Parents’ Best Family Cars Include
CR-V and Odyssey
08th June 2012.
Hondainthenews.com
When the staff at Parents magazine was putting
together their list of “Best Family Cars for 2012,” they naturally turned to
some experts for help. And those experts—from Edmunds.com—turned to Honda for
three standout choices for families of all sizes: The Honda CR-V, Odyssey and
Civic Hybrid.
For bigger families, Honda also offers the CR-V as a
“Best Family Car” solution from the Crossover class, featuring a cabin that’s
“reminiscent of a minivan, with a slew of cup holders and a gear shifter
situated on the dashboard.” The best-selling crossover in America is packed
with standard features, too, with Parentscalling out its
“backup camera, a rear armrest to keep warring siblings apart, and rear
seats that fold flat with a single touch.” Helpful as well: For the first time
ever, the CR-V offers an optional rear-seat entertainment system. Finally, in
addition to the CR-V, an actual SUV from Honda made the roster in the Large
Vehicle segment. Regarding the Odyssey, Parentspraised its
car-like cornering abilities and stable ride, and singled out advantages like
its “endless storage compartments and second-row captain’s chairs that slide
forward (to get closer to you) and sideways (to put extra real estate between
siblings or make room for three car seats in the row)” along with an
“optional middle seat in the second row [that] transforms into a cool beverage
and snack tray when no one’s using it.”
The Civic Hybrid was picked as a “Best Family Car” in
the High Mileage category, which is appropriate for a vehicle that has posted
marks of 44 mpg in all three EPA driving categories. Parentsalso noted that
it’s “a pleasure to drive and is sleek inside and out”. In addition, “the
loaded version, making it among the most affordable full-feature hybrids.”
Civic Named Among Best Cars for Teens by AAA (American Automobile
Association)*
19th
June 2012. Hondainthenews.com
According to John Nielsen, director of Automotive
Engineering for AAA: “Teen drivers see their first vehicle as a step toward
independence; parents and teens seeing eye-to-eye on the best vehicle can be
tough. Safety behind the wheel should be a priority. Finding a reliable vehicle
that has top safety features and fits into the budget will make you and your
teen’s vehicle ownership more enjoyable.”
And that’s especially the case if said vehicle is a
Honda Civic, recently chosen by AAA as one of this year’s best cars for teens.
The Civic was called a “perennial and parental favorite” by AAA and also was
lauded for its handling, maneuverability, fuel efficiency—the Civic HF can
attain 41 mpg on the highway—and a robust body structure developed according to
Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) guidelines. As is the case
with most Honda models, the Civic relies on an ACE design that leverages a
network of interconnected structural components to help distribute crash forces
away from the cabin.
The Civic also boasts standard passenger-protection
features like Honda’s Advanced Vehicle Stability Assist technology with
traction control, electronic brake-force distribution and dual-stage airbags,
all of which helped the car achieve Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Teen drivers can choose a Civic in both sedan and
coupe body styles, with three different powertrains on tap: A standard 140-hp
1.8-liter I4 engine, a hybrid setup that delivers 44 mpg in all EPA testing
procedures, and an I4 that’s been tuned to run on clean-burning compressed
natural gas. Take care with the Civic Si, though, since its high-performance
engine “may be too powerful for younger drivers.”
* AAA (the American Automobile Association, Inc.) is a federation of
affiliated automobile clubs.
Last week, I tested a 2012 Honda Pilot Touring in and around
Washington, D.C. I didn’t get a chance to utilize all of its 87 cubic feet of
cargo space since the biggest thing I hauled was a new iMac, but I still
managed to get a good picture of the Pilot as a family vehicle.
The first thing I noticed was that anyone who plans to use all
three rows of seats while making a big grocery store run would be better off
with a minivan. I had been procrastinating a trip to the grocery store and
Target for far too long, and by the time I made it out of both stores, I was
using most of the floor space behind the second row for all of my new food and
odds and ends. Assuming that a month’s worth of food, cleaning supplies and
some new clothes for a single city dweller is about equivalent to a week’s
worth of groceries for a bigger family, there wouldn’t have been enough space
for the family’s groceries with all three rows of seats in use.
