Showing posts with label Honda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honda. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Honda Ridgeline 2012


The 2012 Honda ridgeline is the same style of 2011 Honda ridgeline. Readers are invited to comment on this ridge line of Honda and their expectations and experiences of older models 2012 Honda ridgeline. Nissan Path Finder also competes withe the Honda Ridgeline.

The Ridgeline Sport, which looks reminiscent of the Ridgeline Sport project truck shown at SEMA in 2005, adds the following to the base Ridgeline RT's standard features: exclusive black 18-inch alloy wheels (+1 inch from RT steel wheels), exclusive black honeycomb grille, standard fog lights, black headlight and brake light housings, and black side mirrors and door handles.

The 2012 Honda Ridgeline should be a virtual repeat of the 2011 Honda Ridgeline. Should you wait for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline or buy a 2011 Honda Ridgeline? Buy a 2011 Honda Ridgeline. Styling: Aside from a possible new color choice or two, the 2012 Honda Ridgeline styling will mirror that of the 2011 Ridgeline. Ridgeline comes only in four-door crew-cab form and nearly matches some full-size crew-cab pickups for usable passenger space. Traditional pickups are based on rear-wheel-drive designs augmented with available four-wheel drive (4wd). Ridgeline has roots in front-wheel drive engineering but is fortified with standard all-wheel-drive (AWD).

Features: The 2012 Ridgeline will continue bound by Honda’s practice of eschewing individual options for a set of features exclusive to each model. For the 2012 Ridgeline, Honda might expand the roster with a swan-song special edition that combines popular features from several models. Leather upholstery, power moonroof, heated front seats, and the navigation system are available, depending on model. All 2012 Ridgelines will also come with air conditioning; tilt steering wheel; power windows and locks; a power sliding rear window; cruise control; keyless entry; and a 60/40 split lift-up rear seat with under-seat storage. Prices for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline won’t be released until shortly before the pickup goes on sale, but don’t expect major deviations from 2011 Ridgeline prices. (Prices in this review include the manufacturer’s destination fee; Honda’s fee for the 2011 Ridgeline was $780.)

Given a model range narrowed to one upscale configuration, Honda justifiably considers Ridgeline a “premium” truck -- and prices it accordingly. Estimated price for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline RT is around $29,800. Expect the 2012 Honda Ridgeline RTS to be priced around $32,500. That the 2012 RTL model is expected to remain Ridgeline’s most popular trim level is clear evidence that Ridgeline buyers tend not to be the young bucks, off-road enthusiasts, budget buyers, and tradespeople that form compact-pickup core audience. Estimated price for the 2012 Ridgeline RTL is $35,500. Unless Honda commemorates the close of the first-generation Ridgeline with a new top-line model, the RTL with navigation will repeat as the most expensive 2012 Ridgeline.

Honda Pilot 2012


the first Honda Pilot was introduced in 2002, as a large SUV with third row seats. There are four different styles of the Honda Pilot available, the base model, EX, EX-L and the deluxe touring model. The two-wheel drive Honda Pilot MPG is 17 in the city and 23 miles per gallon with highway usage. The touring model comes with a power tailgate, and the other models offer a glass hatch.

The safety features have been updated with dual front airbags, airbags in the front, which include a passenger side occupant position detection system (OPDS), curtain airbags in the third row and several security features and sensors for the seatbelts. The Honda Pilot also includes many active safety parts as well such as Electronic Brake Distribution, Antilock Braking System and Vehicle Stability Assist.

The 2012 Honda Pilot is in line for some styling tweaks but won’t change in size or basic design. Should you wait for the 2012 Honda Pilot or buy a 2011 Pilot? Wait for the 2012 Honda Pilot if you wish to confirm that Honda indeed will give this crossover some mid-cycle updates.

Actually, Pilot traces its underskin architecture to the Honda Odyssey minivan. Comparatively lightweight unibody design benefits fuel economy and handling and is what makes Pilot a crossover. Speaking of rims, Honda’s taken the conservative route and equipped all Pilot models with modestly sized 17-inch wheels and tires. Pilot’s top competitors use six-speed automatics, which promise smoother performance and better fuel economy. In Honda’s defense, Pilot’s powertrain response and refinement is already among best in class. Expect all 2012 Pilot models to continue with a choice of front-wheel drive or Honda’s Variable Torque Management (VTM-4). Don’t equate Pilot’s upright-SUV profile with knuckle-dragging driving manners. The 2012 Pilot should retain tow ratings in the upper range for V-6 crossover SUVs, with AWD models capable of trailering 4,500 pounds and front-drive Pilots able to pull up to 3,500 pounds.
The 2012 Honda Pilot is expected to come in the same trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Unlike its competitors who offer 18-, 19-, 20-inch wheels, the Honda Pilot onloy comes with 170inch wheels. laid flat.The 2012 Honda Pilot will come with front and rear air conditioning, keyless entry, tilt and telescope steering wheel, and cruise control.

