Archive for Honda

Honda Malaysia CEO Atsushi Fujimoto has called on the Malaysian government to provide incentives and reduce taxes for manufacturers and importers of hybrid cars. He added that the Honda Civic Hybrid is priced RM40,000 higher than the regular petrol-engined 2.0S model and was selling between one to two units a month.

“If there’s government assistance, it will be better for us as we can sell more hybrid cars,” said Fujimoto-san. MITI minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has already indicated in the past that MITI will consider revising the rates for CBU hybrid cars. With pushes from both principals as well as grey importers with strong connections such as Premier Hybrid Cars, we could really see something happening with hybrid car taxes in the future.

However, at the same time the PM is also pushing for Proton to come out with a hybrid car and Proton has reported they are collaborating with hybrid component suppliers for a hybrid car that could be ready for market in 2 to 3 years if it finds it feasible.

So there is also a possibility for MITI pull a flip flop and instead put up a protective policy for Proton’s hybrid car. Let’s cross fingers and hope this does not happen.

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Honda has given the American market Honda Ridgeline pick-up truck a facelift and according to them the updates Ridgeline has 50 changes. The most obvious are the exterior looks thanks to revisions to the headlamps, taillamps, grille, and bumpers. Thanks to the revised bumpers the Ridgeline is now longer by 5mm, but all other dimensions including its 3099mm wheelbase remain the same.

Its 3.5 liter V6 is now up to 250 horsepower at 5,700rpm, up from 247 horses in the original Ridgeline. Torque is also up from 332Nm to 335Nm of torque at 4,300rpm. The torque band is also flatter now and starts off at a higher point before reaching its peak. The engines dual-stage intake manifold is now made of magnesium instead of aluminium. The intake valves are larger and there is now an airflow meter inside the air intake tract.

Power goes to all four wheels via a 5-speed automatic (now with revised ratios - gear 3 and 4 are approximately 5% lower) and a Variable Torque Management 4-wheel drive system, or VTM-4. The VSA stability control system works together with the VTM-4 system to ensure grip in all road conditions, and there is a VTM-4 Lock button on the dash to lock the rear differential in gears 1 and 2 at speeds of up to 30km/h.

The chassis is what Honda calls a “closed-box unit-body frame” which combines features from a ladder frame and a monocoque design. This reminds me of what Suzuki claims their Grand Vitara chassis is built on. Suspension design is fully independent with MacPherson struts at the front and a multilink suspension at the rear.

On the interior you get a new instrument panel and a new steering wheel design. New features include a 115V power outlet for the RTL model, MP3/aux input on the RTS and RTL, MP3 and WMA compatibility for the audio systems, and more ergonomics air conditioning, sunroof, cruise control and headlamp controls. The starter motor has also been improved and engine cranking is now quicker.

Look after the jump for plenty of hi-res images of the facelifted Ridgeline.

Click here to read the rest of 2009 Honda Ridgeline Facelift Details and Photos

As you can see from the photos, there are various front end stylings prepared for Honda Fit / Honda Jazz targetted at different regions around the world.

The top left is the UK market Honda Jazz, while the top right is the American Honda Fit. The second row are both JDM Fits, one with the normal kit and the other in the Fit RS kit. At the bottom is the Jazz you will find in Singapore (which is likely the ASEAN version too), which looks like the Fit RS but with additional fog lamps in the front bumper.

These are just the front end’s styling differences. I’ve counted at least four tail lamp designs! Together with a range of aftermarket tail lamp lenses that are sure to emerge soon if not already, the many customization options of the original Jazz and its new successor is likely one of the main reasons why it is so popular here despite being expensive. Which design do you like the best?

Which design do you think Malaysians will get when the 2nd generation Jazz is finally launched here? It’s likely the ASEAN version. The Defy Convention teaser site counts down another 13 days and 21+ hours until its launch as of time of posting.

