Honda

2015 Honda Civic: Iconic compact still segment leader

The Honda Civic Si debuted in 1984 and continues to fare well as its settles into adulthood. It’s the sporty version of its oldest sibling, now 43 years old. But in any trim and configuration, the 2015 Honda Civic retains its status as one of the best-selling cars in history. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In the decade since The Weekly Driver debuted, I’ve driven more Honda Civics than any other car. It’s been more than a dozen so far and with gas, natural gas and hybrids engines and as coupe and sedans. The 2015 Civic Si is a reminder just how far the car has advanced since its debut in 1972 as a “box with four wheels. The 2015

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2015 Honda Fit: New look, better mpg, same value

When it debuted in the United States in early 2006, the Honda Fit had already been an international star for five years in Japan. Its popularity then quickly also grew in Europe, Australia, South America and Mexico and it likewise moved to the top of the subcompact segment in the U.S. That success rate is not likely to change with the 2015 Honda Fit. After a year’s hiatus, the Fit is back. It’s been redesigned to face head-on increased competition in the segment. There’s more cargo room and there’s better gas mileage. And there are more standard features and more options, all further expanding the definition and expectations of an entry-level car. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda

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2015 Honda Civic: Dependable transportation defined

Now in the fourth year of its ninth generation, the Honda Civic remains among the most successful automobiles in history. The compact, which debuted in 1972, is available as a coupe and sedan. And it’s offered in nearly a dozen trims and in three fuel choices — gas, hybrid and natural gas. The 2015 edition gains a trim level, but overall the Civic remains the same as the 2014 model as a coupe and sedan and in LX, EX, SE, EX-L and EX-L Navi (navigation) trims. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In its base LX model, the Civic is equipped with 15-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a one-piece fold-down rear seatback and cruise control.

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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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2015 Honda CR-V: SUV segment leader even better

The Honda CR-V has been attractive to Americans since its U.S. debut in 1997. Since arriving about the same time as the rival Toyota RAV4, it’s been among the top-selling small SUVs and is keeping up the pace with major improvements for 2015. Honda was a master at giving its 2015 Fit small car impressive interior room, and it continues its roominess tradition with the new CR-V, which also can be called a crossover vehicle. Despite its roominess, the new CR-V only has a 103.1-inch wheelbase and is about 180 inches long, which allows it to fit in just moderately sized parking spaces. All doors of this four-door hatchback open wide, and there’s good front and rear occupant room in

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Honda Fit, Nissan Versa among top cheap cars

The Tata Nano was all the rage a few years ago when it was introduced in India as a new car for about $2,500. In the past year, the Elio, a three-wheel concept vehicle with a price of $6,800, has gotten a lot of attention as the first of several pending forward-thinking cheap cars for the masses in the United States. Since neither car is available in this country, two of the most popularity vehicles in the crowd entry level segment are the Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa Note. And a cheap new car in the United States means a starting price of about $15,000 for a base model, sometimes a little more, sometimes slightly less. That’s about half

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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 Honda CR-V: More features, new look, better mpg

The 2015 Honda CR-V, which is will debut nationwide Oct. 1, will include what the manufacturer describes as “the most significant mid-model cycle refresh in its history.” As the biggest-selling sport utility vehicle in the United States, the 2015 Honda CR-V will feature a new direct-injected Earth Dreams Technology i-VTEC engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a new suite of Honda Sensing safety and driver assistive features. The MSRP price range is $23,320-$32,770. Interior and exterior styling on the 2015 Honda CR-V will be enhanced. Many new standard and optional features will debut as well as a new premium Touring trim. Gas mileage estimates has also improved. The 2015 CR-V has increased EPA fuel economy ratings of 27/34/29 mpg

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2015 Honda CR-V unveiled, debuts October 1

A week away from its official unveiling, a glimpse of the 2015 Honda CR-V has been unveiled via one image and an uninformative brief press release from the Japanese automaker. In its press release, the redesigned Honda CR-V is described: “A new aggressive and bold appearance with unique Honda style portends the significant enhancements made to the 2015 CR-V. Going on sale October 1, complete information on the newest version of the best-selling SUV in America will be available September 30.” As the best-selling crossover in the United States, the Honda CR-V, had its best sales volume in 2013 with more than 303,00 units sold. The 2011 Honda CR-V was the last redesigned generation. The current CR-V features a 2.4-liter

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2015 Honda Fit: New best subcompact?

