'Transplant' auto factories in USA turn 30 this year

By James R. Healey, USA TODAY

When Honda Motor in 1980 announced its then-radical decision to build cars in the U.S., the industry collectively said, "What?"

Volkswagen, alone among foreign car companies, was trying limited U.S. production, assembling Rabbit compacts at a Pennsylvania factory, and struggling to get it right.

While auto buyers now take for granted that many European- or Asian-brand vehicles are made in the heart of the U.S., 30 years ago, it was a stunning notion.

STORY: Auto exports from U.S. on the upswing

Japan's Honda was "the canary in the coal mine," says John Voorhorst, a consultant and retired executive of auto-parts supplier Denso. "There were a lot of skeptics" betting Honda's plant at Marysville, Ohio, wouldn't last.

In fact, that "transplant" factory, which built its first Accord in November 1982, burst a dam. Within a few years, Japan's major automakers all were here cranking out new vehicles.

At the New York International Auto Show, opening to the public Friday, Honda will display new versions of the Accord, and Nissan will unveil a redesigned Altima — both made in the U.S. and among its best-selling cars. Toyota will show a successor for Avalon, its U.S.-made big sedan based on the U.S.-made Camry.

"Once (Honda) had the trial by fire and came through, clearly, it emboldened others. It was the opening of the floodgates," Voorhorst says. Foreign companies "saw that you could come here and not have to have a Volkswagen-esque experience."

In the three decades since, Japanese carmakers have opened more assembly and parts factories here, joined by Europeans and South Koreans.

The industrial immigrants haven't been welcomed by all.

A decade ago, about 51% of vehicle and parts manufacturing jobs were clustered in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, traditional turf of the Detroit Three. Workers were mostly represented by the United Auto Workers.

Now, there are fewer than half as many total automaking jobs as a decade ago, and Michigan, Ohio and Indiana have just 44% of those left, according to data from the Center for Automotive Research. Many of the jobs now are in foreign-owned, non-union transplant facilities, mainly in the South.

About the time Honda opened its pioneering plant, General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler Group accounted for three-quarters of new vehicles sold in the U.S. That's about 47% now.
Foreign automakers with U.S. factories, in comparison, have about 48% of all new vehicle sales here, according to industry tracker Autodata.

While the foreign-brand sales include both imported and U.S.-built vehicles, the robust market share has encouraged the companies to build cars here.

Today, 10 foreign-based car companies operate 16 big assembly plants in the U.S. and others in Canada and Mexico, building for North America and for export. They also now make engines, transmissions and other key components in the U.S.

Despite that now-proven success, it would have been easy to bet against Honda 30 years ago:

•VW's converted Chrysler factory at Westmoreland County, Pa., was stumbling toward failure. It closed in 1988.

•U.S. buyers' love affair with import brands hadn't bloomed.

•Whether U.S. workers could build foreign-designed cars to the same quality standards and could work for foreign bosses still were question marks. "There was suspicion about the quality of the American workforce" and its ability to perform under Japanese management techniques, recalls David Cole, chairman emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Michigan.

Once the American-made Accords arrived at dealerships, for example, some shoppers looked at vehicle identification numbers, insisting on a VIN beginning with the "J" that meant the car was made in Japan.

"In those early days, some people wanted Japan-built Accords, but that lasted about two seconds," says Kurt Antonius, recently retired after 28 years running Honda's U.S. public relations office. He was at GM when Honda opened its plant.

He believes that bias against Ohio Accords was undercut when auto magazines "bought both and did comparisons. They were identical."

Cole says Honda's move into U.S. production also broke Japanese automakers' insular tendencies — which he says was more significant overall than building cars here.

"Historically, the Japanese tend to be very inward-thinking. Coming here was a huge, huge step. It was a cultural chasm of immense dimension," Cole says. Honda "broke that barrier."

Next up, Nissan

In June 1983, less than a year after Honda began making Accords at Marysville, Nissan Motor opened a factory in Smyrna, Tenn. That plant now can build more than half-a-million vehicles a year and makes Altima sedans, Frontier pickups and Pathfinder SUVs.

In 1986, Toyota Motor began production at Georgetown, Ky., where it builds Camry and Avalon sedans. It can make 500,000 vehicles a year.

Toyota, Nissan and Honda have built more U.S. plants since then. Japan's Subaru and Mitsubishi have joined them. German luxury brands BMW and Mercedes-Benz also now have U.S. factories. South Korea's Hyundai and Kia have U.S. plants.

And now, again, so does VW.

Despite corporate anguish and embarrassment about the Westmoreland failure, last year, it opened a plant at Chattanooga, Tenn., that makes its redesigned Passat.

"The decision in the Volkswagen Group to build a factory in the U.S. was difficult, due to what happened at Westmoreland," said Christian Klingler, member of the VW Group board in charge of worldwide sales.

He and VW Group global CEO Martin Winterkorn discussed Westmoreland and Chattanooga during a visit to Detroit earlier this year. Klingler said it took years to get over the fear that U.S. workers "wouldn't be able to hold quality." Winterkorn said VW's mistake was trying to build an Americanized car at Westmoreland when "the American customer wanted a German" car.

Though Honda is a big player in the U.S., it's a relative pipsqueak globally compared with Toyota and Nissan.

What's the motivation?

Why, then, did Honda have the guts to build a U.S. factory?

There was then, as now, a big currency exchange risk in dollar-denominated markets. That threatened all foreign automakers. "It became clear that the only way you could isolate from the problem was to build where you sell," Cole notes.

But Honda moved first, he says, because it was scrappier, evolving from a motorcycle and small-engine maker into a full-fledged car company over the objections of its home government. It also had a toe in the water, building motorcycles in Marysville since 1979.

Says Cole, who's spent a career digging into what motivates Japanese and other carmakers: "Honda sees itself as the dirty-fingernail motorcycle-mechanic kind of operation, more entrepreneurial than the others."

Source;

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/story/2012-03-26/honda-transplant-car-plants/53955900/1

Japan's Version of the 2014 Honda Odyssey (Codename 2NM) rendering

For those of us in North America that are unfamiliar with the JDM Odyssey, it is a very different van than over here, it continues to use a 4cyl (like what we had from 1995-1997) and is much smaller than what we have here.... (This Mazda5 small)....
The current Odyssey is a midsize minivan produce by Honda since 1993.Now the car are devide in to 2 version.

An international version and North American version.The NA is a bigger size and bigger engine target for family transportation.

Now, The fourth generation RL5 Odyssey is produce in Lincoln, Alabama, since 2010 and replacement is not expect until the next fews year.

While the Japanese version which smaller, have low floor,low roof with more sporty styling is arrived since 2008. It now produce in Japan and China.

It’s not a good fortune that the car is not selling as much as Honda’s expectation in Japan as the sell volume is just about a half of the expect figure.

While the sale in China is recover its reputation as it have accepable sale at 30,404 unit and rank as 9th best selling people carrier in 2011.

The new Honda Odyssey is now under develope.

The new car expect to have 4800 mm long X 1800 mm wide X 1680 mm high which consider very similar to the current model.

