autoMedia Auto News Blog : Honda

2010 Green Car of the Year Finalists Announced

Brandy Schaffels — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 GMT

Green Car Journal has announced its five finalists for the 2010 Green Car of the Year; for the fifth consecutive year, this prestigious award will be announced at the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show on December 3....(read more)

Preview Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Editor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:10:00 GMT

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour launched to take on Venza and Murano What is a CUV (crossover utility vehicle), aka "crossover"? It's a careful blend of SUV and sedan, with close-to-car styling, handling and fuel economy. And it's where a majority of buyers are heading, some moving down from SUVs, others moving up from less practical cars. Honda's new-for-2010 Accord-based Crosstour CUV is essentially an Accord wagon with its roofline aerodynamically sloped instead of squared off--or maybe an Accord five-door hatchback. But Honda prefers you to see it as an increasingly fashionable crossover. It's offered it in two models, a well-equipped EX at just over $30,000, including destination, and an upscale EX-L at about $33K. Four-wheel drive adds $1,450 and voice-activated navigation with a rear-view camera adds another $2,200, both available on the EX-L only. The only available powertrain is the Accord's 271-hp 3.5-liter i-VTEC SOHC V-6 coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission and using Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) cylinder deactivation system to enhance fuel economy by shutting down two or even three cylinders when lightly loaded. The 2WD...(read more)

Honda Fit Production Likely to be Moved to U.S.

Editor — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:59:00 GMT

In an interview yesterday with Automotive News , Honda Motor Company president Takanobu Ito said that moving production of the popular Honda Fit subcompact from Japan to the United States is a "highly likely possibility" in order to reduce the company's financial losses attributed to the yen's eight percent increase in value against the dollar since August. "Considering the foreign exchange, such a structural reform might be called for," Ito said. "That is sort of the direction we are considering." According to Automotive News , approximately 80 percent of all of the cars Honda sells in the United States are built here. The Honda Fit, with U.S. sales nearing 56,000 year-to-date 2009, is imported from Japan. While the Fit has weathered the financial storm this year better than other Honda models, the yen's rise threatens the Fit's profitibility. No announcement was made yet as to when or where in the United States the Honda Fit will be built. ~ Deborah Neal, editorial director, autoMedia.com...(read more)

2010 Honda Element Gets Dog Friendly

admin — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:08:00 GMT

The long-running Honda Element has been well-suited to active lifestyles from day one, with its cavernous interior, suicide-style doors, split rear hatch, and easy-to-clean interior, among the many distinctive attributes. For 2010. Honda is expanding its appeal with a $995 Dog Friendly package that bundles together custom gear to make travel with a canine companion safer, more convenient, and even more comfortable for Fido. Central to the package is a nylon-webbed car kennel that can keep the dog comfortably restrained in the cargo area, providing protection to the pooch and ostensibly other passengers in an accident. An included ramp can ease loading and unloading, as well as lead to teaching the dog a basic agility trick. Available only on the EX trim level, the Dog Friendly package includes: A soft-sided cargo area car kennel made from seat belt-grade netting. A cushioned pet bed in the cargo area with an elevated platform. A 12V DC rear ventilation fan. Second-row seat covers with a dog pattern design (matches the bed fabric). An extendable ramp (stores under the pet bed platform). All-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern. A spill-resistant water bowl. Dog Friendly exterior...(read more)

Automotive Recalls: They happen to imports AND domestics

Brandy Schaffels — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:52:00 GMT

So, CNN Money is reporting that Ford is recalling more than 4 million vehicles due to a potential fire hazard that can be created by a faulty cruise control deactivation switch. A friend of mine sent me an email that said " See? This is why people don't buy American. " The recall covers 1995-2003 Windstars, 2000-2003 Excursion diesels, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-Super Duty diesels, 1992-2003 Econolines, 1995-2002 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Rangers and 1994 F35 motorhomes. This is the eighth recall that involves a specific faulty switch manufactured by Texas Instruments, and brings the total to more than 16 million Ford vehicles recalled because that switch. The article at CNN Money advises that "Ford drivers should look for warnings of possible imminent fires, including malfunctioning cruise control systems and brake lights and antilock braking system and brake light warnings on the dashboard. The safety agency also said difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode should be treated as a warning." Ford says it has not used that switch in any model years after 2003. It's disappointing that this is what people think...(read more)

Updated: 2010 Honda CR-V – More Power, Fresh Face

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:53:00 GMT

Honda has treated the ever-popular CR-V to a midlife freshening that brings an updated front fascia, interior refinements, more power, and improved fuel economy. The styling changes signal the 2010 CR-V with a new bumper, grille, and hood, along with a rear bumper update. The previous seven-spoke wheels are replaced with 10-spoke rims.

