Honda Cars : Honda to Phase Out the Element | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda performed well in November, but this doesn't necessarily mean that all the models produced by the Japanese carmaker managed to exceed expectations. The Element for example remained the same not-attractive model we got used to, so the parent company decided to reconsider its future plans with this particular project. In fact, it seems like Honda has already decided Element's future: the car will be pushed out of production.

According to a report by AutoGuide, an official announcement on the matter is expected to be released today, but even without a confirmation, Honda seems to take the right decision. In the US, Honda sold a total of 939 Elements in November 2010, down from 1,017 units in the same month of the previous year.

To give you an idea on how low the Element sales have remained over the years, we must mention that the Accord, the company's best-seller in the US market, sold 19,025 units during the past month, up from 17,239 units in November 2009. For the sake of comparison, only 12,960 buyers chose the Element in the first eleven months of the year, while Honda Accord attracted a total of 279,000 people in the same period.

In the financial report rolled out yesterday, Honda has only praised the way both the Acura and the parent brand performed last month, saying that increased figures are expected to be registered by year end."

Our Acura Division sales continue to be strong, led by red hot year-to-date sales of our MDX and RDX SUVs," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. "And with the newly released Odyssey minivan and CR-Z sport hybrid selling well, we look forward to a good year end."

As mentioned, Honda is expected to roll out an official announcement later today, so we'll keep you posted.

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/honda-to-discontinue-element-27583.html

Honda Cars : Inside Line's Take: Honda Future Vehicles | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

2011 Honda Accord: The upgrades on the 2011 Honda Accord coupe and sedan are a little more sedate than we expected. There's no six-speed transmission as we had hoped. Instead, Honda changed the gearing of the five-speed automatic to improve mileage. The four-cylinder models are now expected to get EPA ratings of 23 city and 34 highway mpg when equipped with the automatic transmission. The V6 automatic is expected to get 19 city and 30 highway mpg.

The rest of the 2011 Accord's changes are styling updates on the exterior and some minor changes to the interior. On the outside there's a new grille, revised bumper, updated wheel design and a new trunk lid. Interior upgrades include shift paddles for V6 coupes and USB ports on all coupes and some sedans. Revised climate controls are also part of this year's upgrades.

2014 Honda Accord: A full redesign of the Honda Accord will most likely arrive in the 2013 calendar year. Honda Accord Crosstour

2013 Honda Accord Crosstour: Honda's version of the Accord wagon should be ready for a refresh by 2012. Honda CR-V

2013 Honda CR-V: After some minor upgrades in 2010, expect to see a full redesign of the CR-V in 2012. Honda delayed work on the CR-V's underlying platform in 2009, so this redesign could come as late as 2013.

2011 Honda CR-Z: This hybrid sport coupe is scheduled to go on sale in the fall of 2010. It features a 122-horsepower hybrid drivetrain and a six-speed manual gearbox. Its EPA mileage estimates are 31 city and 37 highway.

2012 Honda Civic: The full redesign of the Honda Civic is not expected to arrive until early 2011 after some last-minute changes to the design of the platform. Unlike most Civic redesigns of the last couple decades, this Civic will actually be smaller on the outside compared to its predecessor. So far, the only prototypes spotted in public have been four-door hatchbacks, a body style sold in Europe but not in the U.S. Honda Element

2012 Honda Element: After mediocre sales, the Element was expected to die off when the current model was ready to retire, but Honda says it is now planning to release a full redesign in the next couple of years.

2017 Honda FCX Clarity: Honda's hydrogen-powered sedan is currently being offered to a select group of consumers as a demonstration vehicle. If an actual production version ever makes it to market, it's not likely to happen until 2016 at the earliest.

2011 Honda Fit: A hybrid version of the Fit was planned for release in late 2010. Honda officials have said publicly, however, that the company is struggling to deliver the car at an affordable price.

2012 Honda Insight: This hybrid hatchback has struggled in the marketplace so expect to see a midcycle refresh sooner than usual. Honda officials have said publicly that the car is too small for American tastes, but that's not likely to change until a full redesign arrives in the 2017-'18 timeframe.

2011 Honda Odyssey: A fully redesigned Honda Odyssey is scheduled to arrive in late 2010. The new Odyssey is roughly the same size as the current model and uses the same engine. Most of the changes were reserved for the interior that features seats that slide sideways, an onboard refrigerator and the latest in electronic connectivity. Honda Pilot

2012 Honda Pilot: Given that the Pilot just had a full redesign in 2009, a midcycle refresh probably won't arrive until 2011 at the earliest. Honda Ridgeline

2013 Honda Ridgeline: After a mild refresh in 2009, the Ridgeline should get a full redesign by 2012.

Source;

http://www.insideline.com/honda/future-vehicles.html