The new Odyssey will powered by smaller 4 cylinder 2 liter petrol engine pair with electric motor (IMA system).

Fuel economy in JC08 mode is 20 km./liter.

The car information is very few right now but we have computer generate image from the Mag-x for your viewing pleasure.The confirmed sale start date at september 2013.

Source;
http://autointrends.com/2012/04/03/2014-honda-odyssey-codename-2nm-rendering/

April Fools Joke: Honda Anti-Theft Negotiator

Honda gives rare look at R&D center taking on big project under new leader

RAYMOND, Ohio — A mile from a rural highway and past several levels of security is the Honda complex that does some of the heavy lifting — and much of the heavy thinking — for the automaker’s operations throughout North America.

Unlike the Honda assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, Honda R&D Americas in Raymond does not give tours to the public. It keeps such a low profile that even its employee count was once a secret.

That began to change in January, when Honda’s top executive announced that the Ohio research center would be in charge of developing a new “supercar,” the Acura NSX. The sports car will be built at a yet-to-be announced location in Ohio.

In light of the center’s highly publicized role with the NSX and other models, company officials opened its doors to The Dispatch for a rare look inside.

The lobby is adorned with 314 plaques representing the patents that Honda obtained based on work at the center.

“It’s like a developmental Petri dish,” said Frank Paluch, senior vice president of automobile development. “We can try new things.”

Automakers tend to do their most-sophisticated research close to their home base, which for Honda is in Japan. Honda is unusual in sending a complicated project so far away.

“It’s a testament to the competence that (the Raymond office) has,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific, a research firm in Tustin, Calif.

The heart of the complex is a design room as large as four football fields and filled with hundreds of cubicles for designers and engineers. It’s separated into departments that handle specific aspects of vehicle design.

Everyone is dressed in the Honda uniform: white pants and a long-sleeved white shirt with the person’s first name ironed onto the left breast. This includes the division’s president, whose desk is out in the open with everyone else’s.

Starting on Monday, the new president will be Erik Berkman. Before him, every top executive in the history of the research division came from Honda in Japan. Berkman joined the company in 1982 as an engineer in Marysville. His promotion might signal a growing role for the executives who have spent their careers in North America.

Berkman will oversee a Raymond office that has about 1,300 employees, most of them engineers; 200 more engineers are to be hired in the next few years.

The head count makes this the largest facility of its type in the Americas operated by a foreign-based company. The closest parallel is probably Toyota’s center in Ann Arbor, Mich., which has 1,100 employees.

Honda R&D also has 12 smaller offices in the Americas.

On the levels below the design floor in Raymond, workers make prototype versions of the vehicles and then test them. In this way, the complex is like a miniature assembly plant.
Several of the labs look like sets from a science-fiction movie.

This includes a chamber the size of a small gymnasium whose walls are covered with white foam squares. The walls block out all outside electromagnetic signals, such as those from cellphones, television and radio. In this space, researchers measure the level of electromagnetic activity coming from a vehicle, and they test how it responds when bombarded with intense levels of radio waves.

Elsewhere in the complex, employees maintain a room full of crash-test dummies (officially, they’re called “anthropomorphic test devices”) built to look like women, men and children of various sizes and shapes. Each dummy wears black dress shoes that look as if they came from a thrift store.

The main crash-test space is a long corridor with a slab at one end. Before a crash, workers put on safety glasses and stand behind a series of clear plastic barriers.

“Blink, and you’ll miss it,” one said.

In less than a second, an Odyssey minivan streaks across the room and smacks head-on into the slab. The front crumples, but the rest is almost completely undamaged. Employees wait for a moment and then gather around the wreck to take readings. The room smells like charred nylon, which comes from the material that deploys the airbags.

“Odds are that the occupant would get up and walk out of the car,” said Chuck Thomas, chief engineer for vehicle safety.

Across the hall is a smaller crash-test site that simulates different impact angles. Unlike the main test area, this one doesn’t use whole vehicles. It studies the parts, such as seats and dash components, which get placed in the frame of a vehicle.

The center started in 1991 with a suite of offices that is now the far corner of the complex. At that time, most of the work involved making derivatives of existing models, such as the Accord wagon, which had most of the same components as the Accord sedan.

That changed in 2001 when the office did almost all the development work for the Acura MDX, a completely new model. The center also led the way on the Pilot SUV, the Ridgeline pickup truck and the 2011 redesign of the Odyssey minivan. Of the 18 Honda or Acura models in the current lineup, six were developed at the Raymond office, representing 25 percent of sales.

The NSX is not designed to be a big seller, but it might be the most eagerly awaited vehicle to come out of the center, said Peterson of AutoPacific. The original NSX sold from 1990 to 2005. With a sticker price of about $90,000, the vehicle was a showpiece; sales never topped 2,000 in a year.

The new version will be a gas-electric hybrid, adding another level of complexity to a difficult assignment.

Honda’s CEO, Takanobu Ito, unveiled a preliminary version of the NSX in January, which was when he said the model will be developed and assembled in Ohio.

Paluch, senior vice president at the Honda research center, saw the comments as an affirmation and a challenge.

“Basically, the statement Mr. Ito made is that Honda has grown up its R&D worldwide enough to build a flagship vehicle,” he said.

Source;
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/04/01/engine-of-design.html

Honda FCX Clarity Fuel Cell Powers Japanese House For Six Days

While many new plug-ins boast the convenience and simplicity of recharging the car battery from a household wall socket, how many vehicles can claim to provide the opposite?

Honda has installed an inverter in the trunk of one special FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, providing output power that could supply up to 8 kilowatts of electricity for more than seven hours from a full tank of hydrogen — a figure that is supposedly enough to power the average Japanese home for six days. This particular FCX has been delivered to the Saitama Prefecture government, which was also an early-adopter of a solar-powered hydrogen station.

Concerns over power shortages have heightened since last year’s natural disaster and the subsequent nuclear plant shutdown, causing a spike in interest for electric vehicles that may double as emergency power suppliers for homes. Last year, Nissan demonstrated its Leaf-to-Home, which claimed the power output could generate enough to sustain an average household for two days. Unlike fuel cells, an electric battery can only store electricity rather than generate it, resulting in a less flexible application when compared to fuel-cell technology.

Source;
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/03/honda-fcx-clarity-fuel-cell-powers-japanese-house-for-six-days.html

Honda Ridgeline Dually April Fools Joke

I just about fell out of my chair looking at this!!!!
This is interesting. A friend sent me this screen capture of Honda Thailand’s site. Is Honda Thailand officially offering the Ridgeline? If so, will it be offered in Malaysia too? All I know is that site is now taken off. An April’s Loof prank?

Source;
http://www.theophiluschin.com/?p=3961

New Honda Civic Touring Car Wins Brands Hatch

Touring car racing is the mainstay for the Honda Civic, as the hatchback gets its image there. With the arrival of the 2012 Civic, a new touring car has also been developed, and it looks like it’s going to be a top contender this year.

