Passion for Honda

 

In automotive news, people have been blabbing a lot about hydrogen vehicles a lot. Each one has it’s preferred hydro car. And well, I have had my share of blabbing on that topic too. But as I have said in my older post I think they need to study the Honda FCX more. Especifivally on how to make it run longer miles rather than going hunting for a hydrogen station after a specific number of miles. Yes, hydrogen can only take you so far then go back to refill again.

 

Then this week VW also released its share of the hydro car. This week's U.S. debut of Volkswagen's zero-emission, hydrogen-powered Tiguan Hymotion SUV in the Bay Area exemplifies both the promise and the pitfalls of a type of alternative-fuel vehicle that many automakers are developing. Hydrogen vehicles offer a clean alternative for the nation's highways and a way to ease our dependence on the gasoline engine, proponents say. That's important as motorists face record gas prices and the world confronts climate change caused by carbon emissions from cars and other sources.

 

But electrical glitches banned the Tiguan from running at the opening of the new Capitol Volkswagen in San Jose on Wednesday evening, and at a news media event in San Francisco on Thursday. (VW execs said those problems were isolated to the hydrogen technology but show that the cars are still a work in progress.) A more serious challenge facing VW and other car manufacturers is the lack of hydrogen stations. Indeed, company executives said VW could be as much as a decade away from putting a hydrogen car into production because of infrastructure deficiencies.

 

"The issue that you come up against," said Mark Barnes, chief operating officer of Volkswagen of America, "is we can produce it, but where are consumers going to refuel?" Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious plan for a statewide network of hydrogen stations called the Hydrogen Highway, unveiled more than four years ago, has been slow to materialize. The chair of the state's Air Resources Board now says 50 to 100 hydrogen fueling stations will be open by 2015, five years later than originally promised.

 

VW, which has a research lab in Palo Alto, won't put fuel-cell cars into production until hydrogen is "readily accessible" nationwide, Barnes said. That will take seven to 10 years, perhaps more, said John Tillman, who heads VW's fuel-cell research program at the California Fuel-Cell Partnership in Sacramento. Fuel cells produce electricity by taking hydrogen and oxygen, separating protons and electrons, and routing electrons to create an electrical current that powers the vehicle's motor. The only emission is water.

 

VW officials said the Tiguan Hymotion has run well during hundreds of miles of testing in Germany and California. But overuse prior to the Bay Area event led to battery glitches, they said. General Motors and Honda have more aggressive plans than VW for introducing hydrogen cars.

 

GM's Project Driveway program has rolled out 80 Chevy Equinox fuel-cell vehicles, including 49 in California, for short-term test drives, spokesman Pete Barkey said. Meanwhile, Honda will begin production of its FCX Clarity fuel-cell vehicle Monday in Japan, spokesman Sage Marie said. Honda plans to lease about 200 FCX Clarity models in Southern California over three years at $600 a month, with the first leases starting in July. More than 50,000 people have expressed interest via Honda's Web site, Marie said.

 

The Clarity sedan has a 270-mile range and gets the equivalent of 68 miles per gallon. While hybrids, plug-in hybrids and diesel cars get most of the attention today, hydrogen technology continues to make progress, said John Addison, who publishes the Clean Fleet Report. But, Addison said, "There's a question mark over the next 10 years of how well it may do with consumers because both automakers and the average consumer want to see a nice, available infrastructure for filling up."

 

Got that news from this site.

This is just another one of those “bad days” for Honda. It was reported that Honda’s production of it’s China car was disrupted. It turns out the disruption was caused by inconsistent supply of engines from one of its departments. That said department was the damaged plant in Guangzhou. Now Honda has suspended the production in all four Chinese car assembly plants and factories.

Good thing that such move from Honda did not cause any big effect on the company’s sales. This was what one of Honda’s spokesperson said. But UBS Securities auto analyst Tatsuo Yoshida said the suspension, which has been a good 10 working days, was worrying since Honda did not know when it would return to normal and it would be unable to fully make up for the lost production by the end of the first fiscal quarter this month.

"It's gone on longer than we'd imagined," he said. "It's not earth-shattering, but it is a concern." Yoshida noted that Honda's sales in its biggest U.S. market, meanwhile, were robust last month and looked set to stay that way in June. One of the two lines at the 360,000-units-a-year engine factory, held jointly with Dongfeng Motor Corp (0489.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), is still under repair, forcing all but two of its four car factories in China to remain shuttered.

