Honda
Driven: 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid
We recently drove the new Honda Civic lineup, and came away with a basic sense of what the car was like and how it had evolved. That trip, however, covered the whole Civic range, and with a limited amount of time, we had to focus mostly on a couple specific models, while giving the Hybrid only a cursory appraisal. Luckily, we managed to get the 2012 Civic Hybrid in at our Michigan office for some extended time in the vehicle.
Winding Road Issue 73 Is Now Available!
In the newest issue of Winding Road, we review cars with lift gate, from the stylish and compact Scion iQ, to the super sporty new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. Plus, there are lots of other fun, practical vehicles in The Functional Issue 2.0.
List: Ten Cars That Would Make Great Convertibles
It’s no secret that there is near-universal love for convertibles here in the Winding Road offices (with the notable exception of cabriolet-hater John Beltz Snyder). In fact, we have an unwritten rule here at WR HQ, that unless it is raining, the top must be down, regardless of other weather conditions. The problem is, convertibles are, for the most part, a precious commodity.
Comparison Test: 2011 Chrysler Town & Country vs. 2011 Honda Odyssey vs. 2011 Nissan Quest
In the world of the workaday enthusiast, minivans don’t usually come to mind as the fun, stylish vehicle that drivers are clamoring to own or drive. The segment is, however, not without its charms. Especially with the advancement of technology, minivans are seeing more and more in terms of entertainment, convenience, and other ways to keep its occupants assuaged—not always an easy task when some of those occupants are antsy children. Often, it’s the addition of children—and, ultimately, belongings—to one’s life that makes a person begin to see the values of the kind of vehicle they swore they’d never own.
Gear: The Vroominator
Just sync it with an unused FM radio station on your car’s stereo, and the Vroominator creates a tune that matches the revs of you engine, helping you to suspend your disbelief and imagine you’re blowing the doors off your fellow commuters.
Base Versus Loaded: 2011 Honda Odyssey
Minivans are supposed to be functional. It comes as no surprise, then, that the Honda Odyssey offers a lot of extra goodies beyond the base minimum. Most of the options are included as trim levels, but this vehicle also offers up a host of accessories to tailor it to your very specific lifestyle.
Top Ten Dead Car Models We Miss Most
Bring these cars back. Seriously, there are some car models that, for a multitude of reasons, seem to resonate with the car enthusiast nation after they’re no longer available for us to buy new. Some on our list are obvious choices that have been crowed about for years, others are a bit more subtle, but all are worthy of resurrection.
Honda Previews 2012 CR-V Concept
Honda has released its first image of the 2012 Honda CR-V Concept. Announced oday by Honda, the vehicle will go on sale later this year.
List: Top 15 Asian Cars From Winding Road’s Involvement Index 2.0
The Involvement Index Awards draw near, folks, in our upcoming issue of Winding Road. We’ve already brought you our most involving American cars, all-wheel-drive cars, and the overall most involving cars per dollar. Now it’s time to take a look at the highest-rated Asian cars that we’ve driven since the inauguration of the Winding Road Involvement Index 2.0.
List: The 15 Most Involving Cars Per Dollar
We came across an interesting statistic while working on the Quick Drive of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X SE last week. By cross referencing the Evo’s score on the Involvement Index, we discovered that each point of involvement would cost about $411. Compare that to our Index-topping Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sports, which with a $2.58-million price tag will cost approximately $26,000 per point, and you see the bargain that the Evo represents.
Quick Drive: 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid
The role in the world for the Fusion Hybrid seems to be as the slightly better handling alternative to Toyota’s Prius. What one gives up to drive the Fusion versus the Prius— hatchback functionality, some fuel economy, and Toyota residual value—is made up for on a day-to-day fun basis. Sure, the Fusion may only be 10 percent more fun to drive than the Toyota, but that small amount adds up with the occasional fast corner, or spirited session when taking the long way home from work.
Secondhand Gems: $25K Hybrids That Don’t Suck
As much as it pains us to say it, petrol north of $3.00 per gallon is looking more and more like the new norm, never mind the $4.00 per gallon prices most of us are paying right now. The good news is that, unlike the 1970s when manufacturers abandoned virtually all bastions of horsepower and performance in the name of emissions and fuel economy, today we live in what could well become the golden age of performance—a time when even family sedans and V-6 pony cars make 300 horsepower.
The Winding Road Guide To Beating $4 Gas
For drivers, this escalation in fuel prices sucks big time. But let us not despair. Some of our favorite driver’s cars also happen to best the competition in fuel economy, whether sipping regular, premium, or diesel, and even sometimes with a chaser of electrons from a battery pack.
Secondhand Gems: Tuner Cars For $20K
Remember the first car you ever owned? Perhaps it was a hand-me-down from another family member, or maybe you stockpiled some cash from the summer job at the local fast food joint to buy a rusty fixer-upper? Regardless of how it came to your possession, it was your first car, and if you’re a fan of this magazine then odds are you probably did something to it that—at least in your mind— made it better. Perhaps you went for a set of wheels or a loud stereo, or if you had delusions of mechanical ability as young car owners often do, you probably hacked up the exhaust in the name of less backpressure. And then there’s the favorite pastime of fabricating a cold air induction system from dryer ducting and zip ties procured from the local hardware store. You did that? Yeah, us too.
Winding Road Issue 69 Is Now Available!
In this issue of Winding Road, we test out the next generation of the wildly popular Honda Civic (including the enthusiast favorite Civic Si).
Driven: 2012 Honda Civic
And thusly is the 2012 Civic born; with an unspoken mandate from the public to be better in every way than the outgoing car, and the fear of screwing up a good thing foremost in the minds of the Honda brain trust. No one wants to kill the cash cow, when the prospect for future milk money is so very bright. That conservative mindset helps to explain why this new car looks so much like the old one, too. But don’t be fooled by the evolutionary appearance, Honda has revised the gen-nine Civic in almost every tangible way.
Quick Drive: 2011 Nissan Altima Coupe 2.5 S
Almost every comparable measure would make me opt for Honda’s Accord Coupe over this Altima, with the noticeable exception of exterior styling. The Honda competition has got better gearboxes, more characterful and tuneful engines, better throttle response, and nicer interior fitment. With that said, I think that looks count for a lot in the four-cylinder coupe category, and many buyers will simply be happy with something that looks this good. Styling is huge.
Status Report: Japanese Automakers Cope In Aftermath Of Earthquake
Friday’s horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan has taken a grim toll on that country over the weekend. (Please take a moment to support efforts by the Red Cross if you’re able.) News and updates about facilities and production damage to major Japanese automakers have been understandably sketchy, for the most part. Here’s a rundown, by manufacturer, of what’s been reported on that front as of this morning.
Comparison Test: 2011 Ford Fiesta vs. 2011 Honda Fit vs. 2011 Mazda2
Ford’s Fiesta and Mazda’s 2 have both done a great job getting the motoring community amped up about small cars, continuing a trend that the Honda Fit really jumpstarted a few years ago. These small cars are anything but simple, basic transportation, offering quite a lot of style, comfort, and driving involvement to go along with their reasonable price tags.
First Look: 2012 Honda Civic
Honda has unveiled the production versions of the new Civic lineup, and it offers more economy, more power, and more options.
Winding Road Guest Blog: BMW E39 Wagon Wanderings
We continue our new Guest Blog series with this piece on the search for “soul” in a car that will also haul your kids. If you’re interested in becoming a WR guest blogger, check out the details, here, and then send us your best effort at [email protected].
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