The Honda Yuasa Racing Team kicked off its 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship challenge with victory for its new Civic at the Brands Hatch season opener.

Race one was lost, as a BMW won due to a clash that delayed the Civic. But in race two, reigning champion driver Matt Neal manages to fight off rival Jason Plato.

Race three only saw a seventh place finish for the Civic, but Neal is still second overall now.

“When he hit me the second time I smiled – in a good way!” said Neal. “He was quicker than me at that stage. Once ahead he braked a little early at Druids and I gave him a nudge. Then, at Clearways where he had been strong all day, he ran wide and left the door open.”

“The car is good,” he said. “Honda had a one-two in race two [with Andrew Jordan’s Pirtek Civic following Neal home], which is great, but it’s personally frustrating. I don’t think it’s anything the team is doing or I am doing. Everything electrical was changed and we still had the problem.

When I’ve been running I’ve been fine. To start from the back and finish fourth isn’t a bad effort. The tyres last well and we had a good balance when the car was running well.”

Source;
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/new-honda-civic-touring-car-wins-brands-hatch-43831.html

Honda Introduces Solar Hydrogen Station on Saitama Prefectural Office Grounds

FCX Clarity Used in Electric Vehicle Testing Program to Serve as Mobile Electric Generator

TOKYO, Japan, March 27, 2012 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. unveiled a Solar Hydrogen Station on the grounds of the Saitama Prefectural Office. The initiative is part of the Electric Vehicle Testing Program for Honda’s next-generation personal mobility products with Saitama Prefecture, in which Honda, Iwatani and Saitama Prefecture collaborate to build. In a further initiative, Honda has equipped the FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle with an outlet to function as a 9kW power source. Since the FCX Clarity uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to produce power with zero CO2 emissions, with its new outlet, the vehicle will be able to serve as a zero-emission mobile electric generator.

This is the first installation in Japan of a total system to produce, store and dispense hydrogen with ZERO CO2 emissions. A high pressure water electrolysis system, uniquely developed by Honda, produces hydrogen. With no mechanical compressor, the system is nearly silent and highly energy efficient. Using Solar and grid power, the system is capable of producing 1.5kg of hydrogen within 24 hours which enables an FCX Clarity to run approximately 150km or 90 miles. Honda aims to further develop the system to offer clean energy sources for the home in the future.

Source;

http://world.honda.com/news/2012/4120327Solar-Hydrogen-Station/index.html

Car and Driver: A look at the 2013 Honda Accord

What It Is: The ninth generation of the longest-running 10Best winner. Unlike many of  its mid-size competitors, the Accord will continue to be offered as a coupe and a sedan. Slightly smaller and lighter than the current Accord, the new version also will have softer lines and more cohesive styling.

Why It Matters: This Accord will be as important to Honda as anything it’s done in the past decade. Will it be able to beat the growing range of exceptional mid-size competitors? Will it have the magic feel of previous Accords? Will Honda get its size right? Will it deliver Honda-style innovation and fuel economy? The new Accord needs to answer these questions in the affirmative.

Platform: The new Accord likely  will be based on an updated version of  the current car’s architecture.

Powertrain: While many mid-size competitors are dropping their six-cylinder options, the Accord will offer a revised and more powerful version of its familiar 3.5-liter V-6 with cylinder deactivation. But the bread-and-butter Accord will be the four-cylinder model. Direct injection helps the 2.4-liter four make at least 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, with improved fuel economy. A six-speed manual will be offered; the automatic will be a CVT. A plug-in-hybrid version will couple a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 161-hp electric motor.  A 6-kWh lithium-ion battery  will offer 10 to 15 miles of city driving range and will recharge in less than four hours using a standard 120-volt outlet. Three selectable modes will allow the hybrid driver to choose among fully electric, hybrid, and “direct drive,” which decouples the electric motor for more efficient cruising.

Competition: Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat.

What Might Go Wrong: The conservatively styled and engineered Civic has us wondering if the Accord will suffer the same fate. After seeing the new Accord coupe in concept form at the Detroit auto show in January, the threat of dullness remains.

Estimated Arrival and Price: The two- and four-door Accords arrive this fall. Pricing is expected to remain in the $20,000-to-$30,000 range for the vast majority of the lineup. A well-equipped hybrid and a loaded V-6 model will crest $30,000.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2013-honda-accord-future-cars

Honda Named Automotive “Brand of the Year” in Harris EquiTrend Poll

Honda has had a rough go as of late, with reduced sales in 2011 due to production shortages as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Prior to that, there were criticisms of the new 2012 Honda Civic.

None of that, however, has phased consumers it would appear, with Honda being named the full line Automotive Brand of the Year in the latest Harris EquiTrend Poll. Measuring brand leadership in a total of 127 different categories, Harris Interactive surveyed 38,529 U.S. consumers aged 15 and older.

Ranked second overall is Toyota, another Japanese automaker that’s had its share of bad press over the past few years. This would seem to indicate the long term reputation of each of those brands hasn’t been affected by these most recent events.

In third place is Ford Motor Company, which topped the list last year followed by Chevrolet, then Honda, Toyota and Nissan. For 2012, Chevrolet has dropped two spots to fourth, while Nissan remains in fifth place.

In terms of luxury automotive brands, Mercedes-Benz tops the list followed by BMW and then Lexus.

Source;
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/03/honda-named-automotive-brand-of-the-year-in-harris-equitrend-poll.html

Honda promotes American managers in push to revive U.S. market

By ALAN OHNSMAN / Bloomberg News

Honda Motor Co. was the first Asian carmaker to build autos in the U.S. and is the most dependent on the market. Now it's also putting more non-Japanese in key roles.

North American Chief Operating Officer Tetsuo Iwamura becomes executive vice president April 1 and No. 2 to President Takanobu Ito. His new seven-member board will manage activities from product planning to production to sales in North America. Three members will be U.S. natives, the first time Americans have held such responsibility, including Erik Berkman to lead regional product development and design.

"Honda quite literally has become a North American car company headquartered in Tokyo, and that's a horrible combination," Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc., an auto consultant in Birmingham, said in a phone interview. "When your headquarters isn't in your most important and biggest-volume market, you become disconnected. We can see that's what's been happening to them. This is to reconnect headquarters with their most important market."

While Honda's U.S. problems have been less dramatic than those of Toyota Motor Corp., which recalled millions of vehicles for unintended acceleration, they've been significant. Even before last year's earthquake and tsunami cut supplies, core Honda cars such as the Civic and Accord were losing ground to Hyundai Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. models that won praise for stylish looks and fuel economy.

Growing competition spurred Honda to offer U.S. incentives that were 87 percent of the industry average in this year's first two months, according to Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey-based Autodata Corp. In 2008, Honda's discounts were less than half the average.

'Out of Necessity'
"For too long they've lived in this cocoon of 'What we're doing is good enough,' " said Maryann Keller, principal of a self-named consulting firm in Stamford, Conn. "There's a recognition that that's no longer the case, so I think they are making these moves out of necessity."

For the first time, Honda's No. 2 executive will be based at the company's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, Calif., instead of Tokyo.

