An Ideal Fit for Students

The ever-popular Honda Fit has been recognized by the automotive experts at KBB.com as one of their 10 Best Back-to-School Cars of 2012. According to the website, which is the online headquarters for Kelley Blue Book: “Shuttling friends and hauling cargo are definite musts for any student, and few subcompact cars do either as well as the Honda Fit. With an uncommonly flexible rear seat—it folds down AND up—the Fit can accommodate an impressive variety of people and cargo configurations. Backed by a full tank of Honda reliability, the Fit is also a smart choice to go from high school to grad school, and all the way to the real world.”The Fit can go a lot further than that, too, thanks to EPA grades of 28 mpg city/35 mpg highway/31 mpg combined, and the high-value Honda aces its economics class with an MSRP of $15,325 for the 2013 model year—unchanged from 2012. Other back-to-school benefits include a standard 160-watt audio system with USB port, 10 beverage holders, and an available satellite-linked nav system with voice-control functionality. Those features and more have helped the Fit garner an impressive list of other industry accolades this year, too, with the car also winning the “$16,000 Subcompact Shootout,” presented by Cars.com, USA Today and MotorWeek; earning Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; and making its sixth appearance on Car and Drive’s “10 Best Cars” list.

Capping off this prize-winning performance, the Fit is literally the Most Ideal Economy Car in the country, recently capturing that crown in the Autobytel/AutoPacific Ideal Vehicle Awards.

2013 Honda Civic Changes

Honda recently brought along their 2013 Civic to the 2013 Accord dealer viewings States-side and we have some preliminary information from insiders about the changes coming to the 2013 Civic. It appears that the DX model will no longer exist with the LX model becoming the entry trim level. Standard feature content will increase with a backup camera standard in every model, standard Bluetooth and standard i-MID screen. The front end will be overhauled with a completely new hood, new headlights and revised grill and a new lower intake designed for better aerodynamics and the rear end will receive new taillights. Interior-wise, the quality has been stepped up considerably in areas where the 2012 Civic has been criticized for; the dash and seats. The dashboard will receive a massive overhaul. It looks like the 2013 Civic Sedan will receive most of the exterior and interior modifications while the 2013 Civic Coupe remains the same on the outside but still receives the interior changes.  

This comes on the heels of an announcement made by Honda executives to Honda's R&D in the US that the next-generation North American Civic (should debut in 2016-2017) will be completely developed in North America. 

Honda Takes Comprehensive Approach to Enhancing Driver Visibility with Widespread Application of Rearview Cameras

Honda is taking a comprehensive approach to enhancing driver visibility and confidence on the road beginning with the widespread application of rearview cameras on 2013 models. Over 94 percent of Honda's 2013 model lineup1 will be equipped with rearview cameras, with 100 percent of Honda's truck lineup (Crosstour, CR-V, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline) as well as CR-Z, Accord and Crosstour providing rearview cameras as standard equipment.
"At Honda, we feel that this visibility feature will be important to many families and we're widely applying it even before we may be required to do so," said Vicki Poponi, assistant vice president of product planning for American Honda. "In addition to the wide application of the rear-view camera technology, Honda is also introducing several new features for enhanced driver safety, visibility and security in model-year 2013."
Rearview cameras are just one aspect of Honda's comprehensive 360-degree approach to technologies designed to enhance a driver's visibility, demonstrated by a host of features available on 2013 Honda models. Safety technologies such as Honda's new Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems will be available on the 2013 Honda Accord and Crosstour. Both systems use a camera mounted behind the windshield to warn drivers of a potential collision in front of them or to alert drivers if the car is unexpectedly moving out of its lane.
Other Honda features aimed at improving driver visibility are the Expanded View Driver's Mirror - already standard equipment on the 2012 Honda CR-V - and the Honda-exclusive LaneWatchTM blind-spot display. LaneWatch uses a camera mounted on the passenger mirror to provide an enhanced view of the passenger-side roadway. This unique technology will debut on the 2013 Accord followed by the 2013 Crosstour.
Honda and Safety
Honda's current lineup of cars and trucks has earned some of the highest ratings in government and third-party safety testing, with four models - including the only minivan - that have received a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score in the government's NCAP program. Nine Honda models on-sale today have received the highest possible safety rating of "TOP SAFETY PICK" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) under its more-stringent testing guidelines implemented in 2010.

Civic is Top-Selling Compact Car in U.S.

Civic is Top-Selling Compact Car in U.S.

You know that the 2012 Civic is selling well, but do you know it was the top-selling compact nameplate in the U.S. in May – and its May sales numbers also made it the top-selling compact nameplate in the U.S. Year-To-Date (YTD) , according to the Automotive News Data Center? In fact, Civic was #4 overall in the list of Top 10 Vehicles by sales in May and #5 YTD.

Here is a list of the Top-10-Selling Compact nameplates and their YTD 2012 sales through May according to the Automotive News Data Center.

·         Honda Civic (135,082)

·         Toyota Carolla/Matrix (125,079)

·         Ford Focus (110,237)

·         Toyota Prius (107,504)

·         Chevrolet Cruze (94,901)

·         Hyundai Elantra (80,114)

·         VW Jetta (69,599)

·         Mazda3 (50,692)

·         Nissan Sentra (46,773)

·         Kia Forte (33,339)

Parents.com Announces Best Family Cars of 2012

Parents.com Announces Best Family Cars of 2012

Parents.com and Edmunds.com have announced their selections for the Best Family Cars of 2012.  In making their selections, editors considered safety (all vehicles selected are equipped with antilock brakes, electronic stability control, and a minimum of six air bags; most are Insurance Institute for Highway Safety TOP SAFETY PICKS), fuel economy, kid-friendly features, and overall value.