Honda's main car factories are owned in separate joint ventures with Dongfeng Motor and Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. The Dongfeng Honda factory in Wuhan, central China, resumed normal production on Wednesday. It builds the CR-V sport utility vehicle and Civic sedan and procures only some engine parts from the engine factory in Guangzhou.

Production resumed on one of the engine plant's two lines on Friday and will stay that way on Saturday -- a scheduled work day -- and Monday, the spokeswoman said. The 120,000 units-a-year Guangzhou Honda car factory, which builds the Accord, Odyssey, Fit and City models, will resume full operations on Saturday and Monday, after working only the second shift on Friday. The other two car factories will be closed. Honda's four car factories, including an export-only site that supplies Europe, have a total production capacity of 530,000 vehicles a year and are a growing source of earnings.

Well too bad Honda had to stop production for its Chinese car. Just imagine the effect of paralyzing all four plants. Well, there’s nothing they can do about it. There’s no one to blame. The damage in the Guangzhou plant was caused by nature. I just hope they get to fix it at once. Their production for the Chinese car should be back on track before the third quarter for this year ends. Eventually Honda will feel the effect of the cease production of its four plants in the coming months.

Yesterday I went out with a couple of friends. We went for an out of town trip. I can't remember the name of the place though. But it was such a great trip. I want to do it again. It was such a long travel, thank God, the Honda CR-V that we were in, ran so smoothly that i really enjoyed the ride. That CR-V was the same vehicle that we used the last time we got drunk at a bar in the city. But the last time i was in that suv i didn't get to appreciate the auto. I was too drunk to notice how smooth the ride quality was...how good the quality of sound that the speakers produced, or how refreshing the color combination of the interior is to the eye...All i can remember about the vehicle from that night (or very early in the morning) was that it smelled good, maybe it was the air freshener.

Anyways this trip i didn't let one single good feature of the Honda CR-V pass without me noticing. Firstly, it tickled the music lover in me. The speakers were just great. Absolutely great! Then the color of the interior was more pleasing to the eye than I remember. Another is the fact that it is already Bluetooth capable, and it has an mp3/ auxiliary jack. You can just plug in you iPod and there you have it…good music…your choice of music while you are driving. (here goes the techie-geek)

And have I mentioned that it is very spacious. Yes, it is quite spacious on the inside. Need I saw more about the exterior. The exterior had SUV written all over it (don’t take it literally…an auto with the letter S U V written all over it definitely looks stupid…LOLZ) anyways the Honda CR-V really looked sporty and muscular. Which is good since it is an SUV.

Going back to the out of town trip, we were able to use the back portion of the auto for all the things that we bought. And some of us, since not all of use could fit in the passenger area, sat in the back portion with all the other things and foods. But they did not complain at all. Maybe it was because the ride was not at all bumpy. They were still able to seat comfortably.

Then my friend allowed me to take the CR-V for a drive just along the huge parking area of the old house we went to. It was great. It didn’t feel like I was driving an SUV. I felt more like driving something smaller – something like a sedan.

Although the CR-V had a lot of impressive features, I still like the Honda Accord coupe better. What? I’m single. I don’t have a family yet. I’m not one of those mom’s who take their kids to their soccer game or something like that. Who would I accommodate on a big SUV? For now I’d like to stick to the thought that I am still single…and I want to go out and have fun with a sedan or a coupe. But I think a coupe is the perfect auto for single females. What do you think?

Ok I know the title sounds a bit cheesy. But what I’m trying to say is that despite the hard times that Honda has been going through lately it is getting back up on its two feet. (Its metaphorical…don’t take it literally.) In the first half of this year Honda has been in a wild roller coaster ride. Its sales dropped in some areas, and then demand for some of its products raised, then a couple of recalls here and there. I didn’t think it would be that crazy. Even its race department had its share of troubles. Now given what Ford has been through in the past several weeks, it is not surprising that General Motors chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner is enjoying bit of schadenfreude ( I honestly don’t know what these word means...LOLZ) at the cost of his Asian rivals.

