Significantly Enhanced 2015 Honda CR-V Earns a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ Rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

• America's bestselling SUV for the past decade1 raises the bar for 2015 with numerous safety-performance updates
• Available Honda Sensing™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies combines camera and radar systems to help detect vehicles, pedestrians and roadway markings
• Honda's vision is to reduce collisions, injuries and fatalities involving our  vehicles leveraging Honda Sensing™ technology

The 2015 Honda CR-V (automobiles.honda.com/cr-v/), Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year and the top-selling SUV in America for the past decade1, has received a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when equipped with optional front crash prevention. This distinction includes a top rating of GOOD in five IIHS crash test modes including a GOOD score in the Insurance Institute's stringent small overlap frontal crash test. The 2015TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation is awarded to vehicles that also have an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior or advanced rating from the Institute. The 2015 CR-V offers an available frontal crash prevention system that earns a top rating of superior.

A new Touring trim for the 2015 CR-V is the first Honda to apply the new Honda Sensing™ suite of safety and driver assistive technologies that can help improve drivers' situational awareness. This includes the first application of two advanced driver-assistive technologies – Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) – to a Honda vehicle, and the first application of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and LaneWatch™ to CR-V. These systems benefit from the adoption of new sensor fusion technology that integrates the capabilities of a windshield-mounted monocular camera and front grille-mounted millimeter wave radar system to provide enhanced sensing with the ability to identify and anticipate multiple collision scenarios, including ones involving a pedestrian. When the system anticipates a collision, it can initiate warnings and, in some cases, initiate emergency braking.

"Honda's vision to one day eliminate traffic-related collisions, injuries and fatalities is at the heart of our commitment to safety," said Art St. Cyr, vice president of auto operations at American Honda. "Our continued innovation in active safety and assistive technologies with the application of Honda Sensingbrings Honda, our customers and everyone else on the road one step closer to this goal."

The 2015 CR-V with Honda Sensing™ is on the leading-edge of this initiative. The 2015 CR-V also applies Honda's next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, which improves crashworthiness through a broader array of frontal small overlap and oblique crash scenarios. Overall, the CR-V body has received more than 60 engineering changes to improve stiffness and collision performance, including a strengthened door frames and side frames under the front fenders. This enhanced side frame design ties into the main frame rail, producing an additional load path for energy absorption, and aims to improve safety for both the occupants of the Honda vehicle and the occupants of the other vehicles involved in a collision.

Standard safety equipment on all Honda models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) electronic stability control system, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, frontal airbags, side airbags, side-curtain airbags and a front seat design that can help reduce the severity of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. Honda is also leading the industry in the deployment of rearview cameras, which are standard equipment on all model year 2015 Honda vehicles (having been offered on more than 95 percent of model year 2014 vehicles).

The 2015 CR-V is manufactured exclusively for the North American market at Honda plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico using domestic and globally sourced parts.

About Honda 
Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced technologies designed to enhance the safety of all road users, including automobile occupants, motorcycle riders and pedestrians. The company operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test facilities, in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, airbag technology, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

Behind The Work: Honda Civic Type R ‘The Other Side’

Vote For Your Favorite Honda Toy Tunes While You Still Can!

We’re less than a week away from Christmas, which means we here at Pacific Honda are already looking toward the end of what has been an extremely fun Happy Honda Days sales event this year. Plenty of sales are still going on, so let’s not mourn the end of the holiday season just yet, but there’s no question that December has gone by very quickly and we’re not at all anxious to see it end.

Honda's Video Overview of the 2016 HR-V

Skeletor and He-Man singing Jingle Bros

Honda FCV Concept to Make North American Debut at 2015 North American International Auto Show

Dec 17, 2014 - TORRANCE, Calif.

