University Honda

Well I guess they did away with the water bottles. To be Eco friendly they provide water from the dispenser. good thinking ! Keep those water bottles out of...

Honda: RT @inhabitat: Inhabitat Takes a Spin in the New 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid - http://t.co/fafY0n3

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Honda

The trusty Honda Fit hatchback was far and away the segment leader when the second-generation car arrived in late 2008. But since then, the B-segment has been a huge point of attention for many automakers, and as such, Honda's all-star now has some pretty serious competition from the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Mazda2, not to mention soon-to-be-released newcomers like the Chevrolet Sonic, Toyota Yaris and Kia Rio.

In an effort to keep the Fit fresh, Honda has, um, fitted it with some new standard equipment for 2012, as well as some minor styling tweaks. Sport models now get a new grille, black headlight bezels and a new finish for the 16-inch alloy wheels. The base Fit receives body-colored mirrors and a new wheel cover design. New standard features on the Fit Sport include steering wheel-mounted audio controls, as well as Bluetooth hands-free telephone on navigation-equipped cars.

Under the hood, the Fit's 1.5-liter inline-four carries on unchanged, producing 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission, both of which are five-speed units. It'll be another couple of years before the Fit's all-new replacement arrives. Just in time, too - by then it'll be the old dog in a segment of new pups. Follow the jump for Honda's official release.

Continue reading Honda details updates to 2012 Fit hatchback

Honda details updates to 2012 Fit hatchback originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Honda Fit builds on its proven strengths for 2012 with updated styling on Fit Sport, interior upgrades on all models, and the addition of new standard and available features.

The Fit's compact size and tight turning diameter (34.4 feet, curb-to-curb) can conveniently navigate space-confined urban areas and fit in small parking spaces. Yet a roomy and versatile interior offers the convenience and cargo volume of a relatively larger vehicle. Compared to any other vehicle in the subcompact class, the five-passenger Fit provides the lowest, flattest cargo floor and the most cargo volume of 57.3 cu-ft. when the rear seats are down. Its four distinct seat configurations are designed to accommodate large objects ranging from mountain bikes to surfboards to tall houseplants.

Fit Sport exterior updates for 2012 include new designs for the front grille and bumper, black headlight bezels and a dark "machined surface" finish for the alloy wheels (replaces a painted finish appearance). The entry-model Fit retains its exclusive front fascia design and for 2012 receives body-color exterior mirrors (previously black) and updated wheel covers.

Inside, the Fit Sport interior is enhanced with dark metallic dashboard components for a unified color theme (replacing the previous gray and black theme). Fit Sport receives additional chrome accents around instrument displays. All models receive newly designed console-mounted center beverage holders along with console ambient lighting, which provide easier access and greater stability. All models also receive added sound insulation measures in the floor, front fenders and A-pillars, plus thicker front corner-window glass, to help create a quieter, more-refined cabin environment. Two new colors are available: Blue Raspberry Metallic and Orangeburst Metallic, which replace similar colors from the prior model year.

The top-of-the-line Fit Sport includes a long list of exclusive, standard features compared to the entry-model Fit. For 2012, it gains standard steering wheel-mounted audio controls for fingertip operation (previously exclusive to navigation-equipped models) and upgraded seat fabric. When equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition⁵, the Fit Sport now includes Bluetooth¹ HandsFreeLink to help make hands-free telephone calls more convenient. The enhanced system also includes a Bluetooth Audio capability with compatible phones and devices.

Though the Fit has an overall exterior length of just 161.6 inches, the interior provides an impressive 90.8 cubic feet of passenger volume. There's comfortable seating for up to five passengers, and behind the rear seats, there's 20.6 cubic feet of storage space much more than you'd find in a typical sedan. For enhanced versatility, the exclusive 60/40 split rear Magic Seat offers multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations. With its one-motion dive-down functionality, it can fold flat into the floor to maximize rear cargo volume. The Fit's interior can also be easily converted to tall object mode or long object mode based on the shape of the cargo.

The 1.5-liter, i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine is tuned to deliver an engaging combination of power and fuel economy. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic transmission is available. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters on Fit Sport models equipped with the available automatic transmission allow for manual gear selection.

All models are powered by a four-cylinder engine that produces 117 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 106 lb-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. When equipped with the available automatic transmission, the Fit has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 28/35/31 miles per gallon³. The Fit Sport with the available automatic transmission has an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating³ of 27/33/30 miles per gallon. All manual transmission-equipped models have an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 27/33/29 miles per gallon³.

