2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas Navigation on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Honda's 3D-printed customizable EV has motorcycle bones

Honda isn't the first company to reveal vehicles with 3D-printed panels, details and more. However, it's certainly one of the biggest, so its efforts warrant a closer look. Fresh off the heels of the Paris Auto Show, Honda showed off its Variable Design platform for micro EVs: petite cars where space -- and weight -- is at a premium. The automaker wants to offer a vehicle with a customizable layout where drivers can choose what they need. That could be lowered entry points at the doors for senior drivers, a hatchback trunk for delivery vehicles or space for a family of three. (Somehow!) Let's take a closer look: I was a bit skeptical of the idea of an entire vehicle built from 3D-printed panels, but a Honda spokesperson outlined how the company took design and engineering know-how from its motorcycle division, resulting in a light but safe pipe-based skeleton under the paneling. This is apparently what gives the "micro commuter model" structural integrity. The company had some assistance from design firm Kabuku, which put a bird on it -- on the hatchback trunk, as well as the doors and seat. The car mostly has that familiarly, rough 3D-printed surface to it, but despite being the early first step in Honda's efforts to offer a heavily customizable electric vehicle, today's prototype could very much move. A handful of journalists and businessmen got to sit inside and drive it very briefly around a corner in a faux-Japanese village. 3D-printing entire car bodies could lead to reduced design times and cheaper costs. But that's if it becomes a bigger thing. For now, it's a promising platform that's still in development.This article by Mat Smith originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. Green Honda Technology Emerging Technologies Electric

Honda shows facelifted Euro Civic hatch with new Sport variant

Honda has released the details on its freshened Euro-spec Civic ahead of its debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, whose media days are set to open next week. Aside from a fairly pleasant visual upgrade for both the standard Civic as well as the Civic Tourer, Paris will also see the arrival of a new Civic Sport model.
The new Civic wears a sportier front fascia, while the rear end is home to a new, stylish set of LED taillights. Honda has also revised the rear bumper, side skirts and spoiler. In the cabin, a new, Android-powered infotainment system called Honda Connect takes its place in the center stack, providing typical functions like radio, media, navigation and Bluetooth, as well as the ability to browse the Internet. The entire system is confined by a seven-inch display that offers pinch, swipe and tap functions that should be familiar to smartphone owners.
The big news, though, is the new Sport model (shown above). While this isn't a Civic Type R - with its 1.8-liter, 140-horsepower engine, it's not even a decaf Type R - it does deliver some more aggressive looks to the Civic line. There are standard 17-inch wheels, as well as a new, sportier Type R-inspired front fascia and a color-coded rear spoiler. Alongside that 1.8-liter gas engine is a 118-hp diesel mill that displaces 1.6 liters.

2015 Honda CR-V

Honda sold 335,000 CR-Vs in 2014, meaning the long-running compact CUV accounted for one in every four Honda-badged vehicles sold. And honestly, it's not too difficult to see why. It's efficient, comfortable, reasonably well equipped and reliable, much as it has always been. While it's arguably the least-exciting entry in what is, to be frank, a fairly dull class, the CR-V has always been remarkably competent at being all the vehicle its customers could possibly need. The facelifted 2015 model is all of those things and more, as we found out during a full week at the helm. Honda has been remarkably consistent in the slow evolution of the CR-V's styling over the years. If you were to compare the rear of the third-generation model (released way back in 2007 and updated in 2010) with the back of this fourth-generation version (released in 2012 and freshened for this most recent model year) you'd be hard pressed to tell one from the other. The 2007 model featured tall taillights that got wider at the bottom, while a low rear bumper, large aperture and upright tailgate made access to the rear cargo area a piece of cake... just like the 2015 model shown above. Honda has been more progressive in front for its new CR-V, however, retaining the same wide, canted headlights and three-slat grille that first appeared in 2012, but this time lining them in LED accents (as is the trend nowadays). As for the interior, the material quality is easily among the best in this fiercely competitive segment, with soft, attractive dashboard plastics. We aren't crazy about the faux leather stitching, although that's true on a lot of vehicles in this class. Other accents, like the thin strip of faux wood at the bottom of the dash, look good and have a quality feel. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is a nice item, too, and we couldn't be happier about Honda's decision to replace the old-fashioned ruched leather on the seats with cleaner, tauter hides. Those seats are quite wide and comfortable, as well, although they aren't exploding with side support for cornering (it's a Honda CR-V, after all). Visibility is excellent fore, aft and laterally, regardless of how you set up the seat. In back, leg and headroom are both in abundance, while the bench seat should prove adequate throughout a family's normal use, or on long drives. That isn't to say there aren't problems in the cabin, though.