Honda: Civic News
#2841
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
^
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#2842
Safety Car
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The all-new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas – the only factory-built, CNG-powered car produced in America – was named 2012 Green Car of the YearŽ at the Los Angeles Auto Show today. The award was presented to Honda by the editors of Green Car Journal representing a diverse panel of environmental experts and automotive enthusiasts who annually select a single vehicle for its outstanding environmental performance.
"The Civic Natural Gas is not only a great vehicle, it also demonstrates Honda's commitment to provide a variety of alternatives to gasoline," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "The Civic Natural Gas and the all-new Fit EV that we introduced yesterday at the Los Angeles Auto Show are the latest additions to a rapidly expanding family of alternative energy Honda vehicles aimed at cutting petroleum use and reducing our carbon footprint."
To support growing consumer interest in alternative-fuel vehicles, Honda is expanding its retail network of Civic Natural Gas retail outlets to 200 dealers in 36 states. Previously, retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic had been limited to four states – California, New York, Utah and Oklahoma. The 2012 Civic Natural Gas went on sale on October 18 with a manufacturer's suggested retail price1 (MSRP) starting at $26,155.
With multiple benefits including lower fuel costs and extremely low smog-forming emissions, the 2012 Civic Natural Gas currently qualifies for a state-issued decal allowing single-occupant access to High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) "carpool" lanes in California and several other states.
The Civic Natural Gas engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion vehicle certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Tier-II, Bin-2 and ILEV certification as of August 2010).
Featuring new styling, enhanced feature content and increased fuel economy, the redesigned 2012 Civic Natural Gas can now be equipped with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System featuring an exclusive database of publicly accessible Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refueling stations across the United States.
All Civic Natural Gas models are produced by Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC (HMIN) using domestic and globally sourced parts. HMIN is the recipient of a 2011 Platinum Award for quality from J.D. Power and Associates. In addition to being named 2012 Green Car of the Year, previous versions of the CNG-powered Civic have topped the "greenest vehicle" rankings of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for 8 straight years.
About the Green Car of the YearŽ Award
The Green Car of the YearŽ is presented annually by the Green Car Journal. In addition to the publication's editors, jurors include Carl Pope, chairman of the Sierra Club; Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; Matt Petersen, president of Global Green USA; Jay Leno, noted auto enthusiast and host of the "Tonight Show," as well as automotive icon Carroll Shelby.
Honda Environmental Leadership
Honda is a leader in the development of leading-edge technologies to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Honda has led the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) rankings of overall vehicle environmental performance since 2000, and a Honda vehicle has topped the list of America's greenest vehicles, from the America Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), for eleven consecutive years.
In 2006, Honda became the first automaker to announce voluntary CO2 emissions reduction targets for its global fleet of automobile, powersports and power equipment products and its global network of manufacturing plants. Today, the company is striving for even greater reductions in CO2 emissions that contribute to global climate change, while also working to minimize waste, water use and the total environmental footprint of its operations worldwide.
#2843
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
Congrats Honda..... for being extremely nice to the environment......
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#2846
and here to accept the award, invisible
#2847
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
#2848
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
![Snicker](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/emot-laugh.gif)
#2849
Safety Car
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Honda's chief executive acknowledged that the 2012 Civic has fallen flat with critics--accepting personal accountability--and said the company is considering ways to upgrade the car in light of stiffer competition.
The Civic was revealed at the New York auto show in April and launched soon after. Though it remains fuel efficient and popular with many consumers, detractors have said the car's styling is too similar to that of the previous generation, and it has been panned for an average-looking interior.
"I'm fully aware there were mixed opinions for the Civic for the U.S. market," Honda CEO Takanobu Ito said.i
A mid-cycle freshening could occur in 2013 rather than 2014, reports say.
Speaking to North American reporters in a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday at the Tokyo motor show, Ito also shot down rumors of a potential tie-up with McLaren to return to Formula 1 racing in some capacity.
"That was a complete unfounded rumor," he said through an interpreter. "Of course we are interested, but we think there are higher priorities than Formula 1."
Honda left the sport in 2008 amid the global financial crisis that also forced the company to scuttle the second-generation Acura NSX program and some of its motorsports endeavors. Honda remains active in IndyCar, MotorGP and other series.
The NSX has been confirmed to be back in Honda's product plans, though Ito deflected a direct question as to whether it will be revealed in January at the Detroit auto show.
The Honda chief said the company would focus its performance money into sporty cars. He envisions an all-electric sports car and a larger, yet athletic alternative-propulsion car in its lineup someday. Presaging that, Honda revealed the EV-ster, an all-electric roadster concept, and the AC-X, a plug-in sedan, in Tokyo.
