2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

The SUV-ification of the automobile marketplace continues apace, with buyers in even the smallest segment now deciding that they, as well, want the larger seating position and (in all-wheel-drive versions) the undesirable-climate capability afforded by a crossover-type automobile. Honda is displaying much more hustle than usual with the new 2016 HR-V, receiving into this game in the still-early innings. The Nissan Juke, the Mini Countryman, and the Buick Encore have been the pioneers but in the past year the size of the field has far more than doubled, with new entrants such as the Chevy Trax, the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the upcoming Mazda CX-3. The HR-V crossover, which slots in beneath the wildly well-known CR-V in size and cost, promises to be a powerful entrant in this burgeoning field.

Solid Feel

Whereas the CR-V is primarily based on the Civic, the HR-V shares its platform with the Fit subcompact. The HR-V, however, is a entire order of magnitude more solid- and substantial-feeling than that waif-like small box. The cabin is significantly wider, the windshield is not miles away, and the interior design and style and materials are much better. If you never looked behind you, you could effortlessly be convinced that this is a new CR-V.

Indeed, the HR-V is substantially bigger than the wee Match. Its wheelbase is longer by 3.2 inches, its front track wider by 2.1 inches, and the rear track is up by 2.6 inches. General, the HR-V casts a shadow 9.1 inches longer and 2.8 inches wider than the Fit, and it stands 3.2 inches taller.

These added inches, of course, bring with them a lot more w7 Compared to the Match, the HR-V is practically 400 pounds heavier by Honda’s measurements. Even so, its curb weight of roughly 3000 pounds is svelte for this class.

Not So Speedy

In other markets, the HR-V makes use of the Fit’s 130-hp 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, but for the United States Honda wisely bypassed that engine in favor of the bigger, 1.8-liter unit from the Civic. Alas, the 1.8-liter’s output is not that much greater, mustering 141 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 127 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm—figures that are near the bottom of the baby-ute pile. It’s no surprise, then, that the HR-V is slow, with zero-to-60 occasions likely falling in the 9-to-10-second range. The CVT automatic, which is the only obtainable transmission with AWD, sends revs soaring and keeps them there although 1 waits for speed to create. (Or one can flap through the paddles, which causes the transmission to run by way of 6 preset ratios.)

Honda provides a 6-speed manual in front-wheel-drive LX and EX models, and it offers the sensation of livelier acceleration. We like that the stick is easy to shift, but the clutch travel appears long and the throws a bit ropey. Sadly, the manual is at a genuine disadvantage in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the automatic returns 28/35 mpg with front-wheel drive, beating the manual by 3 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway the CVT-only AWD model nets ratings of 27/32 mpg. All of these figures are at or near the top of the class.

On our straight, flat, and visitors-choked drive route in South Florida, the HR-V didn’t show considerably verve for cornering—although it didn’t have a lot chance to do so beyond an aggressively taken on-ramp or 2. The HR-V’s electric energy-steering method, even though, does provide reasonable effort, and the suspension capably soaks up road irregularities.

Inner Space

The HR-V’s genuine talents lie elsewhere—chiefly in its men and women- and cargo-carrying capacity. Packaging has extended been a Honda forte, and it’s definitely on show here. The HR-V follows the Fit’s lead in cleverly putting the fuel tank beneath the front seats, which enables the rear seat cushion to flip up, creating a sensible space for ferrying taller objects. Alternately, the split rear seatbacks can flop forward, as can the front passenger seatback. Even when it’s not displaying off its gymnastic flexibility, the HR-V boasts the largest cargo hold amongst its peers, whether or not that’s behind the rear seats or with that row folded. And the really low cargo floor facilitates effortless loading, a boon for these who frequently haul heavy items.

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2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Honda just announced some a lot more information about the upcoming 2016 Pilot SUV. No, we nevertheless do not know the actual cost, but we do know how you’ll be in a position to option the 3-row, minivan-primarily based crossover. Let’s take a tour of the scintillating SUV’s 5 trim levels.

At the bottom of the pile is the Pilot LX, the base-model spec that is hardly a no-content material stripper. LX models will get the 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque that’s the only motivator across the Pilot line, coupled to a common 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is accessible. The base model comes regular with Bluetooth, a 5-inch LCD in the dash, a 200-watt stereo with 7 speakers and a sub.

Next in line is the Pilot EX, packing remote begin, a 10-way power driver’s seat, and a bigger 8-inch touchscreen with SirusXM and Pandora. The EX gets Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management method with 2 modes for FWD models (Typical and Snow) or 4 modes with AWD (Typical, Mud, Sand, Snow). The EX also delivers the optional Honda Sensing security package that combines Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and adaptive cruise handle.

A single additional rung up is the Pilot EX-L, which gussies factors up with a leather interior, a energy moonroof, a energy tailgate, one-touch energy-folding second-row seats, 4-way energy passenger seat, and heated front seats. With the step up to the EX-L, you also get GPS with voice recognition and reside targeted traffic updates, as properly as an available rear-seat entertainment method and fancy acoustic glass on the windshield.