• Honda FCV Concept demonstrates the exterior and interior styling evolution of the next-generation zero emissions Honda fuel-cell vehicle
• Next-generation Honda FCV is intended to provide significant gains in packaging, interior space, cost reduction and real-world performance, including an anticipated driving range in excess of 300-miles

The Honda FCV Concept will make its North American debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show on Jan. 12. Continuing more than a decade of Honda leadership in the area of fuel cell vehicle (FCV) technology, the Honda FCV Concept showcases the styling evolution of Honda's next fuel-cell vehicle, anticipated to launch in the U.S., following its introduction in Japan, which is scheduled to occur by March 2016.
As the next progression in Honda's dynamic FCV styling, the Honda FCV Concept features a low and wide aerodynamic body with clean character lines. The interior strives to achieve harmony between man and machine by taking advantage of new powertrain packaging efficiencies delivering even greater passenger space than the Honda FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle, including seating for up to five people.
The Honda FCV Concept made its world debut in Japan on Nov. 17, 2014, followed by an announcement that Honda will provide FirstElement Fuel with $13.8 million in financial assistance to build additional hydrogen refueling stations throughout the state of California in an effort to support the wider introduction of fuel-cell vehicles.
Honda Fuel-Cell Vehicle Firsts:
The original FCX became the first EPA- and CARB-certified fuel-cell vehicle in July 2002. The FCX also was the world's first production fuel-cell vehicle, introduced to the U.S. and Japan in December 2002.
Additional highlights include:

• The Honda FCX was the first fuel-cell vehicle to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures (2003).


• The FCX was the first fuel-cell vehicle leased to an individual customer (July 2005).


• With the FCX Clarity, Honda was the first manufacturer to build and produce a dedicated fuel-cell vehicle on a production line specifically made for fuel-cell vehicles (2008).


• Honda was the first manufacturer to create a fuel-cell vehicle dealer network (2008).

Honda Environmental Leadership
Based on its vision of "Blue Skies for our Children," Honda is taking a portfolio approach to reducing the environmental impact of its products, advancing fuel efficiency, low emissions and fun-to-drive performance with new powertrain technologies from its Earth Dreams Technology™ lineup, which includes more fuel-efficient engines and transmissions and advanced electromotive technologies. Honda's alternative-fuel vehicle lineup includes the Fit EV, Civic Hybrid, the CR-Z sport hybrid coupe and the Accord Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient 5-passenger sedan in America¹, as well as the Accord Plug-In Hybrid and the Civic Natural Gas, the only dedicated natural gas-powered passenger car available from a major automaker in America.
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¹ Based on 2015 EPA mileage. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending driving conditions, how the vehicle is driven and maintained, battery pack age/condition and other factors.

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

Honda FCV Coming in 2016

For over a decade now, we’ve all looked at hybrid vehicles as the greenest automobiles that engineers have had to offer. EVs, of course, have changed that over the course of the last couple years, but Honda is close to releasing a vehicle with the cleanest, greenest fuel source of them all: hydrogen.

Honda Rolls out the Red Carpet for Developers, Launches Honda Developer Studio in Silicon Valley to Grow App Ecosystem

