86-MPG Honda Fit?

by: Sebastian Blanco

We recently heard Honda chief engineer Art St. Cyr talk about the excellent fuel economy that the Japan-only Fit Hybrid gets. "You may have seen the numbers," St. Cyr told a group of journalists, "the new one-motor hybrid system gives the Fit Hybrid the highest fuel efficiency among hybrid models in Japan." With a fuel economy rating of 36.4 kilometers per liter (86 miles per gallon) using the Japanese test cycle, Honda is (justifiably) proud that the little gas-electric hatchback with a 7-speed DCT and a high-output motor paired with a new Atkinson engine outperforms the popular Toyota hybrid line-up back home.

Here in the US, though, the most efficient Honda Fit gets just 31 mpg combined (28 in the city and 35 on the highway). Those are the EPA numbers for the 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder with the automatic five-speed transmission. Wouldn't it be nice to get a greener Fit over here? If Honda can make a 35-percent improvement between Fit Hybrid generations (as it did with the new model). St. Cyr said that the 2015 Fit, which arrives in the US next spring, will have some of Honda's Earth Dreams engine and transmission technology in it and St. Cyr said, "we expect to make it a performance and fuel economy leader in the sub-compact segment." Exactly that that means is something we should learn more about during the upcoming auto show season.

What we do know is that Honda is still not planning on bringing the hybrid here. Yet. The best we could do is get St. Cyr to tell AutoblogGreen that Honda, "may reevaluate in the future" if the company sees more interest in hybrid tech in the US. How much interest is that? We don't know, but in Japan, current-generation Fit pre-orders were 70 percent tilted in favor of the Hybrid.

Source: Autoblog

Refreshed 2014 Honda Civic Coupe to bow at SEMA

by: Brandon Turkus

Honda has announced plans to bring a refreshed, 2014 Honda Civic Coupe to the 2013 SEMA Show, set to kick off on November 5. Honda's struggles with the 9th generation Civic have been widely publicized, and while the 2013 model year sedan has seen a significant overhaul, the two-door is now getting some additional enhancements for 2014.

Honda has released one teaser image of the Civic Si Coupe to go along with the announcement, but we can discern a few things. The Si Coupe now features a larger rear spoiler, along with a restyled, more aggressive rear bumper, complete with a diffuser. The taillights look smoked, and the wheels look larger than the current Si's alloys.

Besides those details, it looks like we'll be waiting until November 5 to see just what Honda has in store for the Civic. Take a look below for the full press release from Honda.

Show full PR text

2014 Honda Civic to Once Again Raise the Bar with Coupe World Debut at 2013 SEMA Show

Mid-cycle refresh for Civic includes sharpened coupe exterior styling and Si performance enhancements designed to make the best-selling compact car even better

10/25/2013 - TORRANCE, Calif.

Just one year after major improvements established the Honda Civic as the clear compact segment leader, Honda will further its segment leadership again with new enhancements to the Civic lineup for 2014. Details and technical changes will be announced in the coming weeks, but the world will get its first look at some of the changes when the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe (http://automobiles.honda.com/2014-civic/) makes its world debut at the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas during a press conference scheduled for Nov. 5th at 9:30 a.m. PT.

As one of the key vehicles sparking the original import tuner movement of the late 1980's and early 1990's, the Honda Civic has been the platform of choice for those seeking personalization potential and built-in performance coupled with unmatched reliability. The 2014 Civic Coupe will honor that proud tradition by making its debut among its most ardent fans, displaying multiple variations at the 2013 SEMA Show.

Along with the Civic, the Honda SEMA booth (24987) will feature an impressive array of personalized automobiles, motorcycles and the 133-mph "Mean Mower" (http://bit.ly/MeanMower) developed by Honda (UK) and their title-winning British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) partner, Team Dynamics.

Show attendees are also invited to register online for the Honda Industry Soiree, sure to be the unrivaled Tuesday night event, unfolding at 10:00 p.m. PT at Tao nightclub in The Venetian Las Vegas.