Other than that, I can see what makes the Honda Pilot so
ubiquitous in the suburbs. It had tons of convenient cubbies, and it smoothed out
even the roughest roads. While this meant it wallowed over back roads to the
point of seasickness, it’s hard to imagine that Pilot owners will be frequently
attacking turns on their way to work or play dates.
In my opinion, if you need a big SUV with towing and hauling
capability and plenty of cargo space, a better choice would be a Chevrolet
Tahoe, since it can tow more weight and has a bigger cargo hold. And if you’re
looking for a three-row family hauler, a Honda Odyssey minivan handles far
better and has loads more cargo space. But for buyers who don’t want minivan
styling but like the idea of having plenty of seats, space and all-weather
capability, the Honda Pilot is a good compromise.
Honda, like airline companies, likes its Pilots to be sober, and there’s nothing to raise the pulse in the 2012 Pilot, which the company has subtly refreshed. But for the vast number of Americans—and many of our own staffers—who appreciate the current Pilot and the innocuous, reliable, and easy way it transports up to eight people and their stuff, this is no bad thing.
For 2012 the Pilot is available in the same four trim levels as last year—LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring—and buyers can spec any Pilot with two- or four-wheel drive. On all Pilots, the seemingly Battlestar Galactica–inspired fascia seen on the current model is mostly gone, replaced with a rather plain face for 2012. A three-slat grille has been installed, while the lower edge and fog lights are redesigned. LXs still wear 17-inch steel wheels, but EX models and up gain new 18-inch aluminum wheels (an increase of 1 inch over last year’s). A power rear hatch is now standard on the EX-L, in addition to the Touring.
Like the changes to its face, the alterations to the Pilot’s interior aren’t immediately apparent and require a Pilot expert to spot. The buttons on the center stack were rearranged for what the company says is a more user-friendly layout, the trim ringing the gauges was redesigned, and the instrument cluster lighting is now white instead of ice blue. EX-L models without the optional navigation system get a new eight-inch color display above the center stack. Those with nav now have a sharper screen and memory expanded to 60 gigs. Honda’s HandsFreeLink Bluetooth and audio streaming is now standard on EX, EX-L, and Touring Pilots—previously the feature was available only when paired with navigation on EX-L and Touring models.
It’s the changes we can’t see that comprise the significant upgrades to the three-row crossover for 2012. Honda added sound insulation to all Pilots, and the acoustic windshield glass exclusive to last year’s EX-L and Touring models has spread throughout the lineup. A 2011 Pilot placed third in a recent three-way comparison test and excessive road and wind noise were among our biggest complaints with it, so any efforts to quiet the racket are welcome. The Pilot is powered by the same 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 as last year, but fuel economy is up, courtesy of friction-reducing engine tweaks. In a world where eight-speed slushboxes are becoming more commonplace, we expected Honda to upgrade from its five-cog unit, but the quint soldiers on. Regardless, the 2012 Pilot’s efficiency improvements vault it to the top of the eight-passenger crossover heap. Front-drive models now get 25 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city—up 1 and 2 mpg over last year’s car. Four-wheel-drive Pilots see the same mileage increases, now earning a rating of 17/24 mpg.
Prices for the 2012 Pilot are up marginally, with the EX-L model’s $300 increase being the largest. The front-drive Pilot LX starts at $29,280, followed by the $32,130 EX; $35,380 EX-L; and $40,030 Touring. Adding four-wheel drive to any model will set you back $1600. Honda says this refreshed model will begin arriving at dealers in September.
Car. If aliens landed tomorrow and asked for our finest example of mainstream transportation, you’d probably point them toward one of these babies. You might also tell them that the Accord has snatched Car and Driver’s 10Best trophy a whopping 24 times, although they might look at you funny (we publish no interstellar editions). The 2011 model year brings a mid-cycle refresh.
What’s New?