This is exactly where factors get fancy. Bootstrap yourself up to the Pilot Touring, and you will improve your forward gears by 50 percent—this trim level comes with Honda’s 1st 9-speed automatic, such as paddle shifters (God knows why). Ditch those plebeian 18-inch wheels for self-respecting 20s, a Blu-Ray-capable rear-seat entertainment program, blue ambient interior lighting, a 540-watt stereo, and physique-colour mirrors. The Touring model gets the Honda Sensing safety pack standard, along with auto quit-begin tech, and drivers can coddle themselves with power lumbar and memory adjustment in their 10-way adjustable seats.

At the very prime of the Pilot food chain is the Pilot Elite. This baby’s got a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and illuminated cupholders. In this spec, auto-on LED headlights with auto high-beams light the way, rain-sensing wipers clear the windshield, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-site visitors monitoring checks your perimeter. The driver gets heat in his or her leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the whole household gets treated to HD radio.

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Each Pilot comes in 8 exterior colors—Modern Steel, Lunar Silver, Steel Sapphire, Black Forest, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, and Dark Cherry—with a black, gray, or beige interior. Count on the massive-boy crossover to hit the streets this summer, with pricing details to come sometime among now and then.

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Honda just announced some a lot more specifics about the upcoming 2016 Pilot SUV. No, we nonetheless don’t know the actual price tag, but we do know how you will be capable to choice the 3-row, minivan-primarily based crossover. Let’s take a tour of the scintillating SUV’s 5 trim levels.

At the bottom of the pile is the Pilot LX, the base-model spec that’s hardly a no-content stripper. LX models will get the 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque that’s the only motivator across the Pilot line, coupled to a common 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available. The base model comes regular with Bluetooth, a 5-inch LCD in the dash, a 200-watt stereo with 7 speakers and a sub.

Next in line is the Pilot EX, packing remote commence, a 10-way energy driver’s seat, and a bigger 8-inch touchscreen with SirusXM and Pandora. The EX gets Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management program with 2 modes for FWD models (Standard and Snow) or 4 modes with AWD (Regular, Mud, Sand, Snow). The EX also gives the optional Honda Sensing security package that combines Collision Mitigation Braking Program, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and adaptive cruise control.

A single further rung up is the Pilot EX-L, which gussies things up with a leather interior, a power moonroof, a energy tailgate, a single-touch energy-folding second-row seats, 4-way power passenger seat, and heated front seats. With the step up to the EX-L, you also get GPS with voice recognition and reside traffic updates, as effectively as an offered rear-seat entertainment program and fancy acoustic glass on the windshield.

This is exactly where issues get fancy. Bootstrap oneself up to the Pilot Touring, and you will increase your forward gears by 50 percent—this trim level comes with Honda’s 1st 9-speed automatic, such as paddle shifters (God knows why). Ditch those plebeian 18-inch wheels for self-respecting 20s, a Blu-Ray-capable rear-seat entertainment method, blue ambient interior lighting, a 540-watt stereo, and body-colour mirrors. The Touring model gets the Honda Sensing safety pack normal, along with auto quit-start tech, and drivers can coddle themselves with energy lumbar and memory adjustment in their 10-way adjustable seats.

At the really top of the Pilot food chain is the Pilot Elite. This baby’s got a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and illuminated cupholders. In this spec, auto-on LED headlights with auto higher-beams light the way, rain-sensing wipers clear the windshield, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-site visitors monitoring checks your perimeter. The driver gets heat in his or her leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the complete family members gets treated to HD radio.

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Every single Pilot comes in 8 exterior colors—Modern Steel, Lunar Silver, Steel Sapphire, Black Forest, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, and Dark Cherry—with a black, gray, or beige interior. Expect the big-boy crossover to hit the streets this summer time, with pricing specifics to come sometime amongst now and then.

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Honda just announced some much more specifics about the upcoming 2016 Pilot SUV. No, we nevertheless do not know the actual cost, but we do know how you will be able to choice the 3-row, minivan-primarily based crossover. Let’s take a tour of the scintillating SUV’s 5 trim levels.

At the bottom of the pile is the Pilot LX, the base-model spec that is hardly a no-content stripper. LX models will get the 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque that is the only motivator across the Pilot line, coupled to a common 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is accessible. The base model comes common with Bluetooth, a 5-inch LCD in the dash, a 200-watt stereo with 7 speakers and a sub.

Subsequent in line is the Pilot EX, packing remote commence, a 10-way power driver’s seat, and a bigger 8-inch touchscreen with SirusXM and Pandora. The EX gets Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management system with 2 modes for FWD models (Standard and Snow) or 4 modes with AWD (Regular, Mud, Sand, Snow). The EX also offers the optional Honda Sensing safety package that combines Collision Mitigation Braking Program, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Maintaining Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and adaptive cruise handle.

A single additional rung up is the Pilot EX-L, which gussies factors up with a leather interior, a energy moonroof, a energy tailgate, a single-touch energy-folding second-row seats, 4-way power passenger seat, and heated front seats. With the step up to the EX-L, you also get GPS with voice recognition and reside visitors updates, as effectively as an available rear-seat entertainment method and fancy acoustic glass on the windshield.