In an interview with CNNMoney.com last week, Wagoner laughed at Toyota for announcing that they are the latest automaker to open a pick up truck plant in North America. Which turned out to be a not-so-smart move for Toyota since truck sales are down because of the continuous increase of gasoline price. And of course no one can deny the fact that getting a pick up truck now a days is not such a very good move because of the economic downturn. But Wagoner couldn’t throw much bad comment of Honda, though. Maybe he noticed that Honda did not produce any body-on-frame pick ups, and it did not include any of its V-8 engines in its latest release of vehicles. That was indeed a smart move for Honda. Who would actually buy a vehicle with a V-8 engine that uses gas or diesel, right? More so now that the price of gasoline is skyrocketing endlessly. Honda is now making it through the market with great ease. With its release of fuel efficient vehicles, it definitely won the hearts and pocket of many.

He might have added "prescience." All but alone among the world's automakers, Honda has long acted as if the world is indeed running out of all kinds of resources, including oil. Its relentless focus on thrift and conservation, which seemed like an unconventional behavior 20 or 30 years ago, today make Honda the leader of the environmental pack. At a time when Americans are hyper-conscious about gas prices -- and how can they ignore the media pounding home the message every day - that kind of prescience is paying off for Honda in a big way. I mean gas prices and fuel efficient cars – it’s a perfect formula for Honda.

So while the Detroit Three plus Toyota were getting hammered down on the showroom floor in May, with sales down anywhere from 4.3% for Toyota to 27.5% for General Motors (GM, Fortune 500), Honda posed a stunning 15.6% sales increase. That was enough to vault it ahead of Chrysler for the month and put it in fourth place in North American sales. If you notice, all the other companies’ sales were going down except for Honda. Adding injury to the insult, the Honda Civic became the best selling vehicle in America - car or truck - and both it and the Honda Accord outsold the once-invincible Ford F-150 pickup trucks.

This ain’t rocket science. This is just a simple case of luck and proper analysis of resources. They aren't making any more oil so, over time, you had to figure it was going to get more expensive and more scarce. So why weren't other manufacturers able to see the road ahead as well as Honda?

1. They got sidetracked by the easy profits available in big SUVs and pickups. During the 1990s, the last golden age of the American auto industry, the combination of cheap gas and high-profit big vehicles seduced automakers into believing the good times would never end. Then, when the clock started to run down in 2004, the domestics were too hooked on the big money, and too inflexible by virtue of their UAW contracts, to quickly make changes. Toyota and Nissan (NSANY), anxious for their own bite out of the golden apple, got sucked in too, ramping up pickup production at just the wrong time.

2. Honda's tightly-knit corporate culture and long time horizon made it uniquely able to wait for events to move in its direction, rather than chasing fluctuations in the marketplace. While the car-based Ridgeline truck was savaged by critics for not being a "true" pickup, it now looks like smart move in an era of $4 a gallon gasoline.

3. The other automakers became distracted by their own corporate imperatives. Nissan compounded its problems by starting its own passenger car horsepower race. The Detroit Three, at times, seemed to get their jollies by reviving models from 40 years ago -- Mustang, Challenger, Camaro -- because of the short term jolt they got in the marketplace, rather than formulating any kind of long-term strategy for a resource-constrained world. And who can explain GM's infatuation with Hummers long after the brand ceased to resonate in the marketplace?

I just hope Honda keeps up whatever improvements it is having now. Can’t wait to read a news saying that Honda is far ahead from Ford. Obviously I’m not such a big Ford fan. I’m more into Asian vehicles and auto makers. After all they are the ones leading the world through techno growth. (I can be such a techie-geek sometimes…LOLZ)

 

If you ant info you check this out.

Lately news about auto makers creating fuel efficient vehicles flooded the internet. And Honda once again managed to gather almost all the attention. And in recent years, while many automakers were building bigger and more muscular trucks and SUVs, Honda was busy making fuel-efficient vehicles. Honda gave a rain check on creating full sized pick ups, unlike most of Honda passed on developing a full-size pickup, unlike its leading Japanese rivals. It focused more on its resources rather than designing an improved version of a sturdier Civic and a smaller Fit.