The new Honda Pilot all-wheel drive models will be able to tow up to 4500 pounds and front-drive Pilots can manage 3,5000 pounds.The 2012 Honda Pilot can be expected in showrooms before autumn 2011.

Honda CR-Z MUGEN RR ability in style


Promoting the concept of Mugen Honda CR-Z design MUGEN RR in Moving Motor Show 2011 last.

With the Honda CR-Z MUGEN RR, Mugen wants to show his ability in style, functionality, performance and agility.

Honda CR-Z MUGEN RR was created by M-Tec as an exhibition car only and there are no plans to enter into the production line.

Some of the Honda CR-Z MUGEN RR made of carbon fiber including the bonnet, both side doors and stern doors.

Other unique features that carried the CR-Z Mugen RR in the form of carbon-fiber at the bottom of the car, a pair of exhaust pipes in the middle, ventilated front bumper, and suspension of racing.

Part cabin wrapped in Alcantara leather. One screen in the dashboard serves data recording chassis and engine - developed by a race car. The screen serves as a satellite navigation and audio systems, too. This advanced equipment will monitor the car after more than two laps to learn the circuit and record data using a lap and a GPS vehicle tracking.

Honda Civic EX Review 2012


2012 Honda Civic EX Review-The eight-generation Civic was the most stylish to date. While not everyone was a fan, I personally liked the car’s tight proportions and smooth flowing curves. At the time I thought the 2006 Civic signaled a new emphasis on innovative yet tasteful design by Honda. For the 2012 Civic, Honda has retained similar dimensions (though, reversing a decades-long trend, its wheelbase is 1.2 inches shorter). Honda claims that the revised interior “delivers more style and convenience than any other vehicle in [the] segment.” Yes, style is highly subjective. Other car manufacturers used to copy Honda’s innovations. The door panels include four different hard plastics. Even in the up level Honda Civic EX the fabric appears chintzy. Once upon a time the instrument panels in Hondas were compact and shockingly low. There’s a little more rear legroom than before, but the seat’s width remains that of a compact sedan. 

Even in Honda Civic EX trim the Civic tips the scales at 2,765 pounds, light for a compact sedan these days. In another fuel economy-oriented tweak, the steering is now electric assist on all Civics rather than just the Si and Hybrid. The new Civic’s handling is predictable, stable, and safe. The new Civic usually rides smoothly, but feels a little unsettled over some surfaces and never feels precisely damped the way a Ford Focus or Mazda3 does. (To out-eco the Elentra, a Civic HF with 29/41 ratings is also offered.) There’s also a prominently placed instantaneous mpg display. The average fuel economy readout within the new information display is a bit of a bother, though. 

The 2012 Honda Civic EX lists for $21,255, up $100 from the 2011 despite the addition of a few features, including stability control. The most aggressively priced: a Hyundai Elentra Limited, with heated leather seats (in both rows!), lists for $20,700. A 2012 Ford Focus SE lists for about the same as the Honda when equipped with sunroof and alloy wheels, but is more fun to drive and feels like a much more expensive car. The 1984 car was a design landmark whose influence continues 28 years later. 

The 2012 Honda Civic sedan's new duds are kind of like that. 

Honda The digital Speedo is flanked on the right by a crisp new five-inch Multi-Information Display (I-MID) that displays everything from stereo information to Bluetooth status and trip computer functions with pleasingly high-resolution graphics. (Side note: Although our Honda Civic EX test subject didn't arrive with GPS, we've driven other models so equipped and the new i-MID's resolution makes the aging main navigation screen look decidedly yestertech). 

