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Honda, Acura recall 450,000 cars for seatbelt issue

Honda is recalling nearly half a million Honda and Acura vehicles to address an issue that can prevent passengers from latching their seatbelts. The campaign covers most of the mainstream brand's popular family cars, including the CR-V, Accord and Odyssey. Per the company's report, normal wear and tear can cause the driver and passenger seatbelt release buttons to bind, preventing the latches from properly engaging.  "The seat belt buckle channel [sic] for the driver and front passenger seat belts were manufactured out of specification, causing interference between the buckle channel and the release button,"  Honda's report to NHTSA said. "With continuous use, the buckle channel surface coating may deteriorate over time, and the release button may shrink against the channel at low temperatures, increasing friction. This can result in issues with the seat belt buckle latching." Here is the full list of cars and model years included in the campaign: 2019-2020 Acura RDX  2018-2019 Honda Accord/Accord Hybrid  2017-2020 Honda CR-V  2019 Honda Insight  2018-2020 Honda Odyssey Honda said that the problem first surfaced back in 2019 and that the company has received more than 300 warranty claims related to the problem. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. Owners will have replacement parts installed free of charge. Honda says notices should be distributed to owners starting in April.  Related video: Recalls Acura Honda Ownership Safety

Autotrader picks best cars for 2015's college grads

Summer is here and the school season is winding to a close. That means millions of students will be graduating college and (hopefully) entering the workforce. For many, that will mean buying a new car suited to the new stage in life into which they will now be embarking. That can be a bewildering choice, especially for someone who's never bought a car before. Fortunately, Autotrader has come up with a short list of recommended cars – new and used – which it recommends to the graduating class of 2015. Among the site's top choices are some compelling crossovers and hatchbacks, including the Buick Encore, Chevy Trax, and Jeep Renegade, as well as the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa Note, Mazda3 and Fiat 500. Can't stretch to buying new, or don't see the point? Autotrader has also identified the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and even the Lexus IS as smart buys in the certified pre-owned category. "Any time someone goes through a major life change, such as graduating college, they need to determine if their current ride makes sense for their lifestyle, from both a financial and functional perspective," says Autotrader editor Brian Moody. "For example, while that hand-me-down SUV from your parents was nice when you turned 16, you may want to opt for a safer, more fuel-efficient car as you transition into the working world." Autotrader Names 10 Best Cars for Recent College Graduates ATLANTA, May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For many, graduating college is a milestone like no other – it represents a new chapter, a proud accomplishment and, fortunately or unfortunately, financial independence. Luckily for graduates who are in the market for a new car to suit their post-college lifestyle, Autotrader's expert editors say now is a great time to make a purchase, as dealerships are flush with affordable models that are fun, fuel-efficient and thoughtfully designed. Autotrader Logo "Any time someone goes through a major life change, such as graduating college, they need to determine if their current ride makes sense for their lifestyle, from both a financial and functional perspective," said Brian Moody, site editor for Autotrader.

2017 Honda Ridgeline enters the landscape block war

In the test of pickup truck beds, if steel is apples and aluminum is oranges, Honda wants you to know that composites are pineapples. Chevy recently performed a test in which its own Silverado was pitted against its most obvious competitor, the Ford F-150. A loader dropped over 800 pounds of landscaping blocks into the two truck beds, and Ford's aluminum bed ended up with more damage than Chevy's steel bed. Check that test out right here. Honda apparently wasn't content to let Chevy throw stones alone. In a new test, the Japanese automaker replicated the block-drop test using its brand-new Ridgeline truck, which features a composite bed. As you'll see in the video above, there was very little damage to the high-strength plastic bed of the Ridgeline after a similar load of landscaping blocks were dropped from a loader. Without being on hand at any of these tests, we can't say with any degree of certainty that they match up in severity. But they all look pretty similar, and this is actually a test that Honda performed in front of journalists ( ourselves included) earlier this year. We visually inspected the composite bed of a Ridgeline after a demonstration just like the one on video above, and can confirm that there was basically no damage to Honda's truck. Chevy went an extra step by flinging a heavy toolbox into the Silverado and F-150; Honda didn't match that particular test. Does any of this matter? That's up to truck buyers and owners to decide, naturally, but we doubt anyone would actually dump a load like this into their own truck. And it's also worth noting that a heavy-duty spray-on bedliner would probably minimize damage to the metal surface below, whether steel or aluminum. If nothing else, it's memorable marketing. Related Video: