Honda Odyssey Review

Honda must know that "street cred" and "minivan" go together like "50 Cent" and "country club". The preliminary sketches for the updated Odyssey show a vehicle bristling with sporting intent. Unfortunately, the finished item is another boxy behemoth with no more sex appeal than a shopping cart. This time out, Honda indented the Odyssey's lower doors and creased the nose. The cinched waist fails to moderate the slab sides while the rhinoplasty makes the Odyssey look like a snake with a half-eaten Acura TL sticking out of its mouth.

 

Honda Civic Si Review

Here's the thing: the 2004 Honda Civic Si has already been written off. Somehow, the car that popped the cherry for America's import racers has become an also-ran, outgunned by a new generation of high-horsepower compacts like the Subaru WRX and Dodge SRT-4. Honda's legendary hatchback now finds itself in an awkward and unfamiliar position: on the outside looking in. So is it time to say 'Sayonara' to the Si?

 

Honda S2000 Review

Naming a sports car an "S2000" was not an auspicious start for Honda's open-top pocket rocket. It probably sounded way cool at the time, but it's SO four years ago. And yet the little roadster still has its supporters. Earlier this year, Car and Driver magazine included the Honda in their "10 Best Cars", calling it "pure and involving". Me, I call it old and aggravating.

 

Digital Drive Car of the Year: Acura TL

As cars seem more and more alike, what sets them apart is leading-edge technology rather than acceleration or leather appointments packages. When one car has standard Bluetooth, better navigation, night vision, superior mileage with low emissions, or free Mayday calling, that's an advantage in attracting buyers. And that's what's behind our third annual PCMag.com / TechnoRide Digital Drive Awards: useful technology, applied intelligently. We honor the 10 best cars (also runners-up) and the best technology of 2008. The Digital Drive Car of the Year is the Acura TL and the Digital Drive Technology of the Year is Ford Sync. Slideshow, 2008 PCMag.com / Technoride Digital Drive Top 10 Cars: Click Here Here's how we chose the Digital Drive winners: We looked for pioneering use of cutting-edge technology as well as all-round application of established technology. On a high-end car such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, we expected lots of technology, because the S-Class goes out the door nicely equipped for $100,000. On more affordable cars such as the Volkswagen Jetta Diesel or Nissan Altima Hybrid, we looked for a couple standout features, in both cases here their energy efficiency. To be eligible for the Digital Drive Awards, the car had to be available in 2008. And we expected two core building blocks of technology - Bluetooth and a music adapter, not just a line-in jack - to be offered, at best included in the base price, at the very least offered as a dealer option. Here are the winners, which includes two from BMW (the leader in technology), and two from Nissan (and sibling Infiniti). See the slideshow for even more details on the winners. And use the Feedback section below to remind us how blind and short-sighted our winning choices are.

 

2009 Honda Insight Hybrid to Make World Debut at the Detroit Motor Show

2009 Honda Insight Hybrid to Make World Debut at the North American International Auto Show 12/03/2008 - TORRANCE, Calif. - The all-new 2009 Honda Insight hybrid will make its world debut in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The five-passenger, five-door Insight will go on sale in the spring of 2009. The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year - approximately 100,000 in North America - and will utilize a new interactive, driver-focused fuel economy enhancement technology named the Ecological Drive Assist System (Eco Assist™). A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced to market the first mass produced low-emission gasoline vehicles; America's first commercially produced gas-electric hybrid car and the world's first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX. In 2007, Honda was named "greenest automaker" by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.

 

Honda Revealed FC Sport Design Concept at 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show