As part of its ongoing effort to elevate the connected car experience, Honda has unveiled Honda Developer Studio, an online portal and open innovation workspace in Silicon Valley. The portal and garage will enable developers to work directly with Honda engineers to create apps that are road-ready more quickly. The announcement comes on the heels of Google's debut release of the Android Auto software development kit (SDK), which allows Android developers to easily extend their apps to the in-vehicle environment.
Starting in December, Honda Developer Studio will enable app developers to test their Android Auto apps in a prototype vehicle environment and collaborate with Honda R&D teams. The goal is to help developers refine their ideas and accelerate the learning curve for newcomers to the automotive industry by encouraging them to consider "automotive grade" engineering principles, as well as driver safety and privacy – top Honda priorities – from the get go.
"App developer participation in the automotive space has the potential to transform the in-car experience," said Nick Sugimoto, senior program director for Honda Silicon Valley Lab. "We want to foster app developer participation and enthusiasm, and help them dream-up new experiences that will give drivers access to the latest in digital innovation."
Honda Developer Studio is the product of Honda Silicon Valley Lab (HSVL), Honda's open innovation laboratory in the San Francisco Bay Area. HSVL was founded to help accelerate Honda's global information technology research and development efforts, and forge new strategic partnerships with technology companies.
Developers interested in working with Honda should visit the Honda Developer Studio portal online, where they will be able to begin a dialogue with Honda engineers and schedule time to meet the team at a newly built workspace in Mountain View.
About Honda
Honda established operations in America in 1959 and now employs more than 39,000 associates in its North American sales, R&D and manufacturing operations with total capital investment in North America exceeding $22 billion.
Honda operates 16 major research and development centers in the U.S., including the Honda Silicon Valley Lab, with the capacity to fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America.
Based on its longstanding commitment to "build products close to the customer," Honda operates 17 major manufacturing facilities in North America producing a wide range of Honda and Acura automobiles, automobile engines and transmissions; Honda all-terrain vehicles; power equipment products, such as lawn mowers, mini-tillers and general purpose engines; as well as the HondaJet advanced light jet and GE Honda HF120 jet engines.
Eight Honda auto plants in the region, including four in the U.S., have the capacity to produce 1.92 million automobiles each year. In 2013, more than 94 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America. Those plants today manufacture 11 different models, including four passenger cars and seven light trucks using domestic and globally sourced parts. A fifth U.S. auto plant, the Performance Manufacturing Center, is under construction in Marysville, Ohio, and next year will become the exclusive global production source for the next generation Acura NSX supercar.

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

American Honda Sets New November Sales Records; Core Vehicles Lead the Way

• Honda Division and Honda Trucks also set new November marks, up 4.9 and 18.3 percent, respectively
• Honda CR-V smashes previous November best with a gain of 37.7 percent versus 2013
• Honda Fit shatters November record, jumping 55.1 percent
• TLX and ILX sedans push Acura Cars up 29.5 percent in November while driving an overall division increase

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported a new November Honda and Acura vehicle sales record of 121,814 units, an increase of 4.6 percent versus November 2013. Overall AHM truck sales also set a November record, increasing 12.9 percent on sales of 60,384 vehicles. The Honda brand set a new November best, recording sales of 106,957 vehicles—an increase of 4.9 percent for the month. The Acura brand posted sales of 14,857 units in November, increasing 2.0 percent over the same period last year.
Honda
Three core vehicles in the Honda lineup contributed to a best-ever November for the brand. The newly redesigned CR-V led the Honda division's record month, posting its best November sales ever while Pilot showed fresh strength with a double-digit increase; the two vehicles boosted Honda Trucks to a new November record. The Honda Fit also set a new November mark.

• CR-V smashed its previous November milestone, with 32,378 units sold last month for an increase of 37.7 percent versus 2013. 
• The Pilot showed new strength in a robust truck market for November with sales of 9,228 vehicles for an increase of 13.2 percent.
• Together, CR-V and Pilot helped push Honda Trucks to a best-ever November, gaining 18.3 percent for the month on sales of 51,735 vehicles.
• Honda Fit sales shattered the popular subcompact's previous November best, recording a remarkable 55.1 percent rise on sales of 6,421 units.

"While the market seems to be constantly changing, Honda products continue to march on with strong performances month after month," said Jeff Conrad, Honda division senior vice president and general manager. "Even with plummeting gas prices, compact models like the CR-V and Fit continue to resonate with buyers."
Acura
Acura sedans pushed an overall brand increase in November, led by the new popular TLX and growing momentum from the ILX.  Acura trucks also fared well, maintaining strong market performance as MDX continues to lead the Acura division overall.

• The Acura sedan lineup rose substantially in November, gaining 29.5 percent for the month on sales of 6,208 vehicles.
• TLX was Acura's second best-selling model again in November with over 4,200 units sold, even as tight supply of some models in the TLX lineup kept the new sedan from eclipsing its stellar October result.
• ILX gained 4.4 percent for the month on sales of 1,652 units.