Honda’s approach has now paid-off. This year Honda has made its mark with the best performance of any major player in the U.S. market. Its sales raised up 4.8 percent in a market that constricted 8.4 percent in the first five months of 2008. In the month of May, the Civic was the top-selling vehicle in the United States, putting the longtime champion, Ford Motor Co.'s F-Series trucks out of it’s original place. The trend in auto motive now a days turned as consumers traded in gas guzzlers for more frugal models.

"They have an array of products that is in tune with today's economic climate," said Jim Hossack, a consultant at AutoPacific Inc. in Tustin, Calif. "They don't have a Suburban, they don't have a Super Duty, but they have small, fuel-efficient vehicles. They're in good shape."

Honda could sell even more vehicles in the United States if the Japanese automaker shipped more small cars to its American Honda Motor subsidiary. Fit subcompacts are sold within five days of reaching showrooms, said John Mendel, executive vice president at American Honda. But Honda is also scrambling to meet demand in Japan, where the Fit is the best-selling vehicle. "Sixty percent of the world market is small cars. We compete with the rest of the world for the Fit," Mendel said. It gets 27-28 miles per gallon in the city and 33-34 mpg on the highway.

This past weekend, Jim Kurtz, a software specialist living near Baltimore, struggled to track down a Fit for his daughter.

"I called five dealers, and only one of them had the car," Kurtz said. "The demand is unbelievably high for these vehicles."

This year, Fit sales are up 64 percent, Civic sales are up 20.5 percent, and sales of the Civic hybrid are up 17.5 percent, according to Autodata Corp.

Honda's trucks, however, are not performing as well. The CR-V crossover is popular, but Honda has a tough time moving its boxy Element vehicles. They spend nearly three months on dealer lots, compared with a 56-day average for compact crossovers as a whole, according to J.D. Power and Associates' Power Information Network. Honda's midsize Ridgeline pickup is also a slow seller, and now carries $3,500 in incentives, according to online auto research firm Edmunds.com.

Sales of Honda's premium Acura vehicles have been weak, too, in the last months before the rollout of redesigned models.

But Honda cars are hard to keep in stock. "Particularly in this climate, where gas prices have spiked since mid-April, Honda is top of mind with consumers," said Mark McCready, vice president for market planning and pricing at online retailer Carsdirect.com. "Honda has for years positioned themselves in their marketing as being economical, with good fuel-economy, reliability and best cost of ownership."

Demand for Honda's midsize Accord sedan is strong, as SUV owners migrate to smaller -- but not much smaller -- vehicles. That shift explains why more Accord buyers are opting for V-6 than four-cylinder engines, Mendel said. Accord sales are up 9.4 percent this year, and ahead 38.9 percent in May.

With gas costing $4 a gallon, fuel economy is a top priority for consumers. Allen Chen, a vice president at a Silicon Valley firm, looked at small, fuel-efficient cars and hybrids. With hybrids, "the gas savings, even assuming $6 a gallon gas, didn't work out because of the extra cost of the car, and the cost of the battery replacement down the road," he said. Last weekend, Chen settled on a Civic with a 1.8-liter engine costing $17,865, including tax.

Honda's archrival Toyota Motor Corp. has many fuel-efficient models in its bigger lineup, but Toyota's performance has been hurt by weak demand for some of its larger vehicles, such as the new Tundra pickup. Toyota has slowed production of Tundras at its Indiana and Texas plants, and Nissan Motor Co. is also slashing output of light trucks in North America.

Compared with Toyota and Nissan, Honda has been more cautious in adding production capacity. But that trait is causing Honda to scramble to supply dealers with more cars. It is increasing Civic production at its Alliston plant in Ontario and it is opening a car plant in Indiana this fall.

But McCready says Honda may run short during the summer selling season. "They don't have the volumes or the inventories to do what they did in May for the rest of the summer."

It seems that the mind behind Honda is doing a lot of thinking lately. And it’s paying-off big time. I wonder until when these fads for fuel efficient vehicles will go on. I mean, now that there are hydrogen cars being released, fuel will not be necessary.

If you want to know more about this particular news you can click here.

I couldn’t find anything interesting on the internet today. Or at least I could find something interesting enough to read. (I love reading…but not gossips and all that buzz about celebs…) even other’s blog can’t seem to catch my attention long enough for me to finish one whole post. Well, at least I got my mind on one thing – FCX Clarity. Yeah I know there are still a lot of improvements to be done to the Clarity before it could be the perfect vehicle for any activity. But I just want to know all the things it could offer aside from being the first fuel cell vehicle.

