The 9th edition of Honda’s Civic sedan has arrived with some impressive fuel economy stats but not much else. Looks-wise it’s far too similar to its predecessor both inside and out. It seems Honda have played it safe while other car manufacturers are pushing the envelope on design. Still the car hasn’t even been released yet, so we will have to reserve final judgment.

Now onto the good part. The fuel economy of the new range of Honda Civic’s is quite impressive. The new Civic HF comes with a 1.8 liter i-VTEC engine and estimates have it clocking in at 5.7 litres per 100km on the highway. The Civic hybrid is naturally even more impressive, powered by a 1.5 litre engine along with a lithium-ion battery it clocks in at an estimated fuel economy of 5.2 litres per 100km. This fuel economy has been achieved thanks to the aerodynamic components and Honda’s ECO Assist tech. Honda have always designed fuel economical cars , so this is not too much of a surprise.

Performance wise the new Honda Civic is a slight improvement over its predecessor. The Civic HF produces 140hp with the Civic Hybrid coming in at just 110hp. The Sport Civic SI model however pushes out 200hp from its 2.4 litre i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6 speed manual transmission. Although if you are looking for performance, chance are you will be going with the hatch version anyway.

Please note though that this is the American version of the Honda Civic sedan and the one we get will be slightly different. Keep a look out for more information on the local 2012 Civic as it becomes available.

Source: Honda

A mainstay in the South African used car market , the Honda Accord comes with a few minor tweaks and improvements over the previous model. For a car developed for the corporate market, it comes as a bit of a surprise to see the grille has been updated for a sportier look and there is an option of 17” alloy wheels on the ES and ES-GT models. Some of the other changes make a lot more sense though and should improve on what is already a decent vehicle.

The ride handling and maneuverability have been improved to add to the driving comfort. The headlights have a cleaner appearance with the top grade option including bi-xenon with Active Cornering Lights which provide improved visibility during night-time driving. The Honda Accord also comes with 3 new colours to choose from: Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre metallic and Celestial Blue Pearl.

Most impressive of the changes comes with an improvement in fuel economy and a reduction in CO2 emissions. The 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesel engine produces 9 g/km less CO2 than its predecessor which allows it to clock in under the 140g/km mark for the 6-speed manual. The automatic variant improves even further with a 11g/km reduction in CO2, all the while retaining the same power output at 150 PS with torque at 350Nm/2000rpm.

The 2011 Honda Accord will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will hopefully be released in South Africa later in the year.

Source: Honda

The new Honda CR-Z is the worlds first sporty hybrid and is designed with urban living in mind, while still placing an emphasis on being green. The CR-Z still produces a lot of power and with its hybrid motor maintains low exhaust emissions.

The CR-Z comes with a 1.5 liter 4 cylinder petrol-electric engine, capable of 0-62mph in just 9.9 seconds and a co2 emission rate of 117g/km. The CR-Z is the first hybrid car where the focus has been placed on the driver, and the car has been tailored to be agile and quick, perfect for urban driving with a top speed of 124mph.

The CR-Z has a low center of gravity, thanks to its low suspension of just 135mm ground clearance. The suspension, reduced weight and lower track all add up to benefit handling and control. The Honda CR-Z comes with IMA (Intergrated Motor Assist) which allows the electric engine to boost the petrol engine during acceleration for increased power.

New to the CR-Z are 2 components that aid in keeping fuel consumption down and lowering Co2 emissions. These features are; An eco drive bar and an ambient meter. The eco drive bar moves to either side of the center line, when the bar is on the center, the drive is smooth and more efficient. The bar will shift slightly to the right when accelerating and to the left when breaking, the drive is encouraged to keep this bar in the center. The ambient meter with glow different colours depending on how the car is driven, the different colours represent different levels of economical driving. If it glows green, then the car is performing at an optimal economical setting.

With plush sports seats, a range of metallic colours to choose from and a range of safety features (including 6 airbags), the new Honda CR-Z hybrid is a coupe to be proud of!

Source: Honda

Source: Honda

The Honda Jazz is Britain’s best car for retaining its value according to Parker’s annual depreciation report which surveyed almost 300 model ranges.

“The latest version of the Honda Jazz picks up where the previous model left off as a very desirable used car,” said Kieren Puffett, editor of Parker’s. “A combination of incredible flexibility for a vehicle of its size, the interior space of a much larger car and low running costs make it just as appealing to used car buyers as it does to those choosing new. It proved to be the safest investment on four wheels during 2009.”

The Parker’s survey uses the value of cars, as if they were being sold privately, in good condition with 10,000 miles on the clock and compares this to their cost as new, 12 months earlier.

