Honda and Toyota Top Consumer Reports 'Brand Perception' Survey

Well, it looks like Honda and Toyota have done it again, this time Brand Perception. Now, this is brand perception, NOT in some cases reality. When you look at some of the catagories, Safety being one, there are a few companies that are left off of the list; Mercedes and BMW come to mind in a big way! Anyway, here is the list along with the link;

Best Brand Perception
1 Toyota - 189 pts
2 Honda - 146 pts
3 Ford - 114 pts
4 Chevrolet - 110 pts
5 GMC - 102 pts

Worst Brand Perception
1 Buick - 25 pts
2 Mercury - 22 pts
3 Mitsubishi - 21 pts
4 Audi - 14 pts
5 Acura - 8 pts

Must say, I am shocked at the brand perception of Audi and Acura.
Here is the Brand Perception by Catagory;

Safety
1 Volvo - 77%
2 Toyota - 21%
3 Subaru - 18%
4 Ford - 17%
5 Honda - 17%

Quality
1 Toyota - 33%
2 Honda - 24%
3 Lexus - 23%
4 Mercedes Benz - 19%
5 Chevrolet - 17%

Value
1 Honda - 30%
2 Saturn - 24%
3 Toyota - 24 %
4 Kia - 23%
5 Ford - 20%

Performance
1 BMW - 28%
2 Porsche - 25%
3 Chevrolet - 21%
4 Toyota - 20%
5 Honda - 20%

Here is the link to the rest;
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/news/2008/01/brand-perceptions/top-five-in-brand-perception/brand-perceptions-top-5.htm

2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Coupe 6-speed Manual Transmission

Canadian Driver has a nice article on the new Accord Coupe. For those of you interested in the car, it's a great read. This is a day-to-day hands on write up.

Here's the write up;
http://www.canadiandriver.com/ctc/blog/?p=169

Honda Civic Si -VS- VW Golf GTI

Here's a nice comparison between to rival cars by Josh Jacquot, Senior Road Test Editor at Edmund's Online. I know it is a couple of years old, but the two cars are virtually the same today, so I didn't think it would matter.

Here are most of the highlights;

Honda's Civic Si comes with an i-VTEC-motivated 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumping out 197 hp at 7,800 rpm. Honda relies on engine speed instead of boost for motivation, so torque is only 139 lb-ft. Like the GTI, the Civic comes with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, but unlike the GTI, it uses a helical limited-slip differential to put power to the ground.

This contest was close almost everywhere. Both cars have similar power, offer similar features and have similar build quality inside and out. Plus, their performance numbers were a wash. Quarter-mile and 0-60 times were only one-tenth of a second apart.

But there were two critical areas that made a difference in this battle: weight and cost. The GTI has more of both and together they were enough to tip the scale in the Si's favor. Yanking around about 400 pounds of extra ballast hurt the GTI's connection to the road, and the additional $3,335 it takes out of your wallet won't do your children's college fund any favors.

These two factors combined to turn our scoring system against the German hatchback. However, the reality is that it's an exceptional car — and probably more versatile than the Si given its shape and configurable cargo area. Its engine is also far more flexible than the Honda's and its chassis is a huge improvement over previous GTIs.

The Civic, too, is a nice machine. Despite design features we can't stand, like the two-tiered instrument cluster and A-pillars that rival the span of Golden Gate Bridge, there's no denying that it's sharper than the GTI when it comes to hard driving. And it's a heck of a lot less expensive.

In a class where most buyers will use these vehicles as their only car, practicality and performance both count. Costing 15 percent less, possessing better handling and being just as quick or quicker make for a strong argument in the Honda's favor, giving the Civic the win.

Both really nice cars; here is the whole article;

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=109825#1

2009 Honda Pilot Update TOV's Q & A with Product Planner

TOV had a great Q&A interview with the two members of the 2009 Pilot's product development team, Rob Keough and Marc Ernst. Rob Keough is the Sr. Product Planner for the 2009 Pilot while Marc is the Assistant LPL in charge of Testing.

Here are the highlights as I see them;

-the 2009 Honda Pilot is more squared off compared to the competition due to the fact that they wanted to maintain good headroom in all 3 rows. By sloping to the back like others, you'd loose alot of headspace.

-the 2009 Honda Pilot is 'stretched' a little more than the previous version to increase the cargo space behind the 3rd row. Where that additional stretch went also into was in passenger legroom.

-this is not just a totally onroad vehicle - it does have some offroad capabilities and we wanted to communicate that in the styling, and that's how we came up with the overall shape.