Under that new hood comes a 14-horsepower increase to 180 hp from the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. This is a surprisingly move, as Honda is known for not changing their engines. However, the CR-V has been in service for a generation and half in 166-hp form. This change is welcomed, especially as it carries a 1 mpg increase for city and highway EPA ratings in both 2WD and AWD versions.

Inside, Honda has made numerous tweaks that reflect customer feedback with items such as wider arm rests, interior door handle redesign with a rubberized grip handle, and dark brown carpet to replace the stain-showing light brown. The audio system now uses blue backlighting, and top trim models gain a compass. The CR-V EX-L (navigation and non-navigation models) gain a USB audio interface for direct access to music files on compatible devices using the vehicle's existing controls. Ideally, this feature would trickle down to the less-affordable variants.

In total, the 2010 Honda CR-V improves upon the formula that led the CR-V to being the best-selling SUV in 2008. And that’s a good thing. Prices start at $21,545 for the CR-V LX 2WD, increasing to $23,845 for the EX 2WD, and top-out at $29,745 for the EX-L AWD with navigation.

Read our Honda CR-V review.

autoMedia CARnival 9-4-09: This week in the auto blogs

Brandy Schaffels — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:44:00 GMT

It's the week ending September 4, and we've browsed our favorite automotive blogs all week long to gather a collection of what we feel is the highlight from each. Cash for Clunkers and Papa John's Camaro remain in the headlines for another week, and David E. Davis says he wishes Jean Jennings was dead, but besides all that, we've also got plenty of other unusual news sure to delight the automotive fan.

Cash for Clunkers rebates undoubtedly fueled robust August car sales, with manufacturers showing increased sales over the same time period a year ago, and even better increases over their sales just one or two months ago. Motor Trend's Todd Lassa shares an astute analysis of these figures, with detailed insights into the best-selling models and manufacturers.

Classic Car Examiner Jim Cherry knows cars have had a long and colorful history on TV from the 1966 Batmobile, to Entourage's Maserati Quatroporte, to Starsky & Hutch's Grand Torino. Knight Rider's Kitt car was so popular that Hasselhoff's series was revived years later in the vain hope of selling more lunchboxes. The right car makes the right statement on TV. They hop things up, express characters' characters, provide dramatic action and provide plenty of merchandising oppoutunities. Check out his slideshow of the top nine classic TV cars at examiner.com

AutoBlog files this under "No Cool, Wacky Deed Shall Go Unlitigated." John Schnatter, Papa John of Papa John's Pizza, put out a $250,000 A.P.B. to find his long lost 1971 1/2 Camaro Z28. Papa John Schnatter says the money was for the person whose name was on the title of the car as a reward for selling the car back to him. When the Sloanes of Indiana helped point Schnatter to Jeff Robinson, the current owner, Schnatter offered them $25,000 for the assist. Now the Sloanes aren't happy about "only" getting $25,000 and want a bigger piece of the pie. More details can be found at this local Kentucky news website. Naughty, greedy people get no sympathy from me. Take your finder's fee and quitchurbitchin...

The Detroit Bureau asks if U.S. buyers are ready to return to Motown and buy American for their transportation needs? According to Paul Eisenstein, that's the rather surprising indication of a new survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. This first-ever survey of motorist intentions found that about 80% of new-car buyers said they would be likely or very likely consider a Detroit product, compared with just 47% who said the same thing about an Asian model, and 46% who'd similarly consider a European offering. The CR survey results show good news for the American automakers, as most respondents said the most important consideration in deciding which vehicle to buy is price, followed by fuel economy, safety, and quality.

It's difficult to find the words to describe the highlight of this segment of "Autoline After Hours" being served at TheTruthAboutCars. Let the headline be your guide: "David E. Davis: Fired for Truth Telling, Wants Jean Jennings Dead." Fast forward 15 minutes in, when David-E wishes a piano would land on her head. Yeah: He says that.