It looks like Honda has hit another bases-loaded home run with its new 2015 Honda Fit. The feisty subcompact was love at first sight to many when it arrived for 2007. It was affordable, economical, nicely sized and — importantly — fun to drive. The redesigned 2015 Fit four-door hatchback tops the first and second-generation Fit models and doesn’t cost much more than the 2014 Fit. List prices for the more refined LX, EX and top-line EX-L models range from $15,525 for the base LX with a new six-speed manual transmission to $19,800 for the better equipped EX-L with a new CVT automatic transmission. Add a navigation system and the EX-L stickers at $20,800. New, improved interior Standard items in

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PREVIEW: 2015 Honda CR-V

Good news for sport utility vehicle enthusiasts. Honda is soon going to add a new SUV to its stable — the 2015 Honda CR-V. The redesigned model will include exterior changes to the doors, mirrors and trim levels. The back door’s rear glass has also been considerably restyled. Head lamps have been given LED lighting and the fog lights have been placed in the lattice. In addition, the 2015 Honda CR-V will have combination of 16-inch alloy and 17-inch steel wheels. The front fascia has been given an appearance of three chrome tubes that extend from one headlight to the other. Lighting at the rear extends all the way from the roof to over the door, and the bumper has

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Recall madness: Honda, Nissan, Mazda . . . airbags

Honda, Nissan and Mazda combined are recalling about 1.3 million cars in North America and more than 3 million globally for faulty airbags manufactured by the Takata Corp. Honda is recalling 1.02 million Civic, CR-V, Odyssey and Element models manufactured between April 2000 and October 2002. Nissan is recalling 228,00 vehicles. Mazda is recalling about 15,000 of the RX-8 and Mazda6. Takata airbags were last involved in a recall in 2013 when Japanese automakers recalled 3.4 million vehicles worldwide because of faulty airbags. In early June (2014), Toyota recalled 844,277 with similar problems. The exact cause of the airbag issue has not been determined. One theory is that defective inflators can explode when deployed because of the propellent’s sensitivity to

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REVIEW: 2014 Honda Crosstour versatile, polarizing

Introduced in 2010 as the Accord Crosstour, Honda dropped Accord from the official name two years later. The 2014 Crosstour still shares its chassis and powertrain with the Accord. But five years into its first generation, it still has its own polarizing identity. Like its predecessors, the 2014 Honda Crosstour has been heavily maligned. Its critics don’t know how to categorize the car. It’s not a wagon, SUV or sedan. It’s category defying and some folks just aren’t comfortable with that. Honda defines the Crosstour as a 5-door hatchback. But its rear hatch design limits available cargo space and it doesn’t have the functionality of a full-blown wagon or more spacious crossover rivals. But so what? It’s a trendsetter in

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Best Family Cars for 2014: Mazda3 to Honda Odyssey

What are the best family cars? What defines family? And what are the needs of families, small and large? Edmunds.com and Parents magazine have combined for the past seven years to present their combined list. For 2014, their top-10 list, as usual, is divided into categories, family friendly subcompacts to large sport utility vehicles. Car experts from both organizations examined hundreds of vehicles and narrowed the selection to choices in each category to those vehicles with features that make daily family journeys easier. The criteria include: reliability, impressive mileage and ample cargo capacity. “Whether they’re taking a summer road trip or just making a grocery run, families expect a lot from their vehicles,” said Parents Editor-in-Chief Dana Points. “Safety is

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