Showing posts with label Honda Civic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honda Civic. Show all posts

Tuesday

Spied: Bing-Winged Prototype Could be a Test Mule for the Next Honda Civic Type-R


Honda, a brand that used to be synonymous with performance cars for the masses, has toned down if not…completely erased its sporty side these past few years, something that has not gone unnoticed by consumers and fans alike.

However, it seems that the Japanese automaker has received the message and is making plans to revitalize itself by returning to its roots, as evidenced by the new NSX sports car that will go on sale within the next three years.

For the mainstream crowd in Europe, Japan and other markets worldwide sans North America, Honda appears to be preparing a replacement for one of its more popular models, the Civic Type R.

Our spy shooters spotted a prototype of the latest generation of the European market Civic hatchback featuring a large rear wing near Honda’s technical center at the Nürburgring, which we believe could be a test mule for the next Type R.

Read more »

Thursday

CR Finds that Fuel Efficient Versions of Focus, Cruze and Civic May Not be Worth the Extra Cash


When is it worth paying extra money for a more fuel-efficient version of the same model? The answer to that question depends on the price of gas, how much more fuel-efficient is said car and how long it will take to recoup the added cost.

Consumer Reports (CR) set out to see if buyers would benefit in the long run by choosing the fuel-economy variants of the Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Honda Civic. While each of these models returns better mileage than their standard counterparts, they also cost between $500 and $800 more.

The following calculations were based on driving 12,000 miles (~19,300 kilometers) annually with an average gas price of $4 per gallon (€0.85/lt).

Starting with the Ford Focus, CR found that the $495 SFE (Super Fuel Economy) package, which adds flush hubcaps, a rear spoiler, and low rolling resistance tires, provides a 3-mpg improvement in overall and city fuel economy, to 31 and 21mpg, respectively.

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Wednesday

Bugatti Veyron Replica Based on Honda Civic Now Offered For Sale as a Complete Car


Remember back in February when we told you about the availability of a fiberglass body kit that attempted to replicate the looks of the $1.6 million Bugatti Veyron on 1992-1995 Honda Civic Coupes?

At the time, the seller was offering the eight-piece kit alone for $4,500, but we have now discovered that you can buy a completed model on eBay.

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Honda Wins Appeal of Small-Claims Court Over Civic Hybrid's MPGs


In February of 2012, Honda Civic Hybrid owner Heather Peters was awarded US$9,867 by a small-claims court in California after she accused the Japanese automaker of overstating the car's 50mpg fuel economy figures.

However, being that Peters wasn't the only one to refuse Honda's class-action settlement that offered some 200,000 owners US$100-200 each and a $1,000 credit on purchasing a new car, the Japanese company decided to appeal her win.

While lawyers are not allowed in small claims court in California, they are permitted on appeal. And unfortunately for Peters, Honda pulled the big guns hiring a national law firm with more than 800 lawyers to represent the company in court.

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EuroNcap: 5-Stars For Mazda2, 4-Stars For Honda Civic & Daihatsu Materia

Today, EuroNCAP published the test results for the new Daihatsu Materia, the Honda Civic 5d and the Mazda 2. Starting with Mazda’s new supermini, which was granted a re-test due to a problem with the deployment of the front airbag, the “2” scored a maximum five stars for adult protection, fours stars for child protection and a mediocre two stars for pedestrian protection. -Continued

As with the Civic Hybrid Sedan, the 5door Civic didn’t manage to achieve a maximum five stars rating for adult protection, managing a satisfactory 4-star rating. According to EuroNCAP, in the frontal test, the driver's airbag was not sufficiently well inflated to prevent the driver's head from contacting the steering wheel while structures in the dashboard presented a potential hazard to the driver's femurs. The Civic 5d was awarded four stars for child protection and just two stars for pedestrian protection.

Finally, the new Daihatsu Materia scored an adequate four star rating for adult protection, three star rating for child occupant safety and a mere two stars for pedestrian safety

MAZDA2

Front impact
In the first frontal test, a small disturbance shortly before impact resulted in late firing of the airbags and protection of the driver and passenger was compromised. Mazda investigated the problem and upgraded the airbag control software to handle such situations more effectively, as disturbances such as these can happen in real accidents. Production cars now have the new software and all cars manufactured before the change will be upgraded. In the re-test, the airbags fired as intended. The passenger compartment remained stable and the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger dummies were well protected. Mazda were able to demonstrate that the knees and femurs of occupants of different sizes and those sat in different seating positions would be similarly well protected.

