2003 Honda Civic Clean Car Loaded on 2040-cars

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There was once a Honda Civic named the Honda Integra

So it turns out there was a Honda Integra that was actually a Honda Civic. This as opposed to the Honda Integra we already knew about that was just like our Acura Integra but with Honda badges sold in different markets. We noticed the oddity while crawling about used car listings (as one is wont to do). A sedan popped up that looked suspiciously like a mid-90s Honda Civic, but there was a shiny Integra badge on the back of it. Surely, this must be somebody’s idea of being funny, right? Wrong. The Honda Integra SJ exists, and itÂ’s essentially a rebadged Honda Civic Ferio. Or "Civic Sedan" as we knew it here. In other words, that means Honda sold two Honda Integras at the same time. One of them was the Integra that we all think of upon hearing the Integra name. The other was just a Civic Ferio that was half-prettied up to increase its appeal. After all, the Integra name was luxury. Maybe you already knew all of this, but the lack of definitive information online and presence of this car for sale prompted us to do a little research. In case you were wondering, SJ stands for Sedan Joyful, so this carÂ’s full name is the Honda Integra Sedan Joyful. It was sold as such from 1996-2001 in Japan. Its mini Wikipedia entry indicates that Honda created the SJ to bring a formal sedan to the Integra range. ThatÂ’s a bit weird, though, as there was literally an Integra four-sedan at the time. You could even get it as the hot GS-R version in the United States. Japanese buyers were even luckier, as Honda offered a sedan version of the Integra Type R there. Since the Integra SJ was a rebadged Civic Ferio, it came with the same equipment and engine. The 1.5-liter D15B four-cylinder engine was being used in the Ferio at this time, so thatÂ’s what the Integra SJ was rocking. ItÂ’s one of HondaÂ’s SOHC VTEC offerings, and it made a very respectable 128 horsepower. The D15B wasnÂ’t as potent as an engine like the B16A2 found in the 1999-2000 Honda Civic Si sold here that put out 160 horses, but it was also down one camshaft. Only the intake valves are affected by the cam here, which results in less power than the DOHC VTEC engines. All that said, the engine still revved to 7,200 rpm, and its power is respectable for the size of car.  ThereÂ’s a third name for the Civic Ferio/Integra SJ, as well. If you go to Thailand, you may come across the Isuzu Vertex, which is yet another rebadged Civic Ferio.

Honda and Acura add garage door control to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto

You’ll soon be able to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in your Honda or Acura to open and close your garage door. ItÂ’s a new feature made possible through a partnership with the Chamberlain GroupÂ’s myQ Connected Garage service. Honda says that all of its 2023 and 2024 model year vehicles will be compatible with this new tech, but it also says that “millions of older Honda and Acura models supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also have compatibility.” ThatÂ’s especially great to hear that the convenience is not just going to be limited to brand-new models. As for how it works, the system is fairly straightforward. You can set a geofence that will automatically prompt you with a system notification when you get within a certain distance of your garage. Follow the onscreen instructions to open, and your garage door will do as you command. The same can be done to close your garage door. For this tech to work, Honda says that youÂ’ll need a compatible garage door opener, but thereÂ’s a good chance you already do because myQ is compatible with most openers on the market today from LiftMaster and other Chamberlain brands. If your opener is already myQ enabled, then you wonÂ’t need to do anything. However, if you have an older style, Honda says you can use a “myQ Smart Garage Control device” to upgrade it into one. Honda is offering everybody one for free if you sign up for its 30-day demo subscription of the service, so donÂ’t worry about having to buy one. However, if you do wish to continue beyond that 30-day free trial, a three-year subscription costs $129, while a five-year subscription will run you $179. The real benefit to this system is that youÂ’ll be able to open and close your garage door from anywhere, not just within the range of where your opener or car-linked button will work. Of course, myQ has a phone app that will do the same, but this allows you to do the task directly through the carÂ’s interface without needing to yank out a phone. Honda says this tech is functional as of today, so go ahead and try it out if you have all the necessary garage door tech in place.

Honda profit targets tumble in wake of Takata scandal

Takata's massive airbag inflator recall will likely do some damage to Honda's bottom line this year, according to the Japanese automaker's latest forecasts. The company will allocate 50 billion yen ($425 million) to fulfill costs related to the safety campaigns, Reuters indicates. The decision will reduce estimated operating profit by about 6.5 percent to 720 billion yen ($6.1 billion US) for the fiscal year ending March 31. In addition to lower profits, Honda also cut back its sales estimate for the year to 4.45 million vehicles from the previous 4.62 million, according to Reuters. This was largely due to lower-than-expected demand in Japan. "We are not seeing a big impact on sales in North America from the airbag issue," company vice president Tetsuo Iwamura (pictured above) told Reuters. The decreased forecasts come at the same time as the possibility of another death in a Honda vehicle from the Takata parts. According to Automotive News, a man in Florida died in a crash in his 2002 Accord, but investigators have not yet determined whether the inflator was the cause. However, the vehicle was included in a 2011 recall for the part and was not repaired. The family intends to file a lawsuit alleging the inflator ruptured, spraying metal shrapnel into the driver's neck. Reportedly, the owner was never notified of the recall. While the Takata inflator recall is affecting many companies with alleged links to at least five deaths and 139 injuries worldwide, Honda has it among the worst. Including vehicles covered under the previous regional repair campaign for the issue, the automaker needs to repair roughly 5.4 million vehicles just in the US. Honda has taken action by employing suppliers other than Takata to supply some of its replacement parts for the recall. The business is also reportedly switching airbag suppliers for the next-gen Accord and possibly the 2016 CR-V and Odyssey.