2007 Honda Pilot Ex-l on 2040-cars

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Honda Civic will show its hatchback in Geneva

Honda is bringing a conceptual look at the new Civic Hatchback to next week's Geneva Motor Show. But we think it'll be that in name only – Honda has a history of showing very production-looking 'concepts'. Given these recent spy shots, showing a very well-developed, five-door Civic, the production model should arrive before we know it. The new Civic is a seriously pretty car, and from some angles the four-door sedan already has a hatch-like appearance. We love the look of this cobbled-together prototype; the rounded-off rump in no way ruins the Honda's lines. There's even a center-mounted exhaust, which makes us super happy, though that might just be reserved for more powerful Si or Type R models. Standard five-door Civics will probably use the same engine lineup as the rest of the range – a naturally aspirated, 2.0-liter inline-four on the base end, and a turbocharged, 1.5-liter four in higher trims. Honda's also working on a turbo/manual pairing, which will likely be our powertrain du jour. We'll get a sort-of-conceptual look at the Civic Hatchback next week. Until then, scroll through the gallery of spy shots up top to see this little cutie from all angles. Related Video:

15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles

Americans drive a lot. Collectively, we put, on average, more than 13,000 miles on our cars each year according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Because of this, a vehicle's ability to travel long distances without major problems is a huge consideration when it comes time to purchase a new one. It's also worth remembering that keeping an older car on the road instead of trashing it and buying new can be considered an eco-friendly decision. After all, it takes a lot of resources to build a car. iSeeCars.com, a website that aggregates used car listings from all around the country, recently ran through the numbers on millions of vehicles that are currently on the road to determine which last the longest. Alternatively, you could choose to look at this list as vehicles likely to be driven by owners who travel long distances. Either way, we've laid out the top 15 vehicles most likely to hit or even surpass the 200,000-mile mark. It's important to note that while these are the vehicles that have stood the test of time up until today, we can't guarantee future results if you decide to opt for one of these from a current model year. That said, unless we specifically say so in the text below, we've used pictures of current models for illustrative purposes. Now, with all of that out of the way, scroll on down for the top 15 vehicles most likely to crest 200,000 miles. 15: Toyota Sienna 14: Honda Odyssey The 15th spot and 14th spot on the list of the top 15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles are both minivans. Spoiler alert: They will be the only two minivans on the list. According to iSeeCars, 3.2% of both of these family haulers crest the 200,000-mile mark, making them the best bets for families looking to put a ton of miles on their machines. 13: Honda Ridgeline 12: GMC Yukon The next spot on the list is occupied by the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck with 3.7% lasting past 200,000 miles. Unlike any of the other midsize trucks it competes with, the Ridgeline is based on a unibody chassis. Opting for this more car-like structure — as opposed to a traditional body-on-frame layout — allows Honda's hauler to ride and drive more like a car. Up next is the GMC Yukon, also with 3.7% past the 200K mark, and the first, but very much not the last, big traditional SUV you'll see on the list. In fact, get ready to see a whole bunch of 'em, including several from GMC parent General Motors.

Honda's new hybrid will cut use of rare-earth metals

Honda will start selling a hybrid vehicle later this year that will reduce the use of rare-earth metals in the hybrid-electric motor's magnets. The Japanese automaker worked with Japanese metal supplier Daido Steel Co. to develop a process that eliminates the use of rare-earth elements such as terbium or dysprosium. The first vehicle to feature this process will be the Honda Freed subcompact minivan, which is based on the platform of the Fit and will go on sale in Japan later this year. The new technology will help free Honda from its dependence on China, which produces about 90 percent of the world's rare-earth metals. The new process uses what's called the "hot deformation method" to eliminate the need for the heavier metals and likely reduce hybrid-engine costs. Honda's new hybrid motors use a lighter rare-earth material called neodymium. With both electric and hybrid vehicle production forecast to grow within the next few years, rare-earth metal demand is forecast to rise by 14 percent a year to more than $9 billion by 2019, Automotive News says, citing an estimate from technology-research company Technavio Research. Honda estimates that the new process cuts the cost of making the motors' magnets by about 10 percent while reducing their weight by about eight percent, Reuters says. Additionally, neodymium is found in Australia and North America, as well as China. Honda has been selling a gas-powered version of the Freed in Japan since 2008. Three years later, Honda started selling a hybrid version of the minivan, which was rated to get 51 miles per gallon on the Japanese driving cycle. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Daido Steel and Honda Adopt World's First Hybrid Vehicle Motor Magnet Free of Heavy Rare Earth Elements – Honda Freed, on sale this fall, will be the first hybrid vehicle to adopt new magnet – Daido Steel Honda TOKYO, Japan, July 12, 2016 - Daido Steel Co., Ltd. and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. became the world's first companies to achieve practical application of a hot deformed neodymium magnet containing no heavy rare earth*1 and yet with high heat resistance properties and high magnetic performance required for the use in the driving motor of a hybrid vehicle. This heavy rare earth-free hot deformed neodymium magnet will be applied first to the all-new Honda FREED, scheduled to go on sale this fall.