2010 Honda Civic Ex Sedan 4-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

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Honda To Expand Takata Air Bag Recall Nationwide

Under pressure from federal regulators, Honda is expanding a recall of driver's side air bags to all 50 states. The air bags, made by Japanese supplier Takata Corp., can explode with too much force, sending metal shrapnel into the passenger compartment. Takata insists that current recalls covering 8 million U.S. cars in high-humidity areas are sufficient. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants the recalls expanded nationwide after some incidents outside the high-humidity zones. Rick Schosteck, Honda's executive vice president for North America, told House lawmakers Wednesday that Honda will expand the regional recall it began in June, but will continue to prioritize high-humidity areas. He also said Honda is working with other air bag manufacturers to make sure it has enough parts. Related Gallery Consumer Reports Least Loved Cars 2014 Recalls Honda Safety NHTSA list

McLaren, Honda confirm F1 divorce, coupling with new partners

The news broke recently that McLaren F1 and its engine partner Honda would split ways after the 2017 season. Neither party commented the news initially, but there is now a confirmation from both sides. In addition, McLaren confirmed today that they will be using Renault engines for the next three F1 seasons. This will be the first time that a McLaren Renault F1 car will compete. McLaren's Executive Chairman Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa praised Honda in his statement, while acknowledging that the 2015-2017 joint venture hasn't been successful enough: "Although our partnership has not produced the desired success, that does not diminish the great history our two companies have enjoyed together, nor our continued efforts to achieve success in Formula 1. At this point in time, it is in the best interests of both companies that we pursue our racing ambitions separately." Zak Brown, McLaren's Executive Director echoed that statement, adding that "It is certainly not for the want of effort on the part of either Honda or McLaren," and that the company hopes to see Honda get back to the top. At the moment McLaren has achieved 11 points and ninth place in the standings, with Honda power. Regarding Renault, Brown said, "Today's announcement gives us the stability we need to move ahead with our chassis and technical program for 2018 without any further hesitation." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As for Honda, they announced today that an agreement was reached on providing engines for Scuderia Toro Rosso for the 2018 season. As Honda's president Takahiro Hachigo said, "Toro Rosso is an experienced team with a youthful energy and history of nurturing the stars of the future. Everyone at Honda is looking forward to working with Toro Rosso." About McLaren, Hachigo said, "Honda will continue the fight together with McLaren all the way to the end of the 2017 season, and then continue its F1 racing activities in 2018 and beyond." Related Video: News Source: Honda, Formula 1Image Credit: Xavier Bonilla/NurPhoto via Getty Images Motorsports Honda McLaren Renault Racing Vehicles F1 toro rosso renault sport scuderia toro rosso takahiro hachigo

2017 Honda Ridgeline First Drive

Over the years, the quest to build a better pickup truck has resulted in nothing but failure. Only one basic formula has proven successful: body-on-frame, front-engine, solid rear axle, and an optional transfer case for true four-wheel drive. And it helps to wear an American nameplate. The 2017 Honda Ridgeline is none of those things. Instead, it's a unibody. The engine is up front, but it's mounted transversely since the truck is based on front-wheel-drive architecture. And one look is all it takes to confirm the Ridgeline is not a Ford, Chevy, or Ram. In the face of ever-bolder and blockier competition, the Ridgeline looks, dare we say, aerodynamically sound. It's all based on the rational desire for greater efficiency, comfort, and convenience. In the same way that a car-based crossover is a better choice for most families than a truck-based SUV, the Ridgeline is a better choice for a large swath of pickup buyers. It really is more comfortable, more fuel efficient, roomier, and easier to live with than its primary competitors. Those same things could be said of the old first-gen Honda Ridgeline. But where the 2006 model was terribly unattractive and ambiguously styled, the new 2017 model is at least recognizable as a pickup. Gone are the buttresses of the old truck, replaced by a more traditional bed that is four inches longer than before. That bed is molded from a strong, dent- and scratch-resistant fiber-reinforced plastic material that's UV treated so that it doesn't need paint to keep from fading in the sun. A pair of dirtbikes or a single ATV fit nicely with the tailgate down. There's still a trunk recessed in the rear of the bed, complete with a drain plug so that it can be hosed out or filled with ice to keep drinks cold. Eight tie-downs come standard, each rated to hold up to 350 pounds. A power outlet is nestled behind a hidden door in the bed, but a two-prong design and 400-watt max rating limit its usefulness. Carried over from the first generation is a dual-action tailgate that can fold down or swing open, hinging on the driver's side. A new feature is an in-bed audio system that should prove a hit at tailgate parties. Plug a television into the in-bed outlet, connect to the car's audio system, dump some ice in the trunk, and you're good to go. Check out the innovative tailgate and in-bed audio in our Short Cut videos below. And stick around for the third video to see a load full of rocks dumped in that heavy-duty plastic pickup bed.