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  • 2012 Honda Insight – refreshened hybrid set for Frankfurt

    In 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Honda, International News / By / / 47 comments

    Honda has given the Insight bit of a freshening up, and the 2012 model year hybrid is set to be introduced in Frankfurt. The exterior rework consists of a new front grille, and the tail gate spoiler has been slimmed, providing for a wider rear glass area. The last, combined with a modified tail gate garnish and a reduction in the size of the wiper motor unit, results in overall increased rear visibility.

    Fuel economy and emissions have also been improved by means of enhanced aerodynamics and powertrain efficiency. Revisions to the CVT and mill, the latter in the form of reduced engine friction, as well as alterations to the air conditioning system, which features a new cold storage system, all do their bit to contribute to lower fuel consumption, with CO2 levels now down to 96 g/km.

    Adjustments have also been made to the suspension for an overall improvement to ride comfort and stability. Interior-wise, features have also been enhanced, but no specific details are forthcoming as yet – guess Frankfurt will reveal all.

     

  • First teaser image of 2012 Euro Honda Civic hatchback

    In 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Honda / By / / 37 comments

    Here’s the first undisguised teaser image of the 2012 Honda Civic hatchback for the European market. Honda says the new European Civic will be offered exclusively as a 5-door hatchback, so I wonder if this means they’re phasing out the 3-door version – perhaps they want to reserve that body style for the CR-Z. And I wonder if this means there will be a Honda Civic Hybrid hatchback, or will that continue as a sedan for Europe?

     

  • Rear centre seat belt installation reminder for Honda City (2003-2005) owners, get it done at a 3S Centre now!

    In Cars, Honda, Local News / By / / 7 comments

    Ahead of the coming Hari Raya celebrations, when Malaysians clog the roads back to our hometowns, Honda Malaysia is reminding owners of the Honda City (year 2003 to 2005) to go for free rear seat belt installation at any Honda 3S Centre.

    25,480 units of the Honda City sold in that period came without a rear centre seat belt. For these cars, the company made an announcement for free installation beginning October 2008, with costs borne by Honda Malaysia. However, as of today, more than 50% of these units have yet to be brought in for remedy.

    Jabatan Keselamatan Jalan Raya initiated a rear seat belt campaign back in June 2008 and had given car owners a grace period of three years beginning January 2009 to install rear seat belts in their cars, compulsory for cars registered from January 1995 onwards. The ruling takes effect from 1 January 2012.

    If you own a 2003-2005 Honda City, or know someone who does, it’s wise to take action now and book an appointment with your Honda 3S Centre. Remember to buckle up, whether you’re sitting in front or at the back. It’s the law, and it can save your life.

     

  • US market Honda Fit Sport gets mild update in and out

    In Cars, Honda, International News / By / / 24 comments

    The Honda Jazz, which is called Fit in North America (as with in Japan), gets a mild update for model year 2012. The Honda Fit Sport variant gets revised looks, there are interior upgrades for all models, as well as the addition of new standard features.

    The Fit Sport’s exterior updates include a newly designed front grille and bumper, black headlight bezels and a dark “machined surface” finish for the alloys instead of the usual painted finish. The entry level Fit receives body-colour wing mirrors and updated wheel covers.

    Inside, the Fit Sport cabin is enhanced with dark metallic dashboard components for a unified color theme (previously gray and black) and chrome accents around the dials. All models get newly designed console-mounted drink holders with ambient lighting.

    More across the board updates include sound insulation measures in the floor, front fenders and A-pillars, plus thicker front corner-window glass. This would be useful, since NVH isn’t that great in the Jazz. Two new colors are available: Blue Raspberry Metallic and Orangeburst Metallic.

    Kit wise, the Fit Sport now comes standard with steering wheel audio controls that were previously exclusive to navigation-equipped models, as well as upgraded seat fabric. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System now has 16GB of flash memory in place of the old DVD-based system.

    Our market’s Jazz received a facelift in April. Click here to refresh your memory. More pics of the US market 2012 Fit after the jump.
    Read more ›

     

  • Honda’s 2.2 liter i-DTEC gets power and torque bump

    In Cars, Honda / By / / 59 comments

    Honda has unveiled the first details of its next generation 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesel engine, which so far hasn’t seen service outside of oil burner loving Europe. The 2.2 litre i-DTEC set to debut in the new European market 2012 Honda Civic hatchback will produce 148 horsepower and 350Nm of torque, up the previous 138 horsepower and 340Nm.

    While power is up, emissions have dropped – the Civic i-DTEC is expected to emit just 110g/km of CO2, down 29 g/km from the outgoing model. Of this drop, 5g/km alone is attributed to the incorporation of automatic idle start/stop technology. The engine lubricant flow has also been optimized to reduce circulation friction losses.

    So far the Ford Focus TDCI is the only oil burner C-segment passenger vehicle sold here in Malaysia. A turbodiesel Civic with 350Nm of torque seems like mighty fun, but I don’t think diesels will be offered for the ASEAN region anytime soon.

    There might be hope for India though, but I don’t think the engine offered will be this 2.2 litre. Honda is said to be developing a smaller turbo diesel engine about 1.5 litre in displacement and it is likely that oil burner lump that will be offered for ‘developing’ markets.

