Honda Accord gets Midlife Makeover

You may disagree, but somehow the latest generation Honda Accord never seemed as crisp in its overall appearance as its sporty predecessor.


Honda seems to have addressed that to an extent with the Accord sedan and estate's midlife makeover, the new model set to be revealed at the Geneva show in March and in addition to subtle styling enhancements, the Accord benefits from numerous improvements beneath the skin.
On the styling front, the headlights now boast a cleaner appearance with clear indicators and there's a bolder grille in place. What's more, flagship models now have bi-xenon headlights with an active cornering function. These 'Active Cornering Lights' provide enhanced illumination when the vehicle is turning.
Another new lighting technology for Honda is the High Beam Support system (on bi-xenon models). This system is controlled by a CMOS camera fitted to the windscreen in the area of the driver rear view mirror. The camera detects oncoming headlights or the taillights of a vehicle in front and automatically dips the headlights onto their normal setting if they are on high-beam.
At the rear, subtle colour changes to the lights join a light chrome number plate garnish on the sedan (dark chrome on the Type S).
Inside, most models get new seat materials and door linings, while the Type S version gets additional sporty touches.
Headlights now boast a cleaner appearance and a bolder grille is not in place.
Beneath the bonnet, the 110kW 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel engine has had internal frictional losses reduced to improve efficiency and emissions, the result being a 9 g/km drop in CO2 emissions for the manual sedan and an 11 g/km reduction for the automatic.
These internal changes have been combined with a host of underbody aerodynamic aids, including a larger front air dam and covers for the underfloor and rear subframe. Honda's engineers have also put effort into reducing the frictional losses in the wheels and tyres with low friction wheel bearings and reduced rolling resistance tyres.
Accords equipped with automatic transmission have also benefitted from minimised frictional losses in the gearbox and optimised ratios to improve economy and emissions.
As a result of all these changes all engines in the range now boast better efficiency and lower emissions but, of course, it's the diesel model that rules the roost in this respect with its 138 g/km CO2 emissions rating.
Noise, harshness and vibration levels have been further reduced with the adoption of higher density foam in the under bonnet and dashboard areas and improved underfloor insulation.
Engineers have also fine-tuned the dampers to better suit vast range of road conditions found in Europe. Says Honda, detailed refinement of the dual mode dampers has given improvement in both high speed stability for highway driving and a significant improvement in ride quality, even over poor road surfaces.
Are they trying to be smarter? Rear end now gets chrome strip.
The revised Accord range is set to go on sale across Europe from April this year and while we are still awaiting confirmation of its South African launch, early in the second half of the year should be a good bet.

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2011 Honda Civic

A sweeping roofline and a sleek windshield angle convey an advanced, one-motion profile with a low and wide stance. The interior focuses on sophisticated styling with a two-tier instrument panel, comfortable seating and accommodating storage areas with room for mobile phones, MP3 players and more. Built on a high-rigidity unit-body platform, the Civic is designed to deliver precise, sharp and fun-to-drive handling performance with its fully independent suspension.

Four engine and four transmission choices range from a 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter i-VTEC engine (Civic DX, DX-VP, LX, EX and EX-L), with either a 5-speed manual or an available 5-speed automatic transmission, to a 197-horsepower, 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine (Civic Si) with a 6-speed manual transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com) The Civic Hybrid is powered by a 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) gasoline-electric hybrid technology to enhance both fuel economy and performance, and is equipped with a continuously variable transmission. (posted on conceptcarz.com)
The entire line-up maintains a standard array of safety technologies including Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure; side curtain airbags; driver’s and front passenger’s side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and dual-stage, multiple-threshold driver’s and front passenger’s airbags (SRS). Active front seat head restraints are designed to help reduce the likelihood of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. Standard active safety features include an anti-lock brake system (ABS) and electronic brake distribution, front seatbelts with an automatic tensioning system, and a pedestrian injury mitigation design incorporated into the front exterior of the vehicle. Driver and front passenger seatbelt reminders and daytime running lights are also standard equipment. The Civic EX-L, Civic Si and Civic Hybrid include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®), commonly referred to as electronic stability control, as standard safety content.
The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System1, available on Civic EX, EX-L, Si and Hybrid models, has a 6.5-inch motorized display that opens and closes for access to the internal single-disc CD player. The navigation system features more than 7 million points of interest and the voice activation can control the navigation menus and the audio system, along with entering city and street names. The system includes Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, a wireless telephone interface that works with compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile telephones for hands-free operation via §teering wheel-mounted controls.
Auxiliary audio input jacks are standard equipment on Civic DX-VP and above trim levels, allowing for portable music device playback through the audio system. The Civic LX Coupe has a six-speaker 160-watt audio system with a CD player (four speakers for the DX-VP and LX sedan). All audio systems are capable of playing MP3- and WMA-formatted CDs. A ÚSB Audio Interface is standard on the Civic EX, EX-L, Hybrid and Si models, providing integration for a compatible MP3 player or a ÚSB flash drive loaded with compatible music files.
Speed-sensitive Volume Control (SVC) automatically adjusts the volume based on vehicle speed. The audio display provides CD/MP3 text readout, and all coupes (except for the DX) plus the Civic Si Sedan provide a customizable welcome screen (exclusively on models without the available navigation system).
Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe with 1.8-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine
The Civic lineup for both the Sedan and Coupe start with the value-rich Civic DX model equipped with a standard 140-horsepower, 1.8-liter, SOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission (5-speed automatic available), power windows, 15-inch steel wheels with covers and P195/65R15 tires, and a folding rear seat. The Civic DX-VP Sedan adds air conditioning, a four-speaker 160-watt AM/FM Audio System with CD player (MP3/WMA enabled), and an auxiliary audio input jack.
The Civic LX adds or upgrades: cruise control, power door locks, 16-inch steel wheels with covers, P205/55R16 tires, keyless entry, center console with sliding armrest, progressive blue illumination instrument panel meters, auto up/down driver’s power window, and a folding rear seat.