Still, the Japanese automaker will not focus strictly on electric cars and hybrids, Ito said, preferring a broad strategy that involves internal-combustion engines, hybrids and fuel cells.
Ito also defended the Acura brand, which has also been the subject of criticism for balky styling and a lack of V8 engines. Ito said Acura vehicles will get more luxury and performance features, including a next-generation all-wheel-drive system.
"We are not satisfied with the current position," Ito said. "We want to boost the identity of the Acura brand."
#2850
Race Director
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...ed-new-civic/1
Honda is rushing to redo by the end of next year the new-generation 2012 Civic that just rolled out April 20, says a report today by the Associated Press.
According to the AP's Tom Krisher, Honda is telling dealers they'll get revamped Civic by the end of 2012, an update just 18 months into the new model cycle that normally would come in 3 to 5 years.
Krisher says Honda execs confirmed that the early redo , but say they're just trying to stay ahead of the competition. The compact segment got pretty much a complete batch of redesigned models this year. "It's about how do we get two or three laps ahead of the competition," American Honda Executive VP John Mendel told Krisher.
But the new Civic has also been panned by critics. Consumer Reports stripped the new Civic of its "Recommended Buy" status, saying the 2012 was a step backward. It said the 2012 was less agile than the last version and had a lower-quality interior quality. It also said its brakes took too long to stop the car and that the ride was choppy.
American Honda President Tetsuo Iwamura told Krisher today that the Civic is still the leader in compacts, but that Honda will improve the Civic's drivability. Iwamura gave no details of what else Honda will do to the car.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Honda has told dealers the will get restyled front and rear fascias, a more upscale interior and better fuel economy. (We wonder if those mpg's will come in part from a new 6-speed automatic, like most of the competition has now, rather than the 5-speed Honda continued to use in the 2012. )
While the redo is a rush, sticking with the 2012 unchanged would have left Honda with a lukewarm new entry in a segment full of hot new models.
Civic is a signature product for Honda and is its No.2-seller though November at 200,690, between Accord's 217,995 and CR-V's 196,787, reports Autodata.
Among compact segment sales, it is third year-to-date with 10%, behind Toyota Corolla's 10.9% and Chevy Cruze's 10.7%. And the redesigned Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus are coming up fast in its rear-view mirror at 8.7% and 8.1%. Also, sales of the new VW Jetta are growing fast, and Chrysler Group is about to roll out a new Alfa-Romeo-based Caliber replacement called Dodge Dart.
According to the AP's Tom Krisher, Honda is telling dealers they'll get revamped Civic by the end of 2012, an update just 18 months into the new model cycle that normally would come in 3 to 5 years.
Krisher says Honda execs confirmed that the early redo , but say they're just trying to stay ahead of the competition. The compact segment got pretty much a complete batch of redesigned models this year. "It's about how do we get two or three laps ahead of the competition," American Honda Executive VP John Mendel told Krisher.
But the new Civic has also been panned by critics. Consumer Reports stripped the new Civic of its "Recommended Buy" status, saying the 2012 was a step backward. It said the 2012 was less agile than the last version and had a lower-quality interior quality. It also said its brakes took too long to stop the car and that the ride was choppy.
American Honda President Tetsuo Iwamura told Krisher today that the Civic is still the leader in compacts, but that Honda will improve the Civic's drivability. Iwamura gave no details of what else Honda will do to the car.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Honda has told dealers the will get restyled front and rear fascias, a more upscale interior and better fuel economy. (We wonder if those mpg's will come in part from a new 6-speed automatic, like most of the competition has now, rather than the 5-speed Honda continued to use in the 2012. )
While the redo is a rush, sticking with the 2012 unchanged would have left Honda with a lukewarm new entry in a segment full of hot new models.
Civic is a signature product for Honda and is its No.2-seller though November at 200,690, between Accord's 217,995 and CR-V's 196,787, reports Autodata.
Among compact segment sales, it is third year-to-date with 10%, behind Toyota Corolla's 10.9% and Chevy Cruze's 10.7%. And the redesigned Hyundai Elantra and Ford Focus are coming up fast in its rear-view mirror at 8.7% and 8.1%. Also, sales of the new VW Jetta are growing fast, and Chrysler Group is about to roll out a new Alfa-Romeo-based Caliber replacement called Dodge Dart.
#2852
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
Ouch. See what happens when you get complacent, Honda?
