Why Honda is growing as Detroit falls behind

When consumers astonished the U.S. auto industry two months ago by quickly shunning trucks and going for gas mileage, the biggest beneficiary ended up being Honda Motor Co.

The No. 2 Japanese automaker, with the most fuel-efficient model lineup in the industry, never put both feet into the U.S. truck market, focusing instead on slow-but-steady growth with popular cars such as the Civic and the Accord.

It paid off in June. While its major competitors reported double-digit declines in sales and burgeoning truck and sport utility vehicle inventories, Honda had a modest 1 percent sales increase. Its car sales were up almost 20 percent from the same month last year; the Civic and the Accord were among the industry's top sellers.

"They are better positioned than anybody in terms of the products they have for this kind of environment," said Ron Harbour, author of a widely respected annual report on auto factory productivity.

Honda's top U.S. executive said Wednesday the company is well-positioned for $4 per gallon gasoline because it always has emphasized small, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Honda Civic goes green with mileage envy

They have long ruled American roads, standing out as a symbol for the gas-conscious and green chic in what’s a guzzlers’ paradise. Now hybrids have finally debuted in India. Honda Siel launched India’s first ever hybrid vehicle last week with the Civic sedan. The company, which had announced its decision to introduce the Civic hybrid in India and had even showcased its fuel cell car at the auto show to highlight its green genes, does not expect the Civic to roll in the kind of big volumes it has generated in the US mostly because of the 104% customs duty on all-import cars which makes it very expensive. In the US, hybrids have scored not just because of their mileage and green footprint but also due to tax breaks which make them affordable. For Honda, the hybrid in India is a positioning plank for its technology. So what exactly is a hybrid? It’s essentially a petrol-electric dual fuel vehicle that offers better mileage along with lower emission.The Honda Civic Hybrid System features a three stage i-VTEC +IMA that employs Honda’s 1.3 litre o-VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) petrol engine to provide three stages of valve timing (low speed, high speed and cylinder idle mode) combined with a compact and efficient electric motor, namely the IMA (integrated motor assist) system. Together with its CVT transmission, the system provides nearly 50% improved fuel efficiency than the usual 1.8 litre automatic Civic but offers performance that’s just as peppy. The Civic Hybrid can deactivate all its four cylinders and operate on the just the electric motor when it is in steady cruising mode. Also when you press the brake and the cars stops, the combustion engine switches off. Both these factors are responsible for the fuel efficiency that it promises.

Honda to suspend car output at more China plants

Japan's No.2 automaker had suspended production at two major car factories and an engine plant in the southern city of Guangzhou due to flooding from heavy rains. It said last week the factory held with Dongfeng in the central Chinese city of Wuhan could also be suspended in the event of a supply bottleneck. [ID:nT251332]

The engine factory in Guangzhou, also owned jointly with Dongfeng, supplies some engine parts to the Wuhan factory, which builds CR-V sport utility vehicles and Civic sedan models.

Honda said it was unclear how much damage, if any, the facilities in Guangzhou suffered from the flooding. The engine factory and one of the car factories were suspended for four days last week. The other car plant was undamaged but shuttered for two days since engine supply was disrupted.

The two car factories, run jointly with Guangzhou Automobile Group Co, build the Accord, Odyssey, Fit and City models and have a combined annual production capacity of 360,000 vehicles.

Production only of engines and cars that were already on the assembly lines when operations were halted would resume on Tuesday to gauge any damage to the facilities, the spokeswoman said. Honda will decide late on Tuesday how to proceed on the following day, she said.

Honda takes honours in battle of the off-roaders

The study examined 28 manufacturers and 100 models, from city cars to 4x4s, registered between September 2005 and August 2006.

Here, we look at how some of the better-known 4x4s got on. It's important to remember that many of these have been replaced by newer models, but for anyone buying secondhand it is a good piece of insight.

It is also important to note that a number of 4x4s were not sampled. Most of those were 'softroaders', as opposed to hard-graft offroaders.

The Honda CR-V (since replaced by a newer version) came top of the 4x4 pile, with four-out-of-five stars and an 81.6pc satisfaction rating. It finished 32nd overall, out of the 100 surveyed. In the CR-V, comfort wasn't highly rated, and neither was the stereo.

The authors say the 4x4 category didn't fare well overall.

The next best 4x4 was the Toyota RAV4, with a score of 81pc and a 38th place ranking.