"Knowing the current competitive and complicated marketplace, rapid changes in customer needs, we think it's better to put more emphasis on the American side," Iwamura said in a March 12 interview. "Production and R&D, development facilities, those can be done by investing money. Localization of the people is one of the key issues."

Toyota Moves
Honda's revenue from sales of autos, motorcycles and power products in North America was 986.2 billion yen ($12.7 billion) in the quarter that ended Dec. 31, or 51 percent of its global total. While U.S. sales of Honda and Acura autos fell to 1.15 million units last year, which was still 38 percent of the company's worldwide volume.

Toyota, too, is giving more authority to North American executives, to improve development of products for the market and avoid a repeat of the 2009-10 recall crisis.

This month, Toyota promoted Jim Lentz to chief executive officer of its U.S. sales unit, the first time that job has gone to an American.

Asia's largest automaker last week said Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president for North American engineering and manufacturing, will oversee regional production as part of his duties on Toyota's North American management committee. Ray Tanguay, chairman of Toyota's Canadian unit, is responsible for North American quality issues. Lentz will oversee regional sales, marketing and product planning.

Honda's Revamping
Toyota President Akio Toyoda has said shifting more responsibility to local managers in North America is central to his goal of restoring customer satisfaction hurt by the recalls.

Honda's U.S. car and light truck sales slid 6.8 percent last year after natural disasters in Japan and Thailand curbed output of parts and vehicles. The company's redesigned Civic also flopped in tests by Consumer Reports, which recommended previous versions, a sign that the carmaker's ills extended beyond 2011's one-time events.

For decades, products created for the U.S. came from a "synergy effect" between Japanese and American engineers, Iwamura said. Now, American engineers making product decisions for U.S. customers is the best way to increase competitiveness, Iwamura said.

"That is one of the reasons we appointed Erik as the top man of R&D," he said. Berkman, who begins his new job April 1, was traveling in Japan and unavailable for an interview.

Honda's Targets
John Mendel, executive vice president of U.S. sales, is also joining Berkman on Honda's North American management board, as is Tom Shoupe, president of the company's Alabama plant.

Honda wants to rebound this year with a 24 percent U.S. sales gain. It has made some progress, boosting sales 11 percent in 2012's first two months, led by a 45 percent jump in Civic deliveries. The company plans to release a modified Civic later this year to address concerns raised by Consumer Reports, as well as a redesigned Accord.

The company's U.S., Canadian and Mexican plants may also set a production volume record, building about 1.8 million vehicles this year.

The automaker is completing more than $690 million of upgrades at U.S. plants and is also building an $800 million factory in Mexico to produce subcompact models such as the Fit.

In January, Honda said it planned to build its Acura NSX "supercar" in Ohio within about two years. The racing-style coupe will sell for more than $100,000. The site and cost of that project hasn't been announced.

Restoring Reputation
Restoring its reputation as an industry innovator, a legacy of founder Soichiro Honda, is a bigger challenge than boosting sales and production.

"It's not just the Koreans; everyone has gotten better," Keller said. "In terms of quality and features, it's a game of equals. It's just a lot harder for Toyota and Honda to stand out."

It may be years before Honda's changes in local management are effective, said Hall of 2953 Analytics.

"It's safe to say that if they keep going the way they were going, they were heading for a decline with other guys passing them and just doing better than they are," he said. In the U.S., "the question is whether they've caught their problems soon enough to not get passed by Hyundai-Kia."

Source;
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120325/AUTO0104/203250305/1148/auto01/Honda-promotes-American-managers-push-revive-U-S-market

Chubu Electric, Honda Motor, Tata Metaliks: Asia Stocks Preview

Hmmm, good idea....

Below is a excerpt pertaining to Honda only....

Honda Motor Co. (7267 JT): The carmaker may build a plant at a location high above sea level in Thailand as part of flooding countermeasures, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, citing the company. The stock fell 0.6 percent to 3,160 yen.

Source;
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-26/chubu-electric-honda-motor-tata-metaliks-asia-stocks-preview

Honda's automobile unit resumes operations in Thailand

Honda Automobile Thailand (HATC) has resumed production at its plant in Ayutthaya after severe floods halted operations in early October.

HATC, a subsidiary of Honda Motor, is the last of the Japanese automobile companies to resume production in Thailand after the floods.

Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor resumed production at the end of 2011.

The floods forced hundreds of Japanese companies to shut operations, adversely affecting their earnings expectations.

Earlier this year, Honda revised down its operating income forecast for the year ending on 31 March to 200bn yen ($2.4bn, £1.5bn) from a previous forecast of 270bn yen.

The Honda factory in Ayutthaya has the capacity to produce 240,000 units annually. Limited production

A Honda Motor spokeswoman said full production would resume at the HATC unit by the second week of April.

Currently production is at about 12% of capacity.

HATC was the only car maker whose factory was completely flooded.

Honda Motor said HATC is one of its most important production centres in the Asia and Oceania regions.

"Honda was totally committed to realising the earliest possible recovery. Honda will maintain the same positioning of HATC in the future and further promote business operations in Thailand," the company said.

Source;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17508462

MotorTrend Looks at the 2015 Acura NSX

From the April, 2012 issue of Motor Trend
By Frank Markus
Photos Wesley Allison
Acura's 1991 NSX put an end to the era when sexy supercars could be unreliable, ill-handling, ergonomic disasters. The all-aluminum mid-engine marvel delivered laser-sharp handling and high-revving acceleration suffused with Japanese quality, while advancing the state of the production-car art with firsts like four-channel ABS, titanium con-rods, and electric power steering.

Since NSX production ended in 2005, the world has eagerly awaited its replacement. A front-engine V-10 layout was proposed and developed by Acura Design as the Advanced Sports Car Concept. Everyone involved agreed that it was cool, but it wasn't an NSX. The car you see here is.

Expected by 2015, the new NSX will employ a mid-mounted V-6, complete with titanium connecting rods coupled to a wet twin-clutch seven-speed transmission and hybridized with an electric motor driving the rear wheels. Two more electric motors will spin the front wheels, providing torque-vectoring under acceleration and braking to help the NSX turn into corners better under all conditions. This Sports Hybrid AWD system is purported to deliver big-V-8 performance with "better-than-four-cylinder" fuel economy (let's assume they're talking big turbo fours there).

We asked Honda's global CEO Takanabu Ito (who started his career as an engineer working on the NSX's aluminum monocoque structure) whether he felt it was important that the next NSX still be made of aluminum. He replied what was more important was that the engineering team face as great a challenge as his did as they work to offset the new car's hybrid drivetrain mass. When asked whether he'd established a weight-to-power target for the team, his coy answer was, "I hope it is better than the first car's."

But if we assume that here again he expects to challenge his engineers to an equal extent, and we know that the first NSX matched Ferrari's 348 with 11 lb/horsepower, we can expect the 2015 car to at least match the current 458 Italia (and Lamborghini Gallardo) with around 6 lb/hp.

