Honda Jazz Si launched at Geneva show
At Honda’s stand this year in Geneva we’ve seen the limited edition Jazz Si which will be sold only in Europe. This Japanese supermini comes with a new aero package that brings prominent side skirts, new front and rear bumpers and 16-inch alloys wrapped around in low-profile sport tires. Inside it has a leather-trimmed 3-spoke steering wheel, new sport seats, new gearshift lever – all of them having silver stitching.
Aside from look better than the standard version, the Jazz Si comes with an uprated chassis, having new dampers, a bigger front anti-roll bar which should improve body control and straight-line stability, along with an updated electric power steering system that offers a better response and feel.
Under the hood is the company’s 1.4-liter i-VTEC engine that produces 99 hp (100 PS) which is linked to a 5-speed manual transmission that enables the Jazz Si to hit a top speed of 113 mph (182 km/h).
This special edition of the Honda Jazz is scheduled to go on sale towards the end of this August.
Source: Honda via Carscoop
Post tags: Tags: geneva show, Honda, honda civic si, honda-civic, motor shows, special editions
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A very horrible bodykit is up for sale on eBay right now. We are talking about this Honda Civic Coupe-compatible kit that has been transformed by its owner to look more (or less) like a Bugatti Veyron 16.4. As you can see, the end result is pretty awful.
If you want to buy this “automotive masterpiece” you should be able to pay no less than $4,500 along with shipping taxes. Keep in mind that this price is only for the kit so you’ll need to pay extra for the car plus prepare to do a lot of work fitting this bodykit onto a mid 90s Civic Coupe.
This is what happens when you are too big of a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise…
Source: Jalopnik
Post tags: Tags: Bugatti, bugatti-veyron, entertainment, honda civic coupe, honda-civic
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Honda loses law suit due to low Civic Hybrid gas mileage
A former attorney and owner of a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid by the name of Heather Peters has won the law suit that she filed against the Japanese automaker due to misleading gas mileage. The decision was taken a few days ago at the Torrance Small Claims Court in California when Douglas Carnaham, the Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner ruled that the car maker has misled Heather into believing that her car could reach a gas mileage of 50 mpg.
The woman said that she wasn’t able to get more than 42 mpg with the Civic Hybrid and what’s even worse is that after Honda did a software update for improving the battery life, the gas mileage dropped under the 30 mpg mark.
After she noticed this, she decided that instead of handling this problem through a class-action law suit which would have resulted into high paychecks for the legal terms involved, she should take the case to the small claims court. By going down this road, under the Californian law for small claims court, lawyers are banned so Honda didn’t have the opportunity to bring its big-shot lawyers. It was a smart move for Heather because she had a lot more chances of winning in comparison to standing against wealthy corporations.
There were three hours of testimony over two days which lead to the longest case in the history of Torrance Small Claims Court, with the Japanese company attempting to prove that the car had no issues in providing the gas mileage promised. Carnaham did not take into account the eight-inch pile of letters that came from satisfied Civic Hybrid owners which Honda brought. The other defense that Honda brought was that the car had only a 42 mpg mileage (at best) due to how Heather drove and maintained the vehicle.
Honda lost and now has to pay the woman $9,857 in damages. However, it’s not that simple because under the Californian law, the Japanese company has the right to ask that the trial be heard again in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. If this will happen, Honda will be able to bring its A game thanks to its best lawyers.
Heather Peters said that she is now determined to help other owners of the Honda Civic Hybrid who are unhappy about the gas mileage. She said that she’s heard from more than 500 unsatisfied owners of the car and she now wants to reactivate her license again for helping these customers take legal actions against Honda.
Source: Green Car Reports
Post tags: Tags: Honda, honda civic hybrid, honda-civic, law suit
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The Japanese automaker Honda has confirmed a few days ago that a new generation of the Civic Type-R is under development and it will be launched sometime in 2013. This information was confirmed by a number of senior sources who told Autocar that the popular hot hatch is set to make a comeback in a couple of years.
Most likely, Honda will keep the recipe that made the car famous, which means that we should expect to see a high-revving naturally-aspirated engine that will probably develop more than 200 hp. The new generation of the Type-R is set to have “special bumpers, wheels, spoilers and seats” which will help “set it apart from the standard car”. We know for sure that Mugen won’t be involved at all in the development of the car, even though the tuner worked on the recent CR-Z model.