Owners said they had more problems with interior controls, such as wipers, locks and windows.

2008 Honda Accord EX V6 Sedan Review

Cars are not all equally important. While some might be a lot more exciting to drive, they're often priced beyond the reach of most consumers, who can't do anything else but to dream about owning one of them.

The 2008 Honda Accord is a complete departure from the previous generation. In terms of size, the car is heavier and larger in every respect. Overall length grew by 76 millimeters, while height and width also boast significant increases. The resulting longer wheelbase means interior room is more generous than ever before. Passengers can stretch their limbs more freely, both in the coupe and the sedan.

Of course, this maturing process goes beyond size. The new Accord also gets a pair of more powerful, less thirsty engines. Consumers looking for the best fuel economy will turn to the base LX model (4 cylinders), while performance enthusiasts will definitely prefer the 268-hp EX V6 model, even though it's a bit short on driving excitement. In typical Honda fashion, the 5-speed automatic transmission is highly effective.

Honda expects to beat sales target this year

BANGI: Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd expects to exceed its car sales target this year due to the robust domestic economy and the public's increased purchasing power, managing director and chief executive officer Atsushi Fujimoto said.

Honda plans to sell 33,000 completely built-up (CBU) and completely knocked-down (CKD) cars in 2008, up 16% from 2007.

“Malaysia's economy is very stable. So, we are optimistic that demand for passenger vehicles will remain robust,” Fujimoto said at the launch of the TASCO Honda Bangi Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) Centre here.

Carmaker recalls almost 80,000 Civics because of faulty handbrake

Honda has written to Civic owners advising them of the fault and is offering all customers a free handbrake.

The Civic is the biggest-selling model for Honda, with about 100,000 a year being produced at its factory near Swindon, Wiltshire.

The Japanese carmaker is not the only company to be affected by the problem of runaway cars.

Vauxhall was the subject of an investigation by the BBC’s Watchdog programme in January of this year, over claims that it was producing cars with faulty handbrakes and its vehicles had the capacity to roll away when parked.

Around 250,000 Signum and Vectra models were subsequently recalled by the manufacturer in order to fit new springs in the handbrake.

Jenson Button is reportedly on the verge of signing a new deal with Honda

According to ITV, the Englishman is set to agree a three-year contract extension with the team.

While team principal Nick Fry was more circumspect, remarking that negotiations were continuing without rush, he did confirm that both parties were ready to commit.

"Jenson and his management team is first class," he told the broadcaster. "Jenson and the Honda team are locked solid together. As a driver and an individual he continues to develop and our objective is to make him world champion."

Honda aims to raise sales in India

Japanese major, Honda Motor Company controls more than 60% of the two wheeler market in India. It's 5.5% market share in the passenger car market is 'nano' before its Japanese rival Suzuki and the Korean major Hyundai Motor. While its volumes, which are expected to come from the small car to be launched in 2009 is two years away Honda aims to raise sales in India by a third to 90,000 cars by next fiscal year, and raise output to 160,000 by 2010. It aims to clock sales of 68,000 units this year and has already sold 50,132 units till January this year.

The Honda Siel Car India (HSCI) chief M Takedagawa speaks with Automania about the long-term plans and the company's aim to emerge as the largest player in the Indian premium car market and new models to hit the market from Honda stable.

Honda Accord tops 'Forbes' best certified used car list

Think about a used car and you might think junky, dirty and old. But another market is catching the attention of savvy buyers who want updated rides without paying new-car prices.

These certified used or certified "pre-owned" (CPO) vehicles have been inspected and refurbished by the manufacturer and are backed by extended warranties. The certified used car market isn't one that automakers can afford to ignore.

According to a recent J.D. Power and Associates study, sales of certified used cars have increased 46% since 2000. Auto experts estimate that 1.6 million certified used cars are sold annually, a number equivalent to 10% of new vehicle sales.

Consumer Reports: Honda makes the best cars

The best cars you can buy in the United States are made by Honda, according to Consumer Reports. The is the second year in a row the Japanese automaker has been given the distinction.

Honda (HMA) cars and trucks scored an overage of 78 out of a possible 100 points in Consumer Reports' various tests. Toyota (TM) came in second with 75 points followed by BMW, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen. (After rounding, Nissan and Volkswagen tied with 71 points.)

"Honda earned the top score because it builds cars that are well-rounded, have excellent reliability and perform very well," the magazine, published by the not-for-profit Consumers Union, said in an announcement.