Honda Cars : Happy Halloween 2012 from The Honda Portal! | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Happy Halloween Graphics

Honda Cars : New Honda Accord outperforms higher-priced luxury vehicles like BMW, Mercedes and Lexus | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

The release of the all-new 2013 Accord arguably marks the biggest launch in Honda’s history, and the automotive giant is not holding anything back. Coupled with a complete redesign and a whole slew of industry-leading standard features, the ninth generation Accord is living up to the hype of the media buzz surrounding its launch.

“The latest incarnation of the Accord represents the best value-per-dollar of any vehicle on the market,” said Chris Kelly, who road tested the all-new Accord for VehicleTests.com. “After seeing all the high-tech standard features that come with the Accord, I got reverse sticker shock because the car was so inexpensive with more technology and safety features than a lot of luxury cars that are twice its price,” which is why VehicleTests.com awarded the 2013 Honda Accord with its vaunted 5-Star rating.

The 2013 Accord comes at starting price of $21,680 with an array of hi-tech standard features, including a rearview camera and Expanded View Driver’s Mirror. Other standard technologies include Bluetooth HandsFreeLink phone interface, Multi-Information Display (i-MID), SMS text messaging function and Pandora Internet Radio interface. These are just some of the reasons for the high praise from VehicleTests.com, which produces independent test-drive videos for consumers.

Honda

Citing "reverse sticker-shock" based on the vehicle's high-tech features compared to its affordable price, VehicleTests.com awarded the 2013 Honda Accord a 5-Star rating.

“After I spent the whole day driving the new Accord, I found myself missing the great features it has once I got back into my own car,” adds Kelly. “You get used to those features really fast.”
 
Drive safer
One of the features to which Kelly refers is the new Honda LaneWatch blind-spot display, which enhances visibility of the passenger-side roadway thanks to a camera that displays what is in your blind spot on the i-MID screen. The Lane Departure Warning system uses cameras to make sure the vehicle is aligned within the lines on the roadway and alerts the driver if he or she is drifting. There is also Forward Collision Warning, which alerts the driver if he or she is closing in too fast on the car ahead.

This new technology, coupled with the 2013 Accord’s standard safety features, also contributed to its 5-Star rating from VehicleTests.com. The vehicle comes with four-wheel anti-lock braking system, a total of six airbags, including front and rear head airbags and dual front side-mounted airbags. In addition, the Accord has emergency braking assist, electronic brake force distribution, both a driver and passenger head restraint whiplash protection system, stability and traction control and tire pressure monitoring. Additionally, the Bluetooth HandsFreeLink phone interface and SMS text messaging function allows for hands-free phone usage, which means less distracted driving.
 
Go faster for less
The 2013 Accord comes in eight different trim levels, from the standard LX to the EXL, including the all-new Sport and top-of-the-line Touring models. Engine options include the 2.4L four-cylinder with 185 horsepower and the six-cylinder with 278 horsepower, which is more horsepower than the Lexus ES, BMW 328i or Mercedes Benz C Class. However, more power doesn’t mean less fuel economy. Due to its new Earth Dreams technology, the 2013 Accord offers better gas mileage than previous Accords that had less horsepower.

While the all-new Accord has a lot more horsepower, the cabin was extremely quiet during the road test. “Normal conversation volume measures in at 65 decibels,” says Kelly. “The new Accord measures in at an exceptional 56 decibels. It was amazing to see the amount of soundproofing that Honda put into the vehicle.” Under the hood of the 2013 Accord, you’ll find a thick soundproofing mat, which helps keeps most engine noise away from the cabin. However, Kelly says that the Accord also features additional rubber gaskets around the edges, which provides even more soundproofing.

As part of its road-test, VehicleTests.com drove the vehicle for 50 miles on the highway at 60 miles per hour with cruise-control, in order to test the fuel economy — listed at 35 miles per gallon. Kelly and his team found that the Accord they tested actually exceeded the listed miles per gallon by a good amount. However, he could not disclose the actual figures for legal reasons.

The American-made Honda Accord has been one of the best selling cars in history, which is one of the reasons why it has boasted the highest resell value of any car in its class and has won many resell value awards from Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com. In fact, New York Honda dealers are already celebrating its sales success - it is selling faster than any Honda in history.

Based on early reception, this vehicle is receiving — including the high rating from VehicleTests.com — it looks like Honda’s problem is not going to be market share because customers know a deal when they see one. With industry-leading standard features, a shockingly low MSRP and more technology and safety features than many more expensive luxury vehicles, Honda may have a challenge keeping up with the demand in the market place.

“The new Accord is selling faster than any Honda in history,” said Rob Sabbagh, President of the Tri-State Honda Dealers Association.

Source (with video of the road test);

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/review-2013-honda-accord-article-1.1193218

Honda Cars : Honda's Ohio plant changed competitive landscape in America | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

By Alisa Priddle of The Detroit Free Press

Thirty years ago, the first Accord rolled off the line at Honda's Marysville, Ohio, plant, the first car a Japanese automaker assembled in the U.S., changing the competitive landscape of American automaking forever.

From an underdog carmaker known in Japan as a cadre of engine geeks, Honda established a trust with young American consumers not unlike the way today's Millennial generation flocks to Apple stores. "They were seen as dirty-fingernailed motorcycle mechanics and got no respect in Japan," said Dave Cole, chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research. "So they decided to grow elsewhere to become a strong international company."