Okay, so we’ve seen the Japanese market Honda Fit and Fit RS with the 1.3 liter and 1.5 liter engines, and the UK market Honda Jazz with the 1.2 liter and 1.4 liter engines and i-SHIFT gearbox. Before we see the Malaysian/ASEAN spec Jazz introduced here sometime this month, Honda has also unveiled the US version of the Honda Fit.

If you notice they are all basically the same car but with different engine and transmission options as well as minor styling changes here and there. The Japanese, UK and American models all have different front bumper designs. If you exclude the Japanese Fit RS, the American 2009 Honda Fit definitely has one of the more sportier styling elements out of the whole international range.

While the Japanese and UK cars have similiar tail lamps, the tail lamps of the US version have the same shape but a different lense design. The Thai version also has a different tail lamp design with more red than crystal as compared to its twins from the other regions, which is likely the version we will get.

Only one engine options is available in the US - a 1.5 liter i-VTEC inline-4 engine with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed auto, although it’s expected that a next generation 1.3 liter IMA gasoline-electric hybrid will be dumped into the Fit at a later date. Paddle shifters are available, and Honda also offers a sat nav system with the car.

More images after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2009 Honda Fit for US market unveiled!

Honda Motor Co has stepped into the Malaysian motorcycle market, taking over the Honda motorcycle business currently run by Boon Siew Sdn Bhd like it did a few years ago with the Honda car business, moving Honda cars from a franchisee brand in Malaysia to one run by the principals.

Kah Assemblers Sdn Bhd currently manufactures Honda motorcycles in Malaysia. Sales is handled by Boon Siew Sdn Bhd, 100% owned by the Boon Siew family. Honda will buy 50% of the shares of Kah Assemblers Sdn Bhd in September 2008, currently 100% owned by Oriental Holdings Berhad.

The new company will be called Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd and will be a 50-50 joint venture between Honda Japan and Oriental Holdings. The sales function will be transfered to the new Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd in January 2009.

Honda models produced in Malaysia currently include the Honda EX-5, Honda Wave100, Honda Wave125, Honda Click and the Honda CBR150R.

The new Honda Jazz will be introduced in the UK market this Autumn and will differ in terms of equipment to the one that Japan and ASEAN gets. Like our version of the Jazz, the i-DSI engine has been phased out but in are two engines - a 90 PS 1.2 liter i-VTEC and a 100 PS 1.4 liter i-VTEC (likely actually the same as the 1.3 liter that we know).

For the 1.4 liter automatic model it uses neither a 5-speed auto or a CVT gearbox that the Japanese Fit and ASEAN Jazz get, but a next generation 6-speed HONDA i-SHIFT automated manual transmission. The first generation i-SHIFT made its debut on the Honda Civic hatchback. This new version promises reduced shift times, smoother shifts and a more intelligent automatic mode.

The 1.2 liter manual model promises 55.4mpg on the combined cycle with emissions of 120g/km. The 1.4 liter model does pretty well too - 54.3mpg and 123g/km. The models with manual transmissions get Shift Indicator Lights to provide a visual prompt of when is the best time to shift gears.

More images after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2008 Honda Jazz UK-spec to get 6-speed i-SHIFT

Honda’s 2-seater sports car design study called the Honda Open Study Model Concept (OSM Concept) has been unveiled at the 2008 British International Motor Show in London.

The Honda OSM Concept pitches the idea of a lightweight front-wheel drive roadster that is both stylish and environmentally friendly. The theme for the OSM is “Clean and Dynamic” and it was designed at Honda’s European R&D Facility in Offenbach, Germany.

On the interior you have the double deck dashboard with a rev meter on the bottom deck and vital information displayed in digital format on the top deck, similiar to the 2006 Honda Civic. The dash curves to the right and downwards in the left hand drive layout, providing a cockpit-like environment.

Continue reading for more photos.