#2853
The Third Ball
Join Date: Sep 2002
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#2854
:ib4someHondahomersaysit'sawisebusinessdecisiontha tHondaplannedallalong:
#2855
AZ Community Team
Actually it would be two MY, (2012 and 2013). Although the one article said 18 months, so maybe they did a mid-year changeover?
Either way not a great sign for Honda. My parents have a 2012 LX, they're are some nice things but also some things that decreased from the previous gen Civic (my brother owns one).
Either way not a great sign for Honda. My parents have a 2012 LX, they're are some nice things but also some things that decreased from the previous gen Civic (my brother owns one).
#2856
Race Director
^ The current MY12 car will likely run through to the normal MY change over in Sept 2012 with no changes. Then, the refreshed (MMC?) car comes out in the fall of 2012 as a 2013 MY car, hence single MY for the current version.
The only question now is how extensive will the make over be?
The only question now is how extensive will the make over be?
#2857
AZ Community Team
^ I guess we will find out next year at this time. Not common for Honda to introduce a new model at the end of the year, typically fall. So perhaps they will continue to sell 2012 until the end of 2012?
If they use the Euro Civic I would be happy that looks like a nice Civic.
If they use the Euro Civic I would be happy that looks like a nice Civic.
#2859
Race Director
^ you would think they'd do that do make it more appealing but somehow I don't think it'll happen - they probably meant it for the planned MMC in 2014. I have a feeling this will be strictly an interior upgrade. The sheet metal design hasn't been criticized so maybe only minor exterior changes.
#2860
Senior Moderator
Agreed, and I think interior and wheel design was specifically mentioned in another earlier article about this early Civic MMC
But this MMC was announced well before the recent Earth dreams stuff so you never know. One can hope.
But this MMC was announced well before the recent Earth dreams stuff so you never know. One can hope.
#2861
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
Hope? with Honda?
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#2862
The sizzle in the Steak
New transmissions too?
@ Honda. Everyone saw this coming, but Honda.
Everyone was screaming from fans to critics about how Honda was just regurgitating the same old
......now it's come back to bite them in the @ss.
Not only can Honda not keep on pace, they are far behind....now they have to slap something together fast....sounds a bit sketchy to me.
![Doh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/doh.gif)
Everyone was screaming from fans to critics about how Honda was just regurgitating the same old
![Turd](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/turd.gif)
Not only can Honda not keep on pace, they are far behind....now they have to slap something together fast....sounds a bit sketchy to me.
#2864
The sizzle in the Steak
^^ Looks like we might see it at the end of 2012.
Honda: Moving Forward In Reverse.
Honda: Moving Forward In Reverse.
#2865
Safety Car
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Consumer Reports says that the Civic Si, a sportier version of the new Honda Civic, scored high enough (but just barely) to make the magazine's closely watched list of "Recommended Buy" cars.
CR said the Civic Si's engine delivers terrific acceleration and good fuel economy. Consumer Reports made headlines in August when it said the more-popular basic versions of the Honda Civic scored too low to be recommended -- status the car has had for years.
But the Si's "recommend" was half-hearted. Said CR: "While the Si performed better than more basic versions of the Civic, the car still suffers from many of the same drawbacks as other Civics: vague steering, cheap plastics, a jittery ride, and lots of noise."
And it noted that the Civic ranks 9 out of 11 of tested cars so far in the sporty car category.
"The Civic Si has a great powertrain, but it needs a better car wrapped around it," David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports Automotive Test Center said in a statement.
Last edited by TSX69; 12-22-2011 at 05:36 PM.
#2867
The sizzle in the Steak
Civic Si ranks 9 out of 11......Honda has some work cut out for them.
I wonder what those 11 cars were?
I wonder what those 11 cars were?
#2868
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
9 out of 11
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#2869
My first Avatar....
But the Si's "recommend" was half-hearted. Said CR: "While the Si performed better than more basic versions of the Civic, the car still suffers from many of the same drawbacks as other Civics: vague steering, cheap plastics, a jittery ride, and lots of noise."
![rofl](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif)
#2870
AZ Community Team
Woman takes unique road to sue Honda over mileage
#2873
Senior Moderator
#2874
The sizzle in the Steak
If I was Honda, I'd tell her to sue the DOE & EPA, not us. We don't make the claim, the DOE & EPA does.
#2875
Evil Mazda Driver
I am currently averaging 24.1 MPG in my Elantra in heavy city traffic with hills and that is within the range the sticker says. Would I like it to do better? Yes but 24.1 is a LOT better than my SF was averaging (18 to 19 in same conditions). The Elantra is rated for 29 city (expected between 24 and 34) and 40 highway (expected between 33 and 47). Just because you drive city doesn't mean you'll magically get 29 MPG and just because you got on the freeway for five minutes doesn't mean your average will immediately hit 40 MPG. On road trips with broken-in engines, many forum members have met and exceeded the 40 MPG figure with just some careful observations.
