1998 Honda Civic Lx on 2040-cars

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The Honda Crosstour is no more

While hardly the most surprising news in the automotive world, it's with sad hearts that we report the passing of any automotive nameplate... even when it's as generally unloved as the Honda Crosstour. In a statement from American Honda, Executive Vice President John Mendel confirms the quirky, sort-of wagon's demise for the 2016 model year. The Crosstour was introduced in 2010 as a compromise between a crossover and a traditional station wagon. However, unlike the popular Subaru Outback with a similar melding of styles, Honda's was never able to really catch on. Honda America's CEO was disappointed with sales as far back as 2011, and an attempt to make the model look a little more rugged didn't work. In 2014, 11,802 Crosstours were sold, a 29.9-percent drop from the year before. In its announcement for the vehicle's discontinuation, Honda says the new HR-V should "play a more significant role as a gateway model." The company thinks the crossover segment today has changed from when the Crosstour debuted. The capacity at the East Liberty Plant in Ohio previously required for Crosstour production will be used for the more popular CR-V, Acura RDX and, as of early 2017, the MDX. Meanwhile, production of the Honda Accord Hybrid will be moved from the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio to Japan. Statement by John Mendel, Executive Vice President, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Re: North American Production Portfolio Apr 8, 2015 Honda's growth strategy in North America is keyed to aligning our product portfolio and related production around the needs of our customers and growth segments in the marketplace. This includes the fortification of our light truck line-up with the recent introduction of a refreshed version of America's best- selling SUV, the CR-V, as well as the all-new 2016 HR-V, a new 2016 Pilot, and the next generation Ridgeline truck, coming to market next year. The strategy also includes strengthening our leading lineup of passenger cars with the introduction this fall of an all-new Civic lineup that will include more variants than ever before, including a new five-door model. In order to fulfill this customer-focused strategy, we are making several changes to the lineup of vehicles we build in our auto plants in Ohio.

Why Honda of America won't fit 2014 Fit models with start/stop

One of the most recent yet notable additions to the modern vehicle's growing suite of fuel-saving technologies is the humble start-stop system. It's rather simple - when the vehicle is stopped, the engine shuts off. It then fires back up when the driver starts to take his foot off the brake or step on the clutch. For one of the most important fuel sippers of the year, though, start-stop tech is a no-go.
Honda will not be offering the system on the North American-spec, non-hybrid Fit despite it being a standard item on both the hybrid (pictured above) and gas-only Japanese domestic models. According to Honda, it's ostensibly due to the momentary lag, that occurs when the gas engine re-fires and power is available. The start-stop-equipped Fits "will lose at stoplights to V6s," Nobuhiko Shishido, the lead powertrain engineer for the Fit, told Automotive News. This is just an observation on our part, but unless the new Fit turns up with dramatically more than the current car's 117 horsepower, it'll "lose at stoplights" regardless of whatever fuel-saving features are fitted.
The other issue Honda sees is more realistic. In the world of the EPA, stop-start systems are not taken into account in fuel economy testing. That makes the cost-adding technology a tough sell for US consumers who are forced to take a dealer's word on real-world economy gains over the milage numbers on the window sticker. That said, wouldn't it at least make sense to offer start-stop as an option? Have your say in the Comments below.

Honda Wander Walker, Stand will roam around, around, around [w/video]

They do things differently in Japan, and we're not just talking about the adorable kei car. No, the concept vehicles that debut at the Tokyo Motor Show are decidedly different than what you might see in Geneva or Detroit. Case in point – the Honda Wander Walker and Wander Stand Concepts, which we previewed late last month. Despite its name, the Wander Walker is quite obviously a four-wheeled scooter that'd look right at home being driven by the elderly IKEA enthusiast in some futuristic metropolis. The front wheels turn to darn near 90 degrees, blessing the Wander Walker with a mere one-meter turning circle. The impressive maneuverability is down to this thing being tiny. Check out the picture if it next to everyone's favorite robot, Asimo, for scale. That makes it a prime mobility solution for the cramped confines of urban Tokyo, a fact that's reinforced by its super-model skinny 21.25-inch width. That size allows the Walker to squeeze through the turnstiles to board Japan's ultra-efficient train network. It's unclear what kind of power is in use here, but it's almost certainly electric. The top speed is a leisurely 3.7 miles per hour. (A quick Wikipedia search reveals humans walk at about 3.1 mph, so yes, this is at least a bit faster than walking.) If the Wander Walker is a futuristic scooter, the Wander Stand looks like a waiting room on wheels. Unlike the Walker, it'll accommodate two adults who can ride side-by-side in a 72.8-inch tall, 49.2-inch wide, and 78.4-inch long box. Like so many futuristic bits of tech, the Wander Stand throws information up on the windshield, which sits atop a futuristic dash. What sets this concept apart from the average kei car, is the Honda Omni Traction Drive System, which allows the usual movement forward and back, but also gives drivers the ability to drive laterally or even diagonally. Again, Japan is a tight place, and this kind of ability grants drivers a lot of leeway in urban driving. We've got a few images direct from Honda available above and below, while you can also look forward to a full array of live images, direct from the floor of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.