Three Honda models made the list, including the Civic Hybrid, CR-V, and Odyssey.  Here are the categories in which each Honda vehicle was selected, editors’ comments about it, and a list of editors’ favorite features. 

High-Mileage Cars: Honda Civic Hybrid

·         Editors’ Comments: ‘The redesigned Civic Hybrid is a pleasure to drive and is sleek inside and out.  A cool digital readout lets you display mileage, speed, radio stations.  And the loaded version, with on-board navigation and leather seats, clocks in at under $27,000, making it among the most affordable full-feature hybrids.”

·         Favorite Features: Standard steering-wheel audio controls, IIHS TOP SAEFTY PICK designation, standard USB jack, standard Bluetooth® capability, 5-passenger capacity, 2-car seat capacity.

Crossovers : Honda CR-V

·         Editors’ Comments: “The cabin of this redesigned crossover is reminiscent of a minivan, with a slew of cup holders and a gear shifter situated on the dashboard.  Standard features include a backup camera, a rear armrest to keep warring siblings apart, and rear seats that fold flat with a single touch.  Fortunately, two things that didn’t change are the CR-V’s carlike feel and superb handling.”

·         Favorite Features: Standard steering-wheel audio controls, all-wheel-drive availability, IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK designation, standard USB jack, standard Bluetooth capability, 5-passenger capacity, 2-car-seat-capacity.

Large Vehicles: Honda Odyssey

·         Editors’ Comments: “You’d expect a stable ride from a vehicle of this heft, but the Odyssey somehow manages the corner like a midsize car.  It has endless storage compartments and second-row captain’s chairs that slide forward (to get closer to you) and sideways (to put extra real estate between siblings or make room for three car seats in the row).  An optional middle seat in the second row transforms into a cool beverage and snack tray when no one’s using it.  You can stow the third-row seats with a simple tug, yielding room for a weeklong summer vacay – and then some.”

·         Favorite Features: Available power tailgate, IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK designation, available rearview camera, 8-passenger capacity, 5-car-seat capacity.

Honda Reveals the 2013 Honda Accord with Sleek and Sophistocated New Look

Honda is revealing the look of the next Accord, a sleeker, more-fuel-efficient sedan that faces tough rivals.

The new Accord looks quite a bit different from the rear

CAPTION

By Toshi Oku/Honda

At least Honda has great timing: The current Accord has re-established itself as a best seller after a difficult year in which supplies were interrupted by Japan's tsunami. Last month, Accord was second only to Toyota's Camry as America's best-selling car, and it was the fourth-best-selling vehicle of any kind.

Honda says the new look for 2013 is more sculpted. "It doesn't scream and shout, but it's sophisticated and refined," says Vicki Poponi, an assistant vice president.
The new Accord is 3 inches shorter than the one it replaces but retains about the same interior size. The trunk is a cubic-foot larger. Honda engineers have an "obsession with getting the most interior (space)," she says.

When it goes on sale this fall, the ninth generation of Accord will compete in the big but ever-tougher midsize-car market, where automakers are placing huge bets. New products have poured into the segment. Besides the just year-old redone Camry and Volkswagen Passat and 2-year-old Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, redone 2013 models newly on sale or soon to be include Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Ford Fusion.

"This is going to be a real battleground," says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. "It's going to take an Accord to bring back the same level of excellence, high value and quality (Honda) has had in the past."

Honda says it's going to stay ahead of the competition by giving the new Accord more upscale touches and new technology:

It will get LED headlights, taillights and running lights, a feature typically found in luxury cars. The four-cylinder base engine will be paired with a more gas-efficient continuously variable transmission, or CVT, rather than a conventional automatic transmission. The new transmission is "not rubber-bandy" feeling, a reputation of many CVTs, Poponi asserts. Unlike many others, Accord still will offer a V-6, too.

Although Honda didn't reveal the expected fuel-economy figures — or the price — the new Accord is designed for extra-low wind drag, with flush-mounted window glass and wipers and a smoother underbody.

Peterson says Honda doesn't need to be the segment leader to win customers when it comes to fuel economy, but it will have to post in the high-30-miles-per-gallon range in highway driving.
Accord has the advantage of having an army of happy customers behind it, points out Joseph Phillippi of AutoTrends. "Maybe (the styling) is a little conservative, but there is a huge cadre of loyal owners out there," he says.

Legislation Requiring Rear-Facing Cameras Costs Billions, is it Worth it?

Legislation requiring all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to have rear-facing ‘backup’ cameras has been pushed back a second time. The legislation was originally signed in 2008 and now will not go into affect until the end of 2012.
And that could be a good thing.
While the rule is designed to prevent individuals from being run over by vehicles backing up, predominantly very young children and the elderly, it is also one of the most expensive pending legislations.

At an estimated cost of $2.7 billion for fleet of 16.6 million vehicles and approximately 292 deaths occurring each year from being backed over by a car or truck, that means each life saved is approximately worth $18.5 million. Is that worth it?
Of course every life saved is worth it, but consider that the article also states that because of this legislation, the price of cars will go up $58 to $203. Can the auto industry, and the economy in general, afford that seeing as it is still on shaky ground?
Perhaps those billions of dollars could be spent on driver education or a safety campaign? The government even admits they need more information before implementing this rule (the reason the pushed it back):
“While the department has made progress toward a final rule to improve rearward visibility, it has decided that further study and data analysis — including of a wider range of vehicles and drivers — is important to ensure the most protective and efficient rule possible,” the agency said in its statement.
There are gut-wrenching and heartbreaking facts and stories of people, especially children, being harmed (50) and killed each week (two) by a vehicle that was backing up. If my child was saved by a rear-facing camera, I would absolutely say this billions dollar cost was worth it. But if I were going to be in the market for a car in the next year, I may not be so sure.
What do you think?