Karl on Cars
Honda
November 3, 2009
This list isn't very long, but it's getting longer every year.
The first vehicle to earn the distinction of "Cars I Want to Hate...But Can't" was the BMW X5, and I still consider it the poster child for this category.
Why would I want to hate the BMW X5? Because it was slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient than a BMW 5 Series wagon when it debuted in the late 1990s. The car made no logical sense on any rational level.
Then I drove one and quickly realized that, as slower, heavier, bulkier, thirstier, costlier and less space efficient 5 Series wagons go, the X5 was an awfully nice vehicle.
Since then I've experienced a similar love-hate relationship with several models, including the (new) Dodge Challenger, the Porsche Panamera and -- as of last Thursday -- the Honda Crosstour.
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- Karl Brauer November 3, 2009, 6:00 AM
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- BMW, Dodge, Honda, Porsche, Talk Back Tuesday
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- Honda Crosstour
March 17, 2009
One of my friends is ready to buy a new car. As you might imagine, when you're in my position and a friend or family member is ramping up for a car purchase the phone often rings (or, as in this case, the "New Email" folder goes bold).
My friend currently owns a 2005 Acura TL, which he purchased because of its combination of luxury, technology and quality. He's a successful lawyer, and financially capable of buying a much more expensive car, but he puts a lot of value on...well, value. When he asked me about the TL four years ago, and told me what his priorities were, I said, "The TL will absolutely serve your needs." He bought it and has had no regrets. But his driving habits rack up the miles quickly, and after four years his TL is pretty worn out.
So he's ready for a new car, and the just-redesigned 2009 Acura TL would be the obvious choice. After all, it still offers all the luxury, technology and quality of the previous version. However, in my friend's words, it is "quite ugly."
His girlfriend drives a 2006 Lexus RX, which he really likes except for one characteristic -- he HATES how the navigation system goes dead once the car is in motion. So he asked me in his email, "You're the car expert. Can you tell me if the new 2010 Lexus RX navigation system can be used while in motion or is it a completely useless upgrade like it has been to this point?" To which I replied, "Lexus=Toyota, and Toyota=nanny-ism. In other words, NO USING NAV WHILE DRIVING!"
This made him very unhappy and put him in a state where I can't reprint his next reply. It also made him write a no-nonsense letter to Lexus; a letter that generated a very corporate response. Follow the jump to read it.
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- Karl Brauer March 17, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, Car Audio and Technology, Honda, Lexus, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota, Traffic Safety
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- Toyota Honda Lexus Acura Navigation System Nanny
October 21, 2008
Remember when buying an Acura or Audi or BMW or Lexus or any other premium brand meant you got a premium car? The idea was pretty simple: If you wanted a premium car ownership experience you had to pay a premium price and purchase a premium vehicle.
As I drove the new 2009 Volkswagen CC recently it occurred to me the only thing separating this car from its Audi brethren was the emblem on the grille. Interior materials, performance, high-tech features, heck even exterior styling and "presence" were all up to Audi standards.
So was the price, of course, with a VR6 4Motion model starting at $40,000 (though $27,000 will get you into a base 2.0T car, which is still quite nice and a much better value).
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- Karl Brauer October 21, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, Audi, Honda, Hyundai, Lexus, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota, Volkswagen
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- Talk Back Tuesday Do Luxury Brands Make Sense
September 15, 2008
The 2009 Honda Fit
is all new this year, though you have to look pretty close to see any differences. It's a little bigger, a little quicker and a little more expensive (about $600 to $800 more, depending on trim and tranny). Fuel mileage didn't go up at all, but horsepower and (more importantly) torque did.
The last version was basically a Japanese-market car with the steering wheel moved left. Yet even with this minimal amount of re-engineering it offered a solid combination of fuel efficiency, interior space and excellent design/function features.
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- Karl Brauer September 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda
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- Honda Fit
July 30, 2008
In case you haven't noticed, fuel prices have dropped recently. Some would call the latest price drops a drop in the bucket (why do I have trouble getting excited over gas costing "only" $4.33 a gallon in Los Angeles?), but a price reduction of 5 percent over the past two weeks is better than the constant gas price hikes we've seen since early spring.