This is exactly where factors get fancy. Bootstrap yourself up to the Pilot Touring, and you will improve your forward gears by 50 percent—this trim level comes with Honda’s first 9-speed automatic, including paddle shifters (God knows why). Ditch these plebeian 18-inch wheels for self-respecting 20s, a Blu-Ray-capable rear-seat entertainment program, blue ambient interior lighting, a 540-watt stereo, and physique-colour mirrors. The Touring model gets the Honda Sensing security pack standard, along with auto cease-start tech, and drivers can coddle themselves with power lumbar and memory adjustment in their 10-way adjustable seats.

At the quite leading of the Pilot food chain is the Pilot Elite. This baby’s got a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and illuminated cupholders. In this spec, auto-on LED headlights with auto high-beams light the way, rain-sensing wipers clear the windshield, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-targeted traffic monitoring checks your perimeter. The driver gets heat in his or her leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the whole household gets treated to HD radio.

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Each Pilot comes in 8 exterior colors—Modern Steel, Lunar Silver, Steel Sapphire, Black Forest, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, and Dark Cherry—with a black, gray, or beige interior. Expect the massive-boy crossover to hit the streets this summer, with pricing information to come sometime among now and then.

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Honda just announced some far more information about the upcoming 2016 Pilot SUV. No, we nevertheless don’t know the actual value, but we do know how you’ll be able to choice the 3-row, minivan-based crossover. Let’s take a tour of the scintillating SUV’s 5 trim levels.

At the bottom of the pile is the Pilot LX, the base-model spec that’s hardly a no-content stripper. LX models will get the 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque that’s the only motivator across the Pilot line, coupled to a standard 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is accessible. The base model comes regular with Bluetooth, a 5-inch LCD in the dash, a 200-watt stereo with 7 speakers and a sub.

Next in line is the Pilot EX, packing remote start, a 10-way energy driver’s seat, and a larger 8-inch touchscreen with SirusXM and Pandora. The EX gets Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management system with 2 modes for FWD models (Regular and Snow) or 4 modes with AWD (Typical, Mud, Sand, Snow). The EX also delivers the optional Honda Sensing safety package that combines Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Maintaining Help, Lane Departure Warning, and adaptive cruise handle.

One further rung up is the Pilot EX-L, which gussies things up with a leather interior, a energy moonroof, a power tailgate, a single-touch energy-folding second-row seats, 4-way power passenger seat, and heated front seats. With the step up to the EX-L, you also get GPS with voice recognition and live site visitors updates, as well as an obtainable rear-seat entertainment system and fancy acoustic glass on the windshield.

This is exactly where issues get fancy. Bootstrap oneself up to the Pilot Touring, and you’ll boost your forward gears by 50 percent—this trim level comes with Honda’s first 9-speed automatic, which includes paddle shifters (God knows why). Ditch these plebeian 18-inch wheels for self-respecting 20s, a Blu-Ray-capable rear-seat entertainment system, blue ambient interior lighting, a 540-watt stereo, and physique-colour mirrors. The Touring model gets the Honda Sensing safety pack normal, along with auto quit-start off tech, and drivers can coddle themselves with energy lumbar and memory adjustment in their 10-way adjustable seats.

At the very best of the Pilot food chain is the Pilot Elite. This baby’s got a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and illuminated cupholders. In this spec, auto-on LED headlights with auto high-beams light the way, rain-sensing wipers clear the windshield, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-targeted traffic monitoring checks your perimeter. The driver gets heat in his or her leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the whole family members gets treated to HD radio.

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Every Pilot comes in 8 exterior colors—Modern Steel, Lunar Silver, Steel Sapphire, Black Forest, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, and Dark Cherry—with a black, gray, or beige interior. Expect the huge-boy crossover to hit the streets this summer time, with pricing details to come sometime between now and then.

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Honda just announced some a lot more information about the upcoming 2016 Pilot SUV. No, we nevertheless do not know the actual cost, but we do know how you will be capable to alternative the 3-row, minivan-primarily based crossover. Let’s take a tour of the scintillating SUV’s 5 trim levels.

At the bottom of the pile is the Pilot LX, the base-model spec that’s hardly a no-content stripper. LX models will get the 3.5-liter SOHC V-6 with 280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque that’s the only motivator across the Pilot line, coupled to a common 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is obtainable. The base model comes normal with Bluetooth, a 5-inch LCD in the dash, a 200-watt stereo with 7 speakers and a sub.

Next in line is the Pilot EX, packing remote commence, a 10-way energy driver’s seat, and a larger 8-inch touchscreen with SirusXM and Pandora. The EX gets Honda’s Intelligent Traction Management method with 2 modes for FWD models (Regular and Snow) or 4 modes with AWD (Standard, Mud, Sand, Snow). The EX also provides the optional Honda Sensing security package that combines Collision Mitigation Braking Method, Forward Collision Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Lane Maintaining Assist, Lane Departure Warning, and adaptive cruise handle.

1 further rung up is the Pilot EX-L, which gussies items up with a leather interior, a power moonroof, a power tailgate, one particular-touch energy-folding second-row seats, 4-way power passenger seat, and heated front seats. With the step up to the EX-L, you also get GPS with voice recognition and reside site visitors updates, as effectively as an accessible rear-seat entertainment program and fancy acoustic glass on the windshield.