-a new upscale 'Touring' trim level is going to be introduced plus the base model (LX) will come with even more standard features than now. I imagine it will be alot like how the Honda Odyssey Touring is pkged.

-the engine will have the 2nd generation variable cylinder management, which has 6-, 4-, and 3-cylinder modes for the best fuel economy.

-A.C.E. body structure will be incorporated along with the increased use of high tensile steel. (stronger=safer, lighter steel as well).

-the 2009 Pilot will not have a diesel engine, although we won't talk about plans for years beyond that.

-the body weight increases only slightly and they managed to improve fuel economy as well as the overall capacity of the vehicle.

Source: http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=735651

Car & Driver Magazine Small SUV Comparison

9X SUV's. The Ford Escape VS Honda CR-V VS Hyundai Tucson VS Jeep Liberty VS Nissan Rogue VS Mitsubishi Outlander VS Saturn Vue VS Suzuki Grand Vitara VS Toyota RAV4. This is a pretty cool comparison, comparing the different vehicles 'off-road' worthiness! A few surprises here.

1st PLACE: 2008 Toyota Rav4 4X4 4cylinder

Highs: Spacious back seat, Toyota ergonomics, Toyota resale value.

Lows: Noisy at WOT, needs a fifth gear, ought to come with alloy wheels.

The Verdict: Chassis, drivetrain, and body all speaking the same language.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14481/2008-toyota-rav4-4x4.html

2nd PLACE: 2008 Honda CRV EX 4WD 4cylinder

Highs: Amazing fit and finish, a cockpit as cheerful as an Easter hat.

Lows: Odd-looking nose, could use a manual lock for the rear axle.

The Verdict: Dynamically a TKO. A tsunami of quality, verve, and value.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14480/2008-honda-cr-v-ex-4wd.html

3rd PLACE: 2008 Nissan Roque SL AWD 4cylinder

Highs: Go-get-’em handling, steering, and acceleration.

Lows: Grim rear visibility, nervous off-road, somber interior.

The Verdict: A stunning example of extracting the most from the least.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14479/2008-nissan-rogue-sl-awd.html

4th PLACE: 2008 Mitsubishi Outlander SE 4WD 4cylinder

Highs: Clever liftgate, carlike on pavement, hauls a lot o’ stuff.

Lows: Cheap-looking interior, gritty engine noise, vague steering.

The Verdict: Crisp exterior styling but dynamically bland.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14478/2008-mitsubishi-outlander-se-4wd.html

5th PLACE: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4WD XSport 6cylinder

Highs: Strong in the muck, macho styling, as solid as a tank.

Lows: Cramped interior, noisy at idle, somber and soulless cockpit.

The Verdict: A mini SUV with the heart of a Hummer.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14477/2008-suzuki-grand-vitara-4wd-xsport.html

6th PLACE: 2008 Saturn Vue XE AWD 6cylinder

Highs: Luxo interior, soothing interstate cruiser, Euro suspension tuning.

Lows: Daggerlike lumbar supports, smaller inside than it looks.

The Verdict: A handsome lad who is 400 pounds overweight.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14476/2008-saturn-vue-xe-awd.html

7th PLACE: 2008 Ford Escape XLT AWD ?cylinder

Highs: Open and airy cockpit, an accomplished long-distance cruiser.

Lows: Needs more isolation from road noise, could use a fifth gear.

The Verdict: Honest and attractive, but the freshening didn’t go far enough.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14482/2008-ford-escape-xlt-awd.html

8th PLACE: 2007 Hyundai Tucson Limited 4WD 6cylinder

Highs: Vaultlike platform, a bull in the mud, a brand name with cachet.

Lows: Cramped seats and footwells,too heavy, dismal fuel economy.

The Verdict: Happy in the mountains of Montana, unhappy on errands in Minneapolis.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14475/2007-hyundai-tucson-limited-4wd.html

9th PLACE: 2008 Jeep Liberty Limited 4x4 6cylinder

Highs: Vaultlike platform, a bull in the mud, a brand name with cachet.

Lows: Cramped seats and footwells,too heavy, dismal fuel economy.

The Verdict: Happy in the mountains of Montana, unhappy on errands in Minneapolis.

Link: http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/14474/2008-jeep-liberty-limited-4x4.html

Interesting read.

