Honda Cars : Civic hybrid tests Honda's new strategy | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Despite being the first to sell an electric-gasoline car in the United States and making hybrid technology a centerpiece of its fuel economy push, Honda Motor Co. has yet to have a hybrid hit.

But the redesigned Civic Hybrid, launched April 20, is the first test of whether Honda's new strategy of tapping lithium ion batteries and, later, two-motor systems can break the streak.

Past Honda hybrids have fallen short on fuel economy, as the Insight did against the Toyota Prius, or on power, as the short-lived Honda Accord hybrid fared against nonhybrid rivals.

Honda's new hybrid plan aims to fix both problems.

The first improvement is using lithium ion batteries, made by Blue Energy Co., a joint venture between Honda and GS Yuasa Corp. The goal is to save weight and space, while increasing fuel economy. But the new batteries are costly.

The new Civic's lithium battery weighs 48.5 pounds, compared with 69 pounds for its predecessor's nickel-metal hydride battery. That helps the new Civic Hybrid get 44 mpg in both city and highway driving , edging the previous generation's EPA rating of 40 city/43 highway.

The updated hybrid also gets a lighter, more powerful electric motor, with output increased to 17 kilowatts, from 15 kilowatts. It also offers more cabin space.

Its sticker starts at $24,800, including shipping, just $100 more than the earlier version's base price. But the Civic's sticker tops the Prius' base price of $22,880, including shipping.

So far sales have been sluggish. That is due in part to limited availability of the Japan-made hybrid because of earthquake-induced supply chain disruptions. Through May, Honda sold only 389 new Civic Hybrids in the United States, less than 1 percent of all Civics sold in that period. In 2010, hybrids accounted for 3 percent of the 260,218 Civics sold.

But slashing costs eventually will be key to driving sales higher.

"Toyota has already reduced the cost of its hybrid system over several years," says Toru Hatano, a powertrain analyst at IHS Global Insight in Tokyo. "But Honda is launching a whole new system, so we can expect their costs to be higher in the near term."

Honda also will install lithium ion batteries in a new two-motor hybrid system debuting next year in the United States for mid-sized plug-in hybrids.

Honda hasn't said what car gets it first. But engineers are testing the system in an Accord. A suitcase-sized lithium ion battery pack sits behind the back seat, eating trunk space.

An engineer involved with the project said testing is expected to continue through year end, and the company must decide if the 15-mile range in electric-only mode is sufficient. If user feedback suggests more range is needed, Honda will have to make the battery bigger or cut the car's weight, he said.

"We think a 15 mile range satisfies about 70 percent of the users," he said.

Already, Honda has tweaked the plug-in version of the Accord with an aluminum hood and other weight shavings. But the plug-in still weighs 330 pounds more than its gasoline counterpart.

Honda is rolling out the new hybrid system to counter criticism that its current technology is too weak to provide extended electric-only travel. The Integrated Motor Assist system used in the Insight, Civic and CR-Z hybrids uses the electric motor mostly to assist the gasoline engine.

The new system uses one traction motor to move the car and one generator motor to recharge the battery. The former, a 120-kilowatt motor, is combined with a 2.0-liter, four cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission.

The car has a top speed of 62 mph in electric-only mode, but a big question will be how far it can travel at that speed. The Accord plug-in hybrid can recharge in four hours from a 100-volt source or in 1.5 hours from a 200-volt source, the engineer said.

Honda President Takanobu Ito said last fall that the new hybrid system for larger vehicles will give electric-gasoline drivetrains a bigger slice of Honda's global sales -- pushing hybrids to around 10 percent of global sales by 2015, from less than 5 percent in 2009.

The electrified powertrains also will feature prominently in the Acura lineup, Ito said, reinforcing what he calls the "smart premium" image to which the brand aspires.
Source;
http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110606/CARNEWS/110609917#ixzz1Ob4yjDH4

Honda Cars : Edmunds: 2011 Best Retained Value Awards | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda has won the first ever Edmunds.com Best Retained Value Award for Non-Luxury Brands. In addition, four Honda models won model-level 2011 Edmunds.com Best Retained Value Awards. Having a clear idea about a car's future resale value is an important part of the car-buying process, and Honda is proud to be recognized for how well our vehicles hold their value over time.

Source;
http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/best-retained-value-cars.html

Honda Cars : MotorTrend: Toyota Prius Sports Coupe in Pipeline | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

June 02, 2011
By Peter Lyon

Toyota has been hinting for years that it would be expanding its Prius model lineup, and the new Prius v we just took for a test drive is likely just the start of a bigger Prius family. Over the past two years, rumors of a minivan, a convertible, and even an SUV variant have been tossed about.