I think fuel economy is just too much critical thinking for the average American to bother with. They look at the big black numbers on the sticker, don't read the fine print, drive like maniacs and get pissed off when they don't get the figures the car is rated for.
#2876
Whats up with RDX owners?
iTrader: (9)
Most of the car buying public is full of retards.
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PortlandRL (01-04-2012)
#2877
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
This is a common problem for Elantra owners as well and over on HF, somebody comes in at least once a week screaming that they aren't getting 40 MPG. Well generally it turns out that the person complaining doesn't drive highway, uses the A/C in stop-and-go traffic and doesn't maintain their car worth a damn or check the tire pressure.
I am currently averaging 24.1 MPG in my Elantra in heavy city traffic with hills and that is within the range the sticker says. Would I like it to do better? Yes but 24.1 is a LOT better than my SF was averaging (18 to 19 in same conditions). The Elantra is rated for 29 city (expected between 24 and 34) and 40 highway (expected between 33 and 47). Just because you drive city doesn't mean you'll magically get 29 MPG and just because you got on the freeway for five minutes doesn't mean your average will immediately hit 40 MPG. On road trips with broken-in engines, many forum members have met and exceeded the 40 MPG figure with just some careful observations.
I think fuel economy is just too much critical thinking for the average American to bother with. They look at the big black numbers on the sticker, don't read the fine print, drive like maniacs and get pissed off when they don't get the figures the car is rated for.
I am currently averaging 24.1 MPG in my Elantra in heavy city traffic with hills and that is within the range the sticker says. Would I like it to do better? Yes but 24.1 is a LOT better than my SF was averaging (18 to 19 in same conditions). The Elantra is rated for 29 city (expected between 24 and 34) and 40 highway (expected between 33 and 47). Just because you drive city doesn't mean you'll magically get 29 MPG and just because you got on the freeway for five minutes doesn't mean your average will immediately hit 40 MPG. On road trips with broken-in engines, many forum members have met and exceeded the 40 MPG figure with just some careful observations.
I think fuel economy is just too much critical thinking for the average American to bother with. They look at the big black numbers on the sticker, don't read the fine print, drive like maniacs and get pissed off when they don't get the figures the car is rated for.
![Werd](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/werd.gif)
#2878
Race Director
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...small-claims/1
Southern California Honda Civic hybrid owner Heather Peters won $9,867 in a court fight with Honda over what she said was her car's too-low mileage.
Here's the Associated Press report:
The Southern California owner of a Honda hybrid car won her unusual small-claims court lawsuit against the automaker over the vehicle's failure to deliver its stated fuel economy.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan awarded Heather Peters $9,867 on Wednesday, saying Honda did mislead her about the expected mileage.
"At a bare minimum Honda was aware ... that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," he wrote in the judgment.
Peters opted out of a class-action lawsuit so she could try to claim a higher payment for the failure of her Civic to deliver the 50 miles per gallon that was advertised when she bought it.
Informed of the decision by The Associated Press, Peters exulted, "Wow! Fantastic."
I am absolutely thrilled. Sometimes big justice comes in small packages," she said. "This is a victory for Honda Civic owners everywhere."
Honda hadn't seen the decision Wednesday afternoon but planned to issue a statement after it was reviewed, said spokesman Chris Martin.
Peters, a former lawyer, hoped to inspire a flood of lawsuits by the other 200,000 owners of the Hybrid Honda Civic model sold in 2006. She said that if all 200,000 owners of the cars sued and won in small claims cost, it could Honda Motor Co. $2 billion.
She launched a website, DontSettleWithHonda.org, and said she was contacted by hundreds of other car owners seeking guidance in how to file small claims suits if they opted out of a class-action case already filed.
The upside of small claims court is that there are no attorneys' fees and cases are decided quickly. Individual payments are far greater than in class-action cases.
Honda's proposed class-action settlement would give aggrieved owners $100 to $200 each and a $1,000 credit toward the purchase of a new car. Legal fees in the class action case would give trial lawyers $8.5 million, Peters said.
Legal experts had said it was unlikely that all owners would take the small claims route because of the time and energy involved in pursuing such lawsuits. But it was a unique approach that could have an impact.
Carnahan held two hearings on the claim in January.