In one article, AutoBlogGreen says Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen, says the Chevy Volt is "a car for idiots," and says pure electric vehicles are "for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are." In another article he denies using those words. Well, of course, he has to, especially now that Audi is revealing an all-electric R8 concept car at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Harrumph.

Honda fans across the internet unleashed "Haterade" on first official Crosstour photos released at Facebook: Honda responds by blaming it on insufficient photography and promises additional photos will come soon. Jalopnik says "We're sorry, but if your vehicle is ugly from 3/4 front and 3/4 back it's just ugly and we doubt more detail is going to change that."

If you've heard the accusations that the rare metals required for production of hybrid car motors and batteries are in short supply and that the mining of such metals is disastrous for the environment, then you'll want to read this report at HybridCars.com which declares such concerns are overblown. In fact, the article states that if domestic and other Canada-based mining concerns go back into production at currently dormant mines, hybrid and electric car production will "not only be on track, it could be done in the United States," within three to four years.

Thanks for joining us for this week's autoMedia.com CARnival! Have you got something of interest you want us to include in a future carnival? Then fill out our online form so we can be notified of your interesting entry to our weekly blog CAR-nival. Check back next week for another installment--until then, have a great weekend!

Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com Contributing Editor

August Auto Sales Show Shopping Success

Brandy Schaffels — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:40:00 GMT

By all the reports we've seen from the Department of Transportation and other automotive blogs, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program was "wildly successful" at driving consumers towards dealerships. With nearly 700,000 vehicle transactions utilizing "Cash for Clunkers" trade-ins, not to mention standard purchases that didn't include the government-subsidized rebates, it's clear that manufacturers benefited from a giant sales infusion during the month of August.

When comparing sales figures for August 2009 against August 2008, Ford was the most successful American manufacturer with an increase of 16.99 percent (182,149 units sold) for all of Ford Motor Company and a 21.25-percent jump for just the Ford brand itself. Toyota Motor Company and American Honda were up 6.41 (225,088) and 9.93 (161,439) percent respectively. Unfortunately, even with the incentives, some manufacturers still sold fewer cars than they did a year ago, notably Nissan North America was down 2.93 percent (105,312 units sold), Chrysler was down 15.43 percent (93,222), and General Motors was down 20.19 percent (246,479) from a year ago. (Many thanks to John Neff at AutoBlog for his monthly sales report, from which these figures are derived.)

However, if you compare these figures to the sales reports from last month or even the month before, the impact of the CARS program becomes much more apparent (see chart below). Even though the percentages of sales only look good for a few of the manufacturers when comparing July 2008 to July 2009, watch what happens when you compare August 2009 to July 2009 and June 2009: Everybody wins with sales increases ranging from 17.37 percent for Ford, 36.50 percent for Chrysler, and 39.59 percent for General Motors all the way up to an increase of 60.76 percent for Honda, 70.97 percent for Toyota, and a whopping 80.64 percent for Nissan from over two months ago.

Ironically, while DOT Cash for Clunker reports make it look as if the imports were the biggest winners in the C4C transactions, a report at AutoBlog says that "Ford came out as the clear winner in the Top Ten list," based on additional analysis by Edmunds.com. According to their story, "Ford captured three of the top four positions. The Toyota Corolla, which is at the top of the government's list, falls to number five on Edmunds' list behind the F-150, which didn't even make the government's Top Ten. The Chevy Silverado didn't make the government's Top Ten either, but it's number eight with Edmunds."

As far as getting a clear cut answer from all of this, Mark Twain summed it up well when he said: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." A skilled analyst can make a list of numbers demonstrate anything he wants it to show, but one thing is certainly clear: auto sales for all manufacturers have shown a definite trend upwards in the past few months, and as a result of the additional demand, many manufacturers have increased their production schedules and have brought back some employees who had been laid off in recent months.

It will be interesting to see what the next few months show!

