2014 Honda Odyssey Ex on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Refreshed Honda Civic's first commercial is a minor mea culpa

Honda has officially rolled out the first ad for the 2013 Civic. The one-minute spot focuses on a number of clever inventions that improve on old themes, from rocket-powered parachutes to hover bikes and smart window shades, before shifting to the redesigned compact. Set to Santigold's "Disparate Youth," the ad culminates with the phrase, "Things can always be better." This is likely as close as we'll come to hearing Honda say, "we could have done better."
Unveiled at the 2012 LA Auto Show, the 2013 Civic features revised front and rear fascias, nicer cabin materials and an updated suspension just one year after the ninth-generation model debuted. That car received scaling reviews from critics, most notably Consumer Reports, who felt the 2012 Civic was a step backwards for a company known for producing high-quality, economical vehicles. You can check out the full ad for the 2013 Civic below before it debuts during the Rose Bowl.

2016 Honda HR-V officially finds its fit in Los Angeles

Honda's extended tease for the 2016 HR-V compact crossover is finally over. The CUV debuted in Japan late, last year, and the company has trotted various versions to shows around the world since then. The time has finally come for all of the details about the US version to be revealed at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show.
Honda has been keeping the HR-V's powertrain a closely guarded secret - until now. All of them get a 1.8-liter four-cylinder that makes 138 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque with the choice of either a six-speed manual or CVT. Either front- or all-wheel drive is available, but the six-speed is only available on front-driving models.
Based on the same platform as the Fit, the HR-V actually doesn't seem to share much with its smaller sibling in terms of looks and instead borrows more cues from its big brother - the latest 2015 CR-V. Bits of Honda's larger crossover peek out in the grille and roof shape, but the HR-V reinterprets the design in its own funky way. Hiding the rear door handles near the rear pillar is an especially clever touch. The compact's wheelbase is 102.8 inches, just 0.3 inches shorter than its larger sibling. However, overall length for the new model is 169.1 inches, about 10 inches shorter than the CR-V.

Average new-car fuel economy figures continue record pace

Manufacturers are making more efficient cars and trucks; we've known that to be true for some time. Nearly every new car has some sort of trick to eke a few extra miles out of every gallon of fuel. Whether that be turbocharging, active aerodynamics or hybrid technology/electrified powertrains, the fact is that our vehicles are more efficient than ever before.
Thanks to a recent study by TrueCar, we've got fresh quantitative data to support the above statements. For the fourth month in a row, we've seen an improvement in national fleet fuel economy. We Americans are 0.7 miles per gallon more efficient than we were last month, and our cars are 1.6-mpg better than at this time last year. That said, we're still down on 2013's high, which was set back in January at 24.5 mpg.
Not only does this reflect the improved technologies in our vehicles, but it demonstrates a changing mindset among consumers, who are purchasing more efficient vehicles despite the relative stabilization of fuel prices. Every fuel-efficient model sold drives its manufacturers fleet average up.