Since those early industrial seedlings nurtured in what used to be Ohio cornfields, Honda's North American manufacturing network now spans seven auto plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico with more under construction, in addition to its motorcycle and power equipment operations.

Honda has invested $12.3 billion in the U.S. -- $8 billion in Ohio -- employs more than 26,000 Americans and has never laid off a worker. Workers were retained and paid for months when Ohio plants cut production following the tsunami in Japan.

The original silver-gray 1983 Accord that rolled off the line Nov. 1, 1982, with a blue and white Ohio license plate "USA 001" is on display at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn.

Though its world headquarters remains in Japan, Honda makes and sells more cars in North America than in any other continent. The seven plants can produce 1.63 million vehicles a year now and will boost annual capacity to 1.92 million vehicles when a new$800-million plant in Celaya, Mexico, starts production in 2014.

"It has had the most profound effect on the industry," said Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS Automotive Consulting in Northville. It wasn't just the introduction of Japanese culture, but philosophies and practices that helped establish new benchmarks for engineering, manufacturing and quality.

The competition made everyone's cars better.

"Honda showed a Japanese company could go into the American heartland and establish a non-union facility with unique and foreign work practices and suppliers and be successful and continue to expand over a quarter century," Robinet said.

Amid tremendous skepticism, "they showed American workers could build vehicles as well as other countries," he said. Workers were recruited primarily from rural communities, where many applicants tended to their farms before or after clocking out from the factory.

Honda will invest another $2 billion by 2014 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico and the roughly 900 engineers at Honda R&D Americas in Ohio are charged with developing global vehicles such as the next-generation Civic for 2016 and a new NSX sports car.

But the company's resolution to do everything itself when others outsource and form partnerships has raised questions about whether the strategy will continue to be a winning one.

Recently industry observers have attacked Honda's styling, which has never been particularly daring, as too bland. The new Civic is getting a hasty redesign.

Honda's three-decade journey began with former Ohio Gov. James Rhodes and Honda founder Soichiro Honda. Rhodes convinced Honda-san to start making motorcycles in Marysville in 1979. That led to a $3.9-billion investment and the car assembly plant that launched three years later.

Honda was fifth in automobile production in Japan and many auto executives in Japan thought Honda would stumble in America. But it established a beachhead that grew to include suppliers and engine, transmission and car plants in Ohio, Indiana, Alabama and Canada.

Jeff LaRoche, a 29-year veteran at Marysville, remembers pre-shift calisthenics and a lot more Japanese colleagues.

"We came in thinking we had a lot to prove. 'Could a bunch of farmers do it and prove we were as good as the Big Three, who had second and third generations of workers?' " LaRoche said.

They exercised to the theme of the "Magnum P.I." TV series.

"It looked pretty cool, like an army ready to build cars," LaRoche said.

The automaking aerobics are long gone and there are few Japanese colleagues today, but the melding of cultures remains.

"We view this as our company," said Rob Lee, a welding manager at Marysville with 29 years' experience. "We feel like we're separate. We're Americans, but there is a sense of pride being Honda."

John Spoltman, manager of the Anna Engine Plant, said the population of Marysville has more than doubled to 22,000 since 1982.

"We didn't want to overwhelm the area," Spoltman said. "We took pains to change truck routes out of courtesy to neighbors, who would have had headlights in their windows at all hours."

Nearby Highway 33 has gone from a two-lane road to what locals call the "Hondabahn."

"We don't look at whether we are a Japanese or American company," said Marysville plant manager Jeff Tomko. "The combination of Japanese culture, U.S. aggressive style, rural manufacturing and a hard work ethic has made it a success."

Honda was able to launch new models seamlessly back when Big Three plants had to be idled for months to retool.

"The Japanese couldn't build a plant for every model like GM. They had to build it all under one roof," Cole said.

The quick changeovers took stress off dealers who could sell down the outgoing models without deep discounts, and they received new models in quantities that allowed the sticker price to be close to the selling price.

"It was a game changer," said Tomko. "Folks wondered how we could do it and how we could do multiple models on one line. But in Japan, the mind-set is small is smart."

Employees grew with the plant.

Lee was 22 when he left a machine shop job in 1983 for Honda and an extra 15 cents an hour.

"The rumor was it was a good place to work. I was scared to death. I had never been exposed to an assembly line before and was worried about keeping up with the line speed." He lost almost 15 pounds and was sore the first few weeks, but he's still there 29 years later.

Monte Dyke is an engineer in the paint shop with 29 years of service.

"I was a snot-nosed kid from a local farm. It was a bit scary," Dyke said, especially the manual spot welding. "I got used to the manufacturing flow and routine and gained confidence. I was proud of what we did."

After 30 years, Marysville started building the ninth-generation 2013 Accord on Aug. 20, with new engines and transmissions from nearby factories.

The East Liberty plant makes the Honda CR-V and Acura RDX.

Marysville represents a$4-billion investment to date. About 4,800 workers make 1,760 Accords and Acura TLs a day.

Anna is Honda's largest engine plant with 2,600 workers and 80 assembly lines snaking across 2 million square feet, which insiders nicknamed "Disneyland for engineers." Within this mini industrial city, Honda workers melt scrap material in foundries and do stamping, casting, machining and engine assembly. Anna will make the engine for the new NSX due about 2015. It will be almost a hand-built engine on a separate, showcase line, Spoltman said. Working on it will be a reward for the workers who get the assignment. More details, including the location of the plant to make the NSX in Ohio, are expected to be revealed later in November.