However, as with most things, there are two sides to this reduction in coin. Specifically, as the price of fuel drops so does the advantage of hybrid powertrains over traditional gasoline versions.
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- Karl Brauer July 30, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Lexus, Toyota
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- Fuel Prices, Hybrid Vehicle
June 26, 2008
I recently drove five crossover vehicles back-to-back. They were: Buick Enclave, Honda Pilot (2009), Hyundai Veracruz, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander. We'll cover the results in an upcoming comparison test, but I can tell you my personal feelings regarding the all-new 2009 Honda Pilot in relation to these other vehicles. In short, I was disappointed.
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- Karl Brauer June 26, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Honda
June 11, 2008
With Honda's sales up for the year, and the Civic currently wearing the mantle of "Best Selling Car in America" is there any chance the Civic has jumped the shark?
As is often the case, that depends on your priorities. The Honda Civic has been a strong seller for all of its 35 years in this country, and its current sales numbers suggest Honda knows how to appeal to a wide audience shopping for an economy car.
However, if you're looking for the Civic with the "most soul" I would submit the 1996-2000 version was this model's highpoint, with the 1999-2000 Si (pictured) being the single best Civic to date. This was the last generation of Civic to have the double-wishbone front suspension, and while Honda had a phalanx of PR spin to explain the switch to MacPherson struts, we all know the real reason -- cost.
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- Karl Brauer June 11, 2008, 6:00 AM
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- Honda
June 9, 2008
By now the domestics have been fully tarred and feathered in the mainstream press for basing their business plan around large trucks and SUVs. For two decades they drank in the heavy body-on-frame profits while putting minimal investment into high quality
small cars. I won't beat that dead horse any further.
Toyota, on the other hand, has maintained a pretty wide product portfolio for the past decade. I've said several times Toyota deserves credit for keeping a full arsenal at the ready. Gas selling for cheap? Step up to one of our many V8-powered large SUVs or luxury cars. Gas prices up? Headlines screaming about man's destruction of fragile Mother Earth? Try our Echo/Yaris or Corolla or mpg-leading Prius.
Yes, I'm aware of the irony that within a year of Toyota launching a truly full-size truck (complete with a brand new, over-budget assembly plant in Texas) gas has hit record highs and big trucks are officially "out" in the average consumer's mind. Something tells me the big "T" will survive this bit of bad timing.
But the most interesting case study of all comes not from the truck-dependent domestics or Tundra-and-Prius-peddling Toyota, but from steadfast Honda. Like the Tortoise and the Hare fable, Honda has plugged along for the last 50 years in this country with a consistent attitude. "We'll make fuel-efficient, value-priced, highly dependable vehicles with a strong emphasis on leading-edge engineering."
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- Karl Brauer June 9, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, Automotive News, Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Toyota
June 5, 2008
When I drove the V8 version of the Pontiac G8 a few months ago I was less than thrilled with it. In a nutshell, the protracted looks, bizarre ergonmics and adequate ride/handling balance didn't impress me. Some people were touting it as an inexpensive BMW 5 Series. I wasn't buying then and I'm not buying now. It takes more than cylinder count and drivetrain layout to match BMW's driving dynamics.
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- Karl Brauer June 5, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Honda, Pontiac, Toyota
May 20, 2008
You may have already heard this, but BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine took home the International Engine of the Year award for 2008. If you've experienced this powertrain you know that title is well and properly earned, as the 3.0-liter's combination of horsepower, torque and even fuel efficiency make it one of the best engines in history.
But that got me thinking: What are the best engines in the history of the automobile? There are no internationally recognized test parameters to answer this question, so it's basically a judgement call. With that said, here are the 10 engines I would place in the annals of "Best Engines of All Time."
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- Karl Brauer May 20, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Automotive News, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Nissan, Porsche, Vehicle Awards
May 15, 2008
I spent most of yesterday at Willow Springs Raceway as part of our second Edmunds Consumer Comparison Test: Economy Cars.
If you saw my earlier post you already know that we wanted to pit the leading (by both sales and editorial opinion) economy sedans against each other, but beyond picking the entrants and organizing the test session we would offer no guidance on which car we like the best.