This is where items get fancy. Bootstrap yourself up to the Pilot Touring, and you will enhance your forward gears by 50 percent—this trim level comes with Honda’s initial 9-speed automatic, such as paddle shifters (God knows why). Ditch these plebeian 18-inch wheels for self-respecting 20s, a Blu-Ray-capable rear-seat entertainment program, blue ambient interior lighting, a 540-watt stereo, and physique-colour mirrors. The Touring model gets the Honda Sensing security pack common, along with auto quit-begin tech, and drivers can coddle themselves with power lumbar and memory adjustment in their 10-way adjustable seats.

At the extremely prime of the Pilot meals chain is the Pilot Elite. This baby’s got a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs, and illuminated cupholders. In this spec, auto-on LED headlights with auto higher-beams light the way, rain-sensing wipers clear the windshield, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-site visitors monitoring checks your perimeter. The driver gets heat in his or her leather-wrapped steering wheel, and the entire family members gets treated to HD radio.

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Every Pilot comes in 8 exterior colors—Modern Steel, Lunar Silver, Steel Sapphire, Black Forest, White Diamond, Crystal Black, Obsidian Blue, and Dark Cherry—with a black, gray, or beige interior. Expect the large-boy crossover to hit the streets this summer, with pricing specifics to come sometime among now and then.

2016 Honda Pilot Trim Levels Revealed

Extended-Suffering Honda Crosstour Given Sweet Release, Killed for 2016

Very first, the practical but dorky Mercedes R-class was discontinued for the U.S. in 2012. Then final month, the Toyota Venza died. Now, the Honda Crosstour will shuffle off this automotive coil at the finish of its 2015 model cycle. Funky wagon-posing-as-crossover factors, we hardly knew ye.

The Crosstour discontinuation tends to make sense, of course, provided that sales have been never ever all that strong. In its 1st complete year on sale in 2010, the Crosstour—originally called Accord Crosstour just before Honda scraped its most venerated nameplate off the back of —moved 28,851 units. But that was the high-water mark: Sales fell to 17,974 in 2011 and couldn’t prime 21,000 in 2012 despite introducing a mild refresh that year. The Crosstour also launched on the wrong foot, its maker getting revealed it by means of Facebook to scathing comments and not a tiny controversy, and its compromised practicality and tepid dynamics were the largest takeaways in our tests of the car.

In a statement attributed to John “I Don’t Give a Damn About Nissan” Mendel, the company’s U.S. executive vice president, the “crossover segment has evolved” and Honda will use the Crosstour’s capacity at the East Liberty, Ohio, plant to develop a lot more CR-Vs and Acura RDXs. (The plant will also bring on the Acura MDX in early 2017.) Mendel also says he expects the new HR-V to do heavy lifting in the crossover arena, and announced that it will move Accord hybrid production from its Marysville, Ohio, facility—which also assembles the regular Accords and the Acura TLX and ILX—to Japan.

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Certainly, the Crosstour will go out with a whimper. Honda sold fewer than 12,000 examples last year and just 2046 in the initial quarter of 2015, when Toyota pushed out a lot more than 3 times as many Venzas. We’d say that we wished Honda had sold an actual Accord wagon alternatively of this thing, but it probably wouldn’t have sold any greater. Which is an even bigger shame than the Crosstour itself.

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Extended-Suffering Honda Crosstour Given Sweet Release, Killed for 2016

Lengthy-Suffering Honda Crosstour Offered Sweet Release, Killed for 2016

Very first, the practical but dorky Mercedes R-class was discontinued for the U.S. in 2012. Then last month, the Toyota Venza died. Now, the Honda Crosstour will shuffle off this automotive coil at the finish of its 2015 model cycle. Funky wagon-posing-as-crossover things, we hardly knew ye.

The Crosstour discontinuation tends to make sense, of course, offered that sales had been never ever all that sturdy. In its first complete year on sale in 2010, the Crosstour—originally called Accord Crosstour before Honda scraped its most venerated nameplate off the back of —moved 28,851 units. But that was the high-water mark: Sales fell to 17,974 in 2011 and couldn’t best 21,000 in 2012 despite introducing a mild refresh that year. The Crosstour also launched on the incorrect foot, its maker having revealed it via Facebook to scathing comments and not a tiny controversy, and its compromised practicality and tepid dynamics were the largest takeaways in our tests of the automobile.

In a statement attributed to John “I Do not Give a Damn About Nissan” Mendel, the company’s U.S. executive vice president, the “crossover segment has evolved” and Honda will use the Crosstour’s capacity at the East Liberty, Ohio, plant to develop more CR-Vs and Acura RDXs. (The plant will also bring on the Acura MDX in early 2017.) Mendel also says he expects the new HR-V to do heavy lifting in the crossover arena, and announced that it will move Accord hybrid production from its Marysville, Ohio, facility—which also assembles the normal Accords and the Acura TLX and ILX—to Japan.