Click here to read the rest of Honda OSM two-seater roadster concept

Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd is currently having a 3S campaign from the 1st of July 2008 until the 30th of September 2008. According to Honda CEO Atsushi Fujimoto, the Honda 3S campaign is set to become an annual campaign to directly reward existing and potential customers, to show appreciation when they visit Honda 3S centres during the campaign period.

3S centres are very important with any brand. This is because most if not all interaction between a customer and a car manufacturer is through a car manufacturer’s dealer. So in a way, the dealer represents the brand and directly defines whether the customer will be happy or unhappy with the manufacturer. 3S stands for sales, service and spare parts. This means the dealership will be able to provide support for sales and after-sales.

Imagine if you buy a car from a 1S dealer and somehow luck is not on your side and you need something fixed under warranty or any other issue with the car - the 1S dealer cannot help you and would most likely not be bothered about you as he’s finished his sale. When you go to another dealer that has 3S he may not be too enthusiastic about helping you out as he did not get his sales commission from you. There are certain car manufacturers that are plagued with this sort of dealers and in the end both the brand and customer loses out and only the 1S dealers laugh all the way to the bank.

Smart car manufacturers do realise this, for example when GM took over Chevrolet’s operations here it began with a revamp of its dealership network to ensure all dealerships are 3S. Honda has 51 3S centers throughout Malaysia, making the brand well-represented in each state except Perlis. This will be increased to 60 by 2010. Honda expects 100,000 after-sales customers and 45,000 visitors to its 3S dealerships during this 3S campaign.

Visitors to Honda 3S dealerships and test drive any models will get a Honda Tool Kit. There are also special interest rates for the City, CR-V, Stream, Odyssey and Civic. Buyers of the Civic Type R, Civic Hybrid, Stream or Odyssey during this campaign will also be entered into a lucky draw for 50 Debit Cards worth RM5,000 each.

Buyers of the CR-V, Civic 1.8 or Civic 2.0 during this campaign will be entered into a lucky draw for 50 limited edition Honda Racing Watches worth RM520 each. These Honda Racing Watches are also given when you buy a City or Civic Modulo Bodykit package, which themselves have a 15% discount applied during the campaign. In addition buyers of Modulo kits will be entered into a lucky draw to win 1 of 6 iPod Touch MP3 players.

After-sales customers will get a 30% discount on Honda engine oil, a Honda Racing Keychain and if more than RM200 is spent, a Honda Racing Bag.

Click for high resolution image

Looking at the recently launched 2008 Honda Accord, it’s hard to believe that the Accord nameplate was first used on a little 2-door hatchback launched in 1976, powered by a 1.6 liter inline-4 engine. A sedan variant was added later, with the option for a 1.8 liter engine. The 1.8 liter engine made 72 horsepower, and was mated to a 2-speed automatic.

8 generations later, the Honda Accord is now a large executive sedan that is wider and longer (but shorter) than the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It’s largest and most powerful engine option is now 3.5 liters, and it’s automatic gearbox now swaps through five ratios.

I drove the new Honda Accord over a span of about 80 kilometers or so, part of a journey from Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur. Read my initial impressions of Honda Malaysia’s new flagship after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of REVIEW: 2008 Honda Accord 2.0 VTi

Honda will be exhibiting a two-seater lightweight open top sports car concept at the 2008 British Motor Show this month called the Honda OSM Concept (Open Study Model). Styling for the OSM Concept was done at the Honda R&D center in Offenbach Germany.

Like its Open Study Model namesake it is a design study and the concept that will be exhibited will be merely a clay model with no mechanical underpinings. It may be an evolution of the Honda CRZ Concept’s design, so we may be looking at a preview of the next generation CRX that is much closer to how the production version will look like, or this may be some form of alternate styling that Honda wants to display to gauge public acceptance.

Not much has been revealed about the OSM concept except that despite it being an open top it is not meant to represent the next generation Honda S2000 which is a rear wheel drive vehicle. The OSM, if ever put into production, will be a lightweight front wheel drive sports car.