The Civic's center stack is canted dramatically toward the driver and dominated by the audio controls with an easy layout and Playskool-sized buttons. Despite having a shorter wheelbase (all other major exterior measurements are identical to last year's model), the Civic still feels quite roomy on the inside. In fact, Honda says that interior space is up by 3.7 cubic feet, primarily in the form of added shoulder room up front along with increased hip room front and rear. Interestingly, Honda has chosen to eschew the latest round of multispeed gearboxes and engine tricks like direct-injection or forced induction in favor of preserving the Civic's lighter-than-average weight and less-costly measures like aero refinements (smooth underbelly, aero fences ahead of the wheels, low drag mirrors, etc.) to deliver class-competitive performance numbers. Use of high-strength steel in the ninth-generation Civic's chassis has increased to 55 percent (up five percent). That change at once improves rigidity by 10 percent and lowers body weight by seven percent (Honda Civic EX models like ours check in at 2,765 pounds). Thanks in part to the Civic's light weight, EPA fuel economy estimates check in at 28 miles per gallon in the city, 39 on the highway. In predominantly highway driving, our still-green Honda Civic EX (just over 2,700 clicks on the odometer) returned a respectable 32.9 mpg. 

It's certainly a refined drive, but one would think that a shorter wheelbase and modestly lower weight (between 20 and 58 pounds lighter depending on model) would lead to a friskier-handling car – indeed, Honda claims it to be so – but we found this 2012 Civic to be a humdrum performer that neither encourages or rewards enthusiastic driving. 

Honda Accord Reviews 2012


The 2012 Honda Accord returns as a four-door sedan and two-door coupe. The best 2012 Accord value remains a four-cylinder sedan in midrange EX trim at $25,875 with automatic transmission.

Should you buy a 2012 Honda Accord or wait for the 2013 Honda Accord? The 2012 Honda Accord sedan and 2012 Honda Accord Coupe carry over the subtle styling changes given the 2011 Accord. The 2012 Accord Coupe repeats an LX-S, EX, and EX-L model ladder.

Styling distinctions among the 2012 Accord models are minor. All other sedan and coupe models have 17-inch alloy wheels, save the EX-L V-6, which has 18s. Mechanical: The 2012 Honda Accord has no mechanical features that weren’t available on the 2011 Accord. A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine again serves the lion’s share of Accord buyers. In EX and EX-L sedans this four-cylinder is rated at 190 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. This version repeats as the base engine in the 2012 Accord Coupe.

On four-cylinder Accords, a five-speed manual transmission is standard on LX and EX sedans and on LX-S and EX Coupes. The 2012 Accord’s V-6 remains exclusive to the EX V-6 and EX-L V-6 sedans and to the EX-L V-6 Coupe. A five-speed automatic repeats as the sole transmission for Accord V-6 sedans. The Accord EX-L V-6 Coupe is positioned as a performance model and is the only six-cylinder Accord available with manual transmission – a six-speed in this case. Among Accord engines, the 190-horsepower four-cylinder represents the best blend of price, power, fuel economy, and overall balance. An overwhelming majority of Accord buyers choose automatic transmission, and while Honda’s five-speed automatic works well enough, Accord’s top rivals have more modern and efficient six-speed automatics.

The 2012 Honda Accord EX-L sedans are priced at $28,325 with the four-cylinder engine and at $30,400 with the V-6. The top-of-the-line 2012 Accord sedan is the EX-L with Navi (navigation). The 2012 Accord Coupes are comparably equipped to their sedan-model counterparts, with the LX-S Coupe playing the role of the LX sedan except it has the 190- instead of the 177-horsepower four-cylinder engine.

The 2012 Honda Accord EX Coupe is priced at $25,425 with manual transmission and $26,225 with automatic. Honda achieves a satisfying symmetry in fuel-economy ratings for its 2012 Accord sedans. The 2012 Accord sedans with the V-6 engine rate 20/30 mpg city/highway and 24 mpg combined.

Fuel-economy ratings for the 2012 Honda Accord Coupes with the four-cylinder engine vary slightly. Manual-transmission versions rate 23/32 mpg city/highway, 26 combined. Automatic-equipped models rate 22/33/26.

The 2013 Honda Accord will be the first all-new Accord since the 2008 model and it seems poised to reverse a trend. Turbo models have 274 horsepower, rate 22/34/26 mpg and start at $25,405. The 2012 Altima continues in sedan and coupe form, both with some appeal to Accord sedan and coupe shoppers for performance, spaciousness, and pricing. 

The 2012 Honda Accord is no longer the freshest mid-size sedan--it's due for a full redesign in another year or two. But the current version remains one of the top choices in this class for interior space, styling, ride comfort, performance, and features--all with a sensible, economical, value-minded feel.

In the crowded field of mid-size sedans, the Accord still manages to stand out on the test drive. Most shoppers will find the Accord's interior layout refreshing compared to rivals, at least from a distance. Interior space remains a strength for the Honda Accord. 
The 5-speed automatic is standard although a 6-speed would have helped acceleration and economy figures. All four wheels feature disc brakes, be it 16-inch steel wheels or the optional 17 alloy wheels.