     

  • Honda Msia: Insight waiting period now less than 1 month

    In Cars, Honda, Local News / By / / 87 comments

    The Honda Insight hybrid has made quite an impact in the market, and is now a regular sight on Klang Valley streets. In the six months since its launch, Honda Malaysia sold over 3,000 units of the RM99,800 hybrid, a figure that exceeds 75% of the company’s annual target for the model.

    This overwhelming response, plus the earthquake and tsunami disaster that hit Japan, meant that the CBU Japan Insight had a waiting period of two to three months long. The shortage of supply and delay in delivery even caused dealers to stop taking orders from April till May. However, production in Japan has recovered since June, and Honda Malaysia says that the waiting period has been trimmed to less than one month.

    “Insight emerged as a popular choice among the Green customers as it arrived in Malaysia at the right time at the right price. Thanks to the Government, both import and excise duty are exempted, thus making Insight more affordable,” said Yoichiro Ueno, MD and CEO of Honda Malaysia.

    The company also revealed that it has plans to “expand its hybrid variety by end of the year”. Could we take this to mean that the Honda CR-Z is coming soon? Stay tuned!

     

  • 2012 Honda Civic images from Saudi Honda website

    In Cars, Honda / By / / 141 comments

    Here’s a fresh new photo gallery of the new 9th generation Honda Civic taken off Honda’s Saudi Arabian website, now featuring interior images to complement the front, side and rear angles that we featured last week.

    We’ve already detailed the small differences between the US Civic sedan and this Asian/global version in our previous post – basically just the grille, bumper and tail lamps.

    The interior looks pretty much the same as the US version too – just minor variances such as different colours used on the dash surfaces (a two tone dash seen here), and a completely red hazard warning button seen here as compared to the black and red one we saw on the US Civic. This image also lacks the full colour screen on the US Civic – here we see regular radio head unit buttons.

    Look after the jump for a gallery and an embedded brochure of the 2012 Civic.
    Read more ›

     

  • Honda’s Thai exports to drop for the first time in 14 years

    In Cars, Honda, International News / By / / 14 comments

    Widely believed to be the big Japanese carmaker most impacted by the earthquake/tsunami disaster in March, Honda is facing sliding figures across the globe, whether it’s a 28.49% drop in July sales (year on year) in America or falling exports from Thailand.

    According to Bangkok-based Honda Asian Motor Co, Honda exports from Thailand are expected to fall for the first time in 14 years, no thanks to the devastating March 11 disaster. Exports of Thai-built automobiles, motorcycles and power products dropped 11% year-on-year in the first half to 46.1 billion baht. Exports for the full year are expected to slide by 7% from last year to 90 billion baht.

    Exports of automobile products in the first half of 2011 stood at 20.29 billion baht, 37% lower than in 2010. CBU vehicle exports in the same period dived 48% to 17,441 units. The overall figure in the above paragraph was boosted by a strong showing by the motorcycle division.

    Interestingly, bikes also helped Honda Motor Co’s second quarter figures to stay black; it made 31.7 billion yen in Q2, almost 90% less than in 2010.

    Honda started exporting from Thailand in 1987 and currently ships City, Jazz, Civic, Accord and CR-V models from our northern neighbour to over 30 countries. This year, the list expanded to Mexico via 2,430 units of the City.

     

  • Honda cuts off slow selling Crosstour from Accord family

    In Cars, Honda, International News / By / / 39 comments

    The Honda Accord Crosstour didn’t get off to the best of starts. Born as a model year 2010 car, the media didn’t quite like it, and it looks like not many customers do as well. In July, Honda sold just 1,477 units of the odd looking crossover, 35% less than the same month last year. 2011 year to date figures read 11,518 units versus 15,655 for the same period in 2010.

    Against that backdrop, Honda has decided to drop the Accord name for the model, which from model year 2012 onwards will be called just Crosstour. No reasons were given, though. Perhaps the association wasn’t bringing any good to the Accord nameplate, which remains popular, and the same association has failed to give any boost to the Crosstour.

    Assembled in Ohio, the Crosstour is based on the Accord platform and mechanicals, although it has distinct sheetmetal and a rear hatch. It’s powered by a 3.5-litre i-VTEC V6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), producing 271 hp and 344 Nm. The EX-L model comes with Honda’s Real Time 4WD. Auto headlights, Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and an USB audio interface are new for 2012.

    Of the big Japanese carmakers, Honda looks to be the most affected by the earthquake/tsunami disaster, and it will be betting heavily on the success of mainstays such as the new Civic.

     

  • Honda recalls 2.5 million cars globally to fix gearbox software issue

    In Cars, Honda, International News / By / / 59 comments

    Honda has issued a recall for 2.5 million vehicles globally, including 1.5 million in the US, for a software upgrade to the vehicles’ transmission control module. The models covered in the recall are the Accord (2005-2010 model year), CR-V (2007-2010) as well as the Element from 2005-2008, all equipped with four-cylinder engines.

    The company says that if the transmission is shifted rapidly between reverse, neutral and drive, especially in an attempt to free the vehicle from being stuck in mud or snow, this can damage a secondary shaft bearing in the transmission. If damage occurs, this can lead to the engine stalling or make it difficult to engage the transmission into park.

    The software fix eases the transition among the gears, and Honda says that there have been no reports of accidents resulting to physical injuries related to this problem. The other million vehicles being recalled globally are 760,000 units in China and 135,142 in Canada. No mention of the Accords and CR-Vs here being affected so far.

     
 
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