 

Source: Autoblog

2014 Honda Odyssey, CR-V Named to Edmunds' "Best" List

It’s not exactly a secret that Honda vehicles are among the best-selling automobiles in the country, so to see some of them end up on an Edmunds “Best Of” list isn’t necessarily surprising. Still, to have to Honda vehicles featured prominently on a list titled, “17 Best Cars You Can Buy,” is pretty humbling. The 2014 Honda Odyssey and 2013 Honda CR-V should both be so proud of themselves for making the cut!

Honda Illusions, An Impossible Made Possible

Sirius and Honda Extend Relationship to 2020

Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. have extended their relationship to January, 2020, significantly increasing the penetration of SiriusXM factory-installed technology in new Honda and Acura vehicles.
Starting in 2014, American Honda will steadily increase the penetration of SiriusXM across its entire vehicle lineup. The automaker will expand SiriusXM as factory installed equipment on its best-selling models, including the Accord, Civic, CR-V and Pilot, as well as add SiriusXM for the first time ever to the Fit, CR-Z and Insight. In addition, SiriusXM will become standard equipment on Acura ILX.
American Honda introduced its first vehicles with factory-installed satellite radio starting in 2003, and has produced more than 5.6 million vehicles with satellite radio to date.
"American Honda is one of the original automakers to adopt satellite radio, and its increase of SiriusXM factory-installed satellite radio in Honda and Acura vehicles is a testament to the strong demand among customers and dealers for SiriusXM," said Steve Cook, executive vice president, sales and automotive, SiriusXM. "We are pleased to continue our relationship with American Honda to 2020 and look forward to a very significant number of loyal Honda customers becoming part of our family of more than 25 million satisfied subscribers."
"A wide variety of commercial-free music, live sports, and exclusive entertainment programming has become an important feature for our customers," said Art St. Cyr, vice president of product planning and logistics, American Honda. "Increasing the availability of SiriusXM makes our vehicles more fun-to-drive and enjoyable."
Customers purchasing any new Honda or Acura vehicle equipped with satellite radio will receive a 3-month subscription to SiriusXM's All Access Package with access to SiriusXM's premium programming lineup, including every NFL game, Howard Stern, every NASCAR® race, Oprah Radio® and MLB Network Radio™, and more, plus access to SiriusXM Internet Radio on smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at siriusxm.com.
For more information on SiriusXM, please visit www.siriusxm.com.
About Sirius XM Radio
Sirius XM Radio Inc. is the world's largest radio broadcaster measured by revenue and has more than 25 million subscribers. SiriusXM creates and broadcasts commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment; and the most comprehensive Latin music, sports and talk programming in radio. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S., from retailers nationwide, and online at siriusxm.com. SiriusXM programming is also available through the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for Android, Apple, and BlackBerry smartphones and other connected devices. SiriusXM also holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has more than 2 million subscribers.
On social media, join the SiriusXM community on Facebook, facebook.com/siriusxm, Twitter, twitter.com/siriusxm, Instagram, instagram.com/siriusxm, and YouTube at youtube.com/siriusxm.

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

2014 Accord Hybrid Overview

The Accord Hybrid is the latest model in the completely redesigned ninth-generation Accord lineup, Honda's best-selling model in America. The addition of the Accord Hybrid, which follows the September 2012 launch of the Accord Sedan and Accord Coupe (with 4-cylinder and V-6 powertrains) and the January 2013 launch of the Accord Plug-In, further broadens what is already the most diverse range of models and powertrain options in the history of Accord and in the hotly competitive U.S. midsize sedan market.
The all-new Accord Hybrid, manufactured by Honda of America Mfg., Inc. in Marysville, Ohio, joins the Indiana-made Civic Hybrid as the second Honda-brand hybrid vehicle to be produced in America¹. Utilizing the same Earth Dreams Technology™ powertrain architecture as the Accord Plug-In, Honda's first two-motor hybrid powertrain, the Accord Hybrid is designed to deliver outstanding fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive performance, and at 50 miles per gallon² it delivers the highest EPA city fuel-economy rating of any four door sedan.
 