But the one derivative of the bunch that has enthusiasts interested is the American-inspired Prius Sports Coupe project. Our source tells us that without the strong push for this car from Toyota's U.S. arm, this project wouldn't have made it past first base. What you see here is one artist's impression of how the Sports Coupe will look when it debuts in late 2014, the same year the next-generation Prius is expected to surface.

Our insider explains that with development of the Lexus LFA supercar scaling down, and R&D funds and personnel being re-routed, we can expect to see a proliferation of more fun-to-drive hybrid cars over the next three to five years. It seems part-time race car driver and full-time Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda is having some influence on the automaker's car development program.

One of the highlights of this coupe will be the option of a manual transmission that Toyota is developing for hybrids at the Higashi-Fuji proving ground near Mt. Fuji. That manual gearbox will be bolted to the company's next-generation hybrid system with plug-in capability, a system that will be completely new and not inherited from the Prius. Our spies tell us that the sports coupe will employ a rear-drive platform and will incorporate the plug-in hybrid unit with lightweight Li-ion batteries that generate significantly more power than the current Prius, but maintain class-leading mileage and CO2 emissions.

This is just the beginning. Come 2015, our source tells us the company will officially roll out its long-rumored "Prius brand," from which we can expect all future Toyota hybrid models, as well as a hydrogen-powered sedan that reportedly is in development. And the flagship for the new brand will be the Sports Coupe.

Source;
http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/1105_toyota_prius_sports_coupe_in_pipeline/index.html

Honda Cars : Honda plans to bring its Japanese assembly plants back to normal output by summer | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Honda Motor Co. is seeking to recover from the Japan disaster months earlier than forecasted. It expects that its assembly plants in Japan will be able to resume normal production by summer. Spokesman Keitaro Yamamoto said Honda’s factories in Sayama and Suzuka factories, the car’s only assembly plants in Japan, are expected to get back to pre-earthquake production levels by August. Honda had previously announced that global production will be restored by the end of the year. Honda had been significantly affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan that had resulted to disruptions in the supply chain and to idled plants.

But it’s likely that the global operations will normalize earlier with the progress in the country’s recovery, according to Autonews. Honda anticipates that the r&d center’s engineers, who were out of work after the disaster struck, will go back to the facility by the middle of June. The earthquake claimed one death and led to several injuries when it caused the ceiling at Honda’s body design facility to crash down. Last March, Honda put a thousand of its r&d workers (about 10% of the center’s total workforce) to continue their work at its other buildings in the site or at its other facilities in Japan while repairs are ongoing.

Yamamoto said that suppliers are exceeding expectations and are restoring output earlier. That is why automakers are also able to resume normal production earlier too. Honda’s improved outlook was revealed only days after it said that U.S. production will go back to normal this August for its entire lineup except the recently redesigned Civic. Honda has announced that a second shift will be put up later in 2011 at its Civic plant in Indiana to help make up for the production losses.

Source;
http://www.4wheelsnews.com/honda-plans-to-bring-its-japanese-assembly-plants-back-to-normal-output-by/

Honda Cars : Car-Shopping Guide Names Top 10 Road-Trip Rides | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

With the summer driving season getting started in a week, many people will be traveling soon for vacation, to visit family and friends or just to get away alone for a weekend. Having the right road-trip vehicle can make the journey easier, but what qualities should you look for?

That depends on the driver. Our mid-size station wagon is well-suited for long family trips, but I always wind up wishing for something roomier. Couples without kids may wish for a fast, two-seat convertible.

Kelley Blue Book, a company that tracks pricing and compiles information to help car shoppers, named its top-10 road-trip cars for 2011. In a funny, at times irreverent departure from previous years, Kelley identified 10 life stages for drivers in the U.S. and picked the best car for each one.

Here’s the list of life stages, the vehicles to match and a few comments. Which car fits into your ideal road trip?

1. Student Years: 2012 Ford Focus. The less you spend on your car, the more you can afford to drive cool places.

2. On the Prowl: 2011 Camaro Convertible. It’s Friday. You’re young, you’re hip and you’re about to embark on a weekend road trip.

3. First Real Paycheck: 2011 Buick Regal Turbo. You have entered the ranks of young folks working for the weekend.

4. The Dating Years: 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet. A successful dating relationship just might lead to the altar, a diaper budget and a suburban mortgage, so now is a good time to indulge.

5. Young Family: 2011 Honda CR-V: Once the first child arrives you’ll need more cargo space for strollers, portable playpens, diaper bags and other gear.