Source;
http://www.freep.com/article/20121028/BUSINESS01/310280143/Honda-s-Ohio-plant-changed-competitive-landscape-in-America

Honda Cars : IAB Exclusive – Honda Brio sedan REVEALED! | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Note – This is NOT a rendering. The car you see in the image will launch in India next year.
There is no denying the fact that the terms ‘sub four metre’ and ‘diesel’ are the mantras for success in India. Cars that are under 4 meters long get an excise benefit of 12% over bigger cars.

Honda is rolling up its sleeves with the Brio sedan which is going to tick both the vital boxes. Yes, it’ll measure less than four metres long and will come with a diesel heart.

Honda is currently the only manufacturer in India to have a petrol-only product portfolio and one needn’t be an industry expert to tell that it’s suicidal if it stays that way. The cruel rise in petrol price ensured that the sales of the once popular Honda cars have plummeted.

However, Honda is preparing itself to recover from the nose dive with the Brio based sedan, codenamed Honda 2TP, which is expected to say hello sometime in the March 2013. The compact sedan which is yet to be named (we’ll stick to ‘Brio sedan’ until then) is a stick-a-boot-to-the-hatch exercise but we very well know that its a proven formula for India.

The Maruti Dzire, Tata Indigo, VW Vento, Skoda Rapid and Ford Fiesta are some examples of instant sedans.

At yesterday’s event to mark the commencement of exports for the India-made Brio, Honda officials apparently confirmed that the Brio sedan will get the company’s new 1.5 litre four cylinder diesel engine which is expected to carry the DNA of the 1.8 litre ‘Earth Dreams’ diesel engine. The same 1.5 litre unit will come to the rescue of the next gen City and Jazz models.

We expect the new oil burner to have better power output and refinement than the rivals. Given the long waiting period for the Maruti Swift Dzire, Honda could position the Brio sedan at a slight premium and could even get away with it!

Apart form the Dzire, Honda will have the company of the Mahindra Verito CS which the company’s higher officials confirmed to IndianAutosBlog.com of a launch by the end of March 2013. So it’s game on then!

The compact sedan will be the first Indian Honda to burn diesel and will bear a heavy responsibility of bringing back Honda to the forefront of Indian automotive scene.
[The image you see above is a digitally corrected and enhanced version of the teaser image posted on Honda's Thailand website]

Source;

http://indianautosblog.com/2012/10/honda-brio-sedan-codenamed-honda-2tp-revealed

Honda Cars : Honda Designs a Car Just for Women . . . and Guess What Color It Is? | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Posted by Meredith Carroll

Not long ago, the geniuses over at Bic decided that pens specifically designed for women were in order. Because, you know, apparently the regular old pens weren’t working out well enough for the weaker sex.

As it turns out, the folks over at Honda must have had the same internal conversation. You know — regular cars weren’t working out for women, so a car designed just for women was in order.

Hence, Honda Fit She’s: a car designed just for women. And guess what ladies? We’re in luck! The car is PINK!


If you don’t think it’s condescending enough to think cars are masculine and women necessarily require something drivable that’s also feminine, Honda describes the car as “adult cute.” You know, because it’s not just enough to get us from Point A to Point B. It also needs to be cute. Am I right, ladies?

According to Yahoo:

[The car has] pink stitching in the seats and steering wheel and floor mats, matched by pink metallic bezels around the shifter and displays. There’s also a few extra shades of pink in the special She’s badge, spelled with a heart for an apostrophe. If pink isn’t a customer’s style, Japanese buyers can also select a Fit She’s in shades of brown and white that a Honda executive told the Yomuri Shinbun newspaper match the color of eyeshadow.

Also standard? A “Plasmacluster,” which is an air-conditioning system that boasts the ability to “improve a driver’s skin quality.” Because it has long been the dream of most women to fight wrinkles while fighting traffic.

Gee, get me to a Honda dealership. Stat. (But first let me fold the laundry, change my tampon and take the curlers out of my hair.)

Source;
http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2012/10/25/honda-designs-a-car-just-for-women-and-guess-what-color-it-is/

Honda Cars : Honda plans 3-4 diesel models in 2-3 years | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Not for North America....

By Yuga Chaudhari
  
Honda Cars India plans to roll out 3-4 diesel models in the country over the next 2-3 years, Hironori Kanayama (pictured), itspresident and CEO, said on Thursday.

To start with, the company will launch an entry-level sedan based on the Brio platform next fiscal.
It is also studying options in new segments like utility vehicles and compact sports utility vehicles, where it does not have a presence at present.

To be sure, Honda has been missing a large part of the action because it only has petrol vehicles in a market where demand for diesel vehicles has rocketed in recent years because of the price difference between the two fuels.

The new range of products could help it catch up with competition.

Honda said it has started work on manufacturing diesel engines in India at its Tapukara plant in Rajasthan, though it did not share details on capacity and investment.

“We cannot tell you the exact product plan, but we are very very ambitious,” said Kanayama. “We are still working on the sequence of which model and the timing of the launch for the same.”

Honda could consider getting products from its existing global line-up or develop an India-specific product like Brio.

The company said it will introduce the diesel option in the next generation of new models and the next generation of the existing models.

Honda Siel Cars sold 54,427 units in 2011-12, down 8.46% compared with the previous fiscal.

“The future models in diesel will bring us to the right position,” said Kanayama.

Meanwhile, the company is also ramping up exports from India. As against a total of 1,028 units exported in the last 14 years, it plansto ship 1,600 units of its small car Brio by the end of this year to South Africa and other Asian countries.