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Certainly, the Crosstour will go out with a whimper. Honda sold fewer than 12,000 examples last year and just 2046 in the 1st quarter of 2015, when Toyota pushed out much more than 3 times as many Venzas. We’d say that we wished Honda had sold an actual Accord wagon instead of this thing, but it likely wouldn’t have sold any greater. Which is an even bigger shame than the Crosstour itself.

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Lengthy-Suffering Honda Crosstour Offered Sweet Release, Killed for 2016

Honda U.S. Executive: “I Don’t Give a Damn About Nissan”

April 3, 2015 at 9:24 am by Clifford Atiyeh | Photography by Steve Sands/Getty Photos

It is uncommon in the auto organization to get a juicy interview like the one the Detroit News bagged from a leading Honda executive at the New York auto show. It’s even better when that executive is trash-speaking a rival organization. Add some allegations and an expletive—and wham! Instant news.

“I don’t truly give a damn about Nissan. I actually don’t,” John Mendel, executive vice president for automotive operations at Honda, told reporters. Mendel was fuming more than Nissan sales, which he claims are inflated with fleet deliveries versus the retail-only numbers Honda releases each month. He even charged Nissan with artificially goosing its functionality: “They have a whole systematic group of folks who go into the dealers on the 20th of the month primarily based on what Nissan demands to beat Honda and forces the dealer to place an extra 10 or 15 rental vehicles in service.”

Although Honda does sell to fleets, it doesn’t operate a formal fleet sales division and allocates only about 2 percent of all U.S. sales to fleets, compared to around 10 % at Toyota and 28 % at Common Motors (the numbers can fluctuate by several points month to month). Nissan denied the allegations, with a spokesman claiming its fleet sales have been “less than 17 percent.” In August, Mendel created a equivalent rebuke against Toyota when he cited the Accord’s retail sales beating the Camry, despite Toyota claiming the quantity-a single spot in all round sales.

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Just how negative did Mendel’s New York interview go? Let’s put it this way: He ended the conversation with: “This is probably the last interview that PR is going to let me do.” It’s worth a study.

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Honda U.S. Executive: “I Don’t Give a Damn About Nissan”

Honda Recalls 105K More Vehicles, But Also Numerous Owners Can not Be Bothered to Get Them Fixed

Honda has expanded its driver’s-side airbag recall once again to incorporate a lot more 2001 Accord, 2004 Civic, and 2008 Pilot models that had been incorrectly identified by VIN when matched to Takata production records, the company mentioned. An additional 104,871 vehicles are integrated and owners will be notified at a later date. Honda, which has recalled the most cars out of all 10 makers, has recalled about 5.5 million automobiles for driver and passenger airbags in the U.S. because the recalls were initial announced in April 2013.

The question now is: How several owners will bother to take their automobiles in?

According to a new survey, a surprising number of Americans evidently don’t mind the idea of metal shrapnel cutting into their faces. Automotive News reports that just 12 % of all cars recalled for faulty Takata airbags in the U.S. have been repaired, which implies about 15 million men and women are nevertheless driving about with a potentially lethal airbag. AN says that in Japan, 70 percent of the 3 million automobiles under recall have been repaired, owing to that country’s “notoriously fastidious consumers” and tighter inspection needs.

It is a free fix, men and women. Get it completed.

Earlier this month, Honda backed a bill that would need all car owners to complete open recalls in order to renew their registrations. Additionally, Honda lately launched a national advertising campaign in the U.S. with complete-web page newspaper advertisements and 30-second radio spots encouraging Honda and Acura owners to get their automobiles repaired. Parts are readily obtainable now, but most owners across all of the 15 impacted brands have apparently decided it is not worth the difficulty.

Except it is. Here’s a single instance of a 2-inch fragment ejected by a faulty Takata airbag last August in a 2007 Mustang:

Takata, along with 2 other suppliers contracted by Takata, is creating 450,000 replacement inflators every month and will ramp up to 900,000 by September.

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Honda was fined $ 70 million by the federal government in January for withholding accident and defect data all 6 reported Takata-associated deaths occurred in Honda automobiles. An independent review board is hunting into Takata’s manufacturing processes and recommending greatest practices for what has become 1 of the largest-ever auto recalls. For full, continuously updated details of the Takata recall, bookmark this page and verify the federal VIN lookup to see if your automobile is incorporated.

Honda Recalls 105K More Vehicles, But Also Numerous Owners Can not Be Bothered to Get Them Fixed

Honda Motor Southern Africa broadening the appeal of the Mobilio

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• New CVT gearbox adds further convenience and efficiency


• Space and versatility remain key attributes


• Full 6-seater interior offers space and high comfort levels


• Value-added pricing still ensures high degree of affordability

Only 6 months after introducing the sleek, stylish and affordable Mobilio to the South African market, Honda Motor Southern Africa is broadening the appeal of the attractive, full-featured MPV with the introduction of a third model, equipped with a Continuously Variable Transmission.

Based on the Mobilio Comfort, the CVT version retains the same, spacious 6-seater interior and comprehensive features list as its manual-gearbox siblings, while adding the convenience and efficiency that Honda’;s CVT is renowned for.

