall of the CR-Z totals 26,000 vehicles or an overall total of 962,000. The recall covers Fit vehicles produced in Japan from October 2005 to October 2009. The cars were shipped to China and other Asian countries. The CR-Vs affected are from the 2006 model year. In August, Honda recalled 2.3 million cars to fix malfunctioning transmissions. Honda says the current recall

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Honda Accord, 2012: Better gas mileage, more models

The 2012 Honda Accord, perennially among the best-selling cars in the United States but facing increased sedan competition, will include a new trim, better fuel economy and minor technology improvements. The Accord sedan has earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s highest score of 5 stars. The car scored a 5 for overall frontal crash safety, overall side-crash safety and rollover resistance. Sedans for 2012 are the 4-cylinder Accord LX, LX-P (Premium), SE, EX and EX-L, and the 6-cylinder Accord EX V6 and EX-L V6. Coupes are the 4-cylinder Accord LX-S, EX, EX-L, and the 6-cylinder Accord EX V6 and EX-L V6. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System is available on all Accord EX-L models. There are 4 and 6-cylinder engines

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Honda Fit, 2012: More standard features, sportier styling

The 2012 Honda Fit will include new standard features as well as “sportier” styling with a more aggressive front grille and bumper, blacked out headlights and dark alloy wheels. The 2012 Fit Sport will also feature an updated interior with new ambient lighting and new center console-mounted cup holders. The Fit Sport’s interior will be further enhanced with a sporty-looking dark metallic dashboard as well as chrome-ringed gauges. While the standard Fit will remain largely unchanged with the exception of new body-colored side view mirrors, the new Fit Sport will also feature standard steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and Bluetooth. The Fit’s 1.5-liter 117-horsepower four-cylinder engine remains unchanged for 2012. The read more about the Honda Fit, read: The Weekly Driver:

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Honda to make subcompact cars in Mexico, employ 3,200

Honda, which ranks no. 3 in the Japanese market and no. 5 in the U.S. market, is planning a further expansion into the auto-market and is expected to manufacture subcompact cars in Mexico. The move will also see the automaker hiring around 3,200 people. The new assembly plant that Honda plans to build in Mexico is mainly to contain costs and meet its demands in the small car sector. The Japanese company plans to spend around $800 million in this new venture and. It’s also the second major investment in market by a Japanese. Honda is hopeful to open the plant by 2014 and it would produce around 200,000 cars yearly. Mexico will have an opportunity to provide 3,200 new

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Honda recall: 2.26 million Accords, CR-Vs have shifting woes

Honda has announced the recall of more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. and China, including popular Accord, CR-V and Element models because of automatic transmission software issue. The recall in the United States affects 1.5 million Accords and from model years 2005 through 2010, the CR-V (2007-2010) the Element (2005-2008). According to the automaker, shifting between the reverse, neutral and drive positions can damage a bearing in the automatic transmission system. The problem could cause the engine to stall or make the parking gear difficult to engage. Honda will also recall 760,515 Accords, Odysseys and Spirior cars in China, according to a statement on its Chinese website, as well as a smaller amount of vehicles in the Middle

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Honda Civic again gets poor rating from Consumer Reports

The 2012 Honda Civic, redesigned for it ninth edition, has drawn extensive criticism from Consumer Reports, the independent review publication that as recently as 2007 gave the perennially top-ranked small sedan its top score. The publication’s biggest complaint was the Civic LX’s cheap plastic interior, numb steering, weak stopping power, road noise and flighty handling. A lack of  Bluetooth and outside temperature display in the $19,405 LX sedan dropped its score from a “very good” 78 to a “mediocre” 61. Consumer Reports also didn’t list the Honda Civic among its recommended vehicles last year, but its score wasn’t as low. The 2012 Honda Civic’s score was the second-lowest among a test of 12 small sedans, with  redesigned Volkswagen Jetta scoring

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Honda, Toyota again top U.S. top 10 most stolen car list

In its yearly report called “Hot Wheels,” the 1994 Honda Accord was the most stolen car in the country in 2010, following by the 1995 Civic and the 1991 Toyota Camry. Hot Wheels is the only report that examines all theft data without regard to a vehicle’s insured status thereby providing a more complete view of the vehicle theft landscape. For example, certain models of older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because of the value of their parts — but many are not insured against theft. Whereas newer, more expensive and insured vehicles are often stolen to be resold intact with counterfeit vehicle identification numbers or shipped out of the country. Overall, vehicle thefts continue their decline. Preliminary

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Honda Odyssey, 2011 car review

Has it really been nearly two decades since the Honda Odyssey debuted? In fact, it was 1994 and the 2011 version is newly designed as the fourth generation of the increasingly popular family van. Unlike some minor changes throughout its tenure, Odyssey’s redesign is drastic. Unveiled as a concept at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, the public debut was later in the year. It showcased a larger, wider body, lower roofline, and a more sleek and modern appearance. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The five-door Touring Elite, one of five available trim levels, has the most “bells and whistles” and, of course, is the most expensive. It’s the model I had for a week. With the Touring model it offers

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Honda offers greenest car in U.S. and it's a (natural) gas

With the ever-increasing debuts of green cars, Honda, not Toyota, Nissan nor Chevy is still at the industry forefront. But Honda’s marketing division just hasn’t done the PR spin as well as the manufacturers touting the Prius, Leaf and Volt. Nonetheless, the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, formerly known as the Civic GX NGV, costs about half the price to operate that gasoline cars. And for eight straight years, the Civic GX NGV has named “Greenest Vehicle” by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE). According to a report on Forbes.com via the Mother Nature Network, there are estimated 117,000 CNG vehicles on the road in the U.S., although the majority are commercial trucks. The Honda Civic Natural

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Honda set to debut 2012 CR-V fourth generation

Honda recently debuted a “concept” of its popular CR-V SUV, the fourth edition of which will be officially unveiled Sept. 22 at the Orange Country (California) International Auto Show and available at U.S. dealers by the end of the year. The 2012 Honda CR-V will feature a more aggressive design, sculptured body lines and a bolder front with thick three-bar grill and deeply-set headlamps. The vertical rear taillights of previous CR-V models have also been embedded deeper into the design of the vehicle, with a more three-dimensional style – although this is a concept vehicle, previous models have proved almost identical to their production counterparts upon release. Along with improved aerodynamics, the new model features a more fuel-efficient engine and

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