Honda

The Accord Hybrid is back, and better than ever. To account for a change in production, the best-selling sedan in America didn’t come as a hybrid last year. This Accord is now produced overseas in Japan rather than Ohio like all the other Accords.

Normally when someone talks to me about a Honda, I lose interest immediately because with the exception of the Acura-branded NSX, Honda has nothing at all of interest to the average auto enthusiast. That is unless you are into cars that start out really slow and boring that you can modify, like a stock Civic.

If you’re on the lookout for a fun to drive car with a decent amount of power and a manual gear box, the new 2017 Honda Civic Hatch might be just the ticket. The car will be very affordable, starting at $19,700 with a manual transmission.

Small trucks are trendy again. So it’s not surprising that Honda brought back the Ridgeline after a two-year hiatus. The Ridgeline has always been the outcast of the truck world. It never quite fit in with its weird design, car-like performance, and well-mannered nature.

Apparently, Honda is doing one better than the 10-speed transmissions that are coming to new vehicles, as a recent Japanese patent application detailed an 11-speed transmission the company is working on. The application outlines a three clutch, 11-speed transmission that sounds more like it is aiming at fuel economy than performance.

Up until now, if you wanted a new Honda Civic you had a choice between the sedan and the coupe. Both are revolutionary new cars for the brand, but some enthusiasts weren’t sold on the new car.

The NSX has an impressive legacy, with fifteen years in the marketplace from 1990 to 2005, with help from none other than Ayrton Senna. After a decade-plus-long hiatus from the marketplace, the 2017 Honda NSX (badged as an Acura NSX in the States) returns as a hybrid sports car with a mid-engine 3.5-liter twin turbo V6 good for 500 horsepower.

Years ago, I was dispatched by a now-defunct magazine to cover the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It took place that year in the first week of June, and I was psyched to watch everything from dune buggies to semi-trailer cabs blast up the 156 turns and near 5,000 vertical feet.

Honda recently unleashed the new Civic Type R on five of the most famous European racing circuits, and has walked away with what it calls “benchmark” times at all of the tracks for a front-wheel drive car.

The Honda Civic is a steady performer one of the world’s top selling vehicles. It’s that mentality that has kept Honda from really going all out on giving the Civic what it needed. Honda last redesigned their compact sedan in 2011; well that was sort of the last time.

Honda has announced that its 2017 Accord Hybrid will launch this spring and that it is the most fuel-efficient version yet. The car has a two motor hybrid powertrain and is expected to get an EPA rating of 49mpg city, which is certainly impressive.

Acura has announced that official production of the all-new NSX sports car will begin by the end of next month. Test production is underway at the Performance Manufacturing Center where all NSXes bound for buyers around the world will be constructed.

I was just one year old back in 1969, but that was the year when Honda brought its first ever car to the United States from Japan. The Honda N600 was a simple little city car, but represented a milestone in the automotive industry.

What car do you drive yourself? That’s the question I’m usually asked by readers. Truth be told, I don’t actually own a vehicle, per se. My wife has a 2013 Honda Pilot that she loves. We use it to pull our camper, and believe it or not, it does a great job.

The only Honda to ever stir a longing in my soul was the S2000. Spend enough time in the Mazda Miata world, you come to know the old S2000 as a car to go to if you like the Miata, but want more power.