Thursday, July 21, 2011

Top 10 New Cars for College Kids - Jim Gorzelany - Automotive Intelligentsia - Forbes



According to the Independent Insurance Agents of America, nearly 70 percent of college students have a car on campus these days.

And while these are often older "beater"cars, many parents feel safer sending their kids off to school in new, albeit lower-cost, models that promise solid overall reliability, good fuel economy and a full array of the latest safety features. Even better are cars that meet those criteria and return top resale values, so mom and dad can come out of the deal four years later with enough cash to put a down payment on a nice empty-nester's convertible.

To that end Forbes hit the books early and compiled the following list of best new cars in which to send a kid off to college.

Each of the models in the list features a base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) under $20,000, with at least one version in the model line that gets 35 or more mpg, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. All of them come standard with six airbags, antilock brakes and stability control for safety's sake, and receive above average ratings in the J.D. Power & Associates Initial Quality Study. Finally, all of the models listed here retain 40 percent or more of their original value after four years of ownership, according to projections from Automotive Lease Guide and other sources.

Three Honda vehicles made the Top 10 list:

Honda Fit
The subcompact four-door Fit could be the perfect campus cruiser - it gets 28-city/35-highway mpg, is reasonably priced, retains around 46 percent of its original value after four years and delivers sportier handling than most other cars in its class. A 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine makes the best use out of its 117 horsepower, particularly with the standard five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional, and it includes racecar-like steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for quasi-manual operation. It's roomier on the inside than its diminutive exterior might otherwise indicate “ its tall-roofed hatchback design maximizes headroom“ and its rear-seat folds flat into the floor on a 60/40-split basis to create a generous 57.3 cu. ft. cargo hold. The standard audio system includes a USB input for connecting iPods and other devices. MSRP: $15,100 - $16,860.

Honda Civic
Released as early-2012 models, Honda redesigned its venerable Civic compacts with added style and substance in affordable coupe and sedan versions that are projected to retain as much as 52 percent of their original values after four years. An energetic 140-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine teams with a five-speed automatic transmission in most models. A selectable "Eco Assist" driving mode affords top fuel efficiency at 28-city/39-highway mpg, with the HF version boasting a thrifty 41-mpg on the highway. Those who might be comfortable sending their son or daughter off to school with added performance at their command might consider either of the sporty Si models with a 201-horsepower 2.4-liter engine and six-speed manual gearbox. MSRP: $15,605 - $22,405.
Honda Insight
While at just over $18,800 it's one of the costliest cars in our list, the Insight is the lowest-priced gas/electric hybrid car in North America and can save a mobile student big money at the gas pump with an estimated 40-city/43-highway mpg. A 98-horsepower 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine teams with an electric motor/generator to power the front wheels via a gearless CVT automatic transmission. The engine can shut down select cylinders when not needed for greater fuel efficiency at highway speeds. While it's only moderately sporty, it does carry a certain techno-geek appeal and futuristic-looking aerodynamic styling. Its four-door hatchback configuration affords a roomy interior with a reasonably generous cargo hold. Expect to realize around a 41 percent residual value once a graduate moves on to the real world. MSRP: $18,200 - $21,490.

Contact DCH Honda of Temecula for more Honda vehicle information or to check them out in person.
http://blogs.forbes.com/jimgorzelany/2011/07/19/top-10-new-cars-for-college-kids/

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Most of Honda's North American plants now generate no waste for landfills

Honda is cleaning up its act.

The Japanese-based automaker announced Thursday that 10 of its 14 North American manufacturing plants are now zero-waste-to-landfill facilities.

Honda defines zero-waste-to-landfill as absolutely zero operating waste sent to landfills, including not only production, but all office and cafeteria waste associated with manufacturing operations.

The Honda plant in Lincoln was the first of the companyâ??s North American plants to reach the goal of zero waste when it opened a decade ago.

Charles Ernst, senior vice president at the Lincoln plant and the man originally responsible for making the facility zero waste, said Honda always strives to improve.

â??We wanted to be good corporate stewards, to be good corporate citizens going forward and reduce amounts sent to landfills,â?? Ernst said. â??Then other plants started looking at us and they started making adjustments.â??

Through its zero-waste efforts the Lincoln Honda plant annually recycles approximately 4 million pounds of cardboard, 500,000 pounds of plastic and 20,000 pounds of aluminum cans.

The $1.5 billion Lincoln plant employs 4,000 people and typically produces more than 300,000 vehicles and engines each year, including the Odyssey minivan, the Ridgeline pickup and the Pilot SUV.

According to the company, Honda has reduced waste shipped from its other North American plants to landfills from 62.8 pounds of industrial waste per every automobile produced to about 1.8 pounds per vehicle. Among all of its 14 plants in North America, Honda now sends less than one-half of 1 percent of all operating waste to landfills. Remaining waste product is either recycled or used for energy recovery.