The CVT can be operated like a fully automatic gearbox, which will allow the transmission to always find the optimum combination of power, response and economy. Alternatively, drivers can opt for a sequential manual mode.

The Mobilio Comfort CVT is powered by the same, zippy 1,5-litre petrol engine as the manual-gearbox versions. The advanced 4-cylinder, 16-valve power unit is fitted with Honda’;s i-VTEC intelligent variable valve timing system, and has a maximum power output of 88 kW at 6 600 r/min, linked to a torque peak of 145 Nm at 4 600 r/min.

The CVT-equipped Mobilio offers brisk dynamics, with a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 11,3 sec, and a maximum speed of 140 km/h. At just 6,0 litres/100 km for the combined cycle, the CVT version is also the most economical member of the Mobilio line-up.

Inside, the MPV’;s comfortable seats, generous head and legroom for all 3 rows of seats, and plenty of luggage space ensure a feeling of luxury and privacy. Despite its comparatively compact footprint, the Mobilio offers sedan-like space, but with the benefit of 3 seating rows.

The 60:40 split second seat row has a slide and recline function that allows the space to be optimised depending on preference and requirement. With a large door aperture and the second row’;s one-motion fold-down function, access to the rear seating is easy and convenient.

The third seat row is split 50:50 with a reclining function, and offers ample legroom. Both seat rows can be folded flat and tumbled forward to maximise cargo space. Even with all seats in place, the Mobilio will swallow a full 223 litres of cargo, which increases to 521 litres with the third row seat folded down.

Honda’;s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body construction means that new Mobilio provides peace-of-mind safety by managing collision forces, while active and passive safety equipment includes dual front airbags, head restraints, front inertia reel seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, and ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution.

“The CVT model adds a further string to the Mobilio’;s bow, and should add further momentum to the demand for this attractive, modern and versatile 6-seater,” says Graham Eagle, operations director at Honda Motor Southern Africa. “It brings further convenience, even greater efficiency and real ease of use to the Mobilio line-up.”

Pricing

Honda Mobilio 1.5 Trend MT               R184 400

Honda Mobilio 1.5 Comfort MT            R203 900

Honda Mobilio 1.5 Comfort CVT           R219 990

All 3 Mobilio models are backed by Honda’;s 3-year/100 000 km warranty, as well as a one-year AA Roadside Assistance package. The Comfort models also benefit from a 2-year/30 000 km service plan.  Services are at 15 000 km intervals.

For more info on buying a vehicle also view:

Vehicle Finance, Car Insurance and Road Safety

Buying and Selling a Vehicle – Informed decisions and the Vehicle Retailer

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Honda Motor Southern Africa broadening the appeal of the Mobilio

Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota Recall 2.13 Million Automobiles for Airbags that Deploy with no Warning

Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota are recalling a lot more than 2 million vehicles to fix airbags that can all of a sudden deploy without having warning, according to filings posted this morning by the National Highway Targeted traffic Safety Administration. This is the second round of recalls for the very same dilemma stemming from late 2012.

These recalls (which are not connected to the Takata airbag inflators that can explode shrapnel) have been prompted by a NHTSA investigation from Could that looked at a earlier 2012 recall of Jeep SUVs. In that instance, front and side-curtain airbags manufactured by supplier TRW were inadvertently deploying due to electrical faults in the airbag circuitry. Chrysler’s initial submissions cited 215 reports of faulty deployments and 81 injuries from the airbags, and by May possibly of last year, it had informed NHTSA of an extra 6 deployments that occurred on autos previously repaired with a new wiring harness incorporating an electrical noise filter.

So far through October, Chrysler has reported a further 18 accidental deployments on repaired vehicles—a total of 18 Libertys and 6 Grand Cherokees—where the noise-filter remedy clearly failed. Chrysler admits it nonetheless can not figure out what’s causing the “electrical overstress” and so it’s now replacing the complete airbag manage module rather of installing new wiring.

A total of 753,176 Chrysler models, including the 2002–2003 Jeep Liberty, 2002–2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2003–2004 Dodge Viper, are incorporated in the U.S. Chrysler mentioned it wasn’t aware of any airbag deployments in Vipers, and whilst there have been at least 81 injuries, there have been no associated crashes.

Likewise, Honda is recalling 374,177 cars—specifically, the 2003–2004 Honda Odyssey and 2003 Acura MDX—after studying of an accidental deployment on a 2003 Odyssey in April. So far, Honda has reported 8 accidental deployments and no injuries involving automobiles that had received the original wiring repair.

The recall also spreads to incorporate 1,006,849 2003–2004 Toyota Avalon, Corolla, and Matrix models (as properly as the Toyota-constructed Matrix twin, the Pontiac Vibe). Nevertheless, in contrast to Chrysler and Honda, Toyota had already begun replacing airbag modules in addition to installing noise filters in the course of its initial January 2013 and later March 2014 recall campaigns. Still, simply because dealers only replaced modules that threw a faulty code, several a lot more potentially bad modules are nonetheless across the million-plus automobiles just recalled.