This SE model, for one thing. It’s the fifth and middle trim level for the Accord sedan, essentially an LX-P that adds heated leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power lumbar on the driver’s seat, and SE (Special Edition) badging. It is available only with the 177-hp version of Honda’s 2.4-liter iVTEC four-cylinder engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or automatic, and it will cost less than $24,000 when it goes on sale later this month. So this is clearly Honda’s Hyundai Sonatafighter, albeit with 21 fewer ponies.
The second big change is an across-the-board fuel-economy bump for all Accord models—sedan, coupe, inline-four, V-6—with no diminution in power. The auto-equipped four-cylinder sedans are the coffee achievers here, jumping 2 mpg in the city (to 23), 3 mpg on the highway (34), and 2 mpg combined, for a best-in-class blended rating of 27 mpg. In pursuit of these increments, Honda tweaked the front grille and bumper for better aero, lowered oil-ring tension, refined spark timing, and even dumped in lower-viscosity engine oil. But the change with the greatest mpg payoff is a taller fifth gear in all Accords. Careful observers and slushbox defenders will note that auto-trans Accords get better fuel economy than manual-equipped ones. That’s because Honda rightly amps up the gearing on its manual models for performance.
How Does It Drive?
No different from before, which is to say planted, communicative, and with a deftness belying its rather ample dimensions. The top-gear alteration is barely noticeable, at least with the automatic we drove, but we do wish this SE model came with the 190-hp version of the inline-four. Inside, the profusion of gray radio and climate buttons gets a bit easier to decipher, as the most-used HVAC buttons move to the left side of the center stack. Still takes a while to get used to, though. The car itself, however, remains a first-rate ambassador in the segment. View Photo Gallery
Parentingmagazine
has recognized theHonda
Odyssey Touring Eliteas
one of the year's "Smartest Family Cars" in its February 2012
issue, on stands now. The list is featured inParenting'sfirst-ever "Genius" issue,
dedicated to helping parents unlock their child's own unique genius potential.
Equipped with the latest technology to help ease the load of managing the
modern family, the Odyssey allows parents and kids to take advantage of some of
the smartest automotive features on the market.
"The Odyssey was conceived
as the ultimate family vehicle, and the Odyssey Touring Elite takes that
concept to an unprecedented new level," said Michael Accavitti, vice president
of marketing operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Being listed
among the 'Smartest Family Cars' pays tribute to the Honda R&D team in Ohio
and manufacturing team in Alabama responsible for designing and building the
best minivan on the road."
"By recognizing today's
smartest cars,Parentinghopes to make it easy for families to
use technology on the road, whether it's for a quick run to the store or for an
extended road trip vacation," said Ana Connery, Editorial Director for The
Parenting Group. "Our editors' top picks have thought of everything so
that parents don't have to."
Parentingeditors noted that the Odyssey was chosen for this honour based on
its many available family-friendly features, such as its Blind Spot Information
System that indicates when radar sensors detect another vehicle that may be
positioned in the driver's blind spot, and the Honda DVD Rear Entertainment
System (RES) with a 16.2-inch Ultrawide display capable of simultaneously
screening two different sources of video programming side-by-side.
A total of seven Honda brand vehicles earned recognition from the
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), including four Honda
vehicles named the "greenest vehicles of 2012." In the annualOnline “ranking of environmentally
responsible vehicles, the near-zero emissions natural gas-poweredCivic
Natural Gasfive-passenger
sedan tied for second place, with theInsight,Civic
HybridandCR-Zalso included on the list of ACEEE's
12 most environmentally responsible vehicles available to the public.
The Insight hybrid, the compactFitand theOdysseyminivan were also named as
"greener choices of 2012" within their respective classes. This is
the 14th straight year that multiple Honda vehicles have been named in the top
12.
"Honda is honoured to have
our natural gas vehicle and our hybrid and gasoline-powered vehicles among
ACEEE's 'greenest' and 'greener' choices," said Steven Center, vice
president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda.
