Despite the commitment of many automakers to go green, consumers do not share the sentiment. According to a Polk study released today, almost two-thirds of U.S. hybrid buyers do not return to the market for another hybrid. The only exception in the survey is from the best-selling Toyota Prius, receiving a repurchase rate of 41...
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Despite questionable sales and previously poor customer reception Honda unveiled a re-thought and re-designed Crosstour today at the New York Auto Show. As part of its strategy to sugar-coat what has otherwise seemed to be a bitter pill to most American consumers, the 2013 Crosstour has sharper lines, improved engines across the board and a...
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How a car company is perceived by the general public is a massive part of selling cars, and holds the key to success or failure. Kelly Blue Book, the company which exists to measure all statistics relating to cars, released their study today on how each automaker is viewed in the marketplace. There are 12 categories tested...
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Honda has begun construction on its $800 million plant in Mexico, where the Japanese automaker will begin production of the Fit sub-compact starting in 2014. The new facility in Mexico is part of Honda’s ongoing plan to grow its operations in North America. The new Honda de Mexico plant will be in Celaya and will...
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While many new plug-ins boast the convenience and simplicity of recharging the car battery from a household wall socket, how many vehicles can claim to provide the opposite? Honda has installed an inverter in the trunk of one special FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, providing output power that could supply up to 8 kilowatts of...
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Honda is issuing a voluntary recall today for around 554,000 CR-V’s and Pilot SUVs. The recall affects model-year 2002-2004 CR-V‘s and 2003 Pilots (shown above). The company claims that there is potential for failure with the wiring of the headlight switch, which can result in the loss of low-beam headlights. No collisions or injuries have been reported...
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Insurance isn’t kind to teenage drivers. Rates are usually double the price of experienced drivers. Luckily CarInsure.com has provided a list of the top 10 best vehicles to insure for teenagers. The rates are calculated based on a Washington family: a married couple driving a 2011 Honda Accord and a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, with a clean...
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Honda has had a rough go as of late, with reduced sales in 2011 due to production shortages as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Prior to that, there were criticisms of the new 2012 Honda Civic. None of that, however, has phased consumers it would appear, with Honda being named the...
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Ever wonder just how different men are from women when it comes to picking their vehicle of choice? Here’s a top 10 list of vehicles with the highest proportion of female buyers, provided by Polk via InsideLine. There are a few unexpected models on the list, and a couple of models that, to our surprise,...
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We know that Honda is heavily investing into continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) but what about a standard automatic transmission offering? It appears that the Japanese automaker could be investing in a nine-speed automatic manufactured by German supplier ZF. Chances are though that we won’t see any Hondas or Acuras on the road equipped with it...
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When it comes to historic automobiles like the Honda RA272, which was the first Japanese car to win a Formula One Grand Prix, memorabilia is hard to come by. So what’s a fan to do? Build it of course. This Lego Honda RA272 was built by “Biczzz” and is simply a work of art. In fact, at...
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If you own a 2006 model-year Honda CR-V, you might need to keep an eye on your mail box. Honda is voluntarily recalling 1,316 CR-V’s because it suspects that the weld that they used to hold the right front lower control arm was improper. With time, that weld can break which potentially can lead to...
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With a less-than-impressive track record and generally poor customer reception, it’s remarkable that Honda continues to work on making the Crosstour a palatable vehicle. Nonetheless, the Japanese automaker is soldiering on, most recently announcing today that it will debut the 2013 Crosstour concept at the upcoming New York Auto Show. It’s been a sad tale...
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The curious case of Heather Peters taking Honda to small claims court may not be over, but the class action suit she opted out of most likely is. A California judge tentatively approved a settlement that would award between $100 and $200 to Honda Civic hybrid owners who joined the suit filed because of inflated...
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Automotive journalism is riddled with pitfalls for corruptible folk, something automakers know all too well. Apart from the usual moral gray areas sponsored press junkets, sometimes questions of integrity are just black and white. In a recent piece of investigative journalism, Gawker car site Jalopnik (itself not immune to morally gray journalism) exposed how marketing firm...
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The Si trim moniker for various Honda models throughout its history has always symbolized increased performance. Short for “sport injected”, fans of the Civic body will remember generations of Si models as being the funnest to own and drive. Which is why it’s such a shame that the Honda Jazz Si that the Japanese automaker...
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While America got to enjoy the global premiere of the new Acura NSX at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, the rest of the world will know it as the Honda NSX and the concept just made its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The Honda NSX Concept is essentially the same vehicle we saw...
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For the ninth month in a row, the top-selling car in Japan is the Toyota Prius, helping hybrids make up more than 20-percent of all auto sales in Japan. In February, Toyota sold 35,875 Prius hybrids, while the Honda Fit came in second place with 24,973 units sold. That’s quite the gap, especially considering third...
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Honda is currently the only automaker offering CNG vehicles in the United States. Although it is nice to own an exclusive niche in the vast automotive market, it does have its limitations. Compressed natural gas stations are uncommon in North America and Honda hopes to change this by installing pumps at its dealers as it...
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Weeks ago, we mentioned Ayrton Senna’s original 1991 Championship season racing suit and racing helmet were placed for auction at the Race Retro Sale of the Silverstone Auction held in the UK. Initial estimates for the rare racing memorabilia speculated a handsom $66,000 for the helmet and $31,000 for the suit. Apparently, the figure wasn’t...
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The United States is a huge market for Honda, hosting roughly one in two sales for the Japanese automaker, a fact that Volkswagen wants to change sooner rather than later. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn admits openly that Honda was a “…role model for us for many years once,” but now that VW has come into...
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Subaru replaced Honda as the top-rated automaker by Consumer Reports today, in a bit of an upset. Not only did the Japanese automaker known best for its efficient all-wheel drives take the top spot, but did so while the previous champion fell by several points over last year’s ratings. The victory, then, is due not...
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A recall of 2012 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX sport-utility vehicles has just been announced. According to American Honda Motors, about 8,709 Pilot and Acura SUV models have “vent shut float (VSF) valve” issues. If left unattended, the faulty VSF valve could cause a fuel leak, which means an increased fire risk. If you drive...
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Thinking of putting down a minivan owner? You may want to think twice. Minivans are among the most useful vehicles on the road. Take a look at some of these reasons why owning a minivan can be a life-enriching experience. Everyone’s been in front of their car door or trunk, with the same dilemma. With...
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