Source: Honda via Autocar
Post tags: Tags: Honda, honda-civic, honda-civic-type-r
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2012 Euro-spec Honda Civic
Honda has released at the beginning of this week new details about the upcoming Euro-spec 2012 Civic five-door model. The car has been developed to provide maximum efficiency and comes with an aerodynamic shape with streamlined mirrors, a lower front fascia and drag-optimized taillights. Compared to the outgoing model, the new Civic is 20mm lower and 10mm wider which gives it a more masculine and aggressive stance which can be enhanced by the 17-inch wheels offered as an optional feature.
2012 Euro-spec Honda Civic
As far as the interior cabin is concerned, the new model comes with a redesigned steering wheel, “soft touch” plastics and a touchscreen infotainment system. Other goodies included we should mention is the additional sound deadening material, along with Bluetooth connectivity and a trunk that can hold 14.2 cubic feet (401 liters) of luggage.
2012 Euro-spec Honda Civic
The car will be available with a choice of three engines. The first one is a 1.4-liter i-VTEC unit that develops 98 hp (100 PS / 73 kW) and a peak torque of 94 lb.-ft (127 Nm). With this engine, the Civic is able to do the 0-62 mph sprint in 13.4 seconds, on its way to a maximum speed of 116 mph (187 km/h). It has a fuel consumption of 5.4 liters / 100 km (52.3 mp imp) while the CO2 emissions stand at 129 g/km.
2012 Euro-spec Honda Civic
A beefier engine is the 1.8-liter i-VTEC that churns 139 hp (142 PS / 104 kW) and a maximum torque of 128 lb.-ft (174 Nm). Fitted with this engine, the 2012 Honda Civic can reach 62 mph from start in 9.1 seconds, en route to a top speed of 134 mph (215 km/h). This version has a fuel consumption of 5.8 liters / 100 km (48.7 mpg imp) while the CO2 emissions are of 137 g/km.
2012 Euro-spec Honda Civic
For those of you who prefer diesels, the new Civic can be ordered with a 2.2-liter i-DTEC that generates 148 hp (150 PS / 110 kW) and 258 lb.-ft (350 Nm) of torque. The 0-62 mph sprint is done in 8.5 seconds while the top speed is 135 mph (217 km/h). Not only it is the fastest engine of the three, but it’s also the most economical as it has a fuel consumption of only 4.2 liters / 100 km (67.2 mpg imp) and CO2 emissions of 110 g/km.
Source: Honda via WCF
Post tags: Tags: 2012 honda civic, Honda, honda-civic
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2013 Honda Civic Type R (rendering)
The new Civic Type R promises to be the fastest version ever launched by Honda and it also will be the first turbo road car from the Japanese automaker. According to sources in Japan, Mugen is already well underway with the development of the hot hatch. The new model will be significantly tweaked in comparison with the old version due to the fact that it will have to meet stricter emission regulations.
While the previous model had a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated power unit, the new model will be motivated by a turbo 2.0-liter which will meet the Euro 5 emissions regulations and a similar version of this engine will be used by Honda for its 2012 BTCC challenger. By installing a turbo to the engine, the Civic Type R will benefit from more torque in the lower rev range, which means that a higher gear will be able to be used more often to increase efficiency. Most likely, the new generation of the hot hatch will benefit from the stop/start technology.
The output of the engine will be lifted but not by much, as according to Auto Express, the new model will get 210 hp, which should be enough for a 0-62 mph sprint in less than six and a half seconds, en route to a top speed of almost 150 mph.
2013 Honda Civic Type R (rendering)
Just as you would expect, the Type R will be based on the recently introduced Civic which was exhibited last month at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany. This means that we will see the same front grille, the LED daytime running lights and slim headlights, but other than that the body will be pretty much uprated.
The front end should adopt bigger mesh air intakes, chunky side skirts and a lower chin spoiler. At the back we should expect to see an extended spoiler and a rear diffuser.
The new generation of the Honda Civic Type R will be launched sometime in 2013 and it will be available in only a 5-door variant. Most likely, the base price tag for the car will be of approximately 23,000 pounds.
Source: Auto Express
Post tags: Tags: Honda, honda-civic, honda-civic-type-r
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2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
This spring Honda revealed its 2012 lineup for the Civic, except for the Natural Gas model, the one previously known as the Civic GX. Now they’ve offered all the juicy details about this model and as its name says, it runs on compressed natural gas and it is in fact the only natural-gas passenger car sold in the United States that is coming from a major automaker.
2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
The base price for the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas is $26,155 plus $750 for the destination fee, for a grand total of $26,905. If you want the model fitted with the satellite navigation system, prepare to pay $27,655 + the destination fee. This means that the price tag of the car is about $1,000 higher than the equivalent 2009 Honda GX model.