Six consumers performed each of the evaluations on the economy sedans. The excercises including a city driving loop, a highway loop, acceleration, braking and handling tests, plus a static evaluation where they could test cargo capacity, examine interior features and generally go over each car with a fine tooth comb.
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- Karl Brauer May 15, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Mazda, Toyota
April 10, 2008
Inside Line just published an excellent test
comparing a Crossover vs. a Minivan vs. an SUV. When you think about it, these vehicles really just represent a history of the family vehicle (though we left the wagon out). When minivans first arrived they were seen as super functional (and super cool) alternatives to the stodgy old station wagon that could carry the family around. Then came the SUV, which was seen as a way to carry the family around while looking like a rugged outdoorsman. Then came the crossover, which was seen as a way to carry the family around while looking like a rugged outdoorsman without having the ride/handling characteristics that felt
like a rugged outdoorsman's vehicle.
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- Karl Brauer April 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Driving, GMC, Honda, Toyota
February 20, 2008
If you saw our Consumer Comparison Test last December you know how well it worked out in terms of getting real-world feedback from real-world buyers. We pitted the all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and Honda Accord against the new-for-2007 Toyota Camry. Our six consumer test drivers split on their first choices, with three picking the Malibu and three picking the Accord as their favorite models.
With the positive feedback that test generated we're now pondering a follow-up comparison, but we're not yet locked in on which segment to feature.
Considering the "real-world" nature of this content it makes sense to ask you guys from some direction here. So here goes: What segment/vehicles would you like to see featured in a consumer-scored comparison test? Here are some of the ideas we've come up with:
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- Karl Brauer February 20, 2008, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota
December 13, 2007
The first round of 2008 North American Car and Truck of the Year votes are in...
Car Finalists:
1. Cadillac CTS 2. Chevrolet Malibu 3. Honda Accord
Truck Finalists:
1. Buick Enclave 2. Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid 3. Mazda CX-9
The final winnners will be announced the morning of January 13th as part of the kickoff for the 2008 North American International Auto Show (also known as the Detroit Auto Show). I just sent my second-round ballot in, so my part in voting for the car and truck winners is over. I won't know the results before that January 13th announcement, though obviously I know who I voted for.
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- Karl Brauer December 13, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Mazda, Vehicle Awards
December 11, 2007
If you've been watching either the Straightline blog or the Strategies blog you've already heard about our Consumer Comparison Test pitting the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry against each other. Feel free to predict the finishing order of this comparison test (that's what they're doing over at Straightline) but this post will be focusing on a different aspect of the event.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is HUGE. It's not huge because it involved letting consumers drive three competing models and provide feedback. We've seen that in various "buff books" ad campaigns for a couple years now, not to mention recent television commercials and radio spots. No, what makes this huge is the fact that no manufacturer was involved in the testing process.
Every previous "consumer" test I've seen has always been backed by a specific manufacturer. The buff book campaigns I just mentioned involved the Cadillac CTS and Jaguar X-Type -- with associated ad pages and tiny "advertisement" text on those pages (Ugh! -- I felt dirty just quickly thumbing past them). The recent television/radio ads we've likely all seen or heard involves Ford's "Swap My Ride" effort to show that the Fusion and Edge are "better" than the Camry and Highlander. Any guess as to which vehicles fared well in those tests?
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- Karl Brauer December 11, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Chevrolet, Honda, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
October 26, 2007
If you've driven a Nissan Altima sedan you already know how surprisingly sporty this "family sedan" is. Short of having an available V8 and rear-wheel drive this model is as close to a muscle car as you can get...except for the Charger/300 and G8, which do have V8s and rear-wheel drive.
Regardless, I still consider the Nissan Altima "the great upsetter" ever since the redesign in 2002. I remember the 2001 New York Auto Show when it debuted, and the level of concern on the Honda and Toyota execs faces was undeniable. Suddenly the Altima wasn't an oddly-sized, bottom tier Japanese sedan, it was a real player with more interior space, horsepower and handling potential than the two titans of the category. The car's first redesign since that paradigm-shifting 2002 model was last year, and for 2008 an all-new Altima coupe hits with all the tradiitional Nissan character traits.