By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com Contributing Editor

Brand	August 2008	August 2009	Increased Volume % over one year ago	July 2009	Increased Volume % over one month ago	June 2009	Increased Volume % over two months ago
American Honda	146,855	161,439	9.93	114,690	40.76	100,420	60.76
Chrysler Group LLC	110,235	93,222	-15.43	88,900	4.86	68,297	36.50
Ford Motor Company	155,690	182,149	16.99	165,279	10.21	155,195	17.37
General Motors	308,817	246,479	-20.19	189,443	30.11	176,571	39.59
Hyundai	41,130	60,467	47.01	45,553	32.74	37,943	59.36
Kia	25,065	40,198	60.38	29,345	36.98	26,845	49.74
Nissan North America	108,493	105,312	-2.93	71,847	46.58	58,298	80.64
Subaru	18,932	28,683	51.51	21,839	31.34	18,620	54.04
Toyota Mo Co	211,533	225,088	6.41	174,872	28.72	131,654	70.97

Sneak Peek: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:41:00 GMT

After much teasing, Honda has released official images previewing its upcoming 2010 Crosstour – a hatchback Accord variant with crossover pretensions. It promises to combine the pleasing Accord driving experience with an elevated ride height and hatchback versatility. Its most direct competition will be the Toyota Venza.

The coupe-inspired design theme will also be employed on the upcoming Acura ZDX, a crossover model shown at 2009 New York International Auto Show. Based on the MDX platform, the ZDX will be positioned between the MDX and RL when it goes on sale this fall.

Despite the Crosstour going on sale in early October, no real information has been released beyond design speak and genre-bending hyperbole. We do know that Crosstour will be positioned atop the Accord range when it goes on sale, suggesting pricing may start in the high $20s and extend into the $30s.

For those anxious to connect with the Crosstour, Honda has set up a Crosstour Facebook page. If following a car on a social network seems a bit much, rest assured we’ll report more details here when they become available.

Hot Wheels: The Most Stolen Vehicles of 2008

admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 02:13:00 GMT

The National Insurance Crime Bureau's (NICB) has released its annual “hot wheels” report on the most stolen vehicles, revealing a list of older, high-volume models. Certain models of older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because of the value of their parts. In addition, older models are less likely to have factory security systems, such as an engine immobilizer, that could deter theft. (Read “Car Theft Prevention Tips - Keep your Vehicle from being Stolen.”)

The preliminary 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) shows that vehicle theft is on pace to record a decrease of 13.1 percent from 2007 numbers. That would make 2008 the fifth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts. Moreover, if the preliminary figures hold total thefts for 2008 would be below 1 million vehicles--the lowest annual total in over 20 years.

The most-stolen cars of 2008

1994 Honda Accord
1995 Honda Civic
1989 Toyota Camry
1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
2000 Dodge Caravan
1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
1994 Acura Integra
1999 Ford Taurus
2002 Ford Explorer

To prevent theft, NICB recommends:

Locking your car. Sounds simple, but it is a deterrent. Thieves prize convenience, stealth, and speed—none of which a locked car provides.
Warning device. A security system with a visible and/or audible warning is effective. Best bet is a system with a blinking light, so thieves don’t bother your car.
Immobilizer. "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs, and smart keys are extremely effective.
Tracker. A GPS-based tracking system that is monitored by the police, such as LoJack or a telematics system like Onstar can hasten vehicle recovery.

Cash for Clunkers Ends - Top 10 Trade ins, Purchases

admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:27:00 GMT

As of 8 p.m, EST tonight, the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program ended. Considered a success by the auto industry, politicians, and more than 600,000 car buyers, the so-called cash for clunkers program burned through $3 billion in federal funding quicker than anyone predicted. Remember when the original $1 billion had a rundown deadline of November 1st? Hard to believe.

The final figures may still be a days away, but the Department of Transportation has shared tabulations made as of this morning, showing 635,186 dealer transactions submitted for credit, worth $2.65 billion. Over half (54%) of the top 10 new vehicles purchased under the program were manufactured in the United States.

On average, the new vehicles showed a 9.2 mpg, or 58 percent, fuel economy improvement. Needless to say, the program worked far better than anyone anticipated at moving consumers out of old, “dirty” trucks and SUVs and into new more fuel-efficient cars. The massive mileage improvement makes more sense when looking at the three most popular purchases, all very miserly models.

Top 10 New Vehicles Purchased*

Toyota Corolla
Honda Civic
Ford Focus
Toyota Camry
Hyundai Elantra
Toyota Prius
Nissan Versa
Ford Escape FWD
Honda Fit
Honda CR-V 4WD

*as of last Friday

Notably, the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Toyota Camry, Ford Escape FWD, and the Honda CR-V 4WD are all manufactured in the U.S.