The sexy, show-stopping shape features Acura's softening Keen Edge design. Dimensionally, it measures 3.7 inches shorter in length on a 1.8-inch longer wheelbase, so overhangs are cropped. It's also 3.3 inches wider and 0.4 inch lower than the 2005 NSX. The concept rides on 255/35-19 front and 275/30-20 rear rubber. The low-profile headlamps are LED-based, and while there is no interior in the concept, design chief Jon Ikedo presumes the battery will package in the center tunnel, luggage compartments will be fitted fore and aft, and the fuel tank will slot in just ahead of the engine as before to preserve weight distribution as the fuel level drops. With production slated for "within three years," the shape has yet to undergo extensive computer or physical testing. Ikedo says early scale-model clays are performing well in the wind tunnel, but cautions that crash development is likely to grow the car somewhat. That development work, by the way, is all happening in the USA, and the car will be built in Ohio.

Acura claims the next NSX will represent the "ultimate expression of man-machine synergy," with driver and car working in unison, rather than the driver being taken for a ride by a highly robotized car.

Indeed a three-motor, mid-engine supercar sounds like the ideal halo car for a brand attempting to distinguish itself as delivering luxury and performance without waste or excess. It may even shake up the supercar-world order again. We just hope Ito's engineers overcome their biggest challenge: programming those electronics to deliver realistic, not robotic, road feel.

New Tech

The NSX won't be first with a hybridized twin-clutch tranny, but, unlike the Jetta Hybrid's, its electric motor connects to (we're guessing the odd) gear shaft instead of the input shaft. By releasing both clutches, more energy can be regenerated with no engine braking effect, and by connecting the motor to the (odd or even) gear with the most advantageous ratio. Under acceleration, power is transmitted through a preselected odd gear even when an even gear is in use.

2015 ACURA NSX
BASE PRICE $130,000*
VEHICLE LAYOUT Mid-engine, AWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe
ENGINE 3.7L DOHC 24-valve V-6 + 2 front and 1 rear electric motors; 480 hp comb*
TRANSMISSION 7-speed twin-cl auto
CURB WEIGHT 3100 lb*
WHEELBASE 101.4 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 170.5 x 74.6 x 45.7 in
0-60 MPH 3.0 sec*
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON Not yet rated
ON SALE IN U.S. 2015

Source;

http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/1204_2015_acura_nsx/

Rumored: Honda, Acura Could Adopt ZF 9-Speed Automatic By 2014

Although most of Honda’s recent powertrain news has surrounded CVTs and dual-clutch transmissions, that shouldn’t be taken as a sign the automaker is abandoning conventional automatics altogether. In fact, the automaker will likely adopt a 9-speed automatic by 2014 at the earliest.

Automotive News first reported in late 2011 that Honda was planning on launching an eight- or nine-speed automatic in the near future, but a source close to the program now tells us the automaker will use the new nine-speed transverse automatic developed by German powertrain supplier ZF.

If that gearbox sounds vaguely familiar, it should: it’s set to make its initial debut in a string of Chrysler Group vehicles over the next two years. Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne first hinted at using/developing the transmission in late 2011. Chrysler itself has been relatively mum on the subject, but UAW officials at the company’s plant in Toledo, Ohio, have suggested the replacement for the Jeep Liberty will be one of the first applications of the transmission.

The transmission, which ZF calls the 9HP, is designed for transverse installations, making it suitable for front- and all-wheel-drive platforms. Although Honda has typically developed its own transmissions, the 9HP will be a significant departure from Honda’s existing automatics in that it utilizes planetary gearsets in order to save space (ZF says the gearbox measures 20.5 inches wide, 16.6 in tall, and 14.5 inches deep).

ZF proclaims the gearbox is capable of handling up to 354 lb-ft of torque, and can support both start/stop and hybrid drive systems. The total gearing spread is quite wide (9.84:1), and taller gear ratios in the upper range of the gearbox allegedly play a big part in improving fuel economy by 10-16 percent. The supplier claims an engine mated to the 9HP needs to run at a mere 1900 rpm in order to propel a vehicle at 75 mph.

Honda officials refrained from confirming or denying the gearbox or its future applications, noting it’s company policy not to comment on future product plans. Given every Honda and Acura model currently on the market places its engine in a transverse fashion, the possibilities are theoretically endless, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this transmission is relegated to heavier and more upscale midsize models. Models like the Odyssey and Pilot, along with the Acura MDX and TL, are all potential recepients. Presently, these models utilize Honda’s 3.5-liter and 3.7-liter V-6 engines, and produce between 253 and 270 lb-ft of torque, respectively – well within the capabilities of the 9HP.

What remains to be seen is how the 9HP will be rolled out. We know ZF should start building 9HPs within its South Carolina plant in 2013 for Chrysler, but rumor has it Honda won’t start using the transmission until 2014. If so, the next-generation Acura TL, which is expected to launch in late 2013, could be one of the first vehicles to utilize the transmission.

Source;
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/deep-dive-honda-acura-could-adopt-zf-9-speed-automatic-by-2014-118443.html

Fake car makes room for a fake ASIMO to be your fake driving companion

by Paul Miller

You know, we're realists, and we know deep down that cars in the future are going to drive themselves just fine without a humanoid robot to grab the controls and peer out of specially crafted front compartments. Even if a humanoid was doing the steering, he'd probably just jack into the car's full complement of cameras and sensors, merely using his CPU to plot a course from his comfy charging bay in the trunk. But we want to believe. Designer Derek Chik Kin Ng has come up with this Honda concept (one which we're guessing has no official collaboration with Honda) that packs a nice little front seat for your 8th gene ASIMO. The bot can hop out of the car and help you on your errands, make casual conversation as you drive, warn you of upcoming hazards, or take over controls when you're in the mood for some SpaceChess2000. Only thing he can't do? Actually exist.

Source;
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/fake-car-makes-room-for-a-fake-asimo-to-be-your-fake-driving-com/

Lego Honda RA272 Race Car Pays Tribute Through Art

When it comes to historic automobiles like the Honda RA272, which was the first Japanese car to win a Formula One Grand Prix, memorabilia is hard to come by.

So what’s a fan to do? Build it of course. This Lego Honda RA272 was built by “Biczzz” and is simply a work of art. In fact, at some angles, you really have to inspect to realize it’s made out of Legos. Clearly “Biczzz” wanted to pay homage to the race car Honda used for the 1965 Formula One season, which was powered by a 1.5-liter V12 engine that had 230 hp but revved up to a screaming 14,000 rpm.

When it became the first Japanese car to win a Formula One Grand Prix, it did it in impressive fashion. Richie Ginther drove it at the Mexican Grand Prix and led from start to finish.
Projects like this make the Lego projects most people did as kids look like, well, child’s play.

Source;
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2012/03/lego-honda-ra272-race-car-pays-tribute-through-art.html

Honda Titillating And Triumphant Returns

Honda brushes the dust off its Type R series—and not a moment too soon!
After the major earthquake in Eastern Japan, Honda has been strongly committed to resuming full operations. Unfortunately, the vehicle component plant has been hit hardest by the disaster, as has the Tochigi Research Centre—this has caused delays in the development of new cars. However, development is expected to speed up as Honda continues restoration.