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- Karl Brauer October 26, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Honda, Nissan
October 25, 2007
A couple years ago I posed the question: "Isn't 'crossover' just a PR-friendly term for 'compromise'?" It's not that I'm against the crossover movment, but I like reminding potential buyers that -- depending on their needs -- there's probably another vehicle that will serve them better.
I consider the 2008 Mazda CX-9 one of the best crossovers currently on the market. It's plenty quick enough (especially with the new 3.7-liter, 273 horsepower V6), it handles better than a 4,500-pound vehicle should, and the seat comfort (at least in the first two rows) is on par with the best minivans. Basically, if you want maximum people toting capacity and maximum sportiness for less than $40,000 this is easily your best option. And as my recent "What Makes a Great Car Great?" post stated, being quite capable at more than one thing is what determines "greatness" in a vehicle.
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- Karl Brauer October 25, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Honda, Mazda
October 19, 2007
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Honda is the BMW of Japan. Okay...well, maybe Mazda is the BMW of Japan, too. But between those two brands I'd ultimately give Honda the title, if only by a license-plate frame. See, there's a reassuring heft to BMW vehicles. It's not an overt heaviness (like Mercedes-Benz, or Toyota), but a subtle, confidence-inspiring heft that Mazda still hasn't mastered (even if Mazdas are more sporty, on average, than the comparable Honda).
Tug on the door handle, turn the steering wheel, row the shifter (along with a dozen-plus other actions) and you'll feel this suplime heft in every Honda vehicle. With cars as good as they are in 2007, these subtle nuances are all that's left to define a brand, and I continue to like the definition of Honda, particularly in this new Accord Coupe.
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- Karl Brauer October 19, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Honda
October 16, 2007
What makes a great car great?
That's a topic that's been debated for over a century -- probably from the moment the first car was created. And it would be easy to get caught up in a multitude of features and traits when discussing the topic. But I've come to realize there are basically two overriding characteristics of a great car.
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- Karl Brauer October 16, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Chevrolet, Honda, Talk Back Tuesday, Toyota
October 1, 2007
Finally got some time behind the all-new, 2008 Honda Accord. Plenty of controversy surrounds this redesign, as the most obvious change is a substantial bump in size. It's a couple inches longer, with a few more inches of wheelbase, and it's even an inch taller. Does this mean we must now refer to it as the Honda Avalon?
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- Karl Brauer October 1, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Honda
August 28, 2007
Just took a gander at Automotive News' future product plan for Japanese carmakers. Not too surprisingly, the coming years hold hybrids and crossovers from the Land of the Rising Sun (actually, many of them will come from right here in North America). Each automaker has a few interesting items in the pipeline.
Acura: No official confirmation of a V8 in Acura's future, which I continue to view as the division's greatest failing. The next RL is due in 2011, so they better make up their mind. But we do know a V10 engine will power the NSX replacement. I like that they have a full-tilt exotic in the works, but one vehicle does not a division make (as was proven with the last
NSX).
Honda: Honda will continue to push hybrids, with a smaller-than-Civic model. No more Accord hybrids, but the Odyssey will be Honda's first V6 diesel-powered vehicle in the U.S. in 2010 (also the year CR-V goes diesel with a 4 cyl.). I'm personally looking forward to the Remix, the spiritual successor to the CRX. And between the Pilot and CR-V? Yup, another crossover is coming.
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- Karl Brauer August 28, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Acura, Future Vehicles, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Infiniti, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota
July 13, 2007
You know what the best part of the Honda Civic GX is? The "Honda Civic" part. Like a 3 Series for the economy car segment the Civic continues to be the target every other economy car maker aims for. I also like the Mazda 3, and for pure driving pleasure that car has a slight advantage. But as an overall package (i.e. interior materials, ergonomics, tactile feel to the controls) the Civic probably has a slight edge. It's close either way (does that make the Mazda 3 the G35 of this segment?).
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- Karl Brauer July 13, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles
May 11, 2007
I'm driving a 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE all-wheel drive right now for a road test. The engine received a displacement bump from 3.3 to 3.5 liters this year, and the horsepower went up by 50, to a total of 266. As you might expect, it's pretty quick and would give the Odyssey a good run in a drag race (though I don't expect this to be a regular occurance between owners). The Odyssey and Sienna remain the only real picks in this category...