2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
The car is motivated by a 1.8-liter engine that the Japanese engineers have modified in order to work on natural gas, and it is linked to a 5-speed automatic transmission. Approximately two-thirds of the trunk space is occupied by the cylindrical tank where the fuel is.
2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
In California, the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas qualifies for a special sticker that allows the vehicle to travel in High-Occupancy Vehicle lanes with only one occupant. This would have to be a privilege that recently ended for 85,000 owners of three different hybrid models, including here earlier versions of the Civic Hybrid.
2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas
EPA has certified the vehicle as being the cleanest 2012MY car that has an internal combustion engine. It is scheduled to go on sale at approximately 200 qualified dealers of the company from October 18th and it will be available in 38 states in the U.S.
Source: Honda via Green Car Reports
Post tags: Tags: Green, Honda, honda civic natural gas, honda-civic
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2012 Honda Civic
The ninth generation of the Honda Civic was revealed a couple of weeks ago and now we’ve learned that in the UK it will have a starting price of 16,495 pounds for the SE trim level that comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, USB + MP3 and air conditioning. As standard it comes with the 1.4-liter gasoline engine that produces 99 hp but for 1,500 pounds more you can get it with the beefier 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine that delivers 140 hp. The price for the SE trim Civic that is motivated by the 2.2 i-DTEC diesel with 148 hp starts from 20,095 pounds.
2012 Honda Civic
The more expensive ES trim level adds rear-view parking camera, cruise control, keyfob-operated door mirrors and windows. It costs 18,995 pounds for the model fitted with the 1.8-liter engine and 21,095 pounds for the diesel variant.
2012 Honda Civic
Both these SE and ES trim levels can be ordered with the T-grade package that costs 995 pounds and comes with a satellite navigation system.
2012 Honda Civic
Moving up the lineup for the new Honda Civic and we find the EX trim that packs heated seats wrapped around in leather, premium audio system and sat-nav. You’ll have to pay at least 21,745 pounds if you want the 1.8-liter model or 23,845 pounds for the diesel engine.
2012 Honda Civic
The top-spec variant of the car is the EX GT that costs from 24,495 (gasoline) and 26,595 pounds (diesel). What you’ll get aside from the aforementioned features are front & rear parking sensors, keyless entry/ignition, panoramic glass roof, bi-xenon headlights, tinted windows and 17-inch alloy wheels. If you want to spend 1,900 pounds more, you can get the Adaptive Cruise Control as well as the Collision Mitigation Braking System, a novelty for the model.
2012 Honda Civic
As standard, all of the three engines are mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox while the 1.8-liter gasoline unit can be linked to an automatic transmission for an additional 1,385 pounds. Manual modes get as standard the stop/start system plus the Econ switch that according to the Japanese automaker “adopts specific settings to improve fuel consumption”. The new Civic will also sport the company’s Intelligent Multi-Information Display which is in fact a 5-inch screen mounted in the dashboard that displays useful info like, audio and climate settings, idle stop status and mpg.
2012 Honda Civic
Source: Honda via Autocar
Post tags: Tags: Honda, honda-civic
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2012 Honda Civic (Hatchback)
This week during the 64th edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Japanese car maker Honda unveiled its new Civic (hatchback) model which has been engineered and will be built in Europe at the company’s plant located in Swindon, UK.
2012 Honda Civic (Hatchback)
The size of the new one is just about the same as the outgoing model, measuring 4,300 mm long, 1,700 mm wide and being 1,440 mm tall, while the wheelbase is 2,595 mm. Set to hit the dealerships next month in Europe, customers will be able to choose from two gasoline engines and one turbodiesel unit.
2012 Honda Civic (Hatchback)
The entry-level 1.4-liter gasoline engine is capable of producing 100 h p and will be able to return 43.5 mpg (5.4 liters / 100 km), while CO2 emissions stand at 129 g/km. The beefier 1.8-liter unit churns 142 hp and will be available as standard with a manual gearbox or an optional automatic transmission. Mated to the first one, the 2012 Honda Civic (hatchback) has a combined fuel consumption of 40.5 mpg (5.8 liters / 100 km) while with the automatic gearbox it will do 37.3 mpg (6.3 liters / 100 km). The manual model has CO2 emissions of 137 g/km while the automatic version has 148 g/km.
2012 Honda Civic (Hatchback)
If you want more muscles under the hood, you might as well opt for the updated 2.2-liter i-DTEC turbodiesel that generates 150 hp. Being a diesel, it is the most eco-friendly and frugal engine for the new Civic, being capable of returning 56 mpg (4.2 liters / 100 km) with CO2 emissions of just 110 g/km.
