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Test drive: 2009 Honda Fit

admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:26:10 +0000

After just two years — the original Fit made its US debut in 2006 as an ‘07 model — Honda is already introducing a new version of their subcompact Fit hatchback. The new Honda Fit is all-new from stem to stern, but aside from the look, little has changed — and that’s actually a good thing. Get the details in my 2009 Honda Fit test drive and review. Want photos? You’ll find lots of ‘em in my 2009 Honda Fit photo gallery. — Aaron

REVIEWS:2008 Honda Fit Sport

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:16:22 +0000

By Amy Skogstrom

The Honda Fit is the smallest and most economical car from a company known for building small, economical cars. The Fit is essentially a modern interpretation of the CVCC, the car that popularized Honda in the United States when it became the first car to meet the strict regulations of the Clean Air Act (regulations that several automakers said couldn’t be met). Over the years, the CVCC Civic grew larger and more sophisticated, leaving room for a new subcompact car in Honda’s lineup. Debuting in 2006 as a 2007 model, the four-door Fit hatchback is rated at 28/34 mpg by the EPA (with a manual transmission) and is incredibly roomy, given its compact dimensions. Although it is due for a redesign on 2009, the current Honda Fit is still one of the most popular subcompacts on the market. With prices starting at $14,620 for a manual-transmissioned model (the uplevel Fit Sport starts at $15,940), the Honda Fit isn’t the cheapest small car available, but high resale values largely negate the price premium.
STYLING
Like most cars in the subcompact category, the Fit is more about functionality and packaging than about styling–which is not to say that the Fit is unattractive (well, actually, we HAVE heard some people mention its slightly awkward dimensions). The Fit’s sharply sloping roofline makes the front end look a little stubby, but from the driver’s seat, that sloped front end greatly enhances visibility. And the upswept line at the rear window (similar to that on the Honda CR-V), is a good example of a familial design cue. The Fit Sport adds a rear spoiler, a body-colored underbody kit, fog lights, and 15-inch alloy wheels, all of which enhance the Fit’s appearance.

INTERIOR
Like the exterior, the interior of the Fit is more about function than form. Having said that, the plastics that are used on the dash and door inserts don’t look or feel cheap, the backlit blue gauges on the instrument panel are simple and legible, and the HVAC and stereo controls are intuitive and easy to use. The most glaring example of cost-cutting can be seen in the Fit’s “carpet.” That word is in quotation marks because whatever the material is that covers the floor of the Fit, it doesn’t resemble a carpet in any but the most generous of descriptions. In fact, it looks and feels more like an odd carpet/cardboard hybrid, and is a definite reminder that the Fit is an economy car.
Where the Fit really shines, however, is in its interior packaging. The Fit is only 157.4 inches long, yet it has 90.1 cubic feet of passenger volume. Because of the Fit’s tall roofline, headline rivals that of an SUV. Rear-seat legroom for such a small car is exemplary, and even with both rows of seats occupied, there is 21.3 cubic feet of room in the cargo area behind the rear seats. With the 60/40-split second row lowered, cargo volume goes up to 41.9 cubic feet. In addition, the front passenger seatback can be lowered to provide even more space when you’re transporting extra long items.

2009 Honda Ridgeline spy shots ,car news and reviews.

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:45:17 +0000

Honda Ridgeline:Honda will unveil a redesigned version of its Ridgeline pick-up next year. The 2009 Ridgeline will take design cues from the recently released 2009 Pilot.

Up front it will feature an all new, Pilot-inspired grill, a reworked bumper cover and two extra set of lights down low. At the rear we can see a freshened set of tail lights, a new lower bumper that now flows into the fender flares and a backup camera lens next to the handle on the tailgate.

Next to the current engine line-up the future Ridgeline will also be powered by a 6-cylinder diesel engine.

Honda FCX Clarity production started

admin — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:54:43 +0000

Honda announced five of the first customers for its advanced new FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicle and also provided details of the world’s first fuel cell vehicle dealership network in the United States. The announcements were made during a ceremony for the start of FCX Clarity production at the world’s first dedicated fuel cell vehicle manufacturing facility in Japan.

Film producer Ron Yerxa will take delivery of the first FCX Clarity in July. The remaining four early adopters for Honda’s next-generation fuel cell vehicle are author and actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her filmmaker husband Christopher Guest; business owner and car enthusiast Jim Salomon; actress Laura Harris; and Jon Spallino, already the world’s first retail fuel cell vehicle customer, who has been leasing the current generation FCX since 2005. Yerxa, Harris and Spallino attended the event in Japan.

Despite high gas prices and slumping market, Honda secures thousands of American jobs

admin — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:12:22 +0000

Rising gas prices are definitely starting to take their toll on the average American driver, but the record prices at the pumps will actually be helping the average American worker, at least in two cities. Because of the soaring gas prices, Honda will be shifting some of its vehicle production from Canada to the U.S., ensuring the security of thousands of American jobs.

In order to boost production of the company’s in-demand, fuel-efficient Civic, Honda will shift production of its Pilot SUV and Ridgeline pickup from its Alliston, Ontario plant to its Lincoln, Alabama facility. The removal of the Pilot and Ridgeline from the Alliston factory will increase the plant’s Civic-making capacity, allowing Honda to meet current U.S. demand.

In addition to securing thousands of jobs in Alabama, Honda will soon open a new Civic plant in Indiana — the Japanese automaker’s seventh in North America, according to The Detroit News. When that plant is up and running, it will employ about 2,000 American workers.

And, unlike General Motors, Ford and Chrysler who have cut well over 30,000 American jobs in the last two years, Honda has no plans to thin out its North American workforce. “And the point is we won’t have to reduce employment,” Honda Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said.

source from here

Honda presents awards to top suppliers

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 07:05:45 +0000

At its annual supplier conference last Wednesday, Honda recognized 63 North American suppliers for top performances in quality, on-time parts delivery and productivity improvement last year. Honda America Manufacturing president and CEO, Akio Hamada, stressed their importance in a market where prices for raw materials are increasing. A total of 79 awards were given out among a total of 500 suppliers present.

Hamada went on to say Honda will continue to increase production, but added the manufacturer will need innovation, collaboration and a focused execution from its partners. A new plant is planned for Indiana, along with a new engine plant in Canada, with both mainly responsible for increasing spending by $1.5 billion dollars in parts for the Japan-based automaker.

In North America, Honda automobile plants produced a record 1,432,731 vehicles, and topped the million-unit mark for the first time in the U.S. with a total build of 1,015,462 units. Hondas built in North America represented 76 percent of Honda’s global record 2007 sales.