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Airbag supplier TRW will not have any new handle modules ready “until the latter element of 2015,” according to NHTSA. In the meantime, Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota owners will be notified to have the noise filter installed, if they haven’t already, as an interim repair. All the cars are supposedly safe to drive, even though some Jeep owners have witnessed airbags and even the seatbelt pre-tensioners getting triggered at times prior to even a warning light seems. If you’d like to know if your automobile is among these affected, you can use NHTSA’s VIN lookup tool to search the database.

Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota Recall 2.13 Million Automobiles for Airbags that Deploy with no Warning

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show Higher Defect Rates

Hiroshi Shimizu, Takata’s senior vice president of global good quality assurance, testifies ahead of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on December 3.

With Takata denying a federal request to recall more of its driver’s-side airbags, Honda has agreed to do so by expanding its regional recalls and calling all automakers to help a third-party audit that would speed up components testing and properly determine the shrapnel-shooting airbags.

As of last Wednesday, the National Highway Visitors Safety Administration had provided Takata until midnight last evening to expand the recall and had pressured half of the 10 impacted automakers to do the same. While NHTSA maintains that passenger-side airbags do not pose a coast-to-coast problem, Takata senior vice president Hiroshi Shimizu rebuffed NHTSA’s claims that a number of million driver’s-side airbags now demonstrate a national safety danger.

“Based on the information we are collecting from the region, the data nonetheless help that we must remain focused on the region with higher humidity,” Shimizu stated in a hearing today to the Residence Committee on Energy and Commerce.

To date, Takata has tested roughly 4000 inflators recovered from automobiles in “high humidity” regions of the south and Gulf Coast and said that all of the approximately 400 driver’s-side inflators had performed as designed. But of the remaining 3600 passenger-side inflators, Shimizu said that “less than 60″ had ruptured—which, at 1.67 % of the sample, is a quite higher failure price in manufacturing. NHTSA had sent a recall request to Takata final month soon after a driver of a 2007 Ford Mustang outdoors of the regional recall was injured by a 2-inch metal shard. In the U.S., 4 folks have died from the defective Takata inflators—all of them in Honda vehicles—and at least 139 injuries have been reported across all automakers.

“The proof is the dilemma isn’t limited to areas of absolute, higher humidity,” NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman stated at the hearing. Friedman mentioned he would pursue fines, which can run up to $ 7000 per day, if Takata does not comply with an expanded recall.

So far, only Toyota has seconded Honda’s request for outdoors testing but did not expand any of its recalls. Takata stated it would type an independent panel to scrutinize top quality checks, recommend greatest practices at its facilities, and publish the final results at a later date. As part of NHTSA’s investigation, the company has till December 5 to supply the agency with particulars on its manufacturing processes and to reveal employee names who worked on the production line when the faulty airbags had been manufactured. All 10 automakers have also been ordered to submit test benefits from the regional recalls by December 5, hence Honda’s cry for a group work. Honda is below a separate investigation by NHTSA for omitting 1729 death and injury reports for far more than a decade, a dilemma the business mentioned nowadays was due to poor employee oversight, and for not specifically mentioning airbag-related deaths and injuries in previous recalls.

In August, a 2007 Ford Mustang driver was injured by this 2-inch metal fragment from a faulty Takata airbag.

Despite months of testing—plus years of related investigations by Takata and Honda that stretch back to 2004—neither Takata nor the automakers have a definitive answer as to why the airbags are exploding shrapnel. Shimizu said Takata is testing about 25 inflators per day and is currently on track to ship out 350,000 replacements per month and will ramp up to 450,000 by January. If each automaker issues national airbag recalls, Takata has agreed to contract with suppliers Autoliv and Daicel to feed the demand.

Although numerous of Takata’s current airbag inflators use the synthetic compound Tetrazole, Shimizu mentioned there was nothing unsafe about the ammonium nitrate utilized in the faulty inflators, only that “manufacturing processes and humidity control in the plant” had caused the problem. When Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) revealed comments from Takata engineers in 1999 who raised doubts about ammonium nitrate, which includes that it “predisposes this propellant to break apart” and that it could “blow up,” Shimizu said he did not remember seeing them. Final month, a Takata official stated the replacement airbag inflators had a revised chemical compound but have been still primarily based on ammonium nitrate. Shimizu mentioned the replacements have the exact same propellant as just before.

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“I’m quite confident that merchandise on the current production line should operate as made and are secure,” Shimizu said.

With regard to allegations that business workers destroyed information after discovering faulty airbags in 2004, Shimizu denied there was “any secret test” and stated the company did conduct tests at that time related to a separate difficulty in which airbag cushions have been tearing on BMW models.

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show Higher Defect Rates

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show High Defect Rates

Hiroshi Shimizu, Takata’s senior vice president of global quality assurance, testifies prior to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on December 3.

With Takata denying a federal request to recall more of its driver’s-side airbags, Honda has agreed to do so by expanding its regional recalls and calling all automakers to help a third-party audit that would speed up parts testing and properly determine the shrapnel-shooting airbags.