Side impact
The rear door on the struck side opened during the test and the car was penalised one point.

Child-protection
The Mazda 2 scored maximum points for its protection of the three year old, based on the dummy reponses in the frontal and side impact tests. Mazda dealers can disable the passenger airbag, allowing a reaward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. Without this modification, a rearward facing childseat should not be used in that seat as the airbag cannot be manually disabled. The label warning of the dangers of doing so was not adequate and was visible only when the passenger's sun visor was in the stowed position. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats was not clearly marked.

Pedestrian protection
The bumper was rated as predominantly fair for its protection of pedestrians' legs. The part of the bonnet surface likely to be struck by adults' heads was rated as predominantly poor.

HONDA CIVIC

Front impact
Honda have modified the safety system of the Civic for the 2008 model year car. The timing of the pretensioners has been changed to provide better restraint of the front seat passengers and dual stage frontal airbags have replaced the previous single stage units. However, in the frontal test, the driver's airbag was not sufficiently well inflated to prevent the driver's head from contacting the steering wheel. The passenger compartment remained stable. Structures in the dashboard presented a potential hazard to the driver's femurs.

Side impact
The 2008 Civic has a larger side airbag than its 2006 predecessor. Rib deflections were lower, resulting in a score one point higher than the earlier version. Like last time, the car scored the maximum two points in the pole test.

Child-protection
The passenger airbag can be disabled by Honda dealers to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. There was a clear warning of the dangers of using a childseat in that seat if the airbag has not been disabled. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats was not clearly marked.

Pedestrian protection
Honda have made no changes that would influence the results of the pedestrian tests so the results of the car tested in 2006 have been carried over here. Both the bumper and the leading edge of the bonnet scored maximum points for the protection they offered to the legs of pedestrians. The part of the bonnet likely to be struck by a child's head was also rated predominantly 'fair'.

DAIHATSU MATERIA

Front impact
The driver dummy indicated considerable differential movement between the femur and the tibia. Such movement can lead to knee injuries. That result, combined with penalties for dashboard structures which could present further hazards to the driver, led to a 'weak' rating for protection of the knees, femurs and pelvis. The passenger compartment remained stable during the impact.

Side impact
A head protecting airbag is available as an option. As it is not standard equipment, the car was not eligible for a pole test.

Child-protection
The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. There was a clear warning of the dangers of using a rearward facing childseat in the position without having first disabled the airbag. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats was not clearly marked.

Pedestrian protection
The bumper provided predominantly fair protection, as did the bonnet surface where an adult's head would strike. However, the front edge of the bonnet provided predominantly poor protection, as did that part of the surface where a child's head would contact.

Sunday

Californian Judge Orders Illegally Modified Honda Civic To Be Crushed

Californian authorities destroyed a supped up 1995 Honda Civic that belonged to 18-year-old Lakewood resident, Clifford Sung, a few weeks after the latter was arrested in Long Beach for having a vehicle with an illegal engine. This is the first time in Long Beach's history that an illegally modified car has been crushed.

Sung was stopped on Oct. 15, 2007 after Long Beach officers noticed his Honda's illegally modified exhaust system. Long Beach officer Brian Nystedt stated that police saw other signs of illegal street racing, including a fiberglass hood and a sway bar on the back of the car that led to an inspection under the hood revealing that the VIN had been chipped off the transmission. -Continued (Video of the crush after the jump)

City Prosecutor, Tom Reeves, justified the destruction of the car by saying that a high number of deaths in and around Long Beach in the past few years attributed to street racing have made the city aggressively pursue racers who break the law.

Ironically, while Sung -who had no prior convictions- managed get away with a misdemeanour charge (he was sentenced to probation and the judge ordered his car to be destroyed), the 18-year-old Lakewood resident was arrested again one week after he settled his case in court. However, this time, things aren’t going to be as easy for Sung as he was charged for felony auto theft that occurred on Nov. 8. As the saying goes, a wise man never makes the same mistake twice…

Via: Presstelegram

Thursday

2008 Honda Civic Mugen Si Vandalized At Dealership

What a sad sight; here’s what happened to one of the 1,000 Honda Civic Mugen Si’s that are set to go on sale in the U.S. Some @#$%^heads thought for whatever reason they had that they should vandalize the Mugen in a dealer lot. The thieves got away with whatever they could; seats, wheels, shift knob, badges and God knows what else. Honestly, I know this sounds naive but I never understood how one could go and destroy someone else’s property. Damn pity. -More images after the jump

Via: Autoblog.com , Source: ephatch