The Sedan earned a 5-star safety rating in each of NHTSA’s combined safety rating categories. Tagged safety features include 6 airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Active front restraints. All models get steering mounted controls for audio and cruise control and a tilt and telescopic steering column. Other options include Bluetooth, 8-way full power driver’s seat adjustment, Active Noise Cancellation (V6 only), dual zone automatic air-conditioning, leather interiors, 6CD premium sound system with USB jack, auto dimming rear-view mirror and a smoked glass sunroof. 

Monday, September 26, 2011

Honda Civic Hybrid 2012 Review


While reviewers are impressed with the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid’s improved fuel economy ratings, they are disappointed with its bland interior and predictable exterior.

In preliminary EPA tests, Honda also reports that the Civic Hybrid’s fuel economy has increased to 44/44 mpg city/highway, up from the 2011 model’s 40/43 mpg city/highway. There aren’t many affordable small hybrids that compete with the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid. It’s a midsize car, but costs about $23,000, which is about $1,000 less than the Civic Hybrid. For a hybrid with better performance, try the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. It makes 166 horsepower, 56 more than the Honda Civic Hybrid. 

The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is completely redesigned for the 2012 model year, and reviewers talk about the Honda Civic Hybrid’s improved fuel economy ratings most. It gets 44/44 mpg city/highway, up from the 40/43 mpg city/highway the 2011 model got, according to Honda.

Because the 2012 gasoline based Honda Civic and the Honda Civic Hybrid have identical interiors, this review uses reviews from the gasoline version. 

To find out how Honda's latest stacks up against Toyota, we devised a two-day, two-route, 550-mile test to challenge the two fuel economy all-stars. Can the Prius hold onto its top spot as the reining fuel economy champ? 

This system allows the Prius to use several combinations of electric and/or gasoline power—including an all-electric mode. There's even an EV switch that locks the Prius in battery mode until the range of the 6.5 amp hour nickel-metal hydride pack is used up. Toyota delivers a total system horsepower of 134. 

Honda's system, meanwhile, is very similar to the last Honda Civic Hybrid and the current Insight. The electric motor sits in between the CVT and the gasoline engine. So, unlike the Prius, the gas engine in the Civic must always turn—when in electric cruise mode, the gas engine essentially freewheels. The Civic's four cylinder has grown to 1.5-liters from 1.3-liters. 

The EPA rates the Prius at 51mpg city and 48 mpg on the highway, while the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid is rated at 44 mpg for both city and highway. 

In out test, both hybrids exceeded their EPA ratings. Averaging our two loops, the Prius delivered 50.8 mpg while the Civic returned 45.4 mpg. The Prius remains the unequivocal hybrid fuel economy king, but the Civic is closing the gap. 

It has after all become almost synomymous with hybrids and remains the world best selling hybrid car. As with the 2011 model, the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid continues to receive rave reviews thanks to its excellent fuel economy, futuristic and stylish exterior, quality interior, and extensive list of standard and optional features. New for 2012 is a larger 1.5L 4 cylinder engine, a lithium-ion battery pack, and improved EPA estimated fuel economy ratings of 44 mpg city/44 mpg highway/44 mpg combined (roughly a seven percent improvement over the 2011 model's 40 mpg city/43 mpg highway/42 mpg combined). 

On the exterior, the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid continues to be sleek and turn heads. As in the past, the Honda Civic Hybrid's four-door body style delivers the same practicality as the basic Civic sedan. Apart from the vehicle's 15-inch aluminum wheels and the hybrid logos, the Honda Civic Hybrid is virtually indistinguishable from the regular Civic. 
In terms of pricing, US News ranked the 2011 edition of the Honda Civic Hybrid 9th out of 32 Affordable Small Cars. The Insight's fuel economy rating of 42mpg on the highway is also below the Honda Civic Hybrid's 44mpg. 

The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid retains many of the features it had in prior models. The Civic Hybrid's Satellite Linked Navigation system with Bluetooth connectivity has also been reviewed positively. Reviewers have point out that the Civic Hybrid is not fast or powerful. For the 2011 model, Cars.com describes the Honda Civic Hybrid's acceleration to be adequate but "not especially quick". In terms of fuel economy, some test drivers of the new Civic Hybrid have reported achieving well over the estimated 44 mpg on the highway but, regrettably, well below 44 mpg in city driving. When compared to the Prius, the "Honda Civic Hybrid" has a smaller but more powerful gasoline engine but the Prius has a more powerful electric motor. 

 
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