Posts tagged Accord
Honda Display at the 2013 Denver Auto Show
Mar 25th
We check out the new Honda cars on the Denver Auto Show floor, the Honda Accord, Honda Fit and Honda Pilot.
2013 Honda Accord – The All new Ninth Generation Honda Accord offers a new direct inject Earth Dreams engine in standard, automatic and hybrid powertrains,. It’s less bulky in styling and has improved interior features like HondaLink for connecting on the road with your smart phone and favorite social media accounts. Generation after generation the Honda Accord has offered its buyers reliable transportation with the added lilt of fun-to-drive attributes missing from other midsize cars. This new-gen Accord evolves that theme with two fuel-efficient gasoline engines, both four-door and two-door body styles, plus innovative features like a side-view camera that supplements the passenger-side mirror.
Honda Fit – With our countless technological innovations and legendary, race-inspired engines, Honda has always roared ahead of the curve. The Honda Fit has always been known for its nimble handling and comes in 5 door or 100% EV electric models.
Honda Pilot – The 2013 Pilot has a stylish, upscale look, both inside and out. The interior layout is comfortable and easy to use, while the exterior design will complement any driveway. Innovative features inside make for plenty of good times. And the large interior, fold-flat seats and multiple storage bins provide exceptional utility for this powerful performer.
2011 Honda CR-Z
Apr 13th
Honda CR-ZA sport hybrid concept car with 3 models Hard-core enthusiasts will likely be disappointed, but somebody just looking for a sporty two-door with good fuel economy will likely be pleased with the 2011 Honda CR-Z. Pros Nimble size and handling, quick steering, good fuel economy, sporty looks. Con Poor rearward visibility, most competitors have backseats, missing a few upscale features. A sporty hybrid, at first glance, the 2011 Honda CR-Z might seem a bit oxymoronic. After all, Americans expect their hybrid cars to be purely about fuel economy, with flowers, rainbows and unicorns coming out of the tailpipe. But Honda is hoping that people are ready for a car that not only gets very good fuel economy but also happens to be fun to drive — a hybrid without the drive-induced narcolepsy, if you will.
You might recall that Honda actually tried this approach a few years ago with the Accord Hybrid, a V6-powered Accord that promised strong performance and enhanced fuel economy. Sales were slow, however, and Honda cancelled the car after a short run. Of course, those of you with an even longer memory will also recall the original Honda CRX, the CR-Z’s spiritual predecessor that crystallized Honda’s reputation for building fun and efficient cars from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s.
Like the old CRX, the CR-Z is front-drive with two doors and just two seats. Mechanically, though, the CR-Z is related most to Honda’s current Insight hybrid, sharing its basic structure and suspension design. To bring some sport to that formula Honda made the CR-Z shorter by about a foot, widened the track slightly and reduced overall height by a couple inches. This trimming doesn’t reduce curb weight by as much as you might hope (the CR-Z only weighs about 80 pounds fewer than the Insight) but it does make the CR-Z one of the most nimble cars you can buy.
Under the hood is Honda’s familiar Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) mild-hybrid system. For more punch, the CR-Z starts with a slightly bigger gasoline engine than the Insight (1.5 liters versus 1.3) that produces 112 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque. The electric motor is the same and generates another 13 horse power and 58 lb.-ft. Notably, Honda is offering a six-speed manual transmission in addition to the more hybrid-typical continuously variable transmission (CVT). The resulting fuel economy isn’t exactly Prius-like, but it is still quite good, with the CVT variant returning an estimated 35 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.
The end result of all this is that Honda has indeed created a sporty hybrid. The CR-Z looks sharp and is fun to drive around town thanks to its small size and quick steering.