Source;
http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_honda-plans-3-4-diesel-models-in-2-3-years_1756208

Honda Cars : 2014 Acura MDX hits the Ring [video] | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Goes into production early next year

The 2014 Acura MDX has been spied at the Nürburgring.

While the model is heavily disguised, the crossover has an evolutionary design with distinctive headlights and a toned-down ‘shield' grille. The camouflage hides other details but we can see the model will have prominent wheel arches, a tailgate-mounted spoiler and wraparound taillights. It also appears larger than its predecessor, so expect a more accommodating cabin.

Engine options will likely be shared with the 2014 RLX, so expect the entry-level model to be powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 310 hp (231 kW). There should also be an all-wheel drive variant with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and three electric motors for a combined output of 370 hp (276 kW).

The 2014 MDX is slated to go into production at the company's Lincoln, Alabama plant in early 2013.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/112102549747/2014-acura-mdx-hits-the-ring-video

Honda Cars : Body Crash - Behind the Scenes | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

In a campaign that sets out to change drivers' attitudes to low-level speeding by exposing the community problem that sits at the heart of it, we constructed a crash made up of people. The final image was made possible with the help of Adelaide body paint artist Emma Hack. The shoot took a total of 18 hours, using 17 men and women -- each with up to five layers of paint applied to their bodies.

Interesting....

Honda Cars : Let This Old Honda Brochure Charm The Crap Outta You | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

This is so awesome!

by Jason Torchinsky

Car brochures today have all sort of covergently-evolved into a certain bland sort of slickness. Sure, there's some minor typographic differences and photography, but one's pretty much like the other. But this wasn't always the case. Back in the day, if you weren't selling something fast or sleek, you had to find other ways to make it appealing. Like using illustrations and weapons-grade charmonium, as seen in this brochure for Honda's tiny pickup, the T360.

Since little Kei-car pickups have been on my mind lately, I thought this would be a good time to share this old brochure. Not being able to read Japanese, I'm a bit baffled by a lot of what's going on here. Like this scene:

So... the truck's great for transporting your gigantic fishbowl over unimproved roads, which is then great for following giant flirty ladies in the back of other trucks as they get on the highway? Um, that's like my NUMBER ONE truck use case, right there.

And get this— this brochure is like a kid's pop-up book or something. These pages have little tiny sub-pages to give the illusion of the truck receding in the distance.

Oh, oh, oh look at this— they have vellum pages so the truck can superimpose over these other images. I get one must be to show it's got the same wheelbase as Honda's little S600 sports car, but the bed one? Is that like a ride comfort thing? Or are they just tapping into every kids' I'm-driving-my-bed-all-over-the-world nighttime fantasies?

Either way, I'm a sucker for this stuff.

Source;
http://jalopnik.com/truck/

Honda Cars : What the Ridgeline Could have Been | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Whoa!  I am so glad that they didn't use this!  Nothing to really post here, just thought I'd pass it along.  Thanks for the tip Jay!

Honda Cars : 2015 Honda Civic Type R details | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

This will probably not make it to North America unless badged an Acura, which with the new RLX, doesn't make sense....

The Civic Type R will get a brand-new 250bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine when it arrives in 2015

The new Honda Civic Type R will feature a brand-new 1.6-litre turbocharged, direct-injection engine with more than 250bhp when it arrives in 2015, an inside source has revealed.

Honda also has an eight-speed duel clutch automatic transmission under development, which could be offered in the new hot hatch.

At the Paris Motor Show last month, Honda CEO Takanobu Ito confirmed that the Civic Type R would go on sale in 2015, but refused to elaborate on the details.

He did however confirm that his aim was to make the new Type R the fastest front-wheel-drive model ever around the Nurburgring – a record currently held by the Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy in eight minutes and eight seconds.

To achieve that the car will need to weigh less than 1,200kg and have a power figure of more than 250bhp, we’ve been told. The engine should have no problem achieving that level of power output - following Gordon Shedden’s victory in the 2012 BTCC Championship driving a Civic, a tuned version will undergo testing next year in Honda’s BTCC car.

Just like the new 247bhp Ford Focus ST, there's no plans to build a three-door Type R, although our source refused to rule out a Type R version of the Civic estate – a new bodystyle that will debut in concept form sometime next year.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/civic/60961/honda-civic-type-r-details

Honda Cars : Autoblog: Honda warns dealers to clear out 2012 Civic stock, 2013 emergency refresh on sale Nov. 29 | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Not too sure it this is going to indeed be what the 2013 Honda Civic is going to look like for North America, but here's what I found anyway....

Source for Pictures....
http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3ds-max-honda-civic-2013-usa/640818

by  Chris Paukert

Thanks to an anonymous tipster, Autoblog has learned that the so-called "emergency refresh" of the Honda Civic is just around the corner. In fact, the automaker is already urging its dealers to clear out remaining 2012 model year stock because "The changes made to the 2013 model will make the outgoing 2012 Civic a difficult model [to] sell when they are side to side." Those are the words of David Hendley, Assistant Vice President of Honda National Sales excerpted from a recent letter to dealers. The communiqué goes on to note that the refreshed Civic will go on sale on November 29 – a date, we note, that coincides with press days for the Los Angeles Auto Show.

