Acura RDX Review

A review of the Acura MDX by driving.ca. Find it @ http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=91fc1301-d5bc-4121-85c6-f9150bae883c

Honda CR-V Review

Find the review on the CR-V at driving.ca, @ http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=a57d6012-e4b0-450c-a060-ba36b808c447

Spied! Acura NSX Mule






These photos were taken outside the Nurburgring, on the 'Ring and shows work is still in progress. The chopped up Honda S2000 features four tailpipes in back and a heavy-duty double wishbone suspension. There's also a makeshift hardtop and big wheels and tires.

By the way, that front end is long enough to accommodate a V10! Look very closely.

2009 Honda Hybrid Confirmed


Honda's UK boss confirmed the company will launched the rumoured entry-hybrid in mid-2009. The new sportster will be priced below the Civic and take its cues from the Remix concept (pictured) which was shown at the 2006 L.A. Auto Show. Honda has set a target production run of 200,000 cars.

Acura MDX IIHS Crash Test

The 2007 Acura MDX luxury SUV earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's TOP SAFETY PICK award. Vehicles earning this designation afford superior overall crash protection among the vehicles in their class. To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK, vehicles must earn the highest rating of good in all three Institute tests — front, side, and rear. They also have to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC), which is a standard feature on the MDX.

Rear crash protection is another area of improvement. When the 2007 MDX was introduced, its seat/head restraints were rated marginal overall, the second lowest rating. The head restraints are attached to a lever arm that moves the restraint up and forward as an occupant's back pushes into the seatback during a rear-end crash. Honda engineers changed the design of the lever mechanism so the head restraint moves toward the head earlier in a crash. The Institute tested a seat/head restraint with the new design, and it improved to an overall rating of good. TOP SAFETY PICK award applies to MDXs with the new seat design built after May 2007.

Honda Class Action Lawsuit

In a class action suit against American Honda Motor Corporation, an Illinois man charges that a design defect in certain Honda CR-V and Element models makes them prone to fast-spreading engine fires.

The oil filter is dangerously close to the exhaust manifold on 2003, 2004 and 2005 model CR-Vs and Elements, the suit charges, and is mounted vertically, creating a situation where leaking oil can spray directly on the hot exhaust manifold.

Honda has denied all of the allegations and says any fires that have occurred have been the result of improper installation of the oil filter.

The suit notes that, beginning with 2002 models, Honda modified its engine design to improve compliance with clean air standards. The changes resulted in significantly higher temperatures in the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipes, creating a situation where leaking oil is more likely to ignite.

The suit asks the court to award damages to owners of vehicles that were damaged by fire and to launch a recall campaign to repair or replace the allegedly defective vehicles.

Honda CR-V sales jump

Honda CR-V sales has risen to the point that it has replaced best-selling SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV4 in US to become the best-selling SUV in the United States. Sales jumped 42% from last month.

Honda even needed to consider how to produce extra units to meet the demand. Honda has also recently exported a few CR-Vs from Japan to supplement the Ohio CR-V facility.

Acura MDX vs. GMC Acadia vs. Mazda CX-9

Find out who came out first @ http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/suvs/112_0706_audi_mdx_gmc_acadia_mazda_cx_9

Honda is Advertiser of 2007 in India

The advertiser of the year award for 2007 will be given to Honda in recognition of their creative and innovative advertising, said the Organisers of the 54th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

During the last few years, Honda ads have consistently been awarded Lions across different media. Some of their outstanding and brilliant wins include 'Cog' (Gold Lion in 2003), 'Grrr' (Film Grand Prix and a Titanium Lion in 2005), 'Choir' and 'Impossible Dream' (Gold Lions in 2006).

Honda Element SC Review

Driving.ca has posted a review of the Element SC @ http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=c9004657-512e-484b-93b1-2b4d40f8bd3a

Driving Television has also recently tested the new Element SC. Find the video @ drivingtv.canada.com and search for Episode 414.

Euro Honda CR-V Review

Carpages UK has just posted a review on the European Honda CR-V. Find it @ http://www.carpages.co.uk/honda/honda-crv-review-part-1-07-05-07.asp

(Note: The Euro CR-V differs from the NA CR-V because of feature content, styling and more, so the review is worth looking and it's also comprehensive)

Honda's UK J.D. Power Ratings

For the second consecutive year, Honda has achieved second place overall in the J.D. Power Survey in UK, scoring highly across all four categories- vehicle quality and reliability, vehicle appeal, service satisfaction and ownership costs.

The latest results mean Honda has appeared in the top five spot for the past five surveys. The Jazz (Fit in NA) finished first in its class again, making it four years in a row and an unbroken record since Jazz (Fit in NA) was first included in the 2004 results. The Jazz (Fit in NA) also finished third in the overall model ranking table, making it Honda’s highest achieving model to appear in the UK.

Saturn's Honda V6 no longer

Saturn will drop Honda's 3.5 V6 engine in the Vue next year due to the fact that Saturn is now capable of its own engines and that the Vue will be redesigned in 2008.

“It was a great engine for us,” said Saturn spokesman Mike Morrisey to Automotive News. “It played a big part of the Vue's continued success as it went through its lifecycle.”

The GM-Honda engine deal was first announced in 2002 while the engine first became available in 2004. The Honda 3.5 replaced an expensive British-built 3.0-litre V6.

According to GM Powertrain spokesman Tom Read, when the Vue was being reworked to accept the Honda 3.5L, GM engineers took extra precautions to ensure that the two would match up, including the adaptation of Honda's five-speed automatic transmission so that it would work with General Motors' electrical architecture, as well as the coolant plumbing, exhaust system, power steering mechanisms and air conditioning system.

This will end any other contract from Honda to General Motors.

Honda Accord EX-L 6MT Sedan Review

Automobiles.com has a comprehensive review of the Honda Accord EX-L 6MT Sedan, find it @ http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Honda/review/2007-honda-accord-sedan-ex-l-v-6-6mt-road-test/2863/

Honda FCX


Honda will put the FCX sedan into limited production next year. Honda says the FCX meets U.S. safety standards and have the same features as gasoline models.
"The consumer focus is where we need to put more attention," says Steve Ellis, Honda fuel-cell marketing manager. "We started with fleets, added a few consumers, now we're going to swing the pendulum."
The FCX should get the gasoline equivalent of 68 miles per gallon in the federal city-highway combined-driving cycle. Hydrogen with the same amount of energy as a gallon of gasoline sells for $3 to $6. Fuel-cell cars like the FCX are much more efficient so the cost per mile is much less than with gasoline. Honda claims a top speed of 100 miles per hour for the FCX sedan.
However in the 2008 Honda FCX, it will have a revised and smaller fuel cell stack. Instead of taking up almost the entire floor space of the vehicle, it is mounted along the center tunnel, under the armrest between the driver and passenger.

New Honda StepWGN



The Honda StepWGN has been slightly refreshed with new features and a new model for this year.

Only available in Japan!

New Honda Vamos Hobio




Slightly freshened new Honda Vamos Hobio. New wheels, new options and new packages round out the new Vamos Hobio.
Only available in Japan!

Breaking: Spied! Honda Accord Sedan



Specific shots of the new Accord sedan.

It looks really futuristic and a bit like a BMW/MB-ish sedan once you look over the tape and stuff.

Looks nice but disappointing. I expected more.

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