Peters claimed her car never came close to the advertised 50 mpg and that it got no more than 30 miles per gallon when the battery began deteriorating. She still owns the car and wanted to be compensated for money lost on gas, as well as punitive damages, amounting to $10,000.
A Honda technical expert who testified at an earlier hearing said the company was required by federal law to post the sticker estimating the highest mileage the car could get. But he said the mileage varied on how the car was driven. The company said Peters was not deceived.
A judge in San Diego County is due to rule in March on whether to approve Honda's class-action settlement. Members of the class have until Feb. 11 to accept or decline the deal.
Small claims courts generally handle private disputes that do not involve large amounts of money. In many states, that means small debts, quarrels between tenants and landlords, and contract disagreements. Attorneys aren't usually there; in California, litigants aren't allowed to have lawyers argue their case.
The limit for small claims damages in California is $10,000. In other states it ranges from $2,500 to $15,000.
Here's the Associated Press report:
The Southern California owner of a Honda hybrid car won her unusual small-claims court lawsuit against the automaker over the vehicle's failure to deliver its stated fuel economy.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan awarded Heather Peters $9,867 on Wednesday, saying Honda did mislead her about the expected mileage.
"At a bare minimum Honda was aware ... that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," he wrote in the judgment.
Peters opted out of a class-action lawsuit so she could try to claim a higher payment for the failure of her Civic to deliver the 50 miles per gallon that was advertised when she bought it.
Informed of the decision by The Associated Press, Peters exulted, "Wow! Fantastic."
I am absolutely thrilled. Sometimes big justice comes in small packages," she said. "This is a victory for Honda Civic owners everywhere."
Honda hadn't seen the decision Wednesday afternoon but planned to issue a statement after it was reviewed, said spokesman Chris Martin.
Peters, a former lawyer, hoped to inspire a flood of lawsuits by the other 200,000 owners of the Hybrid Honda Civic model sold in 2006. She said that if all 200,000 owners of the cars sued and won in small claims cost, it could Honda Motor Co. $2 billion.
She launched a website, DontSettleWithHonda.org, and said she was contacted by hundreds of other car owners seeking guidance in how to file small claims suits if they opted out of a class-action case already filed.
The upside of small claims court is that there are no attorneys' fees and cases are decided quickly. Individual payments are far greater than in class-action cases.
Honda's proposed class-action settlement would give aggrieved owners $100 to $200 each and a $1,000 credit toward the purchase of a new car. Legal fees in the class action case would give trial lawyers $8.5 million, Peters said.
Legal experts had said it was unlikely that all owners would take the small claims route because of the time and energy involved in pursuing such lawsuits. But it was a unique approach that could have an impact.
Carnahan held two hearings on the claim in January.
Peters claimed her car never came close to the advertised 50 mpg and that it got no more than 30 miles per gallon when the battery began deteriorating. She still owns the car and wanted to be compensated for money lost on gas, as well as punitive damages, amounting to $10,000.
A Honda technical expert who testified at an earlier hearing said the company was required by federal law to post the sticker estimating the highest mileage the car could get. But he said the mileage varied on how the car was driven. The company said Peters was not deceived.
A judge in San Diego County is due to rule in March on whether to approve Honda's class-action settlement. Members of the class have until Feb. 11 to accept or decline the deal.
Small claims courts generally handle private disputes that do not involve large amounts of money. In many states, that means small debts, quarrels between tenants and landlords, and contract disagreements. Attorneys aren't usually there; in California, litigants aren't allowed to have lawyers argue their case.
The limit for small claims damages in California is $10,000. In other states it ranges from $2,500 to $15,000.
#2879
One of the interesting MID settings in the CR-Z is an Average Speed that resets with each tankful. Although our 20 mile round trip includes a good deal of freeway, typically spent at 50-60 mph, the time spent on surface streets drops the average speed on a tank down to ~30 MPH. Based on this, it seems that "on average" we are city drivers. Based on this, we're pretty pleased with our lifetime average (over 12K miles) of 39.5 mpg in the "city".
#2880
The sizzle in the Steak
A Honda technical expert who testified at an earlier hearing said the company was required by federal law to post the sticker estimating the highest mileage the car could get. But he said the mileage varied on how the car was driven. The company said Peters was not deceived.
Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Douglas Carnahan awarded Heather Peters $9,867 on Wednesday, saying Honda did mislead her about the expected mileage.
"At a bare minimum Honda was aware ... that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," he wrote in the judgment.
"At a bare minimum Honda was aware ... that by the time Peters bought her car there were problems with its living up to its advertised mileage," he wrote in the judgment.
If it is a federal requirement, and the numbers come from the "fed", then how is Honda liable?