2015 Honda Odyssey Exl on 2040-cars

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Honda to recall 1.1 million U.S. vehicles to re-replace Takata airbags

Honda said on Tuesday it would recall about 1.1 million Honda and Acura vehicles in the United States to re-replace defective Takata airbags on the driver's side. The company said it was aware of one injury linked to the defect that may have caused the airbag to rupture when it was deployed in a crash. The vehicles involved in the recall were previously repaired using specific Takata desiccated replacement inflators (PSDI-5D) or entire replacement airbag modules containing these inflators. "Those replacement inflators," Honda said in a statement, "are now deemed defective." Free repairs of the recalled cars would begin immediately in the United States with replacement parts made by alternate suppliers, Honda said. Honda became aware of the issue after a Honda Odyssey crash, where the front airbag deployed and injured the driver's arm. An investigation later showed that manufacturing issues at Takata's Mexico facility introduced excessive moisture into the inflator during assembly, leading to the problem. The total number of recalled inflators is now about 21 million in about 12.9 million Honda and Acura vehicles that have been subject to recall for replacing Takata front airbag inflators in the United States, the company said. Automakers in the United States repaired more than 7.2 million defective Takata air bag inflators in 2018, as companies have ramped up efforts to track down parts in need of replacement. Recalls Acura Honda

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell has the longest range of any EV: 366 miles

If you want to go far without emitting anything from your tailpipe, your new road trip warrior is here. Honda announced today that its upcoming Clarity fuel cell vehicle will have an amazing 366-mile range. That's the most you can get from a zero-emission vehicle between recharging or refueling. The other electric vehicles with more than 300 miles of range are the battery-powered 2016 Tesla Model S P100D ( 315 miles) and the hydrogen-powered 2017 Toyota Mirai ( 312 miles). WIth 68 MPGe, the Clarity Fuel Cell can't claim the highest miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent rating in the US, since these are all based on official EPA numbers. That title goes to the BMW i3, with 124 MPGe. The hydrogen Clarity should arrive for lease in hydrogen-friendly California before the 2016 calendar runs out. It will be followed by all-electric and plug-in hybrid versions in the coming years. The hydrogen Clarity will lease for about $500 a month, a bill that will almost certainly include the hydrogen fuel, since that's par for the course with hydrogen vehicles in the US right now. Related Video:

Vehicles awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick awards skyrockets for 2015 [w/video]

By practically every measure, passenger vehicles in the US are continuing to get safer. With the year rapidly coming to an end, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is releasing its annual list tallying of the scores for the latest vehicles to see how they compare to last year. Judging by the agency's evaluations, the numbers look quite positive. According to the institute, 71 vehicles earned either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating so far in its testing for 2015. Among the latest winners, there have been 33 TSP+ awards and 38 TSP medalists. That's a healthy increase over the 22 TSP+ and 17 TSP grades in 2014. The figures appear even more impressive when you consider that it keeps getting harder to earn the + designation. In the latest round of testing, a vehicle must offer some form of front crash prevention automatic braking to get the mark. Previously, just a warning to drivers was necessary. This list also illustrates the ways that automakers adapt to new testing procedures. In 2013 there were 117 TSP ratings and 13 TSP+ awards. Then, the IIHS mandated that to be a safety pick, a model had to score Good in the institute's four crash tests, plus a Good or Acceptable in the small overlap front test. That brought a plunge in 2014 to just 17 TSP grades. With the numbers climbing again, companies apparently have deciphered how to perform better. Some brands especially stood out on this year's list. The IIHS praised Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Acura for offering standard front crash prevention systems on some models. Subaru received at least one of the awards for all seven of its models. Toyota also had seven, and the Honda brand did too – though the institute counts the two- and four-door versions of the Civic and Accord separately. Check out the full announcement below and a video about this year's winners. The full list can be viewed, here. Safety gains ground: More vehicles earn top honors from IIHS The number of vehicles earning either of the Institute's two awards has jumped to 71 from 39 this time last year, giving consumers more choices for optimum protection in crashes. The number of winners in the top tier - TOP SAFETY PICK+ - has increased by 11 for 2015, despite a tougher standard for front crash prevention. "This is the third year in a row that we are giving automakers a tougher challenge to meet," says IIHS President Adrian Lund.