Now here are the features of the Honda FCX Clarity.

Exterior:

The Honda FCX Clarity is a vehicle with one concept in mind – the nest century sedan. Futuristic. But not geeky. It shows an aggressive front end that also features a six-sided grille. Whew! Talk about enhanced looks! This one’s got it all. And have you seen its headlights? They are just fierce! I totally love the headlights. It has an elegantly tapered passenger cabin lines complement the accentuated fender flares. Actually even the rear-end of this sedan is an eye-catcher. Another thing that is good about this vehicle is that it has a refractive rear privacy glass on part of the trunk to aid driver visibility through the rear view. And you’ll also notice that the hood, trunk, and fenders are perfectly crafted. They are made from aluminum so they are basically light and not to mention they look good.

Interior:

The interior of the FCX features the revolutionary bio-fabric. This kind of fabric reduces 30% of CO₂. Aside from being more environmental friendly the Honda Bio-fabric used for the FCX also has great elasticity which keeps your seats from sagging. It is also durable enough to withstand the daily wear and tear that it has to endure. In general, the interior of this car offers a clean and inviting feel. It’s homier compared to other vehicles. And oh the seats! The seats are equipped with climate control to keep you at the temperature you want. And its rear center console can also be used as a tray table. And of course what is a modern Honda vehicle without the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation system which can be a big help in finding the nearest gasoline, or in the FCX’s case, hydrogen station. And if you love music while you’re driving, the XM Satellite radio, and the MP3/ auxiliary input jack can help you find the music that suits your mood. Aside from that you’ll also find 3D gauges that are attractive and at the same time very functional.

Performance:

FCX Clarity is a fuel cell vehicle is powered by an electric motor that is running on the electricity generated by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell load. The Honda E-Drive electric motor allows you drive with peace of mind, driving an environmental friendly vehicle. The compact coaxial motor is quieter and works at higher rpm, for greater efficiency and speed. The FCX is equipped with Honda’s vertical flow fuel stack. It is basically smaller. It gives more space for the auto. It is provides higher cell voltage and it also reduces the generated heat. The compact, high-efficiency lithium-ion battery pack is used as a supplemental power source capturing lost energy during deceleration and braking. This battery provides enhanced performance and energy recovery. And another good thing about this battery is that it is relatively small. It can be stored under the rear seat, giving more passenger and trunk space. The word stylish does not only apply to FCX’s interior and exterior features. It is also applicable to the quality of performance it provides.

Safety:

Now, let’s talk about its safety features. As you may know, Honda is an automaker concerned about its customer’s safety. That is why all of its vehicles are equipped with all the safety devices available today. Now, the Honda CX Clarity is equipped with all the necessary safety features on both inside and outside of the vehicle; from the interior to the exterior and even in its brakes. It is uniquely protected with a Omni-directional crash protection. This helps protect the hydrogen and other electrical devices from the impact in case of collision. It is also equipped with the new Collision mitigation braking system from Honda. This system can aid in detecting a potential collision. And it uses a visual and audio alert to inform the driver of the possible collision. It is also designed to tug the seatbelt ti further prompt the driver to take action. (well! What can you expect from a company that creates robots?) Hydrogen leaks are no question for this vehicle too. In case there is a hydrogen leak it activates the ventilation system, closes the main cut of valves of the hydrogen tanks or supply tanks.

Well, those are the things that the Honda FCX Clarity has to offer. As for me I think it’s an OK car. Although it still needs improvement on some aspects.

Ok. I know I’m not an expert to be giving reviews. But I do know a lot of stuff about auto, so just give me some credit will yah! (LOLZ) Anyways, I’m keeping my eye on this baby.

Honda finally revealed its hydrogen fel-cell sedan – the Honda FCX Clarity. And from the looks of it, this baby will be one of the most popular vehicles this year. Its exterior is sleek and smooth. It looks a lot like mix of Accord, Prius, and Azera. Its interior also provides more room than the three mentioned models.

Honda FCX Clarity is the first fuel cell car ever introduced in the market. The question whether this baby will be sold or not has been answered when Honda offered to lease it for $600 a month. But with regards to the number of Claritys it will release, the company is still not giving any figures.