Despite the inevitable delays, the schedule is not anticipated to change much—in fact, the new Freed, Freed Hybrid and CR-V’s release dates have been only slightly shifted to the end of the year. Also, Honda is likely to release several new cars from late this year until early 2012.

THE CASE FOR EUROPE
The combined effects of the recent disaster and the depressed global economy have forced automakers to re-evaluate their original plans. In Honda’s case, it is likely to continue producing mid-sized and large cars such as Accord Hybrid for the North American market. However, it might make some changes to its current compact car scheme.

A factor in Honda’s renewed sense of urgency is the state of the European automotive market. Despite Fit’s exceptional utility, appearance is not the only factor in retail success. Rather, Honda must think twice about improving its performance. Until today, Fit has been unable to beat the prolific Volkswagen Polo. Last year, the new Polo was launched with 1.2ℓ, turbocharged 1.2ℓ, 1.4ℓ and turbocharged 1.4ℓ GTI variants. On the other hand, the fuel-efficient Fit currently has 1.5ℓ and 2ℓ conventional variants and a 1.3ℓ hybrid. Honda’s smaller engines draw attention to the performance difference—not only that, Polo has a turbocharged engine and a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), which also enhances its drivability.

In response, a Honda insider said that the automaker was hard at work on compact and fuel-efficient 1.3ℓ and 1.5ℓ engines. Like the 2~2.4ℓ K Series engines, Honda’s new projects will have excellent versatility—all that is left is for it to overcome the development hurdles.

The same source agreed that the proposed Fit will have many of the features that popularised the legendary Type R models. Not only will it have improved performance, but will also be more enjoyable to drive. Thus Honda’s goal is to penetrate the European market with sports variants of its compacts. Not only will these cars sport more powerful and fuel-efficient engines, but more importantly, they will proudly bear the Type R badge.

Fit’s next major revamp is scheduled for 2013, which may be concurrent with the Type R’s arrival. Also, depending on the reception, a 3-door GT Fit may also be included in the Type R line-up.

HONDA’S NEXT TYPE R
The Type R name can be traced back to 2002 with the lauded NSX, during a time when Honda only had Integra, Civic and the European Accord to boast of. The automaker had strictly limited the use of the moniker, only bestowing it onto cars that boasted exceptional driveability. Though the new Type R models are expected to uphold this tradition, their actual capabilities are still unclear.

The innovative Fit is expected to receive a Type R variant. Also, the North American and European Civics will be going for major revamps this year and next year, respectively—a coupe may also be in the pipeline. A new Accord may also hit the European market next year—however, this may not be a Type R since it will only be launched in Europe while the North American model is too large to bear the name.

CR-Z is also closely watched, especially since it is slated to transform into a hybrid with a supercharged engine. However, a Honda insider disclosed that Honda may still return to the beginning: regardless of whether CR-Z’s 1.5ℓ engine will indeed receive a supercharger, it may be the next Type R. Conversely, a turbocharged CR-Z would ascend to the top of the sports car class. So just as Volkswagen developed an R variant that is distinct from its Polo GTI, the next Type R may premiere as a separate grade.

Another alternative would arrive by 2014, when the NSX successor could receive a Type R variant and become a next generation sports model with a 2.5~3.5ℓ V6 engine. Like the original NSX Type R, its successor will surely be a hit—but it has to be properly manufactured. The insider even suggests that Honda scrap the V10 plan altogether and instead focus on its alleged Type R strategy.

As mentioned, the Type R badge has come to denote Honda’s most compulsively driveable vehicles. The time has finally come for the automaker to revisit this legendary series and to reclaim the affections of car aficionados the world over.

Source;
http://www.bestcar.sg/report-o/2011/09/titillating-triumphant-returns.html

Honda to Debut 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept at New York Auto Show

A minor model change makes sense, after all the Crosstour is pretty much an Accord, which itself is going under a "full" redesign (I am told that the Accord is just an evolutionary change on the outside, but the tech will be a good jump forward).... I can't see the Crosstour looking like the vehicle below, but I like it Neal....
Photo comes from the creative imagination of Neal McDaniel from www.vtec.net....

By Ben Timmins of www.motortrend.com
The futuristic Honda Crosstour is about to get a refresh, and Honda is readying a concept car previewing the 2013 model for a New York Auto Show debut.

We should clarify a couple of things: the Honda Crosstour will turn four in 2013, which means the new car will be something of a mid-cycle refresh. The second is that Honda’s concept cars are often nearly identical to their successive production cars. When Honda says that it’s making a concept to preview the new Crosstour, it likely means that a production-looking car will be on stage at New York and the official version will hit showrooms shortly thereafter.

The new Honda Crosstour continues to face an uphill battle in the numbers: the crossover has sold just 51,380 copies since it was launched in 2009. Sales peaked in 2010 at 28,851, but dwindled since–Honda has sold just 1991 in the first two months of this year.

In hopes of broadening the car’s appeal, Honda has shifted the trim levels on the Crosstour: base models now come with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (borrowed from the Accord it’s based on) that makes 192 horsepower and delivers 3 more miles to the gallon in mixed driving than the optional 3.5-liter V-6. It also reduces the car’s base price: an I-4-equipped Honda Crosstour (shown) starts at $28,465 with destination to the V-6 model’s $31,150.

The Honda Crosstour won’t be alone in seeing its mid-cycle refresh in New York – Toyota and Subaru will be taking the wraps off the 2013 Venza and 2013 Outback, respectively, in April as well.

Will the new Crosstour make waves in the crossover market or will it sink? We’ll have to wait and see–the concept will be unveiled on Wednesday, April 4.

Source;
http://wot.motortrend.com/2013-honda-crosstour-concept-to-debut-at-new-york-show-181875.html

Official Press Release
03/20/2012 - TORRANCE, Calif.A concept vehicle revealing the exterior styling direction of the updated 2013 Honda Crosstour will debut at a catered media reception at the 2012 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) on Wednesday, April 4. The media reception will be held from 3:45 - 4:30 p.m., at Honda's show floor booth on Level 3 of the Javits Center.

First launched in 2009, and now available with both V-6 and four-cylinder engines, the Crosstour remains one of the most versatile choices in the midsize crossover segment, earning the distinction of J.D. Power and Associates' "Highest Ranked Midsize Crossover/SUV in Initial Quality" in their 2011 Initial Quality Study SM (IQS). The Crosstour is produced1 at Honda's East Liberty Plant in East Liberty, Ohio.