As of last Wednesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had provided Takata till midnight last night to expand the recall and had pressured half of the 10 impacted automakers to do the exact same. Even though NHTSA maintains that passenger-side airbags do not pose a coast-to-coast dilemma, Takata senior vice president Hiroshi Shimizu rebuffed NHTSA’s claims that numerous million driver’s-side airbags now demonstrate a national safety threat.

“Based on the information we are collecting from the area, the data nevertheless support that we need to stay focused on the area with higher humidity,” Shimizu said in a hearing these days to the Residence Committee on Energy and Commerce.

To date, Takata has tested roughly 4000 inflators recovered from automobiles in “high humidity” regions of the south and Gulf Coast and mentioned that all of the about 400 driver’s-side inflators had performed as made. But of the remaining 3600 passenger-side inflators, Shimizu said that “less than 60″ had ruptured—which, at 1.67 percent of the sample, is a really high failure rate in manufacturing. NHTSA had sent a recall request to Takata final month right after a driver of a 2007 Ford Mustang outdoors of the regional recall was injured by a 2-inch metal shard. In the U.S., 4 folks have died from the defective Takata inflators—all of them in Honda vehicles—and at least 139 injuries have been reported across all automakers.

“The proof is the dilemma isn’t restricted to locations of absolute, high humidity,” NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman mentioned at the hearing. Friedman mentioned he would pursue fines, which can run up to $ 7000 per day, if Takata does not comply with an expanded recall.

So far, only Toyota has seconded Honda’s request for outside testing but did not expand any of its recalls. Takata said it would kind an independent panel to scrutinize top quality checks, advocate very best practices at its facilities, and publish the outcomes at a later date. As element of NHTSA’s investigation, the organization has till December 5 to give the agency with specifics on its manufacturing processes and to reveal employee names who worked on the production line when the faulty airbags had been manufactured. All 10 automakers have also been ordered to submit test results from the regional recalls by December 5, therefore Honda’s cry for a group effort. Honda is under a separate investigation by NHTSA for omitting 1729 death and injury reports for much more than a decade, a dilemma the firm said right now was due to poor employee oversight, and for not specifically mentioning airbag-connected deaths and injuries in previous recalls.

In August, a 2007 Ford Mustang driver was injured by this 2-inch metal fragment from a faulty Takata airbag.

Despite months of testing—plus years of related investigations by Takata and Honda that stretch back to 2004—neither Takata nor the automakers have a definitive answer as to why the airbags are exploding shrapnel. Shimizu mentioned Takata is testing about 25 inflators per day and is at the moment on track to ship out 350,000 replacements per month and will ramp up to 450,000 by January. If every single automaker issues national airbag recalls, Takata has agreed to contract with suppliers Autoliv and Daicel to feed the demand.

Even though many of Takata’s present airbag inflators use the synthetic compound Tetrazole, Shimizu stated there was nothing unsafe about the ammonium nitrate utilized in the faulty inflators, only that “manufacturing processes and humidity handle in the plant” had triggered the difficulty. When Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) revealed comments from Takata engineers in 1999 who raised doubts about ammonium nitrate, which includes that it “predisposes this propellant to break apart” and that it could “blow up,” Shimizu stated he did not remember seeing them. Last month, a Takata official said the replacement airbag inflators had a revised chemical compound but have been still based on ammonium nitrate. Shimizu said the replacements have the identical propellant as prior to.

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“I’m really confident that items on the present production line ought to operate as created and are protected,” Shimizu said.

With regard to allegations that company workers destroyed information following discovering faulty airbags in 2004, Shimizu denied there was “any secret test” and stated the organization did conduct tests at that time associated to a separate difficulty in which airbag cushions have been tearing on BMW models.

Honda Expands Airbag Recall Nationwide, Takata Tests Show High Defect Rates

Honda N-Box Slash: Retro Appears, Puzzling Name, In no way Coming to America

Check out this boxy little flivver. It is the Honda N/, which you’re meant to pronounce “N-Box Slash.” It’s an effective tiny runabout that packs 10 pounds of retro style in a 5-ounce bag. And it’s by no means, ever coming to the U.S. industry. Sorry.

The N-Box Slash is the fifth model in Honda’s N-Series of kei automobiles, Japanese domestic market place subcompacts that appreciate tax breaks and urban parking perks in exchange for their postage-stamp size. By law, kei cars are no much more than 133.8 inches long, 58.2 inches wide, and 78.7 inches tall–in other words, they’ll match in an 11-foot-by-5-foot parking space.

Tiny size doesn’t mean absent style, though–the N-Box Slash comes in retro flavors ranging from Fiat 500-style gumdrop pastels to the black and chrome aesthetic of a pint-size hot rod. Inside, purchasers can decide on colors that evoke a 1950s diner or the wood paneling from Ron Burgundy’s pad, with seats that fold flat enough for, uh, sleeping?

This rolling box of kitsch will likely be powered by the .6-liter turbo 3-cylinder that motivates the rest of Honda’s N-Series microcars, according to Left Lane News. It goes on sale in Japan starting December 22nd. Aching for this retro style to come to North America? You’re out of luck. Possibly stick some dog-dish hubcaps on the box your refrigerator came in.

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Honda N-Box Slash: Retro Appears, Puzzling Name, In no way Coming to America