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Honda City Adventure off-road scooter concept shown at EICMA

Set aside the cars and trucks for a minute and you'll see that Honda still builds a huge variety of machinery: everything from power equipment to jets to robots – and a whole lot more in between. But what's caught our attention today is a motorcycle... of sorts. Headlining the Japanese company's lineup at the EICMA motorcycle show this week is the City Adventure concept. Though little in the way of details were released, the vehicle seeks to blend the go-anywhere capability of an endurance off-road motorcycle with the convenience and versatility of an urban scooter. That means chunky off-road tires, disc brakes, shielded handlebars, and a movable windscreen, among other elements. The result is a concept for now, but Honda says it foreshadows "a new development direction for adventure-focused machines." If reception is positive enough, Honda might put something like this into production. While the City Adventure concept is surely the most unusual of the motorcycles Honda brought to the Milanese expo this year, it's not the only one. Alongside it, the company is showcasing the new CRF1000L Africa Twin adventure bike, a range of new 500cc bikes, a trio of 750cc New Concept bikes with dual-clutch transmissions, a revised version of the Integra maxi scooter, and new colors for a host of other models as well. Scope out the full details in the press release below. New City Adventure concept revealed alongside CRF1000L Africa Twin and six heavily revised mid-sized machines - City Adventure concept indicates a new development direction for adventure-focussed machines - European show debut for CRF1000L Africa Twin - Range of rider-focussed upgrades for A2 licence-friendly CB500F, CB500X and CBR500R - Revised looks and added practicality for NC750X, NC750S and Integra - New functionality for unique Dual Clutch Transmission technology - New paint options for VFR1200X Crosstourer,, CB650F, CBR650F, CBR300R and SH125i Honda today reveals its full 2016 motorcycle line up at the EICMA show in Milan, comprising six mid-sized capacity machines with a range of significant updates, and the return of one of motorcycling's most illustrious names in the form of the CRF1000L Africa Twin. With an eye to the future, Honda has also revealed its new City Adventure concept machine, offering a unique new interpretation of the idea of adventure on two wheels.

2016 Honda HR-V: The first three months with our jack of all trades

We only had the long-term 2016 Honda HR-V in our fleet for one week, and for me, the do-anything crossover was immediately useful. Its honeymoon phase coincided with a number of long-haul drives, plus I had to move. This ambitious start is why we're a quarter of the way through our long-term test, and the HR-V already has over 6,000 miles on the odometer. In classic suburban chariot style, the HR-V is a jack of all trades. And when it comes to road trips, the HR-V is just as enjoyable while slogging up flat interstates as it is along beautiful country roads. I've driven it in all types of weather, packed it with people, and filled it with cargo. I've spent more time in our long-term Honda than pretty much any car that came before it. Here's what I've learned. Long Hauls I've driven the HR-V from my home in Detroit to my sister's place in Traverse City, MI – a 500-mile round trip – four times. On one occasion, an early winter blast hit northern Michigan on my way to the cute, beachside tourist town. From intense fog and rain to sunshine to a sudden snow squall, I had every one of the elements thrown directly at me over the course of one drive. I find a lot of the HR-V's onboard safety technology distracting, and I worry that drivers can become too reliant on these features. Blind spot alerts and cameras are designed to make us safer, yes, but they're no replacement for an attentive, engaged driver. For instance, in the rain and sleet, the nifty Honda Lane Watch camera displayed only gray blobs. Ditto on the back-up camera, meaning that while the technology technically functioned as advertised, the weather rendered it useless. The HR-V has a solid suite of safety tech, but you don't have to rely on the cameras and bells and whistles. The driver's side mirror has an extended-view distortion to the glass. Visibility is great. The HR-V was a champ in the gross weather, and I was thankful for our mid-level EX trim's all-wheel drive. And this was even before we fitted the HR-V with a set of Michelin X-Ice 215/55R17 winter tires – expect to hear about those when we actually get some more snow here in Detroit. Optioning all-wheel drive means you're stuck with the continuously variable transmission (a manual is available with front-drive), which isn't great, but it smoothly delivers the engine's 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. Editor Alex Kierstein agreed, writing in our logbook, "Overall, I think the CVT isn't great ...

Honda Urban SUV concept previews Fit-based crossover

We've been hearing a lot of rumblings this year about a new crossover based on the Honda Fit, and now we finally get to see what this B-segment CUV might look like. Called the Urban SUV Concept, Honda's new small crossover has made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, but we'll have to wait until 2014 to see the production version on sale in the US. Honda says the production version of this concept, whatever it will be called, will slot below the CR-V in terms of size and price.
In terms of this concept's styling, there is plenty of the new Honda Accord in its face, and it looks like a more rugged version of the Nissan Juke, as well as a more practical alternative to the Hyundai Veloster. With its short overhangs, the concept measures 169.3 inches in length, making it about eight inches longer than a Fit hatchback and nine inches shorter than the CR-V. Honda confirmed that its new crossover will debut a telematics system for Honda, and it will use one of Honda's new Earth Dreams engines; we previously reported that this engine would be a 1.5-liter I4 paired with a continuously variable transmission.
The next-generation Fit is expected to debut before this new crossover model, and both models will be built at Honda's Celaya, Mexico assembly plant, which is scheduled to open early next year. A new sedan is also expected to round out the lineup of Fit-based products. For more information about this new Urban SUV Concept, scroll down for Honda's official press release.