"The ACEEE's annual recognition of Honda's fuel-efficient vehicles
further validates our commitment to create a cleaner, more energy-efficient and
sustainable transportation future."
The ACEEE ranking system uses a
singular measure that incorporates fuel economy and health-related pollution
impacts plus global warming and upstream emissions. All vehicles are analyzed
and given a "Green Score" which is used to rank a vehicle's total environmental
performance, including a list of the 12 "greenest" and 12
"meanest" vehicles along with a ranking of greenest vehicles by
segment.
Named as one of the list's
'greenest vehicles,' the Civic Natural Gas is the only OEM-built, dedicated CNG
passenger car assembled in the U.S. and the only vehicle certified by the EPA
to meet both Federal Tier 2 Bin 2 and Inherently Low Emission Vehicle (ILEV)
zero evaporative emission certification standards. Honda recently announced the
expansion of Civic Natural Gas retail sales to 197 dealers in 36 states. The
increased availability of the Civic Natural Gas helps bring inherently
clean-burning natural gas technology to an even broader audience while also
supporting diversity in transportation energy resources. Featuring new styling,
enhanced feature content and increased fuel economy, the redesigned 2012 Civic
Natural Gas can now be equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation
System featuring an exclusive database of publicly accessible Compressed
Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations across the United States.
Honda's
Environmental Leadership
Honda has a long history of environmental innovation, including the retail
introduction of America's first hybrid (1999 Honda Insight), delivery of the
first fuel-cell electric vehicle in the U.S. (2002 Honda FCX) and the first
gasoline-powered vehicles in the hands of consumers to meet stricter emissions
standards, including: the 1996 Honda Civic, the first gasoline Low Emissions
Vehicle (LEV); the 1998 Honda Accord, the first gasoline Ultra-Low Emissions
Vehicle (ULEV); the 2000 Honda Accord, the first gasoline Super Ultra-Low
Emissions Vehicle (SULEV); and the 2001 Civic Natural Gas, the first vehicle to
quality as an Advanced Technology Partial-Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV). TheHonda Fit EVand
theHonda Accord Plug-In Hybrid, both coming soon,
will be the next critical steps in Honda's portfolio approach to alternative
fuelled vehicles.
For more information or
downloadable high-resolution images of Honda award winners and other Honda
vehicles, please visitwww.hondanews.com. Consumer information is
available atwww.honda.com.
For more information on ACEEE, visithttp://www.greenercars.org.
"Ranging from a gas-sipping hybrid to a kick-in-the-pants Si, the Civic lineup provides a variety of fun, fuel-efficient options to satisfy a wide range of customers," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing operations, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We are thrilled to receive this award that recognizes the many advantages of the Civic."
In describing the award-winning Civic, About.com's Aaron Gold called the 2012 Civic hands-down the most comprehensive compact car on the market. "You can get a sedan or a coupe; a high-fuel-efficiency version; a high-performance version; a leather-lined version; a hybrid version; even an alternative-fuel version that runs on clean natural gas," Gold said. "And whichever Civic you choose, you're virtually guaranteed years of trouble-free motoring."
The award from About.com adds to the 2012 Honda Civic's growing list of accolades that include being named Green Car of the Year (Civic Natural Gas), capturing Best Resale Value for a Compact Car by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, and earning a 2011 IIHS Top Safety Pick. About.com is one of the largest providers of original content on the web, with over 60 million unique visitors per month in the United States.
Popular SUV introduces innovative features for music and SMS
texting, new Real Time AWD system debuts, and FWD model achieves 31 mpg highway
EPA rating
11/16/2011 - LOS ANGELES
The all-new, the fourth-generationHonda CR-Vdebuted today at the Los Angeles Auto
Show. The 2012 CR-V introduces an upscale styling direction, greater fuel
efficiency, and added features and functionality. The CR-V will go on-sale at
Honda dealerships nationwide on December 15th.
With the previous-generation CR-V
recognized as a "Top Recommended Vehicle" and having the "Best
Retained Value SUV under $25,000" by Edmunds.com, and named top compact
crossover SUV in dependability by J.D. Power and Associates, the all-new 2012
model introduces the latest evolution of Honda's successful CR-V formula.