Honda already told the press that it is planning to build more of Clarity in the plant where they produced Insight, S200, and NSX. And this plant is located in Tochigi. But of course the Clarity that was offered for a test drive a year ago will have some difference with the production model. The one that was used for test drive lacked a lot of the things that the production model has. The Clarity that will be produced will have a complete set of airbags and all the safety features necessary and available today. It also offers a more comfortable ride and drive-experience.

CO2 Emissions

The only thing coming out of the FCX is H2O. Yes, you read that right. The FCX Clarity's only emission is water. CO2 emissions related to the production of hydrogen vary by source. But, well-to-wheel CO2 emissions using hydrogen reformed from natural gas are less than half that of a usual petrol automobile. With the construction of hydrogen from water by electrolysis, CO2 emissions are further reduced and ultimately come close to zero if the electricity is created from sustainable sources like solar, wind, water, and wave power. Honda has developed its own solar cells, with half the CO2 emissions in the production stage compared to usual crystalline silicon cells; and has begun mass-production and retail sales of this technology in Japan for both commercial and residential use. These panels are also used to generate electricity for the Torrance R&D refueling station.

The new Honda Clarity now has a 100-kW (136-hp) electric motor--boosted at times by the 288-volt lithium ion battery pack under the back seat--and the fan pushing the hydrogen through the suitcase-sized fuel stack between the front seats was quieter than most automotive air conditioners.

There are many other problems blocking the Clarity's future. One of them is the hydrogen stations. There are only five publicly accessible hydrogen stations in California. And one can't drive a Clarity for more than 135 miles away from the hydrogen station before I have to start driving back to refuel it. If you want a Clarity you have to live near a hydrogen fuel station and have a second car for longer trips.

And unless you own a big area of solar panels, obtaining hydrogen is still a complicated process. This process starts with methane and releases plenty of its own CO2. Honda says its "Home Energy Station" will make hydrogen for your car from your existing natural gas line while providing heat and electricity for your home. It still releases CO2, though, and is still in R&D.

There are still a lot of things that needs to be researched and improved for the Honda Clarity. But I bet Clarity will make it through the market. I’m just hoping Honda could extend the hydrogen capability of this baby. I mean there not so many hydrogen stations in Cali… and take note that to some people owning a car also means being able to take that car for a long drive. What’s the use of the Clarity if it can’t take you far because it keeps on running out of hydrogen, right? Well, that’s for the Clarity today. I hope I find good news about it tomorrow.

Since it started in the auto motive industry, Ford has been marked for creating vehicles which are at the top rank in terms of quality. In the latest study it was said that Ford performs at Industry-leading levels when it comes to initial quality. And according to the U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) Ford's initial quality has caught that of Toyota and Honda, resulting in a statistical tie for first place beside the Japanese automakers. This was study completed by the RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

The study shows Ford's initial quality has advanced by some 8 percent over last year, and says that each new car and truck launched with improved quality versus it predecessor. Quality is measured by an interesting calculation called the "Things Gone Wrong" rating, which generates a 'TGW' number per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership.

Fords vehicles averaged 1,284 items, statistically equivalent to the 1,250 TGW rating level of Toyota and Honda. "Last year we tied with Toyota, and this year our quality performance is as good as industry-leading Honda's too," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas.

"Our world-class quality is one of the most important aspects of our turnaround in North America. This consistently strong quality improvement should offer today's customer renewed confidence, setting the stage for important new products like Ford Flex, which is launching this summer."

Ford earned honors from the study in the areas of interior trim, seats and appearance, as well as paint, vehicle engineering and electrical / entertainment systems. Ford's dramatically improved vehicle quality will be highlighted in a sweeping new marketing campaign called "Drive One" that officially debuted last month.

The campaign tells the story behind Ford's rise to the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality as well as underscoring safety, smart technology and improved fuel efficiency. The automaker also earned best-in-class honors in two important engineering functions: interiors, (including trim, seats and instrument panel appearance), and electrical, (including entertainment systems).

Ford tied for best-in-class in two other functions: paint and vehicle engineering, the latter including such areas as ride and handling and cabin quietness. "There is an unprecedented level of teamwork at Ford. Everyone from the top floor to the plant floor is working together to deliver the highest quality vehicles for our customers," said Bennie Fowler, Ford's group vice president of Global Quality.