Source: Honda via Carscoop
Post tags: Tags: frankfurt motor show, Honda, honda civic hatchback, honda-civic
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Honda Civic Type R MUGEN 2.2
The Japanese automaker Honda has revealed the 2.2 Version of its hot Civic Type R Mugen, built in order to celebrate the 2.0-liter K20 gasoline power unit, which was recently retired. This special model features an increased bore and stroke, offering a displacement of 2.2-liters (2,156cc). Courtesy of these upgrades, the engine outputs 256 hp (260 PS / 191 kW) and a peak torque of 177 lb.-ft (240 Nm).
Honda Civic Type R MUGEN 2.2
At the moment, the plans for producing this version have not been finalized yet, but the car maker is analyzing two variants. The first one would have to be to convert the four 2012 Civic Type R Mugen units that haven’t been sold or they’ll offer the conversion to current owners. My guess is that they’ll do both.
Honda Civic Type R MUGEN 2.2
Source: Honda
Post tags: Tags: Honda, honda civic type r mugen, honda-civic, honda-civic-type-r
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The Japanese automaker Honda is working hard on a more eco-friendly variant of its 2.2-liter engine as a response to the criticism that its power unit is not as clean and frugal as it should be. This new engine will have CO2 emissions of only 110 g/km and will be available at first for the all-new Honda Civic, a car that will make its official debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it will hit the dealerships next year.
This new generation of the i-DTEC power unit generates 148 hp which is the same as the more polluting one fitted to the Accord and 10 hp more than the current 2.2 CDTi that is available for the outgoing Civic. Compared to the older one, this new engine emits 29 g/km less and they managed to do this by implementing a stop/start system as well as a whole bunch of other internal tweaks that were not going to bother you with.
Honda stated that 5 g/km of the saving is from the stop/start system while the rest of the 24 g/km is thanks to the revised oil channels in order to reduce friction as well as a few aerodynamic refinements to the body.
By launching this new i-DTEC engine, the Civic will become a more worthy adversary for the VW Golf and the Ford Focus but we’re not sure if it stands a chance against these two cars, especially in Europe.
Source: Honda via Autocar
Post tags: Tags: Green, Honda, honda-civic
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Recalls: 2011 US-spec Honda Civic
Even Honda which sells probably the most reliable cars in the world is having problems with one of their models. We are talking here about the US-spec 2011 Civic model which has a problem with a possible defective fuel pump module. The Japanese automaker will recall 18,056 Civics from the 2011 model year.
According to NHTSA – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the roll-over valve inside some fuel pump modules may have been damaged during the car’s production phase and might cause fuel leakage in the event of a roll-over incident. The good news is that no injuries or crashes have been reported because of this problem.
Honda’s dealers will have to inspect the Civic’s fuel pump module and if it is necessary they will replace it, free of charge of course. The safety recall will begin on or before April 11. If you are one of the 18,056 owners, you can contact the company’s customer service department at 1-800-999-1009.
Source: Carscoop
Post tags: Tags: honda-civic, Recalls
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The only valid solution I could think of is to research and construct a ranking of the top 5 model sales of 2010 to help me make an idea where the market has shifted the most, hoping that all of us to get a better grip on the situation and maybe even find the best car suited for our personal purposes within the top 5.
On the 5th place the ever present Honda Civic as one of the most popular compact cars in America since its launch in 1973. The strong assets of the Honda Civic are the high level of fit and finish, an impressive reputation for reliability and low running costs. The tweaks made to it to improve the environmental awareness and superior performances, makes the Honda Civic a top choice for many Americans.
The 4th place is occupied by another Honda, the Accord this time. This car has earned the interest of the Americans not by being luxurious or sporty or possessing high performance capabilities, but by providing all the necessary needs to every American. It’s strongly build and safe. On the road is very comfortable and roomy, which is an important factor that places it over most coupe’s, and it’s intelligent: offering a wide variety of specs to it. This car is what I like to call a “work-horse” it’s not meant to be great or shiny or super fast. It’s sole job is to get you on the road and back home safe. A job taken very seriously by Honda.
Our 3rd place is occupied by the Toyota Camry, which despite of the late start in 1983 when it replaced the Corona and quietly entering the market, would grow, morph and finally dominate the entire midsize family sedan segment for the next 30 years. Standing tall with high quality body structure, an impressive durability and ensured comfort on the road, the Camry is the best choice you can have when seeking a roomy comfortable and dependable family car.
Our runner up is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. A part of the pick-up trucks family the Silverado is a major player on the market. No matter the terrain or the load, this truck will get the job done. Being surprisingly light for a pick-up, it can serve as the weekday family car, or it can tow a boat on the weekends when trips can’t be missed. It provides all the features people want as standard like air conditioning, navigation system, CD-player and electric windows making it a solid pick no matter what its intended use is.