BTW: Here is a link to the overall scores;

http://www.caranddriver.com/assets/download/TinyUtes_final.pdf

2009 Acura TSX / Euro Accord to get i-Dtec Diesel Motor

For those of you who don't now, the Acura TSX is the European Honda Accord, and it looks like the diesel will make it's introduction into the North American market under the Acura badge.

“All along, we’ve said there would be a diesel in Acura,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. “The whole direction is to separate Acura and Honda more. In five to six years, Acura will be a tier 1 luxury brand. The face of Acura will be totally different.”

Honda will also introduce a V6 diesel in 2010 for the Acura TL, the MDX as well as some Honda vehicles including the Accord.

The Honda i-DTEC engine meets the ultra-strict U.S. EPA Tier II Bin 5 emission standards without on-board storage of urea.

J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study

The Initial Quality Study serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership and captures problems experienced by owners in two distinct categories—quality of design and quality of production (defects and malfunctions).

Some surprises as to where some manufacturer's sit, both high and low.

Here's a link to a PDF of the article;
http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pdf/2007088.pdf

DB Walkaround; 2008 Honda Civic EX-L Sedan -PART TWO-

The 2008 Honda Civic EX-L Sedan -Part TWO-

Features, Advantages, and Benefits

Honda has raised the bar as far as what the Honda Civic comes with for features. Let's start with the basic features that most cars have and move on from there.

The 2008 Honda Civic EX-L Sedan comes with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission, yeah, that's right a 5-speed automatic transmission. I am not saying that this is unique to Honda, but I will say it is pretty unique to a 4 cylinder engine, most manufacturer's give you a 4-speed automatic (almost all give you a 5-speed manual). By having the extra gear to kick into, when you are at higher speeds (hwy) you will idle lower, making for a quieter engine/quieter ride and rpm's are lower so you conserve gas (check it out, at around 110km's/hr, the idle sits just over 2,000/rpm's - most vehicles will be at or over 2,500/rpm's).

The air conditioning unit comes with a micron filter which works like a heppa filter on a vaccum, filtering out alot of the debris in the air, this helps those out with alergies, etc. The Civic comes with both a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, which means that not only will the steering wheel tilt up and down - but it will also move in and out. This is great for people of my body type. I am not the tallest guy in the world (5'8") and what height I do have is in my legs, so when I sit in a seat I sit further back because of my longer legs, so I find I end up reaching a bit for the steering wheel. By having the telescoping steering wheel, I can move it closer to me (in/out) so I don't have to compromise my seating position, which makes for a more comfortable ride. Electronic Cruise Control is on the car, so you can comfortably set your speed and rest your foot on a long drive or for you 'lead-foots'. The full power group is included on this trim, power windows, power door locks, power heated side door mirrors, and a power moonroof with the tilt feature, all convenience features made to make life easier!

The audio is something pretty good for a factory deck. In most cases it is made by Alpine (I have seen decks made by Panasonic as well), I don't know why they don't brag about this, Alpine and Panasonic make good electronic's. The decks will play most +/- burnt CD's and mp3 files. There is also an auxillary jack located below the power outlet to plug in a i-pod or mp3 player, all you have to do is get a 'stereo cable' (has two male ends that look like the end of a earphone cable). It will not charge your i-pod at the time and you have to use your i-pod to control the songs etc., however you can get what's called an 'i-link' from Honda where you can do both.

The first thing that you will be drawn to when you step inside of the car is the new 'heads up' display. You'll notice that all of your most commonly used guages are always within your front periferal vision, you do not have to peek through the steering wheel in order to see what the speed, gas, or oil temperature is at. The more your eyes are on the road the safer you'll be. You really have to hand it to Honda for putting together such a dramatically different dash together than ever before (competitor's included), they could have kept turning out the same old stuff and still sold a whack of cars.

The middle armrest actually can be pulled forward to give you more of an armrest (or is some cases of sitting closer to the dash a armrest at all). Inside of the armrest is a generous storage compartment that will fit 10X CD cases and also has another power outlet for a cel phone. This extra power outlet gives you 2X in all. The nice thing about the power outlet being tucked away in the armrest/storage compartment is that when you charge your cel phone in the armrest it will be out of sight, so if you stop for a coffee at 7-Eleven (http://www.7-eleven.com/) a thief doesn't pass by, sees it and does a smash and grab. Plus, having the cel phone out of the way while you are charging it, you won't have all the cables in the way of the shifter.

Exclusive to the 2008 Civic EX-L's is the Leather with heated front seats. If you have kids or pets, leather is easier to keep clean than cloth. There is a manual height adjustable seat as well, perfect for me being long in the leg, so I can 'pump it up'.