According to Hendley's letter, buyers can look forward to "dramatic improvements to the exterior styling that moves Civic into a more premium sporty direction." The text also promises that the 2013's interior will receive "upgrades and improvements to bring more sophistication and quality to its appearance." For his part, American Honda President Tetsuo Iwamura has previously been quoted as saying that changes will be made to "improve the Civic's drivability," suggesting suspension and powertrain alterations are afoot as well.

The ninth-generation Civic has only been on sale for a year, and such a substantial refresh this early in the generation's lifecycle is unprecedented these days.

The ninth-generation Civic has only been on sale for a year, and such a substantial refresh this early in the generation's lifecycle is unprecedented these days – not just for Honda, but for the industry as well. The Japanese automaker has been stung by widespread criticism for the 2012 Civic range's lackluster dynamics, lessened interior quality, noise levels, low feature count and uninspiring design – perceived shortcomings exacerbated by the industry's hyper-competitive compact car segment. Among the critics, the Civic was given poor marks in a review by this site as well as influential institute Consumer Reports, which went so far as to remove the Civic from its coveted Recommended list. In fact, CR editors labeled the 2012 Civic a "car to avoid" in August.

A lack of critical praise doesn't seem to be harming Civic sales, however. According to the automaker's own sales data, the 2012 model is performing quite handsomely, having sold 234,029 units through September of this year, with 21,546 of those units coming last month alone. That means Honda is shifting almost 40-percent more units this year than the (admittedly aging) eighth-generation model did in 2011. The Civic is now selling near the top of its class, and Hendley notes that the company's Indiana plant will be running at full-tilt to build the updated 2013 model – in fact, he indicates that the US will even draw units from Canadian production.

When contacted for comment about the Hendley dealer letter, Sage Marie, Honda's Senior Manager of Public Relations, confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker will have Civic news to reveal next month, noting that Honda is keen "to ensure Civic remains the benchmark in the segment and remains as competitive as it can be."

Dear Honda Dealer,

Thank you for your effort of selling down the 2012 Accord. As you remember from the dealer meeting earlier this summer in Philadelphia, our priority at the time was to get the Accord down to a reasonable days supply by our September launch date for the new model. Our sell down of the 2012 Accord is right in line of where we want to be, and the 2013 Accord is doing extremely well since it's release back in September. Your focus and selling effort on Accord is greatly appreciated.

Obviously, Accord sales makeup a huge part of getting to the company goal of 1,300,000 by the end of the year; however, Civic's role is just as important. You may be aware that the refreshed 2013 Civic will be available for sale on November 29, 2012. When it arrives on your lots you will see dramatic improvements to the exterior styling that moves Civic into a more premium sporty direction. The interior has even more upgrades and improvements to bring more sophistication and quality to its appearance. As I said in Philadelphia, we are taking a good Civic that is currently the leading selling vehicle in the small car segment regardless of fleet sales, and made is a great car. This is a car the breathes the famous Honda driveability, quality, reliability (DQR) that has made Honda what it is today. A brand that consumers want us to produce for you to sell. This vehicle is not produced simply to catch up to our competition it is being produced to expand its dominance and reign once again as the bench mark of the small car segment.

Civic makes up almost 25% of our 990,00 Honda sales for the year - it is a critical component in our goal to reach 1.3 million sales for the year. For your dealership to take full advantage of the refreshed Civic and the marketing we will have supporting it you must greatly increase the turn rate on our 2012 Civics. With the unprecedented enhancements we have made to the current Civic after its first year in its cycle you will want to have little to no Civics on hand at arrival time of this refreshed 2013 model. The changes made to the 2013 model will make the outgoing 2012 Civic a difficult model sell when they are side to side. I strongly encourage you to discuss your Civic inventory situation with your district manager today, and set up a sell down strategy that will reduce your total remaining model year 2012 Civics by a minimum of 60% before December 1, 2012. I cannot stress enough, sell down of your 2012 Civics is critical to the 2013 Civic launch and the success of inventory balance at your dealership.

Take action now! The 2013 Civic will come to your at full speed. Our plant in Indiana which produces Civic will run at full capacity with Civic production, and we will even get production from Canada too. Commit to reduce your model year 2012 Civics by 60% or more before December 1, 2012. And be prepared on November 29, to receive the greatest Civic ever produced!

Sincerely,
David Hendley
Assistant Vice President Honda National Sales

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/23/honda-warns-dealers-to-clear-out-2012-civic-stock-2013-emergenc/  

Honda Cars : Temple of Vtec: 2013 Honda Civic Spyshot and Update | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Straight from Jeff @ www.vtec.net
"Over the weekend we received word that Honda has sent out a memo to dealers indicating that the 2013 Civic will be going on sale on November 29th, 2012. We're told that Honda is encouraging to sell off their inventory of 2012 models by as much as possible prior to that date, as the 2013 enhancements will make the 2012 model a "difficult sell".

It's our understanding that the car will be essentially identical to the 2012 Civic from a mechanical standpoint, but it's our understanding that there have been fairly significant styling changes to the interior and exterior of the vehicle. While we haven't seen the car yet, we've heard that the 2013 Civic will be getting a new hood design, a new grille, and new taillights which are said to extend further into the trunk now. It is said to look pretty much the same from the side view.

Below is an old spy shot of what we thought could have been a '13 Civic prototype captured in May. There is some camo tape on the rear but it does a pretty good job of masking whatever changes might be there. 

The interior is said to have been upgraded not only in terms of materials, but also in feature count. Bluetooth audio, Pandora, SMS, etc. features are said to be standard in everything from the LX model up. The Civic will also be getting backup cameras but it's unclear at which trim level this feature will be standard."


