134,000 Miles, Automatic Transmission, Excellent Condition on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda scraps 2017 sales target amid concerns over quality

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito thinks that the automaker he leads needs to go back to basics to avoid continuing quality concerns. To do that, the boss is making the radical shift of entirely chucking the company's six-million vehicle annual sale targets through 2017, and there's no intention to include the goals in the next midterm plan, either, according to Bloomberg. The move comes soon after last month's announcement to set aside about $425 million to pay for recalls and slice forecasts by about 17,000 cars for the fiscal year. The complete shift from the way most automakers do business stems from the significant number of recalls from Honda last year. While the most glaring example is the Takata airbag problems affecting roughly 5.4 million of the company's vehicles in the US, that's hardly the only one. In Japan, the Fit Hybrid needed five repair campaigns in 12 months to fix various issues, and according to Bloomberg, the Vezel (similar to the HR-V in the US) has needed three. Honda also had to pay $70 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for failing to submit 1,729 safety reports to the agency. The Japanese automaker has been working on ways to right the ship for months. In the wake of the Fit recalls, top executives took a three-month, 20 percent pay cut and created an independent position to monitor vehicle quality. Previous Honda CEOs have also offered stern words to Ito. The problems haven't had quite such a dire effect in the US, though. Sales in 2014 were up one percent, and January 2015 showed a year-over-year improvement of 11.5 percent

Defying Trump, major automakers finalize California emissions deal

WASHINGTON — The California Air Resources Board (CARB) and major automakers on Monday confirmed they had finalized binding agreements to cut vehicle emissions in the state, defying the Trump administration's push for weaker curbs on tailpipe pollution. The agreements with carmakers Ford Motor Co, Volkswagen AG, Honda Motor Co and BMW AG were first announced in July 2019 as voluntary measures prompting anger from U.S. President Donald Trump. A month later, the Justice Department opened an antitrust probe into the agreements. The government ended the investigation without action. The Trump administration in March finalized a rollback of U.S. vehicle emissions standards to require 1.5% annual increases in efficiency through 2026. That is far weaker than the 5% annual increases in the discarded rules adopted under President Barack Obama. The 50-page California agreements, which extend through 2026, are less onerous than the standards finalized by the Obama administration but tougher than the Trump administration standards. The automakers have also agreed to electric vehicle commitments. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holdings, said in March it planned to join the automakers agreeing to the California requirements. It has also finalized its agreement. The settlement agreements say California and automakers agreed to resolve "potential legal disputes concerning the authority of CARB" and other states that have adopted California's standards. In May, a group of 23 U.S. states led by California and some major cities, challenged the Trump vehicle emissions rule. Other major automakers like General Motors Co, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Toyota Motor Corp did not join the California agreement. Those companies also sided with the Trump administration in a separate lawsuit over whether the federal government can strip California of the right to set zero emission vehicle requirements. Ford said the "final agreement will reduce emissions in our vehicles at a more stringent rate, support and incentivize the production of electrified products, and create regulatory certainty." BMW said "by setting these long-term, predictable, and achievable standards, we have the regulatory certainty that is necessary for long-term planning that will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but ultimately benefit consumers as well." 

Honda previews new BR-V three-row crossover for Indonesia

Honda is planning to roll out a new seven-seat crossover in Indonesia. But before it does, it's giving the public a taste of what's to come with a concept to be unveiled in Tangerang, previewed in the pair of teaser renderings you see here. Dubbed the BR-V prototype (for Bold Runabout Vehicle), the Honda concept calls for a three-row crossover with room for seven passengers – just like the Pilot we get over here. But if the design sketches are anything to go by, it'll look better. We'll reserve final judgement on the styling until the actual thing is unveiled in the metal, though. Full technical specifications are likely still a ways off from being announced. However the Japanese automaker and its Indonesian importer have confirmed that the BR-V will be powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine of unspecified output, mated to a choice of two transmission options. We don't know whether one of those might include all-wheel drive or not, but Honda has indicated that it's built high ground clearance into the BR-V – which ought to keep it from being confused with the low-riding Subaru BRZ, to say nothing Honda's other similarly named crossovers like the CR-V or HR-V. That's about all we know for the time being, but the BR-V promises "to address various customer needs" with "a tough and solid exterior design" combined with a "comfortable and spacious cabin." Locals can start anticipating its unveiling at the Gaikindo Indonesian International Auto Show in Tangerang this August, when P.T. Honda Prospect Motor will already open up the order books. Related Video: All-New Honda BR-V Prototype to Make World Premiere at Gaikindo Indonesian International Auto Show JAKARTA, Indonesia 29 June 2015 – P.T. Honda Prospect Motor released the first official sketches of the all-new Honda BR-V Prototype which will make its world premiere at the upcoming Gaikindo Indonesian International Auto Show 2015, scheduled for 20 - 30 August 2015, in Tangerang, Indonesia. The new BR-V was jointly developed for the Asian market by Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd., in Thailand, and P.T. Honda R&D Indonesia. This model will be introduced to the Indonesian market as Honda's new generation crossover utility vehicle to address various customer needs. The new BR-V features tough and solid exterior design with high ground clearance, big and stylish alloy wheels and sleek roof rails. The model also offers a comfortable and spacious cabin with seven seats in a 3-row configuration.