Top 10 Trade-in Vehicles

Ford Explorer 4WD
Ford F-150 Pickup 2WD
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
Jeep Cherokee 4WD
Ford Explorer 2WD
Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
Ford Windstar

See our previous report on the Top 10 Trade-Ins and Purchases from the initial $1 billion cash for clunkers phase.

Learn even more from “Cashing in on Clunkers.”

IIHS Tests Midsized Sedan Bumpers, Finds None Good

admin — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:19:00 GMT

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested bumpers on several midsized family sedans for repair costs, finding not one of the six models earned a top rating of Good. This is the second group of vehicles the Institute has evaluated under a new bumper ratings protocol based on repair costs averaged and weighted to reflect real-world damage and insurance claims frequency. (See “Small Cars Can Be Costly to Repair.”)

A series of four tests were conducted: front and rear full-width impacts at 6 mph and front and rear corner impacts at 3 mph. These tests are designed to drive bumper improvements, though they also highlight the potentially significant costs of a minor bump.

Bumpers on 2009 models of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Nissan Maxima performed better than their 2007 predecessors in low-speed crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Bumpers on the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and 2010 Ford Fusion did worse than earlier models. None of the six popular midsize sedans earns the top rating of Good in a recent series of tests designed to assess and compare how well bumpers resist damage in everyday fender-benders.

Bumpers on 2009 models of the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Nissan Maxima performed better than their 2007 predecessors in low-speed crash tests. However, bumpers on the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and 2010 Ford Fusion did worse than earlier models.

Weighted average repair costs / ratings
Mazda 6 - $871 / Acceptable
Honda Accord - $1,133 / Marginal
Hyundai Sonata - $1,265 / Marginal
Nissan Maxima - $1,687 / Poor
Ford Fusion - $2,207 / Poor
Chevrolet Malibu - $2,329 / Poor

The designs of 10 other midsize cars haven’t changed since their bumpers last were tested in the 2007 model year. Performance in those tests earns the Mitsubishi Galant and Toyota Camry Marginal ratings. The Chrysler Sebring, Nissan Altima, Pontiac G6, Saturn Aura, Subaru Legacy, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Passat, and Volvo S40 earn Poor ratings.

“Consumers buy midsize cars for practical reasons. There’s nothing practical about a $1,000-plus repair bill after a minor bump in commuter traffic,” says Joe Nolan, Institute senior vice president.

The results indicate how repair costs could influence insurance premiums, though there are many other factors that guide prices and should influence a purchase decision. Long-term, the IIHS tests of this nature will pressure the industry to be mindful of ownership costs when engineering product. For now, drivers should take this as a reminder to be careful. Even a small bump can be expensive.

Learn what you need to know about car insurance before you buy.

Cash for Clunkers – Top 10 Trade Ins, Purchases

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:14:00 GMT

The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS), popularly known as “cash for clunkers,” is widely regarded as a success, and now we have further proof. In “Cars for Clunkers Works, Time for a Sequel?” we chronicled the July sales that were buoyed from the program. We now have more detailed information on what vehicles were purchased, with refined figures by brand.

Thus far, 83% of trade-ins under the program are trucks, and 59% of new vehicle purchases are cars. Nearly half of new vehicles purchased under the program were from the Big 3. Detroit’s share in this program (45%) is equivalent to their overall share in the auto market (about 45%) – a couple points less than indicated in published reports yesterday.

Looking at the product mix, the trade ins are all traditional, high-volume models from domestic brands. The popular purchases are from several brands, skewing toward the imports. On average, the new models boast 63% better fuel economy than the models turned in.

A whopping 184,304 vehicles have been exchanged through this program, with car buyers benefiting from $775.2 million in credits. The program is still in effect, with some money remaining. The Senate is expected to pass a $2 billion extension to the program, and automakers and their suppliers are ramping up in anticipating.

So what are people buying? Below are the cash for clunker Top 10s.