Source;
http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=1105544

Honda Cars : 800,000 Visitors to The Honda Portal!!!! | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Wow, thank you to everybody that have/will visit this site!  I hope  you all enjoy your stay!

The Honda Portal 

Honda Cars : Report: Production Acura NSX to debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda has confirmed with AutoExpress of UK that the production version of the Acura NSX will debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show in January.


Speaking to the publication at the 2012 Sao Paulo Motor Show, a top Honda exec said that the production NSX will be shown in Detroit after the concept version is done making rounds in Sao Paulo and then in Tokyo in November.

Sources say that the styling of the production version will remain ‘identical’ to the concept
Power is expected to come from a 3.5 liter V6 engine mated to two electric motors and Honda’s SH-AWD system. Output is expected to come in around 400-hp.

Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2012/10/22/report-production-acura-nsx-to-debut-at-the-2013-detroit-auto-show/

Honda Cars : Next Honda Fit Will Spin Off Mini Crossover, Sedan for U.S. | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

by Justin Berkowitz of Car and Driver Magazine

Honda’s Fit is coming back as an all-new car next year—and it’s bringing friends. The upcoming hecho-en-Mexico Fit also will spin off two Mexican-made models for the U.S. market: A Fit-based small crossover and a sedan likely called the City. In a recent meeting, Honda’s U.S. CEO said that we’d see the Fit plus two derivatives in the States, clearing up any confusion from the company’s global boss, Takanobu Ito, saying a few weeks ago that the Mexican plant would build the “Fit, City, and a new compact SUV model.” Until now, we didn’t know if the latter two would actually be sold here.


Honda City
Originally developed for markets where customers downright refuse to buy hatchbacks, the current Honda City is a design coup: it’s a subcompact sedan that actually looks decent. Although Americans have become friendlier to five-door cars than have our counterparts in Thailand and India, where the City is a hot product, Fit sales have been hampered by the sole body style. At Ford, for example, the Fiesta hatch is a very strong seller—but it’s still outgunned by the dowdy Fiesta sedan two to one. The City could potentially double the Fit’s sales, which are on pace to just clear 50,000 this year.

Mini Crossover
Small crossovers may evoke the same gripe from you as ads for new singing reality shows—Another one? Shoot me now—but just as millions of Americans will tune out to “Vocal Cord Wars,” tens of thousands will buy Honda’s Fit spinoff. The CR-V, now in its fourth generation, is big enough for a smaller sibling, and Honda’s new jacked-up jackpot will join the Nissan Juke, Buick Encore, and an upcoming B-segment Jeep in the inchoate subcompact crossover segment.

Like you, we hoped that the announcement of Mexican-made Fit derivatives meant we’d be saying ¡Sí! to Si models. But Honda needs to get its mainstream house in order first, and building high-volume, lower-margin models in Mexico is a foundational move.

Source;
http://blog.caranddriver.com/next-honda-fit-will-spin-off-mini-crossover-sedan-for-u-s/

Honda Cars : Honda Mini Crossover Fit Twist revealed | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda has revealed the rugged-looking Fit Twist crossover, built for the Brazilian market

Honda has unveiled a rugged crossover version of the Fit MPV - which is badged Jazz in the UK - at the Sao Paulo Motor Show.

A Honda spokesman told us: “People here in Brazil like cars that are a bit tougher. We’ve made it tougher and sportier so it’s aimed at younger customers.”

Despite the plastic cladding and chunkier bumpers, which give the Jazz the look of a mini-crossover, nothing has been done to the suspension.

“Raising the car means you lose stability in the corners, and customers tell us they love the way the Fit drives so we’ve kept it the same – this car is just an image change.”

Unfortunately UK buyers won’t be able to get their hands on a Twist version of the Jazz, as this is strictly a Brazilian market-only model.

However the Jazz Si, based on the 1.4 ES model with firmer suspension and styling tweaks, was revealed back in July and offers UK customers a sportier take on the popular mini-MPV.

Source;
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/60906/honda-fit-twist-revealed

Here are a few more photo's;
http://www.carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-version-of-honda-fit-with-crossover.html

Honda Cars : Chevrolet Corvette C7 to be unveiled on January 13 in Detroit | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Expected to get a V8 5.5-liter engine.

General Motors has announced this week that the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette (C7) will make its public debut at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show on January 13. Along with the seventh generation Vette, GM is showing the all-new emblem that according to the company’s vice president of global design “reflects the character of the next Corvette.”

Based on the most recent reports, the C7 is an entirely new model, except for the removable roof panel’s rear latch and the cabin air filter. There will be a lot of changes inside the cabin, while on the outside it will retain some of the traditional elements, like the short rear deck and the long hood. It will also feature round taillights and is expected to be powered by a V8 engine with direct-injection. While the C6 has a displacement of 6.2-liters, the new model could be downsized to 5.5-liters, but it should be more powerful and frugal.

The production of the Corvette C7 will commence in August or September next year, while the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory where they currently make the C6 is expected to be shut down in February next year.

GM has also made a countdown for the new Corvette where they will provide additional info and videos in the weeks to come.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/112101949592/chevrolet-corvette-c7-to-be-unveiled-on-january-13-in-detroit

Honda Cars : Woodys Car Site uncovers a few Next Generation Mazda 3 Renderings | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Looks good if they are the real thing, hats off to whoever put these together!