And finally the king of pickup trucks happens to be number 1 in our top, the Ford F-250 Super Duty. There are a ton of reasons for this pick-up to be leader. One of them is the fact that Ford offered an impressive variety of body styles, powertrain options and trim levels to choose from. For this reason, no matter if you’re a business man, or a big rancher, this car will suite just fine with all your demands. Very powerful and silent, this car will run smooth even with massive payloads, being very easy to drive and comfortable to ride in. Big improvements to the engine, handling dynamics increased and a redesigned cabin with higher quality materials can only be a huge asset to any buyer.
Concluding our top 5 I think I may have stumbled over the car I’m getting. Have you?
Post tags: Tags: Best American Car To Buy 2010, honda-accord, honda-civic, toyota camry
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When you buy a used car it’s important to get the best possible one for your money and to be sure that you can rely on its quality. A car it’s an important investment that should be made wisely taking into consideration every piece of information you can gather.
It is known than in 2010, prices for used cars went up 6% from last year. The demand is high and prices are reacting to the situation on the market. A vehicle dependability study tried to reveal the names and producers of three-year old vehicles that are more inclined to cause fewer problems than others, once bought. The study involved 52.000 owners of 2007 models and built its statistics around the cars and owners that experienced little problems.
The study showed that the five most reliable brands are Porsche, Lincoln, Buick followed by Lexus and of course Mercury. Toyota didn’t make it in top five but occupies the sixth position, because of its 2007 models that still have problems that need solving. But if you really like Toyota cars you should know that prices went 4.5% down this year, due to all announcements about recalls and all.
What’s important to remember is that a car looses 47% of its value in the first three years. That’s what we should keep in mind while we take a look at some of the best used cars to purchase.
When it comes to small cars, Honda Civic it’s a great choice. It’s reliable, economical and of course fun to drive. With each year the models improved, until the most recent ones that are available with electronic stability control. Other good choices are Toyota Echo, Volkswagen Rabbit, Scion xB or Subaru Impreza.
Family cars are well represented by the Honda Accord, an agile car with a standard antilock brake system and a V6 engine. When it comes to fuel economy the Toyota Prius hybrid comes in mind along with Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan that are both reliable and cost effective.
The upscale car section is dominated by Lexus ES, a fuel efficient and comfortable car with standard ESC. Other great examples are Acura TL, Infiniti G or Volvo S60.
Small SUV’s are a good choice id you have in mind a Honda CR-V, with a four-cylinder engine and a fuel economy feature. Models from 2005 on are preferable, because they come with ESC and curtain air bags as standard. Other excellent options are Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape Hybrid or Subaru Forester.
Honda Pilot is a great example when it comes to large SUV’s. That’s because of its generous room for eight passengers and because of its outstanding crash-test results. Toyota Highlander is another winner along with Lexus RX, Toyota 4Runner or Hyundai Santa Fe.
Minivans are a good choice for some of us and Honda Ridgeline it’s definitely an option worth taking into consideration due to its good ride and handling. Toyota Sienna it’s another choice, with a V6 engine, automatic transmission and side/curtain airbags.
It’s hard to define the best used car to purchase, because it all comes down to personal taste and needs. A good study of the market and the name of a few reliable manufacturers in mind will surely be a plus.
Post tags: Tags: honda-civic, scion xb, subaru impreza, Toyota Echo, Volkswagen Rabbit
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At the beginning of January, Honda showed us the Civic sedan and coupe concepts and now they’ve launched the production model. Unfortunately, there is no hatchback version yet, although I can’t complain as I never liked the design, too futuristic for me.
Both the sedan and the coupe models will feature a 4-cylinder i-VTEC 1.8-liter engine that will produce 140 hp, mated to a 5-speed automatic gearbox. The new Civic will benefit from the ECO Assist technology and it will do approximately 39 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.
The sportier “Si” version will have a more powerful 4-cylinder i-VTEC 2.4-liter engine, good for 200 hp and 170 lb.-ft of torque. This power unit will be mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and it will do 31 mpg on the highway, according to Honda.
There is also going to be a hybrid version available which will feature an electric motor that will work together with a 4-cylinder i-VTEC 1.5-liter engine, producing 110 hp. The hybrid version will benefit from the CVT – Continuously Variable Transmission, the aforementioned ECO Assist technology and a lithium-ion battery.
No word about availability or pricing, but we’ll keep you posted once we find out.
Post tags: Tags: honda-civic
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