Autos.ca: Comparison Test: Five compact CUVs

Review by Michael Schlee and Jonathan Yarkony; photos by Brigitte, Esmond Yau, and Jonathan Yarkony
Photo Gallery:Compact CUV comparo
Crossovers are pretty much old hat by now. Almost every manufacturer has abandoned the truck-based body-on-frame sport utility vehicle (SUV) for more advanced unibody construction, which is enough in most books to warrant slapping on the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) label. While the differences are marginal, CUVs offer the high seating position and roomy cargo area of SUVs with a more refined, car-like ride. Some even make all-wheel drive an option rather than a key standard feature. While every segment has seen the introduction of CUVs (from subcompact all the way up to full-size), compact CUVs are the second largest segment by sales (after compact cars), eclipsing even sales of large pickup trucks.
Most manufacturers are in on the segment now, but Toyota and Honda have defined it since they introduced the RAV4 and CR-V, respectively, in the mid-90s. With each generation they have gone head-to-head, leading the segment to prominence as an economical and conscientious option to large SUVs without giving up the creature comforts and utility of those practical transports.
The Honda CR-V was the eighth-bestselling light truck nameplate in Canada last year at just over 25,000, and that was in its final model year, before the introduction of this brand-new 2012 model. With this redesign, Honda again aims to raise the bar and we wanted to see if it still has the Honda mojo that sees the Civic dominate Canadian sales year after year, and the engineering that makes the subcompact Fit the darling of media, though perhaps too pricey for popular tastes.
The Toyota RAV4 is due for its own redesign very shortly, having been on the market in its current form since 2006 with only minor revisions in 2008 and a face-lift in 2011. Despite its age, Toyota sold over 21,000 RAV4s in Canada last year, thanks to variety not offered on many other CUVs, with its optional seating for seven and an optional V6 engine.
Of course, the Ford Escape is the Canadian sales champ (by almost 20K units over the CR-V), but the brand new redesigned 2013 Escape is not yet available, so we went looking elsewhere in the talent pool to see who might challenge two of the most recognized household names in the industry. We started with the Nissan Rogue, Nissan’s bestselling model after the Versa line and bestselling utility vehicle by a huge margin, accounting for 14,191 sales for Nissan in 2011. Hyundai sold a similar number of Tucsons in 2011 at 14,309, but no matter how many were sold, we would have included the Tucson, because pretty much everything Hyundai touches is gold these days; we believed the fairly fresh Tucson would be one of the strongest contenders, coming off a significant redesign only a couple years ago.
And last but not least, a brand new model from Mazda, the CX-5, using the firm’s engineering magic that gives us the brilliant MX-5, Mazda3, and Mazda5. Significantly, the CX-5 is the first Mazda to wholly incorporate its new SkyActiv technologies in every facet of vehicle design – from powertrain and chassis right down to suspension and steering – aimed at improving fuel efficiency without compromising driving fun. We had high expectations for the CX-5, because it is a new design that Mazda has had years to contemplate (while selling a rebadged Ford Escape as the Tribute), and because of Mazda’s track record for making fun, functional, and well-packaged vehicles. However, the reason we do these comparison tests is to see who comes out ahead on the road, and not simply in our preconceptions.

Fifth Place – 2012 Nissan Rogue SL AWD

Something had to finish last, and in the case of this comparison test it was the Nissan Rogue. While it finished at the back of the pack in this company, that doesn’t mean that it is not a good car in its own right, as all five CUVs were strong entrants. That being said, it simply wasn’t quite as good as the others in this group. The more we drove these compact crossovers, the more we realized each had its endearing qualities and its sore spots. Unfortunately for the Rogue, its negatives exceeded the other CUVs’ flaws. So what hurt the Rogue the most? In short, it was let down most by its interior and drivetrain.
The interior of the Rogue is a bit of a conundrum. Our fully loaded SL was awash with rich-looking soft-touch materials that were only matched in the CX-5. The overall design of the interior was conservative, to a fault. Despite the great materials, the design looks dated, which makes sense considering this is the second oldest model design in the comparison test. For every great feature like around view monitor parking cameras and standard navigation, there were basic options missing, like a telescopic steering wheel and fold-down rear-seat armrest.
The front seats received much praise for their comfort, but the low placement of the tiny radio/navigation/backup camera screen made viewing it a chore. Another chore was installing a child safety seat: with solid fixed head restraints, the over-the-seat strap had to be finagled to go around the restraint and the cargo-bay LATCH anchor was covered by an unfriendly piece of plastic. Rear cargo space was useful, but at 818 litres was the second smallest, beating only the diminutive Hyundai Tucson.
Off the line, the Rogue is a solid performer thanks to its 170-hp, 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. The problem is, to extract the full potential out of the Rogue’s engine you must dip heavily into the throttle and allow the continuously variable transmission (CVT) to hold the engine in a high-rpm thrashing cacophony. The CVT in the Rogue is nowhere close to being the worst on the market (that “honour” goes to the Compass), but it is still a CVT and many did not like it. As the only vehicle in the test with a supposedly fuel-saving CVT, it was a bit surprising that it returned the second-worst fuel consumption at an average of 11.8 L/100 km.
It is really too bad that the drivetrain and interior nuances of the Rogue weighed it down so much, since its chassis, exterior styling and rear seat comfort all scored well with the judges and placed it respectably mid-pack in those categories.

Fourth Place – 2012 Toyota RAV4 4WD V6 Limited

Many of us were expecting bigger things from the RAV4. It was the only crossover powered by a six-cylinder engine (making in excess of 100 extra horsepower over the CX-5) and, with the highest as-tested price, was one of the most generously equipped. However, when the dust settled, the RAV4 finished at the back of the pack just ahead the Nissan Rogue. It is easy to automatically point at high price and poor fuel economy as the culprits that brought this rig down in the rankings, but in reality, it was a mediocre interior, bland exterior and poor chassis that were the RAV4’s ultimate undoing.
Most of us love the RAV4’s V6 power, grunt and character. The smoothness of the engine was matched by the smoothness of the ride. Even with an extra litre over the next largest engine, the 269-hp 3.5-litre V6 returned a decent 13.0 L/100 km fuel consumption average. That’s nowhere near the frugal CX-5′s average, but it is within 1.3 L/100 km achieved by the smaller, less powerful engines found in the Tucson and Rogue.
Transmission kick-downs are lazy, steering feel is numb, and cornering ability was deemed worst of the bunch. Understandably, these crossovers are not sports cars, but the RAV4 is so disengaging to drive that the task almost becomes a chore. It is an unfortunate case of the chassis being overmatched by the engine.
The interior feels dated, yet it is useful and well laid out. Materials are predominantly a variety of hard and harder plastics and the front seats were deemed the least comfortable. Rear seat space is generous and offers great legroom, but the seat cushions were too short and placed too low in the vehicle for our expert seat-testing team. The RAV4 ties the CR-V for the largest cargo area (just over 1,000 L) but has a trump card up its sleeve: a pair of storage areas beneath the trunk’s carpeted floor panels, thanks to the missing optional third-row seat and tailgate-mounted spare tire.
When the RAV4 first appeared as a 2006 model it was at the top of its game and a phenomenal compact crossover. However, time marches on and the seven-year-old RAV4 has not. As one of our testers commented, “(The RAV4) looks, feels and handles like the senior citizen of the group.” That said, if hauling a lot of stuff or a lot of people a lot of the time sounds like you, the RAV4’s seven-seat capacity and V6 options might be its trump cards.

