2020 Honda Cr-v Ex-l on 2040-cars

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2014 Honda Odyssey sucks it up for our editor

When we heard that the 2014 Honda Odyssey would be getting the world's first in-car vacuum, we had to check this thing out for ourselves. Called HondaVAC, this tidy little sucker was co-developed with Shop-Vac, and it's actually pretty neat. It comes standard on Odyssey's top-trim Touring Elite model and can be fitted with a wide range of attachments all housed in the cargo area. Honda notes that the vacuum hose is long enough to reach surfaces in every part of the Odyssey's cabin, and that it will even run for a full eight minutes after the vehicle is turned off.
Good thing, then, that Honda chose to show off the new 2014 Odyssey here at the New York Auto Show, as Autoblog west coast editor Michael Harley clumsily managed to spill some snacks all over the cargo area (we tried to convince him to give himself a hickey, but he declined on grounds that his wife might not let him attend any more auto shows). Take a look at the video below to see just how well the new minivan cleans up.

Driver saved from sinking car in Houston by live news reporter

Heavy rains in Houston, Texas, have turned some roadway underpasses into temporary lakes. While covering the adverse weather, a reporter named Steve Campion engaged in what may be the most half-hearted rescue attempt ever captured on video. The whole clip is a slow-motion disaster that's hard to look away from. The reporter and a cameraman are already on the scene when a driver in a Honda Insight arrives and thinks he can ford the deluge. The plan fails immediately, and the car is quickly in too deep. Despite trying to reverse out of the bad situation and even turning on the windshield wipers, this guy is stuck. Floating, in fact. Campion doesn't even try to hide his contempt and confusion as this unfolds in front of him. "Why are you doing that," the journalist initially asks. He and the cameraman don't leap to action at this scene, either. "What do we do? I don't want to..." the reporter says. The Insight driver seems to be in shock, seemingly unable to process the situation even as his vehicle is sinking. Eventually, the reporter and cameraman convince the guy to leave his vehicle. By the time the driver gets to dry land, his Honda is barely visible above the water. The Honda owner seems unharmed, but the reporter probably doesn't deserve much credit for the rescue, regardless of how it's portrayed on KTRK in Houston. See if you agree after watching the video. Related Video:

Ford, Toyota clean up in Best Car For The Money Awards

The U.S. News Best Cars for the Money Awards picks winners by looking at the average transaction price, five-year total cost of ownership, the regard a car has from the automotive press, reliability figures from J.D. Power and Associates and safety data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The result, according to the magazine, is "the best combination of critical acclaim and long-term value."
Ford nabbed six of the 21 categories that received awards this year, the Focus, Fusion, Fusion Hybrid, Taurus, Escape and Edge getting trophies. Toyota and its Lexus and Scion sub-brands took another five, the Tacoma and Tundra owning the two categories given to pickup trucks. The other ten awards were split between Honda with three, Buick with two, and one each for Subaru, BMW, Hyundai, Chevrolet and Mazda.
Follow the link to see all the winners and read about why they were chosen.