Source;
http://www.woodyscarsite.com/2012/10/2015-mazda-3.html

Honda Cars : Car and Driver Reviews the 2013 Honda Accord 2.4L Manual Transmission | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

The sweet lightness of being the Honda Accord.

• BY ANDREW WENDLER
• PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY

For decades, the Honda Accord seemed to be the automotive embodiment of Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence. Every few years a new version would appear, win awards (including multiple appearances on our own 10Best Cars list), rank near or at the top of the sales charts, and take its familiar place in the fabric of American society. In this way, the Accord generally fulfilled the theory that the universe and its events have already occurred and will recur ad infinitum.

But around the time the eighth-generation model arrived for 2008, the cosmos apparently skipped a beat, and the Honda began to buckle slightly under the burden of success. Although the Civic took the lion’s share of the criticism, we noted a few small cracks in Honda’s mid-sizer in a family-sedan comparison test from earlier this year. The four-cylinder engine and the five-speed automatic transmission still operated with Honda’s trademark smoothness, but the former sounded coarse under full boot, and the latter was one cog short of the segment-standard six-pack. At various times we have also noted the outgoing Accord’s undignified exterior styling and overly busy cockpit erratically littered with buttons. That’s not to say the car wasn’t great—the previous model was a perennial 10Best winner, after all—only that it was being reeled in by the competition, notably, the winner of that comparo, the Volkswagen Passat.

Restoring the Natural Order of the Automotive Universe
We’re happy to say that the 2013 Accord tested here—a manual-transmission, four-cylinder Sport model, which differs from other trims mostly through aesthetics—benefits from a lightened load not only metaphorically but also physically. The car’s steering, braking, and shifting are all light to the touch yet operate with surgical precision. Even the slightest driver inputs produce tangible results. The electrically assisted rack-and-pinion steering is slack-free throughout its full 2.5-turn lock-to-lock travel yet is never twitchy or overly eager. The clutch is equally light, pedal pressure remaining consistent throughout its travel—its operation is intuitive from the first press. And shifting the new six-speed manual (a CVT is optional) recalls the familiar Honda manual-transmission exactitude that awed so many drivers way back when the brand was still making its bones in this country. Braking is a paragon of temperate behavior. How deep you go into the pedal is directly correlated to clamping power, and it hides no secrets along its relatively short length of travel.

And as well as the components perform independently, they work even better in unison. Wearing 18-inch wheels shod with 235/45-18 rubber, this Accord managed a respectable 0.87 g on a 300-foot skidpad, but it was while cutting delicate arcs through the wooded environs of our 10Best test loop that the chassis and the powertrain really began to communicate with us on a first-name basis. As we’ve previously noted, the Accord has swapped its front control arms for struts (Honda says they are lighter and deliver lower levels of NVH); the Accord Sport and all higher trims receive a front strut-tower brace. Our scales pegged the Accord’s weight at 3272 pounds with a front-heavy 59.6/40.4-percent weight distribution. Despite this, turn-in is crisp and neutral, the chassis eagerly following the directions given by the front wheels. Only under hard acceleration over broken pavement did we experience any directional drama, most of it in the form of front wheelspin and hop; the rear end stayed firmly planted on all but loose gravel.

Power in the Accord Sport comes from a 189-hp version of Honda’s new, direct-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder. (The LX, the EX, and the EX-L have 185 horses; to get six cylinders, step up to the EX-L V-6 or Touring, please.) All 181 lb-ft of torque—20 more than in the previous-gen EX’s four-cylinder engine—appear by 3900 rpm, which makes it possible to inject some thrills into the daily commute without winding each gear to the 6800-rpm redline. Of course, if you wish to play, the powertrain is ready and willing, as evidenced by our notes from the test track: “Plenty of low-end torque, so you’ll want to launch around 2500 rpm and spin the tires to redline. Very easy to approach the rev limiter and then shift at just the right time.” The 6.6-second scoot to 60 is mighty impressive—it’s 1.3 seconds quicker than that of a last-gen four-cylinder with a manual—and the car covered the quarter in 15.3. Those in the mood to save fuel rather than time can select the Eco Assist mode via an econ button to the left of the steering wheel; it alters the operating characteristics of the climate control and remaps throttle response in the name of efficiency.

Internal Introspection
Standard content is the front-line battle in the family-sedan war, and the Sport we tested comes stocked with ammo: A rearview camera, a 10-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, side-curtain airbags, and a suite of infotainment goodies including Bluetooth, Pandora, and USB, connectivity all are included in the $24,180 MSRP. Although navigation is not available on the Sport, it—like all new Accords—does have an eight-inch screen to display images from the backup camera and provide visuals for many of the infotainment functions. 

With this redesigned Accord, Honda wisely streamlined the dash, making the controls both more intuitive and fewer in number. The upholstery in our car was among the nicest material choices we’ve recently seen, replacing Honda’s old mouse-fur material with something resembling high-quality broadcloth. The surfaces and overall fit and finish are good enough to give you that subtle feeling of satisfaction each time you climb in the car, and nicely address complaints about the dated and less-than-luxe cabin of the eighth-gen model. Rear-seat legroom is up by more than an inch to 38.5 inches; we didn’t measure it ourselves, but a pair of adults can spend the better part of a Sunday back there without needing to call the chiropractor the following day.