Third Place – 2012 Hyundai Tucson GLS AWD

“This is the sports car of the bunch,” boldly declared one tester after a turn behind the wheel of the Tucson. Fact is, it’s not that far from the truth. Phrases like ‘fun to drive’, ‘nimble handler’ and ‘makes the RAV4 feel like an old Buick’ were heard as different evaluators stepped out after their turn with the Tucson. Being the only vehicle in this test, aside from the CR-V, on all-season tires, helped amplify the Tucson’s handling prowess. As can be expected though, this ability to carve a corner has a payoff in the form of a stiff ride. Some were okay with it, while others found it too harsh. Hyundai has yet to find that magic handling with supple ride formula in this segment that makes the Honda CR-V such a joy to drive.
The Tucson tied the RAV4 for the least comfortable front seats and a few of us found excessive wind noise intruding into the cabin. Steering was stiff and crisp if not a bit artificially heavy. The gauge cluster and HVAC drew the most criticism out of the test group but were simple to operate. Despite being the smallest vehicle in the test group, rear seat room was average and impressed us with some of the most comfortable seatbacks even if the cushions felt too low to the floor.
Cargo space, at 728 L, is the smallest in the bunch, which is to be expected considering the Tucson was the smallest in the group. Strangely enough, the smaller Tucson is heavier than both the Rogue and the CX-5, which may explain its unimpressive 11.7 L/100 km fuel consumption observed during the test.
The Tucson did arrive with the lowest as-tested price. At this price point, some options were lacking, notably a sunroof and back-up camera, but all the important convenience features were present and accounted for and some nice touches, like big side mirrors, were much appreciated. Many also appreciated the Tucson’s smooth six-speed automatic and 176-hp, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine.
When the scores were added up and people were asked their opinion on each vehicle, “good value” kept coming up when the Tucson was discussed. That is a phrase that often comes up when any Hyundai product is discussed, and it is well-deserved. The Tucson, like most Hyundai products, delivers solid value, though it still has a ways to go to catch up with our winner.

2nd Place – 2013 Mazda CX-5 GS AWD

Mazda finally has a small crossover to call its own. The all-new 2013 CX-5 replaces the long-in-the-tooth Ford Escape-based Tribute. It is the first vehicle sold in North America to fully incorporate Mazda’s SkyActiv technology, and it also reflects its new Kodo design language with attractive, thoroughly modern sheet metal. The CX-5 was the looker of the bunch and achieved the highest average rating in any category, with a 9.8 for exterior styling. One of us even went as far as to say, “It has a ‘very BMW’ look and feel inside and out.” Inside, it is much the same story with rich, soft touch materials molded into a sophisticated design packed with features not expected on a mid-level trim.
But styling is not Mazda’s primary focus with this new crossover. Fuel economy is the name of the game. Mazda introduced certain components of its SkyActiv technology in the Mazda3 earlier this year, to lukewarm reception. With the CX-5, it was applied from the ground up. The CX-5 was the third-largest vehicle in this test and featured mid-pack cargo capacity at 966 litres behind the rear seats. Despite its size, it was still the lightest of the bunch, undercutting the smaller Rogue and Tucson. It also had the smallest engine making the least output: a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder producing 155 hp with a six-speed automatic transmission programmed with fuel economy in mind.
So did it work? Yes. SkyActiv is not marketing hype (well it is that, too, so not JUST marketing hype). The CX-5 achieved an impressive 9.6 L/100 km on a test loop that featured hilly terrain and a lot of flogging from our test crew, especially by the stragglers at the back. To put it in context, the next-closest vehicle was the Honda CR-V at 10.9 L/100 km. Beyond this test route, the CX-5 achieved a day-to-day average of 8.9 L/100 km. Not bad for a 1,555-kg all-wheel-drive crossover; to further impress you, the 1,350-kg 2012 Subaru Impreza with a CVT that we drove a few weeks ago achieved 10.0 L/100 km
With the light weight and sporty disposition, we expected the CX-5 to be a great handler. Here, we were sorely disappointed. Some blamed it on the GS trim’s 17-inch wheels and soft winter tires, but the CX-5 did not have the composed feel of the Tucson or CR-V. The vehicle would push into corners and the lazy transmission and weak engine combination made exiting turns with any haste impossible. We would love to get our hands on a GT version with the 19-inch rims and all-season tires later this spring to see if this would help remedy the problem. That said, the chassis was solid and provided a smooth, compliant ride.
Coming into this comparison test, everyone had high expectations for the brand new Mazda CX-5. With its benchmark fuel economy numbers and handsome styling, many thought we had a winner on our hands. So, what happened? Well, the CR-V happened. The CX-5 is a terrific crossover, and when the five evaluators were asked which vehicle they would put their own money on, three said the CX-5, with two of the main reasons being its gorgeous looks and tremendous fuel economy.

First Place – 2012 Honda CR-V Touring AWD

Anyone who thinks Honda can no longer build class-leading vehicles needs to get behind the wheel of the 2012 CR-V. All new for 2012, Honda has stepped up its game with the redesigned CR-V and has let some Acura qualities bleed through. Nearly every tester commented on how comfortable the front seats were. The gauge cluster would look at home in a luxury Q-ship and the dash design was elegant and well laid out. Despite the hard plastics, the CR-V’s fit and finish made them look far more expensive than they really were.
Welcome interior features on a vehicle in this class included a massive centre-armrest storage bin that looks big enough to fit a CR-Z in. The rear seats were deemed the most comfortable for three people and tied for first in comfort with two people. The multiple menu screens on the dashboard were customizable and allowed the driver to tailor what information they want readily available, though some complained of the quality of the screens.
Once behind the wheel, the CR-V was voted the easiest to drive. Every reviewer commented that this Honda was the vehicle they felt most comfortable driving, and when driving quickly to boot. The vehicle responds predictably in corners and despite some body roll, is easy to control. The nearly perfect ride balance between comfort and sport is unexpected in this class of vehicle and the steering wheel sends a surprising amount of feedback to the driver.
With 1,054 litres of cargo space behind the rear seats and a curb weight of 1,608 kg, the CR-V was one of the larger vehicles in this class. However, it still achieved the second-best observed fuel economy at 10.9 L/100 km. Impressive, considering the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine makes the second-most power in this group, at 185 hp. Step on the gas from a dead stop and the Honda pulls away with surprising vigour, though power begins to taper off at highway speeds.
The CR-V is not perfect, though. Many found the new redesign to be a bit ungainly, garnering particular derision for the pinched rear side window. In what could be considered the most unfavourable comparison, more than one tester referred to this window as “Pontiac Aztek-like.” Our shortest reviewer also discovered that the front seats were a bit higher off the ground than the others, making entry into the CR-V a bit more of a challenge.
Still, the CR-V winning overall was a unanimous decision, as all five of us had it scored the highest. With a slight design refresh around the rear C-pillar, and maybe a bit more torque, the compact crossover CR-V would be darn near perfect.

Source;

http://www.autos.ca/car-comparisons/comparison-test-five-compact-cuvs/6