Bill Visnic, auto analyst and senior editor for Edmonds.com, said Honda is a leader in the automotive industry when it comes to recycling production waste.

â??If theyâ??re not leading, they definitely have to be near the top,â?? Visnic said.

Visnic said in decades past, automakers were some of the largest waste-producing companies in the country.

â??Thatâ??s really the way the industry was,â?? Visnic said. â??But people have taken a look at manufacturing and have really made an effort to reverse that.â??

Keith Tassin, director of science and stewardship for the Alabama chapter of the Nature Conservancy, said any effort to reduce usage of landfills was a good thing for the environment.

The Nature Conservancy is an organization dedicated to preserving the plants, animals and natural communities by protecting the land and water they need to survive.

â??There are so many issues when it comes to landfills â?¦. Water quality issues and the landfillâ??s footprint â?¦ so anything the industry can do to reduce the use of them is big,â?? Tassin said. â??I think itâ??s a great commitment for the company to do that.â??

Tassin added that Alabama in particular should be protected since it has the widest diversity of fresh-water organisms of any state in the country.

â??This does show (Honda) is environmentally conscious and making an effort,â?? he said.

Visnic pointed out that many automakers are trying to become more environmentally conscious as more scrutiny is placed on air emissions and fuel efficiency of automobiles.

â??This is something car companies can point to â?? the manufacturing process, at least, is not a boogeyman,â?? he said.

Visnic noted, however, that when it comes to vehicles with high fuel efficiency, Honda products do better than most.

The U.S. Department of Energy lists several Honda automobiles as being among the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the country, including the Honda CR-Z and the Honda Accord.

â??Honda has improved vehicle standards and it has been a corporate emphasis to make the manufacturing process less of an impact on the environment as well,â?? Ernst said.
http://annistonstar.com/printer_friendly/14708956

Monday, July 18, 2011

2012 Honda CR-V caught testing again

2012 Honda CR-V spy shot

A couple of months ago, we brought you a solitary spy shot of a virtually undisguised prototype of the next-generation Honda CR-V undergoing testing right here in the U.S. of A. And now, in a solid indication that development is proceeding despite setbacks in Japan, another pair of test mules has popped up.

What we can tell from the full batch of spy shots is that Honda appears to have taken a few pages out of the Volvo design book for the new CR-V - particularly around its rear quarters. And that's no bad thing, seeing as how the XC60 is one of the slickest crossovers on the market right now.

While still unconfirmed, the shape also seems to confirm rumors of a newly instituted third row of seats for seven-passenger capacity, a feature which is being demanded more and more by crossover buyers in order to justify the genre's large form.

Expect the 2.4-liter VTEC four to get a slight bump in both power and efficiency when it goes into production in Ohio and Ontario before the winter sets back in.

2012 Honda CR-V caught testing again originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/18/2012-honda-cr-v-caught-testing-again/

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Natural Gas - Powered Honda Civic Retains CA HOV Lane Access Until 2015

Natural Gas - Powered Honda Civic Retains CA HOV Lane Access Until 2015
California drivers of the current Civic GX compressed natural gas (CNG) - powered Civic and all-new Civic Natural Gas will continue to have access to the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) highway lane until January 2015. Honda is the only OEM currently selling in the United States a dedicated CNG-powered light duty vehicle designed and manufactured for retail sale. As an Inherently Low Emissions Vehicle (ILEV), the Civic Natural Gas qualifies for White Clean Air Vehicle decals, which are available in an unlimited quantity. Yellow Clean Air Vehicle decals for hybrid vehicles expired on July 1, 2011.

Honda CR-Z Mugen compared with.... Ariel Atom Mugen?!

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auto express compares mugen ariel atom to mugen cr-z
Mugen vs Mugen - Click above to watch video after the jump

Mugen and Honda go together like vanilla ice cream and apple pie. Sure, the pie can stand on its own, but a nice scoop of ice cream takes it to another level. Mugen rolled out a pair of tuned CR-Z hybrids at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and the blokes from Auto Express asked to spend a day with one of them. Their team also wrangled away the keys to another "unlimited power" vehicle: a Mugen-tuned Ariel Atom.

How do the two compare to each other? Let's be real here... they don't. One is a naked track assassin while the other is a juiced-up hybrid wearing a body kit. Both vehicles have had Mugen wrenches applied to their engines, but that's pretty much where the comparison should end. Still, we can't say it's not entertaining.

Click past the jump to see how they "stack up" against each other.
Continue reading Honda CR-Z Mugen compared with.... Ariel Atom Mugen?!
Honda CR-Z Mugen compared with.... Ariel Atom Mugen?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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