A sporty, refined and dynamic driving experience is provided by the front MacPherson strut suspension and torsion beam rear suspension. Fifteen- and 16-inch wheels (Fit and Fit Sport, respectively) feature 175/65 R15 84S (Fit) and 185/55 R16 83H (Fit Sport) tires. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) uses 10.3-inch ventilated discs in the front and 7.9-inch drums in the rear.

All Fit models are equipped with a wide range of standard safety equipment including Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, anti-lock brakes and more. Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are also standard equipment for 2012.

Standard comfort and convenience features include air conditioning, cruise control, remote entry, a 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, a USB audio interface⁴, an auxiliary audio input jack, MP3/WMA playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS), power windows, power mirrors, power door locks and a security system.

The Fit Sport adds or replaces: alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights, illuminated steering wheel mounted audio controls and upgraded seat fabric. For improved audio performance, the Fit Sport audio system has a total of six speakers. The Fit Sport is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with Voice Recognition, which features a 6.5-inch screen and more than seven million points of interest. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System debuting on the 2012 Fit Sport features 16 GB of flash memory in place of the DVD-based system used previously. Like other Honda navigation systems, this new system allows simple, intuitive operation and has an extensive on-board database.

Awards and accolades include being named to Car and Driver Magazine's "10Best Cars" list (www.caranddriver.com) continuously from 2007 through 2011². In the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study, the Fit earned the highest initial quality score in its segment. The Fit has also been named a 2011 Top Recommended^SM vehicle by Edmunds.com in its 2011 New Car Sedan Buying Guide. In addition, the Fit captured the 2011 Residual Value Award for "Best Sub Compact Car" from ALG.

¹The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., is under license.
²Car and Driver, January 2011
³Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
⁴The USB Audio Interface is used for direct connection to and control of some current digital audio players and other USB devices that contain MP3, WMA or AAC music files. Some USB devices with security software and digital rights-protected files may not work. Please see your dealer for details on compatibility.
⁵Certain functions that rely on a satellite signal will not work correctly in Hawaii and Alaska. These functions include, but are not limited to, automatic clock updates and time zone adjustments. RDS not available on navigation models.

http://www.universityhonda.com/specials/used.htm

The days when yellow-stickered partial-hybrid vehicles were allowed to travel with a single passenger on designated HOV areas of California state highways are over. As of July 1, yellow-sticker vehicles must meet a higher passenger quota to gain access to these highly coveted driving zones. Luckily, super-ultralow-emission vehicles, such as the natural-gas-powered Honda Civic, get a different white-colored sticker. And, all cars, including the Honda NGV, will continue to have single-passenger access to HOV areas…

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Sedan, Crossover, Honda

Consumer Reports created quite a stir on the Internets when it announced that it would no longer recommend the Honda Civic. The reason? The consumer advocacy institution cites issues such as the brakes, fit and finish and sporty handling all diminishing for the 2012 model year. In other words, the Civic isn't as good as the model it replaces.

Now CR is taking it's criticism of Honda one step further, pointing out that several recent model updates have fallen short of CR's expectations. The Civic received an overall score of 78 back in 2006, but the new model scores only 61. The Pilot received a smaller drop from 2005 to 2009, going from a score of 79 to a 74. The Odyssey, too, took a hit, as the 2011 model scored an 83, down from the previous model's 91. Those models all show a clear decline in scores, but all-new models have fared even worse. The Insight managed to receive a 54, while the CR-Z could only muster a score of 57.

The reasons for these declines tend to correlate from model to model. Brakes, interior materials, steering feel and fit and finish tend to be some of the biggest reasons. Even worse for enthusiasts is that CR's testing shows that driving excitement (as nebulous as that term may be...) has diminished.

The results of recent Consumer Reports testing shows what we've been hearing for a while now. Honda appears to be struggling with new models, with few signs of progress on the horizon. CR points out that even the mighty Accord, which routinely finishes second in sedan sales, is now playing second fiddle to the Ford Fusion when it comes to reliability, ride and handling and cabin noise.

We want to know what you think. Has Honda design taken a step back? Let us know in the poll below.

View Poll

Consumer Reports 'chronicles decline in Honda's design competitiveness' [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda News posted a photo:

ASIMO made its first appearance at this years EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. Appearing in the Honda Power of Dreams exhibit with the HondaJet, ASIMO demonstrated its capabilities, including walking, running and climbing stairs, for thousands of fans throughout the weeklong aviation show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1frVGqexSE