DB Walkaround; 2008 Honda Civic EX-L Sedan -PART ONE-

The 2008 Honda Civic EX-L Sedan -Part ONE-

Introduction

This is the second from the top of the line Civic Si that is available in Canada (and US). The 'L' in EX-L stands for Leather. This is the first year for a Leather model in Canada, techinically speaking it was previously called an Acura CSX in Canada which was not available in the US, sold in Canada Only. This bodystyle was first introduced in the 2006 model year, where it became a significant upgrade from the previous 2001-2005 generation. Honda wanted the Civic to have a more 'upscale' look and feel to it and they 'borrowed' design cues from various successful vehicles. (Acura and BMW come to mind). In its first year on the market, the eight generation Civic was recognized as the NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) Car of the Year, the Motor Trend Car of the Year and the AJAC (Automotive Journalists Association of Canada) Car of the Year.

Under the Hood

All Civic's (excluding the Si model) are powered by a 4 cylinder 1.8 litre SOHC i-vtec engine which produces 140 horse power. A key component to the Honda engine is the i-vtec. This stands for I=Intelligent, V=Variable, T=Timing, E=Electronic, C=Control. Now the 1.8 litre is small compared to some other 4 cylinder engines (2.0 or 2.3 litre's in some cases), but it is able to produce a very 'spirited' experience (don't get me wrong, you won't mistake it for a large V6, but it will give a small V6 a run for its money). Basically manufacturer's have two schools of thought with regards to generating power out of an engine, one being build a bigger engine (hence go from a 1.8 litre to a 2.0 or 2.3 litre), the second is making that engine work more efficiently/effectively. The latter is what Honda subscribes to with the i-vtec and vtec engines. Here is a quick analogy to help better understand how i-vtec works; picture 2X baskets, one filled with tennis balls, the other empty, you have a shovel to move tennis balls from the full basket to the empty one. The shovel represents your engine, the tennis balls represent the power generated. To generate more power/move more tennis balls from the full to the empty basket, you could A) make a bigger shovel or B) make that smaller shovel move faster. 'B' is what the Honda i-vtec does.

Starting with the 2006 model year, Honda has switched from Timing Belts to Timing Chains, which means there is one less thing you have to do to maintain your Honda Civic. In previous Civic's if a Timing Belt went, you would be looking at a hefty repair and could destroy your engine, so you change it every 5yrs or 100,000km's. The Timing Chain should go for the life of the vehicle, but if it does go, it is only the chain that is effected.

You will notice that all of the fluid canisters (washer fluid, engine coolant, power steering fluid, and power braking fluid) are in clear plastic containers. So, if you're the type of person interested in where your fluid levels are before you take off on a long trip, you can do so with ease. You will also notice that a fuse box is located under the hood on the passenger side (a triangular container). Most fuse boxes are located under the steering wheel and is hard to get at and see, especially if the fuse to the lights is the one out (murphy's law!), Honda has the more obscure ones still under the steering wheel, but the more common ones are located under the hood. The whole idea behind this is so that when a fuse goes, it's more accessable and you can pull up to a street lamp to see if it is dark out.

Introducing, The DB Walkaround

I will be reviewing/going over a specific car in great detail. I will start with Honda (for pretty obvious reasons) and eventually moving onto other brands and vehicles.

Here are the sections that I will cover in depth;

-Introduction
-Under the Hood/Performance
-Features, Advantages and Benefits
-Safety
-Economy (gas mileage, etc.)
-Other (little known facts, etc.)
-Competitors

I may add other sections as we go. So stay tuned (pun intended), the first one will be within the next 48 hours.

BTW: Anything you can add in the comments section would be appreciated.

Acura Announces Clean Diesel in 2009

Turbocharged i-DTEC Engine Displayed at the North American International Auto Show

Acura will introduce the new i-DTEC clean diesel engine to the North American market in 2009. The i-DTEC engine reduces noxious exhaust emissions while boosting power and fuel efficiency. A combination of optimized combustion chamber design and reduced injection time results in a clean, quiet engine that delivers excellent performance for an enjoyable driving experience. In addition, the i-DTEC engine meets the ultra-stringent U.S. EPA Tier II Bin 5 emission standards without the on-board storage of urea.

The i-DTEC clean diesel engine is on display exclusively in the Acura booth at the North American International Auto Show and will be utilized in an Acura vehicle to be named at a later date.

