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Honda ending CR-Z, Insight sales in Europe

Death by diesel? That may be the epitaph of the Honda Insight and CR-Z in Europe, where the Japanese automaker will discontinue sales of the two hybrid models before to the 2015 model-year. A Honda spokesman confirmed the discontinuation to Automotive News, and information on those models has been taken off of Honda's official websites in Germany, Spain and Italy. The European embrace of all things diesel and fuel efficient as well as competition from Toyota are the primary culprits. The cancellation is not a surprise. Insight sales in Europe fell a whopping 62 percent last year while CR-Z sales there plunged 66 percent. Combined, both models sold less than 2,000 units in Europe last year, Automotive News says, citing JATO Dynamics. Honda is having trouble moving the Jazz Hybrid (also known as the Fit) in Europe as well. European sales declined about 40 percent last year to around 4,500 units. Those numbers compare rather unfavorably to a 43 percent surge in Toyota's hybrid sales in Europe to about 153,000 units. The Insight may face the same fate in the US. Last year, US Insight sales fell 18 percent to 4,802 units, a small, small challenge to the more than 234,000 Toyota Prius variants sold in the US in 2013. Honda has not made an official statement on the Insight's fate here, but the sales are speaking for themselves. Featured Gallery 2014 Honda CR-Z Hybrid View 14 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Green Honda Hybrid hybrid sales

Honda recalling nearly 900,000 Odyssey minivans over fire fear

Honda is recalling nearly 900,000 2005 to 2010 model year Odyssey minivans due to a fault with the fuel pump that could cause them to catch fire.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filling, if exposed to "acidic chemicals and a high temperature environment," the cover of the fuel pump strainer could crack and cause a gasoline smell in the minivan or possibly allow the fuel to leak out. Denso supplied the fuel pumps on the vehicles, and the report says that Honda first began studying the problem in October 2012 but didn't finally confirm the cause until March 6, 2014. The recall affects 886,815 Odysseys, and Honda has received 187 warranty claims related to the issue. However, there have been no fires or injures reported.
Unfortunately, Honda says that it currently doesn't have enough replacement fuel pumps to fix all of the vehicles and doesn't expect to have the parts ready until this summer. It's sending a letter to owners telling them about the recall and is sending a second notification when the pieces are at dealers. The entire notification including affected VINs can be viewed as a PDF here, and the shortened version from the NHTSA can be viewed below.

Honda will build 2014 Accord Hybrid in Ohio

Honda has announced that it will invest $23 million in its Marysville, Ohio facility to support production of the upcoming 2014 Accord Hybrid sedan. According to the manufacturer, this means approximately 50 new jobs will be created, and the whole investment will result in a 95,000-square-foot expansion of the Marysville plant.
The Accord Hybrid joins the decidedly homely Accord PHEV (pictured) this fall, using a 2.0-liter i-VTEC Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine mated to a 124-kilowatt electric motor. Honda has yet to release official power or fuel economy figures for the non-plug-in hybrid version of the Accord.
Honda currently operates four manufacturing facilities in Ohio, with the combined capacity to build up to 700,000 cars and light trucks each year. The Japanese automaker also has a facility in Greensburg, Indiana, where the Civic Hybrid and Acura ILX Hybrid are built.