"We are extremely proud to be among the industry's quality leaders. But that's not why we're in the game. We want sole possession of first place, and we will keep working to earn it."

A total for 15 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury vehicles are ranked in the top three of their respective segments for either TGW performance, customer satisfaction or both. Visit www.ford.ca for more information.

Although Honda has been recalling a lot of it previous products, it still proved that it is able to make quality products. Yes, the machines used in mass production of Honda vehicles could fail at times, but at least the flaws found in Honda autos were not that grave. And so far no injuries or fatalities due to those flaws were reported yet.

It is about time that Honda and Toyota start making its mark in terms of quality. I mean, yes they create wonderful vehicles, but sometimes wonderful is not what consumers are looking for. People are often looking for vehicles that can serve them for a long period of time. They want autos that provides good, smooth, and quality performance whether on or off road. And that type of vehicle has been offered by Ford for years. And now, those vehicles also carry the big “H” logo with them. Honda is now able to compete with Ford’s standard in terms of quality. it is now offering good looking vehicles at top level quality.

Honda had to recall 80,000 Honda Civics because of a flaw in the handbrakes. Just last March 01, 2008 Honda recalled Acura TLs because of faults in the power steering hoses. This time they're recalling more cars because of a more serious fault.

Here’s an excerpt from the online news that I’ve read: Honda spokesman said: “As a responsible manufacturer we felt it was important for us to inform our customers as soon as possible. We are asking customers to visit their local Honda dealer and have a new handbrake fitted free of charge. We appreciate that this is an inconvenience for customers.”
-Times online

It turns out a lot of Honda Civic owners experienced their auto rolling away from where they are parked…even when the handbrakes are applied.

Honda has already sent letters to Civic owners, advising them to have their Honda Civic checked and be cautious in applying the handbrakes. The problem with the handbrakes is only applicable to Honda Civics manufactured in 2006 and 2007. Honda Motors is currently improving the design for the handbrake to prevent more recalls and other casualties.

 

sources: Times online

I saw an auto motive magazine at the book store earlier. I saw a familiar logo, but noticed that I was quite unfamiliar with the model so checked it out on the internet. A seal that says Legend was mounted at the rear part of the vehicle. (Internet is a great help!) The vehicle that I saw on the magazine is the new Honda Legend. Whew! What a sweet looking ride.
Honda created a new Legend. And I’m not talking about a legend…I’m talking about the Legend. The Honda Legend is a full-sized luxury sedan. Honda has now released an all new Legend.

“In the design of the new Legend, we took all the traditional Honda brand characteristics of style, innovation and value and extended our focus to achieve an exhilarating driving performance and superior maneuverability reminiscent of a luxury sports car.” Words from the General Manager, Trading enterprises-Honda, Guy Edmunds at the VIP launch.

The Legend that was launched early this month, is the fourth generation in the Honda Legend family. It offers new and more comfortable features – both interior and exterior. It is the result of combining all the good features of other Honda models into one vehicle. Now, ain’t that stylishly good? Very innovative!
It is the first car equipped with a Super Handling All-Wheel Drivesystem –sweet ride indeed. The SH AWD gives the Legend the capability of providing a powerful cornering, yet maintaining a comfy ride for all it’s passengers.
Here are some of the features the new Honda Legend:

• Super
  Handling All-Wheel Drive
  System (SH AWD)
  
• 3.5 liter SOHC VTEC engine that creates a 217 kW power
  
• Active Noise Control Cancellation Technology (ANC)
  
• Adjustable steering wheel
  
• Climate control system
  
• BOSE® speakers for a premium sound system
  
• CD, DVD, mp3 player
  
• Interface Dial – that can be set to read all selections using voice command
  
• 8-way power driver seat
  
• Satellite Navigation
  
• High-intensity headlights (HID)
  
• Adaptive Front lighting system
  
• Rear-mounted video cam and in-dash monitor
  
• Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) and G-Force Control technology (GCON)
  
• SRS Front airbags, two side airbags for the driver and front passenger, and curtain airbags for both front and rear passengers
  

---lots of features…whew! This one’s got so much of the good stuff from all of the other Honda models.

 

sources: Honda, Honda Legend,