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- Karl Brauer May 11, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Honda, Toyota
March 13, 2007
Great story by Christopher Jensen in Sunday's New York Times regarding run-flat tires. In it he reports on the recent class-action lawsuit filed against Honda and Michelin as a result of the Odyssey's Michelin PAX run-flat tire sytem. We had this system on our long-term 2005 Honda Odyssey, and I can personally back-up consumer claims of how aggrevating the PAX system can be when it's time to fix a flat. One of our tires developed a slow leak that kept setting off the warning light for the tire-pressure monitoring system. I called several dealers and then Michelin directly before finding a tire store that had the necessary machine to remove the tire. I drove to the store and waited close to three hours for the repair work because the machine broke half way through and the technicians had to sort of "McGuyver" the tire and plastic innner donut back together after the repair. The bill was $50, and by the time I left I was getting nostolagic for the days when a slow leak was fixed at any tire store in 20 minutes for $20 bucks (or less). If the tire had needed a full replacement it could have been much worse...and more expensive.
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- Karl Brauer March 13, 2007, 7:02 AM
- Categories:
- Honda, Safety Systems, Talk Back Tuesday
January 15, 2007
I just finished driving the 2007 Pontiac G5 GT. This car is a perfect example of where GM (and Chrysler and Ford) often fall short in the face of Japanese competition. First, let's talk price. With sunroof, upgraded audio, automatic (four-speed at that) and side curtain airbags the G5 costs $20,830. Ironically, this is almost exactly $1,000 less than a Honda Civic Si -- with no options. The Si (along with every Civic) comes standard with side curtain airbags, so you don't have to add them. And while the automatic on our G5 test car added $850, I give the Si's standard six-speed manual the advantage over an optional four-speed auto or standard five-speed manual on the G5. In either case, the Honda has the more advanced tranny. Admittedly, the TMV price for an Si is equal to MSRP, while the True Market Value price on a G5 drops about $1000 below MSRP, opening up a $2,000 difference between these cars in the real world.
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- Karl Brauer January 15, 2007, 7:27 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Honda, Pontiac
January 8, 2007
The new Accord Coupe concept looks good, but I would have painted it a different color. It shares too many design cues with the recently revealed Nissan Altima coupe, and with them both painted the exact same shade... Well, let's just say that a quick walk between the Honda and Nissan stands feels like deja vu all over again.
I do like the design, however, as the current Accord always looked a little flabby to me...
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- Karl Brauer January 8, 2007, 12:05 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Honda, Toyota
January 5, 2007
I drove the 2007 Honda Civic Si sedan home last night. With a 2006 Si coupe
in the fleet I wasn't expecting to learn much I didn't already know, and I was right...for the most part. This is one of those vehicles that, as I drive, I find myself thinking, "So, could I really own and drive one of these?" As an automotive journalist you tend to ask that question of every vehicle you're in, and when the vehicle your driving is a Lamborghini Gallardo or Ferrari F430 or Audi A8 you tend to say "Hell yes!" But you know it's more of a hopeful, dreamy response. The Civic Si is one of those cars where I say "Absolutely" and mean it in a real-world, let's-start-spec'ing-out-the-vehicle sort of way. To be totally honest, the six-speed manual would be a hang up because the wife won't drive a stick, but otherwise the car is almost perfect. Excellent front seats in terms of comfort and lateral support, plenty of room for my family of four, and fuel mileage that makes sense in today's world. Plus the price makes it a heck of a bang-for-the-buck bargain. I also really like how the engine's note (and power) changes when the variable valves hit their second wind around 5,800 rpm. For some reason, this Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde trait is even cooler in the sedan. However...
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- Karl Brauer January 5, 2007, 8:07 AM
- Categories:
- Honda
December 22, 2006
It appears the rise of the small car is a certified fact, with the market jumping 63 percent in 2006. Several factors have driven this growth, including higher fuel prices, increased product offerings and a creeping backlash against large SUVs. While some (myself included) have questioned the long-term effects of rising fuel prices and whether or not they'll create sustained
demand for small cars, the short-term results are in. "Small" is "the next big thing" in cars, with that segment's growth even surpassing crossovers this year...
