Honda

Talking billboards tout Honda SUV Motorists driving by can tune radios to broadcast and listen to a quirky message. Josee Valcourt / The Detroit News "What does a Honda Element and platypus have in common?" That's the question Honda Motor Co. is posing in 16 major markets around the country. Drivers, including Michiganians southbound on Interstate 75 near Interstate 94, are advised to tune in to a specific radio frequency to find out. Those who oblige might hear a conversation between the vehicle and a platypus at a cocktail party. The new commercials, part of the "Element and Friends" advertising campaign which began last fall, play within five miles of the billboa…

As I can see it, a very common problem with the new Civic is that the driver forgets to turn on their headlights. This brings two things: 1. Why doesn't the Civic have automatic headlamps? A lot of cars at the price point have it. And no, the one I saw wasn't a base model. Even the Cobalt has it. 2. Is the fancy LED backed dashboard really useful, or just for show? I know, not just the Civic has it, Lexus and some others have it too. But the thing is though, it was on, without the headlights on. Traditionally, it's a given fact that if the dashboard is lighted, then headlights or parking lamps are on. Doesn't that just convey a wrong message to the driver if the lig…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 28, 2012 If you were only to read the headlines about Honda, you might be wondering why a good amount of people are complaining. So far in 2012, Honda sales are up, has excellent relations with their suppliers, won this year’s Indy 500, and many other good stories that many a company wish they had. However, those in the know see that Honda lost the magic that it once had during the eighties and nineties with its core group of fans. Honda has also began to realize this very fact and is taking some drastic steps to fix it. For the first time in Honda’s history, they have promoted an American, Erik Berkman, to the pos…

The Honda Civic has been taking beating with reviews saying the car has dull styling and driving dynamics, poor interior materials, and many more reasons. Consumer Reports didn’t put the Civic on their list of recommended vehicles for this year. Honda’s CEO Takanobu Ito told reporters this week that he takes full responsibility for the Civic. "The ultimate responsibility rests with me. We take inputs from the various markets with sincerity ... and try to work out the best actions for what we have observed. Those decisions rest with me," Ito said. Honda has pushed up the refresh for the Civic to 2013 to fix the problems the current model has. Source: Automotive News (S…

The new Honda Accord has been lauded by the automotive press for its design, improved ride and interior, and noticeable increases in fuel economy. In fact, the Accord has been named North American Car of the Year. But dealers are struggling to move the new Accord off lots. In February, sales of the Accord dropped 15.8 percent when compared to the year before. According to Automotive News, inventory levels of the Accord stood at a 104-day supply at the beginning of this month - very high by Honda's sparse count. Some dealers have been turning away shipments from the Marysville, Ohio plant. "Where lease is heavy, like Florida, New York, Ohio and California, that'…

By Kathy Jackson Automotive News / August 29, 2005 http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=54329 As gasoline prices flirted with $3 per gallon, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui surprised reporters in Tokyo this month when he said the company was looking at its first V-8. A new V-8 while gasoline prices reach record highs? Yes, Honda is finally hedging its bet on fuel-efficient four- and six-cylinder engines. The company is turning its attention to vehicles it purposely has ceded to the competition: big SUVs and pickups with V-8s. Honda's aversion to V-8 trucks has cost it some business. But its contrarian tradition of environmentally conscious engin…

Honda Warns Dealers About Civic Supply William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 3, 2011 Honda has put a warning out to their dealers with the 2012 Civic. In a memo sent to dealers, American Honda Motor Co. sales boss John Mendel said the supply will be “severely restricted, with limited availability of certain models.” The memo also states production of the new Civic will, “be at significantly reduced levels at least during the summer months,” because of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. As a result, analysts said sales of the new Civic could drop below 2010 sales of 260,000 units. “With an all-new and improved model, Ho…

We knew it was coming, but it was still a shock when Honda announced that the Accord Coupe would be no more with the next-generation model. As The Truth About Cars notes, about 5 percent of Accord sales were the coupe. That means out of 345,225 Accords sold last year, about 17,200 were for the coupe. Despite dropping the coupe, Honda believes buyers of the coupe will switch over to the sedan. “The sedan has dramatic enough styling to appeal to coupe intenders,” said Sage Marie, American Honda spokesman at the reveal of the 2018 Accord to Wards Auto. The key words in that quote is 'coupe intenders'. We have to wonder how many of the buyers of the Accord Cou…

William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 20, 2013 Honda is hard at work on the next-generation Civic Type R which will pack a 2.0L turbo-four with 276 horsepower going to the front wheels. But don't expect to see this hot Civic coming to our shores anytime soon. Part of the reason comes from the Civic sold in the U.S. and the one sold elsewhere is very different. The other part comes from the Civic being seen as a econo-box and launching a high-performance and somewhat costly Civic seems like a bad idea. Now at this point, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm telling you about this vehicle that will never appear in the U.S. Well according to CarSales.com…