6. Full-on Family Mode: 2011 Honda Odyssey. This van has seating for eight, a rear-seat entertainment system and a cooler to keep drinks and snacks chilled.

7. Midlife Crisis: 2011 Chevy Corvette. The hairstyles and jewelry choices change, but the Corvette is a perennial midlife-crises favorite.

8. The Cougar Years: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. Recently divorced, she has money in hand and she’s ready to hit the open road.

9. The Golden Years: 2011 Toyota Avalon. This car’s floats along the road, is easy to get into and out of and has a big trunk.

10. The Last Ride: Cadillac DTS Hearse. Why slum it on a trip to the Great Beyond?

You can see more details on the Kelley Blue Book road-trip favorites and read the full commentary here.

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/05/21/car-shopping-guide-names-top-10-road-trip-rides/?mod=google_news_blog

Honda Cars : Mazda to leave Flat Rock plant it shares with Ford | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Detroit News staff and wires
Mazda Motor Corp. will pull out of its manufacturing venture with Ford Motor Co. and stop making cars in Michigan, a Japanese newspaper reported Friday.

Ford and Mazda both declined to comment on the report.

But Mazda has been studying whether to keep making autos at the Flat Rock plant, and senior executives have said they expect to make a decision this year.

Mazda and Ford operate the AutoAlliance International plant as a 50-50 partnership. But the plant was running at less than half of its capacity last year, as its 1,700 workers produced just 36,000 Mazda6 cars and 78,000 Ford Mustangs on a single shift.

Citing unidentified company sources, the Nikkei business daily said Mazda was considering selling its stake to Ford as part of a restructuring of its global production operations.

Mazda would ship cars to the United States from Japan and from Mexico starting around 2013, according to the Nikkei.

The Japanese automaker said in a statement Friday that it had "nothing to announce at this time.

"Today's news report … is not based on information released by Mazda. We do not comment on speculation."

Several analysts expect Mazda to announce a decision soon.

"Mazda has signaled for months that it may be ending its U.S. manufacturing presence at the Flat Rock assembly plant, and although the company still hasn't confirmed the action, it seems circumstances are pointing in that direction," said Bill Visnic, senior analyst at online research firm Edmunds.com.

"Sales in the United States for the redesigned Mazda6 built at Flat Rock are running at about one-third of expectations," he said.

This year, Mazda has sold 103,072 vehicles in America, up 5.7 percent. But sales of Mazda6 cars, battling in the cutthroat midsize sedan segment, are down 8.9 percent at 13,604.

Ford has maintained employment at Flat Rock by increasing output of its vehicles at the plant, the Nikkei said.

But the ties binding the companies have loosened. Ford, once Mazda's controlling shareholder with a 33.4 percent stake, has reduced its holding to 3.5 percent.

In the meantime, Mazda is struggling financially. In the fiscal year ended March 31, its losses widened to 60 billion yen, or $742 million, from 6.5 billion yen, or $76 million, in the previous year.

The Hiroshima-based automaker attributed the deterioration in its results to lackluster sales in Japan, the initial impact of the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the strength of the yen. Mazda exports around 80 percent of the vehicles it makes in Japan.

Source;
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110604/AUTO01/106040319/1148/AUTO01/Report--Mazda-to-leave-Flat-Rock-plant-it-shares-with-Ford

Honda Cars : Honda to revive HR-V in 2014,To be upsize and slot below CR-V | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Older news but news none the less.... not expecting this for the North American market....
The current Honda HR-V is small SUV at the size of Suzuki SX4.The fist car will arrive in 1998 and second generation was debute in 2007.

Unfortunately the car is not success and discontinued in 2010.

Dua to recent boom of small crossover, Honda is plan to revive the car in by August 2014.

Mag-x of Japan have photoshop the car.

Size of the new HR-V will slighly increase and will be upmarket to compet with the like of Nissan Qashqai and Mitsubishi ASX where its place between Compact and Sub compact SUV.

Size is speculate at 4350 mm Long X 1745 mm wide X 1640 mm high.

Under the hood will be 2.0 liter 4-cylinder petrol and 2.2 liter diesel is also on card for European market.

Autoten also received news that Honda is working on smaller 1.5 liter diesel engine to fit in Jazz/Fit.

We not sure if this power will under new HR-V hood but it have strong possibility.

Honda claims that this car will be UV-utility vehicle.

So,we have to wait and see what they are going to bring some new innovative or difference from conventional SUV.

Source;
http://autoten.com/2011/05/31/honda-to-revive-hr-v-in-2014to-be-upsize-and-slot-below-cr-v/