According to Honda, torsional rigidity on the new model is up 42 percent compared with the previous Accord, due largely to 56 percent of the structure being composed of high-strength steel. While that’s impossible to verify without a barrage of highly specialized equipment, we can say in human terms that the Accord conveys a feeling of solid, well-engineered substance that imparts an impression of bang for the buck. In other words, the Accord doesn’t make you feel like a schmuck for dropping twenty-five large on a sedan with all the structural integrity of a Flexible Flyer. 

In addition to sleeker and less-busy styling, exterior enhancements include body-color folding side mirrors, an integrated rear-window antenna, and underbody aerodynamic covers. Overall, it looks much more coherent and dynamic than the previous model, but casual observers may not notice the difference unless the two cars are parked side by side. 

It’s good to see that Honda has seemingly begun to work out its kinks, both product-wise and existentially. If you’ve been wandering in despair, searching for a well-rounded sedan that can justify its presence in your driveway, don’t hesitate to consider the 2013 Honda Accord. You might want to act with some haste—although the ninth-generation model is new, Nietzsche says the next one will be here before you know it.
Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2013-honda-accord-four-cylinder-manual-test-review

Honda Cars : Car and Driver Spies the 2014 Acura MDX! | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

2014 Acura MDX Spy Photos

Acura's three-row crossover grows longer and adopts the brand's latest styling.

• October 2012
• BY ALEXANDER STOKLOSA
• MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHERS

What It Is: A next-generation Acura MDX prototype being tested in the desert while towing a trailer. Setting aside the fact that the mule in these spy photos is the first MDX this author has ever seen towing anything, the covered-up crossover does reveal what to expect when the redesigned model hits the market—besides its towing capability.

Why It Matters: The MDX in its current form was introduced for 2007 and has only received a single major refresh, which updated it for 2010. Despite its age, the MDX managed to place third in a recent five-crossover comparison test, and we still think it’s one of the better-driving offerings in its segment. Acura is in the throes of overhauling its entire lineup, having recently introduced the new RDX crossover and ILX compact sedan, as well as previewing the upcoming, range-topping RLX sedan in lightly disguised “concept” form. This MDX would be nearly the final piece in Acura’s mainstream lineup puzzle. (We’re not counting the highly anticipated NSX sports car revival here for obvious reasons.) Once this new MDX is squared away, pretty much all that’s left for Acura to do is figure out which sedan to place between the ILX and RLX—the TL or the TSX.

Platform: Expect the 2014 MDX to continue to offer three-row seating, some form of all-wheel drive, and crisp exterior styling. It’s also clear from these spy photos that there’s a size increase in store for the next MDX, chiefly in length. The wheelbase doesn’t look hugely different, but this tester has a lot more rear overhang than the current model. We expect the added length will free up more space in the way back of the MDX’s cabin, possibly allowing real-world adults to sit in the third row.

It appears the MDX will ditch its angular, techno-Transformer look for softer, less-exciting duds. An RDX-like face is visible through this prototype’s camouflage, and the roofline has more curvature than the current greenhouse. In profile, the new Acura doesn’t look too different from Infiniti’s new JX crossover, a vehicle targeted directly at the strong-selling Acura. We’ll reserve final judgment on the MDX’s cosmetics until we can see more of it, but we think the outgoing model wore Acura’s (now-last-gen) styling language the best.

Powertrain: The current MDX is motivated by a 300-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 driving all four wheels through Acura’s torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system. We don’t anticipate this basic formula to change much, although there’s a chance that the heavy and expensive SH-AWD setup could be ditched, like it was for the latest RDX, for a non-super system. There’s also a chance of the MDX switching to a hybridized AWD system like the RLX’s. It remains to be seen whether such a powertrain could handle the kind of towing duties undertaken in these photos.

Competition: BMW X5, Infiniti JX, Lexus RX350, Land Rover LR4, Mercedes-Benz ML-class.

Estimated Arrival Time: The new MDX could appear at an auto show as soon as early next year, although, in typical Acura fashion, we’ll likely get a look at a near-production-ready “concept” version first. Look for the production MDX to go on sale sometime next year as a 2014 model.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2014-acura-mdx-spy-photos-news

Honda Cars : 2013 Honda Accord Coupe -- "Guilty You" Commercial | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda Cars : 2013 Honda Accord Coupe -- "Speedy You" Commercial | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda Cars : Mystery Nissan Concept Teased, Looks Like Baby GT-R | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

The revival of the Japanese sportscar is on the way as we speak. Mazda signed a deal with Alfa Romeo and they will likely be putting a Wankel in the MX-5. Meanwhile, Toyota is working on two cars, one that will be cheaper than the GT 86, and another which will likely be a hybrid AWD to revive the Supra name.

So what is Nissan, the maker of the pride of Japan (the GT-R) doing? Well, the successor of the R35 is probably delayed, but we’re expecting something special for the 50th Anniversary of the Fairlady Z.

Could this be it? We don’t know, but Nissan is teasing this concept car ahead of its debut at the Sao Paulo International Motor Show that takes place in Brazil from October 24 to November 4.

All we know is it was designed in Brazil and will “will introduce a unique new genre to the automotive world". Some elements on the car, like the small upper grille the side vents behind the front wheels and he headlights are very similar to those on a GT-R.

Given this description, it’s likely not the successor to the original 200Z, though we could be looking at something for the Datsun brand.

"The showcar will dazzle on two counts," said Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer of Nissan. “It is a genuinely new and exciting concept, and it will explode with energetic design and impressive color that fully express our impression toward the country." 

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/mystery-nissan-concept-teased-looks-like-baby-gt-r-50600.html