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- Karl Brauer December 22, 2006, 10:01 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Nissan
December 20, 2006
We've recently upgraded the Edmunds vehicle page structure to a system that provides far greater - and more convenient - information on individual models. Where previously our model information was split between new, used, future and "Generations" content (Generations was basically a full model history of a specific vehicle) we've now brought all this vehicle content together into a single, easily-navigated structure. Finding the content is easy because whenever you navigate to a single pricing page for a new or used vehicle you can use the breadcrumbs link at the top of the page to locate the other pages.
Here's an example...
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- Karl Brauer December 20, 2006, 10:21 AM
- Categories:
- BMW, Ford, Honda, Internet vs. Print Publishing
December 14, 2006
We're down to three car and three truck finalists for the 2007 North American Car and Truck of the Year award. On the car side we have the Honda Fit, Saturn Aura and Toyota Camry. On the Truck side it's the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Edge or Mazda CX-7. I (along with 49 other NACTOY jury members) will be voting on these final six over the next couple weeks, and the winners will be announced on January 7th at the Detroit Auto Show...
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- Karl Brauer December 14, 2006, 8:18 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Saturn, Toyota, Vehicle Awards
November 17, 2006
Some killer stories have hit Inside Line in the last few days. The minivan comparison test
is still on the home page (below the flipper) and if you haven't already read it you should. The Odyssey won, again, and while I wasn't personally involved in that test I found the finishing order completely accurate (2. Sedona, 3...
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- Karl Brauer November 17, 2006, 11:33 AM
- Categories:
- Ferrari, Ford, Honda
November 6, 2006
I finally got to drive our long-term Honda Fit this weekend. We've had it for a couple weeks but I always had to drive something else until Friday. I drove one a few months ago from Edmunds' offices down to LAX, but that was my only previous experience in the car (I liked what little I learned on that drive). Our car is a Sport with manual transmission that we purchased from a local dealer. At a base price of $15,170 this isn't really an "entry-level" price for Honda's "entry-level" offering. However, there are no options at that price, so if you buy a Sport version of the Fit the base price and final price are pretty much the same (destination is another $595, for a total of $15,765).
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- Karl Brauer November 6, 2006, 8:56 AM
- Categories:
- Honda
August 30, 2006
I give Toyota credit for creating the Lexus RX400h. This car cost $7,000 more than the equivalent RX330 (now RX350), but for the RX customer, this price increase is negligible, and Lexus knows it. Instead of trying to eke out any substantial fuel mileage gains, the company used hybrid technology to give the RX400h a real "kick" when you floor it. The car is relatively quick, even though acceleration is only a couple tenths better than the 330 (you car read more about it in our comparison test between the RX400h, Highlander Hybrid and Liberty Diesel
)...
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- Karl Brauer August 30, 2006, 8:15 AM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Lexus
August 2, 2006
I just drove our long-term Honda Accord Hybrid
, and I've decided that this is one of the better sedans on the market. It's also one of the worst hybrids currently available. How is that possible? Well, the Accord continues to be my overall favorite family car...
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- Karl Brauer August 2, 2006, 12:30 PM
- Categories:
- Fuel Efficiency, Honda, Hybrid Vehicles
March 30, 2006
Our initial experience with our long-term Honda Ridgeline
wasn't particularly positive. First, the seatbelt cover on the passenger side of the front seat fell off within 48 hours of picking the vehicle up from the dealer. Then one of our staffers took the vehicle on a dirt road in a national park. Once again, he didn't off-road it, he took it on a dirt road
drive that was about 50 miles each way...
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- Karl Brauer March 30, 2006, 8:01 PM
- Categories:
- Honda
February 20, 2006
Our next comparison test should prove popular, as it will pit two of the best selling cars in America against two promising upstarts. We gathered a 2006 version of the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata and put them up against the all-new 2007 Toyota Camry for a good ol' fashioned family sedan throw-down. With the Hyundai winning our last family sedan shootout
against the Camry and Accord, and the Fusion showing well during our recent full test
, this one is too close to call before every scoresheet is tallied. Expect the results to be published soon...
