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2017 Honda Ridgeline boosts fuel economy by 5 mpg

The 2017 Ridgeline brings Honda back into the pickup segment later this spring, but the automaker has so far kept quiet about many of the new truck's specs. Thanks to the government, we now have fuel-economy ratings for the new model, and they compare well to the competition. Front-drive versions of the new Ridgeline get 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg highway. If you opt for all-wheel drive, the numbers are a point lower, at 18/25 mpg. That's are a decent upgrade over the last-gen truck, which was only offered with all-wheel drive and had ratings of 15/21 mpg for the 2014 model year. The related Honda Pilot crossover, which was new for 2016, does a touch better, with maximum fuel economy of 20/27 mpg on a front-drive model with the optional nine-speed automatic. Comparing the Ridgeline with the fresh crop of updated midsized pickups, the Honda fares well. For comparable models with a V6 engine, automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive, the Toyota Tacoma is the closest competitor, at 18/23 mpg. The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon aren't too far behind that at 17/24 mpg. The Honda actually comes pretty close to the ratings of four-cylinder, rear-drive versions of its competitors, beating some on the highway. Honda will exclusively offer the 2017 Ridgeline with a 3.5-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic. The company doesn't yet have powertrain specs, but the same engine makes 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque in the Pilot, so expect similar figures for the pickup. An in-bed stereo system is among the truck's innovative features, which should make the Ridgeline a great vehicle for tailgating and outdoor parties, and now we at least know it won't use that much fuel getting there. Related Video:

Renewed deal continues to give Honda power to Ariel models

You can expect to hear screaming Honda engines in Ariel's stripped down vehicles for even longer; the two companies have just reaffirmed their exclusive powerplant supply deal in the UK. Ariel's models have used Honda power for the last 16 years. Just in time for the updated agreement, the eight technicians at the sports car brand's tiny factory just completed their 1,500th model with the Japanese automaker's high-revving engine. The basic Atom in the UK comes with the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter K20Z engine, and Ariel fits the mill with an exhaust and custom ECU tuning to make 245 horsepower. An optional supercharger can push the output to 310 hp or up to 350 hp. The top versions can reach 60 miles per hour in less than 2.7 seconds and a top speed over 155 mph. Ariel's other products have different Honda powerplants. The company's new Nomad uses a 2.4-liter K24 with 235 hp, and an optional supercharger can give the off-roader 290 hp. For those that prefer two wheels, the Ace motorcycle packs a 1,237cc V4 with 173 hp. In the US, the Atom wasn't always available with Honda power. Brammo, which previously imported the sports cars here, fitted them with a 2.0-liter EcoTec four-cylinder engine from General Motors. Ariel toyed with other powerplants, too, like its 500-horsepower V8 in the Atom 500. HONDA (UK) AND ARIEL RENEW EXCLUSIVE ENGINE SUPPLY DEAL AS 1,500TH HONDA-POWERED ARIEL ROARS OUT OF THE FACTORY Honda (UK) and Ariel renew exclusive engine supply deal as 1,500th Honda-powered Ariel roars out of the (very small) factory Honda (UK) and Ariel Motor Company renew exclusive engine supply deal for Atom and Nomad 1,500th Honda-powered Ariel in 16 years roars out of the factory Supercharged Civic Type R engine delivers a scorching 350bhp and top speed of more than 155mph in the famed Ariel Atom Honda (UK) and Ariel Motor Company have renewed their 16-year strong exclusive engine supply agreement which sees the famed Atom powered by the Civic Type R engine, and the new off-road Nomad by the Civic 2.4 unit. The news comes as the two brands celebrate the 1500th Honda-powered Ariel roaring out of the small factory in Somerset, where just eight highly skilled build technicians spend 100-200 hours painstakingly hand-crafting one vehicle each at a time, from start to finish. Over the last 16 years 1,500 new Ariels have been built here – just a few day's work for Honda's Civic-producing Swindon plant.

Honda fined $70 million for failing to report deaths, injuries

The federal agency charged with keeping US motorists safe announced Thursday it has fined Honda $70 million for failing to report death and injury data in a timely manner. Honda failed to report 1,729 incidents involving death or injury over an 11-year period, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials. Federal law requires automakers to report deaths, injuries and certain warranty claims. Officials said Thursday that information could have been used to spot trends in automotive defects and potentially save lives. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said it is possible the Department of Justice could conduct a criminal investigation into the failures, but it was not immediately known whether the Justice Department would pursue such charges. NHTSA officials still don't know much about the 1,729 incidents of death or injury that were missing from the Early Warning Reporting records, because in some cases, they still haven't been reported. Mark Rosekind, the agency's new administrator, said Honda is still in the process of sending investigators the missing information. "Our first task will be to review that, and determine actual deaths and injuries," he said. "That data is in the process of coming to us and being processed right now." The $70 million is the largest civil penalty levied against an automaker in history, officials said. It actually consists of two $35 million penalties, the maximum allowed by statute for a single TREAD Act violation. In this case, NHTSA broke the fine into separate violations, one for the missing deaths and injury information and one for the company's failure to report certain warranty-claim information. Honda reached an agreement with the federal government in late December, in which it accepted additional regulatory oversight and third-party audits that will ensure reporting is properly completed in the future. Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Government/Legal Honda transportation