Utilizing the same fundamental body and chassis architecture as the standard (non-hybrid) Accord Sedan, including its highly aerodynamic and lightweight body, sophisticated suspension design and outstanding interior package, the 2014 Accord Hybrid also delivers on the new-generation Accord's promise to excel in all areas. These areas include not only fuel efficiency and driving performance but also class-leading passenger comfort and ergonomics; top-level safety and driver-assistive systems with features such as Honda's next-generation ACE™ body structure, available Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning and LaneWatch (standard); and leading-edge connectivity via the new HondaLink® connected car technology.
The Accord Hybrid's two-motor hybrid system, part of an expanding lineup of Honda Earth Dreams Technology™ powertrains, seamlessly blends electric-only, hybrid and engine drive modes along with powerful regenerative braking to provide responsive and efficient performance in a wide range of driving situations. Fuel efficiency is further aided by a number of features exclusive to the Accord Hybrid and Accord Plug-In. These include an all-aluminum front subframe, which replaces the steel-and-aluminum subframe used on the conventional Accord Sedan and Coupe models, and an aluminum rear bumper beam, which helps offset the additional weight of the rear-mounted battery pack while also improving front-to-rear weight balance.  
The 2014 Accord Hybrid further advances Honda's commitment to gasoline-electric hybrid powertrains as a critical technology for reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions from its automobile products.  Honda introduced America's first hybrid automobile, the first-generation Insight, in December 1999; the first hybrid version of an existing mass-market vehicle, the Civic Hybrid, in 2002; the world's first mass-produced V-6 hybrid car, the first-generation Accord Hybrid, in 2004; the world's most affordable hybrid car, the second-generation Insight, in 2009; and the first affordable sporty hybrid car, the CR-Z, in 2010.

2014 Accord Hybrid Pricing and EPA Fuel Economy Ratings
Trim	MSRP3	EPA Fuel Economy Ratings2 (city/highway/combined)
Hybrid	$29,155	50/45/47
Hybrid EX-L	$31,905	50/45/47
Hybrid Touring	$34,905	50/45/47

New Accord Hybrid Technology
A number of new Honda technologies debut on the 2014 Accord Plug-In and Accord Hybrid. Some of the key new features include:

• Two-Motor Hybrid Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) System
• 2.0L L4 Atkinson cycle engine
• Electric Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT)
• High-output Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery pack
• Electric water pump
• Electric-servo regenerative braking system
• Amplitude Reactive Dampers

2014 Accord Hybrid Sedan Powertrain Specifications
Engine	DOHC i-VTEC® inline 4-cylinder
Displacement	1993cc (2.0-liter)
Compression ratio	13.0:1
Gasoline Engine SAE Horsepower @ rpm*	141 @ 6200
Gasoline Engine SAE Torque @ rpm (lb.-ft.)*	122 @ 3500-6000
Total Hybrid System Power (horsepower)	196 hp
Electric Continuously Variable Transmission (E-CVT)	Standard
Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity	1.3 kWh
AC Synchronous Permanent-Magnet Electric Motor	124 kW
Electric Drive Motor Torque (lb.-ft)	226 lb.-ft
EPA-Fuel Economy Rating (MPG, City/Highway/Combined)2	50 / 45 / 47
Calculated Combined Gas-Electric Driving Range (mi)4	673
Fuel type	Regular unleaded
Emissions certification (CARB/EPA)	LEV3-AT-PZEV(SULEV30)/BIN3

*SAE J1349 testing method

2014 Accord Hybrid Sedan Key Packaging Specifications
Wheelbase, in.	109.3
Length, in.	192.2
Width, in.	72.8
Height, in.	57.5
Track, F/R, in.	62.4/62.7
Turning diameter, ft.	38.1
Curb weight, lbs.	Base: 3550 EX-L: 3595 Touring: 3602
Passenger volume, cu. ft.	103.2 (100.8 EX-L, Touring)
Cargo volume, cu. ft.	12.7 (12.3 EX-L, Touring)
Seating capacity	5
Fuel capacity, gal.	15.8

Source: Honda Media Newsroom

2014 Honda Pilot Offers Function and Versatility

If someone were to approach a random person on the street and ask them to name a current Honda model, chances are pretty strong that the 2014 Honda Pilot wouldn’t be the first one rattled off. Despite the fact that it doesn’t have the same sort of name recognition as the Accord or Civic, we feel very strongly about this spacious and reliable midsize crossover, and we know that all San Diego Honda dealers feel the same way.