Top 10 Trade-in Vehicles

Ford Explorer 4WD
Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
Jeep Cherokee 4WD
Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
Ford Explorer 2WD
Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
Ford Windstar

Top 10 New Vehicles Purchased

Toyota Corolla
Ford Focus
Honda Civic
Toyota Prius
Toyota Camry
Hyundai Elantra
Ford Escape FWD
Dodge Caliber
Honda Fit
Chevrolet Cobalt

New Vehicles Manufacturers

18.7% - General Motors
17.9% - Toyota
16.0% - Ford
11.6% - Honda
10.6% - Chrysler
7.0% - Nissan
6.6% - Hyundai
3.8% - Kia
2.3% - Mazda
2.2% - Subaru
1.9% - Volkswagen
0.4% - Suzuki
0.3% - Mini
0.3% - Mitsubishi
0.2% - Smart
0.1% - Volvo
0.1% - All others

Research new vehicles in the 2009 new car buyer’s guide. Learn even more from “Cashing in on Clunkers.”

Honda Launches Grassroots Motorsports Initiative for Enthusiast Racers and Fans

Brandy Schaffels — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:39:00 GMT

If you've always wanted to be a Honda racer, Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD), has just announced a new initiative targeted at expanding its presence in the grassroots motorsports market. Not familiar with grassroots motorsports? This low-buck racing activity has apparently got quite an enthusiastic following across many manufacturers, as evidenced by the bulk of content at grassrootsmotorsports.com.

Honda's new plan includes the development of official products and services to support competition in amateur and entry-level professional racing as well as an integrated marketing plan that encourages fan identification with the Honda Racing brand through branded merchandise sales and additional services.

"For many years, Honda enthusiasts have campaigned our products in racing series throughout the U.S.," said Erik Berkman, President of Honda Performance Development. "On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Honda brand in the United States, we are pleased to announce that we will now support those efforts directly, by introducing products and services geared toward helping our customers fulfill their racing dreams."

HPD plans to offer an assortment of products and services for Honda and Acura customers who compete in amateur and entry-level professional racing, including original and racing-performance parts, as well as integrated marketing activities designed to raise the profile of Honda Racing and HPD, the authorized Honda and Acura auto racing company in North America. (Founded in 1993, HPD is the technical operations center for Honda's and Acura's high-performance racing programs, is the single engine supplier to the IndyCar Series and competes in prototype sports-car racing under the Acura banner in the American Le Mans Series.)

"Thousands of our customers are racing Hondas or Acuras today with a need for regular access to parts," Berkman noted. "A market has clearly been established for a service like the Honda Racing Line. We are pleased to provide that service, and look forward to expanding the roster of benefits and services available to Honda Racing Line members."

As part of this grassroots initiative, HPD has also launched the Honda Racing Line, a club targeted at licensed racers. The Honda Racing Line will provide its members with a direct connection to Honda Performance Development and access to factory support. Competitors can register for the Honda Racing Line club and gain access to the parts catalogue at HondaRacingLine.com. Additional info about the program, including details on Racing Line membership benefits, will be announced throughout the year.

Looking for more information about Honda vehicles? Then find additional details here in the autoMedia.com New Car Buyer's Guide!

By Brandy Schaffels, autoMedia.com contributing editor

Smashing: IIHS Crash Tests Small Coupes

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:59:00 GMT

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released crash test results on five small two-door models, marking the first time the safety organization has tested coupes. The Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Scion tC, and Volvo C30 were each run through the organization’s front, side, and rear tests. Two models emerged with Top Safety Pick accolades—Focus and C30—and the others had solid performances.

Of the tested vehicles, all except the tC earned the highest rating of Good in the 40-mph frontal offset test. More variation was seen in the side-impact crash test, which simulates the impact from an SUV at 31 mph. Here, the Focus and C30 were the only coupes to earn a Good. The others were rated as Acceptable.

"All five cars in this group, from relatively inexpensive to moderately priced, have head-protecting side airbags as standard equipment,” says David Zuby, Institute senior vice president for vehicle research. “In 2003 automakers pledged to voluntarily put side airbags in their vehicles as standard equipment by the 2010 model year. They're making good on this pledge."

Simulating a low-speed impact, the rear crash test evaluates the risk for neck sprain or strain, the most frequently reported crash injury among U.S. insurance claims. Here again, all scored Good with the exception of the tC, which earned just a Marginal rating.

Through this test, the IIHS confirmed that crash test performance can vary between two- and four-door versions of a given car, making it essential for car shoppers to check the ratings for the specific body style they are interested in buying.

Crash test ratings can be found in the autoMedia buyer’s guides.

Learn more about how the IIHS performs crash tests.