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- Karl Brauer February 20, 2006, 10:05 PM
- Categories:
- Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota
February 6, 2006
The Honda Ridgeline has been praised for its fabulous interior packaging. In fact, I've been among its loudest praisers. However, there's a dark side to this design that I learned about the hard way this morning. Just after getting into our long-term Ridgeline
, and just before backing out of my driveway, I started looking for my cell phone (don't get testy, I have a Bluetooth headset that's hands -- and cord -- free). First I checked my personal bag (think "purse" from that Seinfeld episode). Then I started looking through the Ridgeline's various pockets. Then I looked through the pockets some more, and then I looked some more. Then I looked in my other cars, and then throughout the house before finding myself in a complete panic. Treo650s are expensive, and as people who use them know, they are far more than "just a phone." Mine has my daily schedule, all my contacts, and my business and personal email. It also has a one gig memory card with 200 songs that I can listen to with a headset (it's why I've never bought an iPod). I knew I wouldn't just "lose" it, and I had run errands in the Ridgeline the day before, but I was out of ideas on where to look.
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- Karl Brauer February 6, 2006, 7:34 PM
- Categories:
- Honda
January 27, 2006
I just drove a Honda Fit today, but I can't give specifics because there's an embargo until April 1st. I can talk about the styling because you've all seen it.
And as such you may already feel like I do -- Suzuki Aerio, Part II. I don't think the styling is bad, but I don't find it compelling, either...
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- Karl Brauer January 27, 2006, 10:41 PM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Honda
January 17, 2006
As you might guess we have a fair number of contacts at both the manufacturer and dealer levels. We got an interesting call from one of our Toyota dealer contacts the other day. Apparently, they are having trouble moving Highlander Hybrids. Yes, a hybrid model that isn't selling! Our contact claimed the dealership is willing to let them go at invoice or below, though I'd want to confirm with someone higher up at that Toyota store before I stated it as fact. But we've dealt with this individual for several years and they've always been very reliable and up front with their information. This is particularly baffling because the dealer in question is located right here in Southern California -- also known as Hybrid Haven.
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- Karl Brauer January 17, 2006, 10:01 PM
- Categories:
- Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
January 8, 2006
Ford and Honda both had entries in the Car and Truck categories, but Honda swept it with the Civic and Ridgeline. I personally thought Solstice was a shoe-in, but I did give some of my voting points to Civic, as I suspect every one of the 49 jurors did on the jury.
I still have some issues with the Ridgeline's supposed "off-road" ability, but it's an exceptionally packaged vehicle with great functionality for what 95 percent of buyers will do 95 percent of the time.
And of course the Civic is a great car (I'm already in love with our long-term Si that we just got last Tuesday)...
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- Karl Brauer January 8, 2006, 9:20 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Honda, Vehicle Awards
December 20, 2005
Our Hybrid Comparison Test
posted yesterday with all the details on why the Prius beat the Civic Hybrid. It was actually a virtual tie in final percentage score, but with both better acceleration and better mileage it's clear Toyota has the technology race won here. But the Civic is the undisputable king of handling dynamics, and most of the editors liked the Civic's interior and exterior design better. They're both effective showcases for each company's efforts in terms of maximizing fuel economy...
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- Karl Brauer December 20, 2005, 1:19 PM
- Categories:
- Honda, Toyota
November 8, 2005
This is a pretty easy one to call. After driving the Civic Hybrid home last night (approx. 50 miles) and driving both the Prius and the Civic at the test track today (plus the many hundreds of miles I've put on our long-term Prius), I can sum up their strengths/weaknesses in a few sentences.
The Prius is noticeably quicker than the Civic Hyrbid, and its hatchback design makes for far greater cargo capacity...
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- Karl Brauer November 8, 2005, 3:51 PM
- Categories:
- Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
November 7, 2005
We're doing a comparison test between these two vehicles, and I'll be driving both tomorrow at our test facility for basic performance numbers (0-60 and 1/4-mile acceleration, braking, slalom, etc.)
Honda says the 50/50 mpg ratings on the new Civic Hybrid are closer to reality than the Prius' 60/51. We've only driven it about 25 miles, but during that drive (in L.A. traffic) the Civic was indeed getting around 48 mpg. Our long-term Prius has been averaging around 44 mpg...
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- Karl Brauer November 7, 2005, 6:41 PM
- Categories:
- Honda, Hybrid Vehicles, Toyota