Interior Pic's of the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype

www.vtec.net has some excellent interior shots of the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. I like how they changed the position of the shifter. Much nicer. All indications lead me to believe that this is going to be a sharp reflection of what the production version will look like.

2009 Honda Pilot Prototype at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show

Well, here we have it, the 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype. I can't believe that Honda was able to keep this a secret for so long, alot of the other manufacturer's had alot of 'leaked' photos.

Here's a write up from Honda;
"Introducing a new prototype vehicle from Honda, packed with smart, practical features and advanced safety, fuel-efficiency and convenience technologies. The prototype of the next-generation Honda Pilot was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The Pilot redefined the midsized SUV with clean lines, better on-road handling and a more spacious interior, and the prototype promises to up the ante with even more to love."

Here's a link to the Official Site;
http://automobiles.honda.com/2009-prototype-pilot/

Popular Mechanics had a nice write up on the vehicle;
"DETROIT — Honda showed a more smoothly-styled Pilot crossover SUV Prototype at Detroit this afternoon. It’s slated for introduction as a 2009 model and we’re guessing it’s pretty close, if not identical, to the vehicle we’ll see in Honda stores late this summer or early fall. The Pilot has been restyled to be more polished than the rather bland-looking current Pilot introduced back in 2003, and there are plenty of detail changes on the inside as well.

The middle and third row seats, which both hold three passengers, fold flat into the floor for cargo hauling. You can even split the seats 60/40 for the ability to haul long packages and people together. The engine uses variable-displacement technology for improved economy. Previously, the 244-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engine would shut down three cylinders when power demands were modest, like at lower speeds on flat terrain. The ’09 Pilot uses a more sophisticated system that will run as a 3-, 4- or 6-cylinder engine. Honda says the goal is to more closely match the engine displacement to the need for speed at any moment. As usual for Honda, smart idea.

Honda even claims the Pilot’s AWD system will be effective in “medium-duty” off-road conditions. But Honda’s “medium-duty” really means light-duty. The lack of ground clearance and low range will likely restrict the new Pilot, like the old, to many of the same dirt trails other crossover SUVs travel.

On the safety front, quite literally, Honda says the new Pilot will reduce pedestrian injuries. The frontend is designed to absorb impact and lessen injuries in the event of a pedestrian/vehicle accident. City dwellers that walk to work will surely appreciate that feature. —Mike Allen"

Here's the link to that one;
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4244647.html

Here's a link to a previous article of what we know so far about the vehicle;
http://thehondaportal.blogspot.com/2008/01/2009-honda-pilot-what-we-know-so-far.html

Euro Civic pic's

I always find it interesting to see what is selling across the pond (I live in North America), in this case the European Honda Civic, where it is still a hatchback. You may remember the 2002-2005 Honda Civic SiR Hatchback that was imported here from the UK. This is the natural progression of the car. Anyway, nothing too ground breaking, and the majority of you probably have already seen this car anyway, I just thought I'd put it here for those interested. Cheers.

Tokyo Auto Salon: Mugen Honda FIT

The most prestigious Japanese Car dresser or Tuning company was showing their latest wonder at the 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon; the Honda Fit CONCEPT F154SC which is powered by an Engine L15A + Supercharger (150Ps, 185Nm) stick together with a 5 speed manual gear box and which feature the i-TCMS or Intelligent-Tire Condition Monitoring System. Nice!

Consumer Guide's Award Winners for 'Best Buy' and 'Recommended'

Honda has done a pretty good job of making the 'Best Buy' and 'Recommended' list for the Consumer Guide Awards. Here is the list of the Honda and Acura vehicles to make the lists, and if you click on the appropriate car, it will take you to the write up page.

BEST BUY AWARDS
2008 Acura MDX
2007 Acura MDX
2007 Acura TL
2008 Honda Accord
2007 Honda Accord
2008 Honda Civic
2007 Honda Civic
2008 Honda CR-V
2007 Honda CR-V
2008 Honda Odyssey
2007 Honda Odyssey
2008 Honda Pilot
2007 Honda Pilot

RECOMMENDED AWARDS
2008 Acura TL
2007 Acura TSX
2008 Honda Fit
2007 Honda Fit
2008 Honda Ridgeline
2007 Honda Ridgeline

Here is the link to the full list of other cars;
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/

:::Audi R8:::

Here is another amazing car the Audi R8. This car looks amazing and I'm sure that it is fast. I liked this car in Need For Speed but they kinda took the fun out of it because you couldn't tune it, only change the paint job. Anyways here is what you all came for some pictures of the car!