Honda

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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President Obama: New automotive decree: 54.5 mpg by 2025

President Obama has announced a proposal with the backing of car manufacturers from General Motors to Ford and Hyundai to Toyota to improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles to 54.5 mpg by and substantially reduce green house gas emissions by 2025. Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Volvo also approve the plan, which means it will affect more that 90 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States. The announcement extends a 2009 agreement with the auto industry to improve fuel efficiency in the next five years. Fuel efficiency is currently controlled by the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) within the Department of Transportation, which was enacted by Congress in 1975 in response to the

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Honda Civic 2012 car review

There are enough versions of the revamped, roomier, fuel-stingy 2012 Civic coupe and sedan to satisfy many small-car buyers, but most Civics have little personality. Some rivals are more fun to drive. That’s a step backward, at least as far as driving enthusiasts are concerned. At one time, the front-wheel-drive Civic was a lively Japanese car with a European feel. It was a kick to drive. Most of the new ninth-generation models feel generic. On the other hand, they’re very accomplished and deliver high fuel economy — not to mention good resale value. But only the latest $22,205-$22,405 Civic Si is really fun. It’s a hotrod with its larger 2.4-liter (up from 2-liter), slightly more powerful 201-horsepower four-cylinder engine, “sport-minded”

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Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Ford get best used cars honors

Hyundai keeps reaping praise. Edmunds.com, the respected California-based automotive web site, has selected two Hyundai models on its list of the top-15 recommended used cars since 2004. Hyundai, Ford, Honda and Toyota all had two models on the list, with the Hyundai Elantra selected as the best used sub-compact and the Hyundai Azera chosen as the best used large sedan. “With used car prices still soaring, it’s important for consumers to have expert guidance to get the best value,” said Scott Oldham, editor in chief of Edmunds.com. “By taking into consideration a range of factors from consumer ratings to NHTSA crash safety tests, to True Cost to Own metrics, these cars are the most attractive options in the used car

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Hyundai, Honda lead new decree: 40 mpg the new 30 mpg

If 40 mpg is the new 30 mpg in the automotive world, then more manufacturers —  Hyundai to Volkswagen, Honda to Toyota — have reached the new milestone as car buyers seek more economical options. Hyundai is at the forefront of the influx of 40 mpg with newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra. With its base price of $14,830 and fuel economy of 29 in city driving and 40 mpg on the the highway, it costs an estimated $51 for a tank of gas (at $4 per gallon) and will travel an estimated 538 miles per tank. The 2011 Hyundia Sonata (hybrid) is also listed at 40 mpg in highway driving. Here are several other 2011 models averaging at least 40

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It's a natural gas: Honda's greenest car goes national soon

After more than a decade of sporadic available to the retail public, Honda Motor Co. (HMC) will offer its natural-gas-powered Civic GX throughout the United States beginning in the fall of 2011. A recent report in The Nikkei, the business publication in Japan, said the manufacturer’s decision to go nationwide reflects the increased nterest in environmental cars in the U.S. Natural-gas-propelled cars are often considered greener than all-electric vehicles, because the latter charge their batteries using electricity often generated by fossil-fuel-fired power plants. Honda first released the Civic GX in the state of California in 1998 and currently offers the car in four states. Honda initially marketed the car to government agencies and commercial users, but starting in 2005 it

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Smart, Bentley get top, dubious automakers' mpg honors

Smart, with its line of electric or gasoline two-seaters, has the best gas mileage average among car manufacturers, according to a new Brighter Planet study of 2011 cars and trucks. Throughout its lineup, Smart averages 61 mpg. Mini (30.0 mpg) is second across its production line. Honda (27.4 mpg) third is and the top manufacturer with a full line of cars, trucks and SUVs. Suzuki (25.5) and Nissan (25.3) round out the top five, according to the study that detailed Brighter Planet’s ranking of 39 automobile manufacturers included in the 2011 EPA Fuel Economy Guide based on miles-per-gallon fuel consumption or equivalents of all models in each company’s portfolio. Bentley has the dubious honors in the study, the lowest manufacturer-wide

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Honda Fit, Lexus hybrid claim Consumer Reports' honors

Consumer Reports, in its latest 2011 automotive survey, has selected the most fuel efficient, worst gas guzzlers and best fuel economy among used cars. “Hybrid and diesel vehicles provide better fuel economy than conventional cars, but they usually cost more to buy, and as gas prices rise, the pay-back time gets shorter,” said David Champion, Senior Director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn. Below are recommended models in six categories that provide the best fuel economy. To be recommended, they met Consumer Reports’ stringent requirements for test performance, reliability, and safety. So, not only do they provide excellent fuel economy for their class, but they’re solid overall choices. according to the publication. Subcompact Best: Honda Fit

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It's A (Natural) Gas, Honda To Offer Civic GX nationwide

Honda will offer the Civic GX, the Japanese manufacturer’s natural-gas-powered car, in the United States to retail delears beginning in the fall of 2011, according to a report in Japan’s business-oriented newspaper, Nikkei. The Civic GX is available nationwide to fleet sales, but it’s available for retail sales only in California, New York, Utah, Nevada and Oklahoma. Honda announced it will sell the vehicle nationwide because of the country’s increased interest in “green car” technology. The Civic GX has been rated first in the “Greenest Vehicle of the Year” list presented American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy for the past eight years. Natural-gas-propelled cars are viewed as greener than all-electric vehicles, which charge their batteries using electricity often generated by

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Honda extends airbag recall in six models dating to 2001

Honda is again expanding a recall for faulty airbags, with the issue now involving more than 1.7 million Accord, Civic, Odyssey, CR-V and to Acura models dating to 2001. The Japanese manufacturer reports the airbags can inflate with too much force, causing a casing break and a risk of injury or death. Honda says it is aware of 12 incidents, including 11 injuries and one death. The latest addition to the recall includes 833,000 vehicles among the following styles: Accord (2001-02), Civic (2001-02), Odyssey (2002), CR-V (2002-03), Acura 3.2 TL (2002-03) and Acura CL (2003). The original Honda recall in 2008 included 3,940 of its 2001 and 2002 models. Honda expanded the recall to about 443,000 vehicles in July 2009

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