Honda FC Sport Design Study Suggests Hydrogen Sports Car Future Innovative fuel cell packaging demonstrates green performance potential 11/19/2008 - LOS ANGELES - Honda today revealed the Honda FC Sport design study model, a hydrogen-powered, three-seat sports car concept, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The FC Sport emphasizes the design flexibility and potential of Honda's V Flow fuel cell technology - already deployed in the Honda FCX Clarity sedan - and reconfigures it into a lightweight sports car design with an ultra-low center of gravity, powerful electric motor performance and zero-emissions. The design study concept is inspired by supercar levels of performance through low weight and a high-performance, electrically driven fuel cell powertrain. "The Honda FC Sport explores how to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum," said Dan Bonawitz, vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "People who love sports cars will still have a reason to love in a hydrogen-powered future." The high-output Honda fuel cell powertrain and a sleek, aerodynamic body contribute to the vehicle's performance potential. A modular approach to fuel cell component packaging and the electric drivetrain contribute to the FC Sport's low center of gravity with the majority of vehicle mass distributed between the axles, creating the balanced weight distribution sought after in sports cars. The ideal placement of the Honda V-Flow fuel cell stack and related components demonstrates the benefits of a platform-specific, hydrogen-powered fuel cell powertrain. The FC Sport is configured to accommodate a custom-formed high-power fuel cell stack, located between the rear seats, and a battery pack placed low in the middle of the vehicle. The electric motor resides just forward of the rear axle. Two fuel storage tanks, visible from above, are located above the rear axle. The optimal placement of fuel cell components for performance also allows for a relatively large passenger cabin by conventional supercar standards with enough space for three seating positions. The interior layout focuses primarily on the driver with a racecar-like center driving position. The enclosed canopy opens upward from the rear to allow for entry and exit. Two rear passenger seats flank the driver's left and right side. The sleek, low-profile body is designed to convey a high-technology appearance with sculpting that combines angular shapes in the front of the vehicle that taper into geometric, hex forms in the rear. The rear hex forms house cooling radiators for the fuel cell. Formula 1-style barge boards behind the front wheels enhance high speed aerodynamics and convey the vehicle's racing pedigree. The hydrogen storage tanks, visible from the rear deck, showcase the FC Sports fuel cell technology in much the same way that a "naked bike" motorcycle showcases its engineering technology. The glacier white body color conveys the FC Sport's clean environmental aspirations while the dark wheels and deeply tinted glass provide a symbolic contrast befitting of the vehicle's unique combination of clean power and high performance. Green construction techniques further contribute to a reduced carbon footprint. An organic, bio-structure theme is carried through to the body construction where exterior panels are intended to use plant-derived bio-plastics. Honda FC Sport Design Concept - Hi-res. Images The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas, in Pasadena, California, developed the FC Sport design study with the primary objective of using existing fuel cell technology as the basis for an ultimate Honda sports car. Designer Jason Wilbur led the design efforts. Honda R&D Americas, Inc. began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 33 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products such as the Honda Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si. In 2008, the company opened two new design centers in Southern California: the Acura Design Studio (Torrance), for the research and design of new Acura products; and the Advanced Design Studio (Pasadena), for the exploration and development of advanced design themes for both Honda and Acura. The company operates 11 major R&D facilities in North America, including a full vehicle development center in Raymond, Ohio, and three design studios in Southern California. Honda R&D designers, engineers and support personnel are engaged in the development of Honda and Acura automobiles, powersports products, and power equipment for North America and global markets. The company's main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, California), responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, Ohio), responsible for complete product development, testing, and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and a dynamic test facility in Cantil, California.

 

Honda Accord Scores Highest Euro NCAP Crash Test Rating in Class

The new Honda Accord achieved the best combined safety rating in its class, in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results, published today. The Accord was awarded the first-ever three star pedestrian rating in the large family class, along with 5 star adult protection and 4 star child protection. "We are delighted with the EuroNCAP result, which confirms the new Accord as the leader for combined adult, child and pedestrian safety in the large family car class. With this rating, and the advanced active safety features of the Accord, our customers can experience the most effective technologies put into practice, with our goal of providing safety for everyone," said Ken Keir, Managing Director, Honda (UK). Innovative safety features fitted as standard: • Active head restraints • Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) • Motion Adaptive EPS Plus: • Dual stage front airbags • Driver and front passenger side airbags • Front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters • Full length curtain airbags • ISOFIX fittings and tether anchor points A host of advanced safety features are available on the new Accord, placing it at the forefront of its category for safety. It is the first D-sector car to be available with Collision Mitigation Braking System, which comes as part of the Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) along with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS). ADAS is available as an option on all EX and EX GT models, excluding 2.0-litre EX saloon models. In addition, for the first time, EuroNCAP has published Whiplash ratings for the front seats and the Accord achieved a score of 2.26 out of 4. — Motion Adaptive EPS The latest Accord features a new and innovative system in which the capabilities of both VSA and the car's Electric Power Steering are brought to bear. Called Motion Adaptive EPS, it detects instability in slippery conditions both during cornering and under braking and automatically initiates steering inputs aimed at prompting the driver to steer in the correct direction. The input is barely noticeable and control of the steering remains with the driver at all times. But this supporting steering torque is enough to prompt the driver to act intuitively and the driver's reaction as a result is enough to regain stability or to shorten braking distances, allowing control to be maintained. ADAS (optional across the range) LKAS: Uses a camera to detect the car deviating from a traffic lane and provides steering torque when necessary, thereby reducing the burden of motorway driving while at the same time enhancing safety. ACC: Uses a millimetre-wave radar to maintain a consistent distance to a vehicle directly in front, for more relaxed, less tiring driving. CMBS: Monitors the following distance and closing rate between the Accord and the car directly in front of it, warning the driver when a collision is likely and helping reduce impact when a collision becomes unavoidable. Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure Progressively introduced throughout the Honda range, the Accord's Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure provides significantly enhanced occupant protection in a variety of real-world crash conditions. A front-mounted polygonal main frame is designed to prevent cabin deformation by distributing forces through multiple major load bearing pathways - and away from the passenger compartment. This is particularly important where a frontal collision occurs between vehicles of differing heights, weights or frame construction. To achieve top level, side impact safety, Honda's engineers have increased the side section of the frame and chosen different material specifications to provide the desired level of stiffness and strength for critical areas, without adding unnecessary weight. The new Accord also incorporates many of the pedestrian-protection design features already familiar from recent Honda models, including windscreen wiper pivots designed to break away on impact, energy absorbing front wing mounts and bonnet hinges alongside an unobstructed area beneath the bonnet allowing greater space for deformation.