Compact on the outside and roomy inside, the CR-V represents an ideal balance
for size and capability in the entry SUV segment. The all-new five-passenger
CR-V offers improved car-like interior comfort, a smoother and quieter ride,
and even more innovative features than the previous model.
Powerful and Efficient
4-Cylinder Engine Leading the changes are a more efficient engine design with
improved horsepower and torque, along with an all-new Real Time All-Wheel-Drive
(AWD) with Intelligent Control System™. All CR-Vs are powered by a 2.4-literi-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with 185 horsepower and 163 lb-ft. of
torque paired with a standard 5-speed automatic transmission. EPA-estimated
fuel economy1is rated at 23/31/26 mpg
city/highway/combined (FWD) (an increase of +2/+3/+2 mpg compared to the 2011
CR-V), and a compact SUV-class leading 22/30/25 mpg city/highway/combined (AWD)
(an increase of +1/+3/+2 mpg compared to the 2011 CR-V). Eco Assist, a new
feature on the CR-V for 2012, indicates to the driver when the vehicle is being
operated in an efficient style via "green" visual cues surrounding
the speedometer, and a selectable ECON Mode alters operating characteristics of
the vehicle to support an efficient driving style.
New Standard Features
New for 2012 standard features include an Easy Fold-Down 60/40 Split Rear Seat
and a range of standard technology features. New high-tech features on all
models include aBluetooth®2HandsFreeLink® phone interface (previously
an available feature), a full-color intelligent Multi-Information Display
(i-MID) and a multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines. As a first for
Honda, every 2012 CR-V includes an SMS text messaging function, which can read
received texts from compatible cell phones aloud over the audio system. Another
first is the introduction of a Pandora® Internet Radio interface3,
compatible with the Apple® iPhone®, which works with the vehicle's audio
controls and i-MID.
Model Range
The CR-V lineup starts with the CR-V LX model, now with more standard equipment
for 2012. The CR-V LX is equipped with air conditioning, cruise control,BluetoothHandsFreeLink,
i-MID, remote entry, a 160-watt, a 4-speaker audio system, Motion-Adaptive
Electric Power Steering (EPS). The CR-V EX adds an upgraded six-speaker audio
system, power moonroof, 17-inch alloy wheels and more. The CR-V EX-L builds on
the rich features of the CR-V EX and adds a leather-trimmed interior, 10-way
power driver's seat, automatic dual-zone climate control, 328-watt 7-speaker
audio system with XM®4Radio and much more. Available features for
the CR-V EX-L include the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System5with Voice Recognition™ and FM Traffic, or
a DVD Rear Entertainment System (not available with Navigation). Real Time AWD
with Intelligent Control System™ is an available feature on each model.
Design
The 2012 CR-V body adopts a more dynamic and sophisticated appearance compared
to the previous generation. The CR‑V's spacious interior layout is more
accommodating with a roomy new center console (now standard) and an overall
lower cargo floor height for easy loading and unloading. The new Easy Fold-Down
60/40 Split Rear Seat makes accessing the full capability of the cargo area
much more convenient than traditional folding seats. Each side of the rear seat
can fold nearly flat into the front of the cargo area using one of the release
levers located near the tailgate, or a pull-strap positioned on the seat side.
Safety
Every CR-V incorporates as standard equipment VSA, an electronic stability
control system; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist;
side-curtain airbags; front-side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant
Position Detection System (OPDS); and a front seat design that can help reduce
the severity of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. An Advanced
Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure in the front of the vehicle
helps make the vehicle highly effective at absorbing and dispersing the energy
of a frontal crash.
Warranty
The 2012 Honda CR-V is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile new-car limited
warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, and a
5-year/unlimited-mile corrosion limited warranty.
Additional media information,
including detailed features and high-resolution photography of the 2012 Honda
CR-V, is available at www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available atautomobiles.honda.com.