"The strength of Acura sedans is clearly on the rise since bringing the hot-selling TLX to market in late summer," said Mike Accavitti, Acura division senior vice president and general manager. "And with demand outstripping supply, we see even more upside potential with TLX and the rest of our sedan lineup in the coming months."

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

Honda Boasts Strongest November Ever

To be perfectly frank, 2014 has been an amazing year to work for a Honda dealership, as sales across the board continue to be some of the best that the country has ever seen, and November has been a perfect example of how well things have been going.

Specifically, Honda brand set a sales record for the month of November, selling 106,957 vehicles to consumers nationwide. That’s a 4.9% increase over November of 2013 and certainly more than enough of a boost to make it the best November ever for Honda sales.

2015 Honda Accord Among "10Best" Cars of 2015

According to “Car and Driver” magazine, there are approximately 150 new cars from which consumers can choose these days, which can certainly create an overwhelming experience for an uninformed person. Luckily, “Car and Driver” goes to great lengths every year to put out its eagerly-anticipated “10Best” list, which looks at vehicles under $80,000 that deliver the most value, boast the most strengths and offer the smoothest drives.

For the 29th consecutive year, the Honda Accord was put on the list.

Honda Debuts ‘Throwback Toy Tunes’ Social Media and Philanthropic Effort for Happy Honda Days

• Three well-known charities are each matched with a unique, classic toy-themed social video to compete for views to win the top prize
• Continuation of annual multiplatform campaign featuring past popular toys such as Skeletor and Gumby

Building on the fun and interest in the Happy Honda Days campaign, Honda is launching three social videos featuring favorite nostalgic toys such as Gumby and Pokey and Skeletor and He-Man singing their renditions of familiar or newly created holiday tunes. Honda will donate a total of $100,000 benefitting three charities including the Children's Hospital of Orange County, the Little League® Urban Initiative and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Each video has a charity associated with it, and the video that garners the most views through December 21 will win a grand prize of $50,000 for that charity, and the other two charities will each receive a $25,000 donation.
At the end of each video, the toys urge viewers to share their video in hopes of winning the grand prize for the affiliated charity. The charities will also use their own social media channels to promote their respective videos in an effort to gain the most views.
"Honda is committed to being a company that society wants to exist. And we are dedicated to giving back and bringing joy to people's lives," said Susie Rossick, senior manager at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "There is no better holiday gift than helping the efforts of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, Little League Urban Initiative and Children's Hospital of Orange County and having some fun in social media while we're at it."
Paid media amplification for "Throwback Toy Tunes" includes video pre-roll and paid social activation. User engagement is a key metric, and the approach is to align with 80s nostalgia, toys and toy manufactures content across multiple channels.
The integrated Happy Honda Days campaign launched with seven spots on TV in November paying homage to popular toys throughout various decades and included extensive digital, print, POP and radio placements. And on Cyber Monday, the campaign continued its irreverent tone with a #Skeletakeover when Skeletor took over the Honda Twitter channel to broadcast his evil messages.
About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive automobiles for American car buyers through approximately 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Accord, Crosstour, Civic, Fit, CR-Z and Insight, along with the Pilot and CR-V sport-utility vehicles and the Odyssey minivan.
Honda has the longest-lasting cars¹ of any mainstream automotive brand in America, and more models achieving an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating than any other automotive nameplate.
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 30 years and currently operates 16 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2013, more than 94 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
¹Longevity based on IHS Automotive, Polk U.S. vehicles in operation registration statistics 1988-2012 for Honda and non-luxury competing brands.