Small cars showed they are certainly the safest bet for depreciation, taking 35 of the top 40 places in the index.

The best performers of 2009

1 Honda Jazz (08 on) – £1379

2 Fiat 500 (08 on) – £1460

3 SEAT Ibiza (08 on) – £1552

4 Hyundai i10 (08 on) – £1650

5 Mazda 2 (07 on) – £1702

The biggest losers of 2009

1 Maybach 62 (03 on) – £127,526

2 Maybach 57 (03 on) – £115,253

3 Rolls-Royce Phantom (03 on) – £81,183

4 Bentley Arnage (98 on) – £66,040

5 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (05 on) – £51,627

Source: Honda

MUGEN Euro has confirmed a limited production run of the Civic Type R MUGEN, following huge interest in the concept version from the UK and overseas.

An exclusive run of up to 20 cars will be hand-built in the UK by MUGEN, the long-standing tuner of Honda engines for motor racing. Production of the road-legal super hatch will take place at MUGEN Euro, based in Northampton – with customers receiving a unique, involved experience during the build process of each car.

Race engine for the road

The 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine is the first to reap the benefits of MUGEN’s time in Formula 1 and GT racing, as well as hundreds of development hours and testing time with the Honda K20A engine on the world-class MUGEN engine dyno. New camshafts and a modified intake system increase power by 20 per cent to 240PS, and boost torque by 10 per cent throughout the rev range. A change of pistons also helps by increasing the compression ratio, and breathing is enhanced by fitting a custom stainless steel exhaust system and MUGEN airbox. Meanwhile, a bespoke MUGEN map for the ECU allows the engine to take full advantage of the modifications.

Source: Honda

Sporty hybrid coupe debuts alongside other EV and hybrid concepts

The CR-Z Concept 2009 is the most recent prototype of a compact, agile coupe using Honda’s IMA technology. When the production version goes on sale in the UK next summer 2010, it will be the world’s first sports hybrid car, and the first ever petrol-electric vehicle to employ a 6-speed manual transmission.

The show will also mark the debut of the Skydeck concept, an innovative 6-seater hybrid MPV. This is still a design study, but is a great example of how Honda’s IMA technology can be placed in a range of different cars for different needs.

To give the Skydeck the practicality of a conventional MPV, many of the hybrid system components – including the high power battery – are housed in the car’s centre tunnel (rather than behind the rear seats or under the floor, as with previous production hybrids). This allows for greater cabin space, and the room for three rows of two seats. It also gives a lower centre of gravity.

Source: Honda

New features:

Cleaner, more powerful 2.2-litre diesel engine
Automatic gearbox now available for diesel models
Revised, more premium styling
Built in Britain at Honda’s plant in Swindon
A new-look Honda CR-V will go on sale in January 2010, with a new diesel engine and an eagerly-awaited automatic gearbox for diesel models.

The CR-V has consistently topped the SUV sales tables since launch in 2007, with its ample cabin and large, split-level boot offering useful practicality and its low centre of gravity giving the CR-V ‘car-like’ handling characteristics.

For 2010, the CR-V’s popular looks have been refreshed to incorporate a distinctive new front bumper and grille, a revised rear bumper, and colour coded bumpers on EX grades. There are newly-designed 17-inch (SE) and 18-inch (ES and EX) alloy wheels and upgraded fabrics and plastics inside, giving the CR-V interior an even more premium finish. A new audio console design has also been introduced, while improved sound deadening around the engine and cabin makes the CR-V an even quieter and more relaxing car to drive.

The revised version of the CR-V will continue to be built at Honda of the UK Manufacturing in Swindon, where British workers proudly produce the SUV for over 60 countries.

New i-DTEC and diesel auto transmission
Honda’s 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine, which debuted in the latest Accord in 2008, will be available in the new CR-V. The diesel produces 150PS at 4000rpm (up 10PS) and torque of 350Nm at 2000rpm (up 10Nm). It can be paired with either manual transmission or the new 5-speed automatic gearbox that has been manufactured in-house by Honda.

The smooth and refined diesel automatic transmission is available on all CR-V model grades from launch in 2010 and all engines in the CR-V line-up are designed to meet Euro 5 legislation.

Advanced safety technologies
Two active safety systems continue to be available on the CR-V and are unique to the SUV segment. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is a radar-controlled cruise control function which maintains a set distance to the vehicle in front, while Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) predicts collisions and warns the driver, before applying braking and retracting the front seatbelts if the situation becomes critical. These systems are optional on EX models.

Full specifications, pricing and the exact on sale date will be announced later in the year.

-Source: Honda