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Honda user database hacked.

If you own a Honda or an Acura, you may want to check your email. Hackers have breeched the American Honda owners database.
Autoblog explains that “names, e-mail addresses and VINs are among the data that was compromised. In addition to the 2.2 million Honda owners affected by this information, 2.7 million Acura owners were also subject to this hack, though Honda reports that only e-mail addresses were stolen from owners of the automaker's luxury brand.”
For its part, Honda says they have “contacted all affected customers directly. If you did not receive an email directly, you are not affected,” and “No financial information was compromised.”
“Company officials say the list didn't include Social Security numbers, birthdates, bank information or other data that would leave people vulnerable to identity theft,” reports Inside Line. This hack could have been a lot worse for Honda owners.

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Honda and Ford Ranks highest in customer retention survey.

Are we starting to see a bit of light at the end of the Great Recession tunnel? Are car buyers ready to have a little fun, fun, fun again?

It would seem so, as new-vehicle owners are increasingly citing fun-to-drive vehicles as a top reason for remaining loyal to their current brand, according to the new 2010 Customer Retention Study released last week by J.D Power and Associates.

Ford and Honda ranked highest in the survey – tying for first place – when it comes to retaining vehicle owners, each retaining 62 percent of their owners.

The Winners

Ford's high retention rate was primarily driven by the Edge, F-Series and Fusion models. Two of those models – the Edge and the Fusion – are relatively new, having been introduced in the last few years.
"So, that's a good sign for Ford," observed Raffi Festekjian, director of automotive product research at J.D. Power and Associates. "Ford seems to be doing the right things. In our initial quality study this year, Ford ranked higher than it's ever ranked – 5th place."
For Honda, meanwhile, it was the Accord, CR-V and Pilot that primarily drove their high retention rate.
When comparing the two brands, the study revealed that Ford owners are more likely than are Honda owners to say that they've stayed loyal because their new vehicle is fun to drive or features snappy styling. Conversely, Honda owners were more likely than Ford owners to identify resale value and safety as the main reasons for buying another Honda.
"Honda has been a consistently strong performer in this survey. Hondas have always been on the top tier with it comes to retention – their owners pretty consistently cite safety and resale value," said Festekjian.
That said, the study showed that fewer owners are citing more practical reasons, like anticipated resale value, as a reason for their loyalty to their current brand. The importance of having fun-to-drive vehicles increased by eight percent compared to last year, while the importance of resale value dropped by 10 percent over that same period.
What Price Loyalty?
The customer retention study, which has been conducted for the last eight years, measures the rate at which car brands keep their existing customers and asks owners why they remain loyal. Customer retention is always key to a brand's success in the marketplace, especially during a recession or slow economic recovery -- times when every sale is crucial to the bottom line.
The study also measures how well the various brands "capture" consumers who were previously driving other brands -- or, as it's known in the car biz, "conquest." The importance of vehicles being fun-to-drive has also increased as a reason why some brands are able to lure new customers away from competitors. In the new study, styling was also cited when it came to conquesting.
The 2010 Customer Retention Study is based on responses from 123,601 new-vehicle buyers and lessees. Of those, 81,350 replaced a vehicle that they had purchased new. The study was conducted between February and May, and between August and October, of this year
"This is a key study, because it's important to understand the reasons that drive loyalty within the industry," said Festekjian. "Customer retention is the primary goal of every manufacturer. It obviously has a direct impact on sales, and it fosters a favorable word of mouth."
Best Of The Rest
Ford and Honda didn't "beat out" their competitors by much. In a three-way tie for second, Hyundai, Lexus and Toyota each scored retention grades of 60 percent. Kia boasted the strongest increase in customer-retention compared to last year – the Korean carmaker improved by 21 percentage points in one year, notching a score of 58 percent in 2010.
Toyota's yearlong woes -- the Congressional hearings into the acceleration problems, the myriad recalls, etc. -- did not seem to hurt their ability to retain customers. "Toyota has historically also been in the top tier, and their current customers remain pretty loyal," said Festekjian. "The challenge Toyota now faces is the ability to conquest new customers, because now those buyers now have some questions about Toyota. In this survey, Toyota did, in fact, see a drop in their conquesting."
It's The Economy
Festekjian confirmed that customer retention is also critical during tough economic times, or during a sluggish recovery like the current one. "With total sales down, and with consumers having so many more choices now, it's really important for the carmakers to know why they're retaining customers, because it's a lot easier to retain a customer than to conquest a new one," he said.

But, since the economy and car market are improving, if only slightly, car owners are increasingly returning to citing emotional, rather than practical, reasons for staying with their current brand or switching to a different one, Festekjian added. "Developing new models that are fun to drive, with more attractive styling, seems to be increasingly more critical for automakers, as they continue to try to retain and conquest customers as the auto market continues to recover."

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