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

2016 Honda HR-V Los Angeles Auto Show Debut Set to Soundtrack From SoCal Musicians "Two Friends" with "Breach the Summit"

Honda debuted the all-new 2016 Honda HR-V crossover SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show. To celebrate all of the Honda-goodness that the HR-V embodies, from its dynamic and refined exterior styling and class leading fuel economy to its unmatched interior space and functionality and of course, its fun to drive spirit, the debut was paired with an energetic soundtrack from some of Southern California's most on-the-rise dance/indie pop music artists.
"Our Names is Lights," by Two Friends with Breach the Summit, hailing from Los Angeles and Irvine, California, respectively, set the tone for today's highly-anticipated all-new Honda HR-V reveal. The track features the unique blend of Two Friends' emotional progressive house sound with Breach the Summit's indie pop vocals. To hear "Our Names in Lights," visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWcXDfKLguk or https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/our-names-in-lights-feat./id915023597.
More information on these rising stars in the SoCal music scene can be found at: http://www.twofriendsmusic.com/ and http://www.breachthesummit.com/.
More information on the all-new 2016 Honda HR-V can be found at: http://automobiles.honda.com/hr-v/.
Two Friends
With millions of views across YouTube, Soundcloud, and Spotify, two #1 tracks on the Hypem aggregator under their belt, as well as support from big names in the dance music world such as Krewella, Nari & Milani, Sidney Samson, Matisse & Sadko, Felix Cartal, BPM on Sirius XM Radio and more, Two Friends show no sign of slowing down.
Now, their unique blend of emotional progressive house fused with electro and acoustic elements continues to offer a refreshing and memorable experience for music lovers. Their most recent original release, "Our Names In Lights," is the first in a string of many new songs coming out this fall. They are, Two Friends.
Breach the Summit
Irvine, California-based indie pop band Breach The Summit features Olen Kittelsen (vocals/drums), Sam Beresford (keyboards/piano), Jacob Berger (guitar/backing vocals), and Kody Buxton (bass/backing vocals).
Honda and Music
Honda has a deep history in music programming and music marketing through the development of engaging programs and sponsorships aimed at reaching music fans through their love of music. The Honda Civic Tour was created in 2001, and since its inception, 3.5 million fans have attended Civic Tour concert events and the program has become one of the nation's most compelling, successful music concert tour franchises. Concert goers have had the chance to experience their favorite bands up-close-and personal, including live and interactive performances by Maroon 5, Linkin Park, blink-182, The Black Eyed Peas, Paramore, Incubus, Fall Out Boy and many more. Each year, the Honda Civic Tour's headlining artist customizes a Civic vehicle for one lucky tour fan to win.
In 2009, Honda began partnering with the biggest and brightest music festivals across the U.S., including Sasquatch, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival and The Governors Ball in New York. The automaker's festival activations have included a Honda-sponsored stage with performances by some of the festivals' best artists, opportunities to win VIP tickets and Honda vehicles, interactive onsite vehicle displays and more. Honda's music festival partnerships have become part of the Honda Stage music program which began with The Governors Ball in New York June 6-8, and continued through the summer at Music Midtown in Atlanta September 19-20 and triumphantly returned to Austin City Limits Music Festival the first two weekends in October.
In 2014, Honda launched Honda Stage, a unique 360-degree, multi-platform music program designed to meet music fans where they are already searching for and consuming music. This new music platform brings together an unprecedented group of entertainment and technology leaders to produce and distribute some of the best original, high-quality, music content available under the new Honda Stage name, through dozens of live events and exclusive online content.
About Honda
Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive automobiles for American car buyers through approximately 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Accord, Crosstour, Civic, Fit, CR-Z and Insight, along with the Pilot and CR-V sport-utility vehicles and the Odyssey minivan.
Honda has the highest brand fuel economy¹ and the longest-lasting cars² of any mainstream automotive brand in America, and more models achieving an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating than any other automotive nameplate.
Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 30 years and currently operates 16 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2013, more than 94 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.
¹ Based on Model Year 2012 fuel economy data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its report: "Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 Through 2013."
² Longevity based on IHS Automotive, Polk U.S. vehicles in operation registration statistics 1988-2012 for Honda and non-luxury competing brands.
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Source: Honda Media Newsroom