I recently came upon this article ***here*** that for me really solidified my decision to purchase the new TL. While this forum caters to car enthusiasts who love to to brag (and also complain) about the styling/handling/power etc. advantages of the new TL, the fact that Honda has and continues to lead the industry in developing environmentally friendly automobiles makes the fun things about their new vehicles all the more satisfying. It never ceases to amaze me that when many auto makers and their sympathetic allies and lobbyists continue to whine about the CAFE laws while spending gobs of money and effort to roll back standards and extend timetables, Honda just keeps innovating and turning out awesome vehicles in the process.

When my new TL arrives in a few weeks I'll be as excited as the rest of you with it's good looks, power, handling, and gadgets. But I'm also going to be proud to support a car company that, for the most part, is mindful of the big picture as well...

 

Thanks for the info/link

 

pfffft environmentalists...... in in 5 billion years the sun is going to vaporize the earth anyways... lets save it now so it can get cooked later! pfffft

 

sorry i had one too many scotches

 

Actually, we're looking at significant cooling and dust bowls in the US w/in 20 years on a magnitude not yet fully appreciated. Global warming doesn't mean things get warmer HERE...we're gona be fucuped. And yes, the sky is falling, IMHO.

 

I agree. ALL car companies should be forced to make cleaner and more efficient cars. And without legislation, there's no drive for them to innovate because it's already such a profitable business. Personally, I have a grudge against GM and Cadillac for selling the new Hummer. That thing has super terrible gas mileage but gets around many laws, regulations, and legislation because it weighs more than conventional personal automobiles. If someone gets hit by one and dies, gets handicapped, or simply gets injured, I hope that person seriously considers suing GM for putting consumers at such high risk. I almost got hit by a bytch on a cellphone and she had crossed the double yellow and was traveling in my lane, doing 60 around a curve in a H2. If I got hit, I know I probably wouldn't have lived. Stupid bytches and Hummer H2's are a deadly combination.

 

All SUVs should be illegal.

Actually, SUV drivers (especially those who drive big ones like the Hummers) should have a special license that addresses driving skills. It takes significantly different skills to drive a large SUV from driving a car, and too many people don't have that skill, like the idiot vandy describes in the Hummer.

Back on topic, the article is a great find! I enjoy the fact that I'm driving a high-performance ULEV with decent gas mileage, and Honda is one of only few auto companies that gives 1/2 a s**t about the environment.

 

Hey, if I were were a real purist, I'd be buying a Prius, not a TL.... All I was saying was that Honda is showing the industry that you can have have fun cars and be environmentally conscientious at the same time. In almost every class of car they build, Honda/Acura leads the pack in gas mileage and emissions. (Heck, even the MDX is ULEV). But it's not just about saving the planet for later, there are real advantages now in reducing admissions. Anyone living in LA who was there 25 years ago recognizes how well emissions standards have improved air quality there.

And speaking of the MDX, even SUV's have their place - what bugs me is that 95% of the time, they're being used as daily commuters at 13 MPG. THAT is a waste...

 

Guys:

Honda is a corporation and they don't do things firstly to please environmentalists and if you think so you're fooling yourself. Corporations are in the business of making money for themselves and their stockholders. "Green" is the color of money for business not a group of people they're trying to cater to. Trust me when I tell you that the environmental standards that Honda has met were done so for marketing reasons with the purpose of selling more cars. Theres nothing wrong with that! I'm a marketing guy in a different industry and this is what we do. We think of ways to sell more of our product that benefits our clients, and a residue of that at times, is friendly environmental results. When the friendly environmental results occurs we make sure that everyone hears about it. AND I repeat, that there's nothing wrong with that!

I have owned 6 Japanese cars that have all been totally realiable cars. My last car was a Volvo which was a POS and since Ford owns them Volvo has gone downhill in reliability. My bad for not buying Japanese cars exclusively.

The Japanese car manufacturers get my business because they make great cars. The time wasted "in the shop" is more annoying to me than the money issue. I'm too busy to be concerned about having problems with my car. I may never buy another non-Japanese car again.

SUV's are great vehicles to own. If you have a family and live on a mountain in the Northeast the way we do it's essential. They have lots of room and when we go on vacation we're comfortable for the long journey. I'm amazed at the "fairness" issue that some have. If one is in a VW Beetle and hits an SUV the people in the Beetle will probably be injured more than the occupants of the SUV. That's life! Fairness has nothing to do with it. Some people make more money than others also. Should everyone be forced to buy small cars because the SUV's have an advantage in a car accident? Since the SUV's, on average, get worse gas mileage should they no longer be made? That's silly. If Toyota made a hybrid Land Cruiser I'd consider buying it becuase I do care about using up our fossil fuels. Relying on a very unstable part of the world to supply the oil is bad for our country too. Common sense needs to used.

I'm thankful that no one here has gone off a bit too green here because you know it would be hypocritical. Someone mentioned a Prius- forget that. If you're a true greenie a bicycle should be your primary mode of transportation. Honda makes a car that gets great gas mileage, but it has a tiny engine and is a bore to drive.

We bought a TL because it's fun to drive. It's fast, handles great, terrific looks- inside and out- , nice toys, Honda reliability and it's better than many other cars for the environment- as a final virtue for many of us.

 

I think Honda has a history/culture of efficiency. One way they stay at the forefront of technology, is constantly pushing the envelope.

Their F1/motorcycle racing involvement provides much of the technology that allows for high-performance, efficient and green products.

I don't think it's all about money, why spend $150 million a year on an F1 engine program when most of your customers don't know who drives the cars? For Honda, its about technology.

Cheers,

Don

 

And more specifically: engines. Honda consider themselves to be an engine company first; car, cycle, outboard, lawnmower, (aircraft?) company second !

 

Pug, You are absolutely right about this. In grad school we studied a lot of the Japanese car company cases because they were so innovative. Toyota for Just-in-Time and inventory and Honda for their pursuit of excellence especailly in engines. Their goal is to make the best engines in the world (period). They basically have a " no compromise" approach.
We studied a case where they needed to increase cubic inches (like form 1200 to 1300) to meet a Japanese "class" car. It could have easily been done with either a bore change or stroke change, but Honda changed both. Why? They refused to compromise their desired ratio of bore-to-stoke to save money.

 

Did you know the TL has a carbon canister that captures gas fumes and the regenerates itself by sucking the trapped fumes back into the engine? Check out your owners manual section on emmissions controls. There are some neat gadgets.

 

Yes, Honda is a company that makes money. But they don't comprpmise their basic values to do so.

Efficiency

Environmentally Friendly

Fun to Drive

Reliability

Safety


I don't see anything "deceptive" about Honda. They aren't trying to "fool" anyone into thinking they are environmentally friendly. They ARE and have a proven track record. The fact that they can do so in mainstream cars and still turn a hefty profit just shows how INEFFICIENT the others are.