honda Archives | Page 7 of 13

Video: Honda debuts trippy new Jazz ad with Garrison Keillor voiceover, interactive iPhone app

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Honda

Honda Jazz commercial

Click above to watch the video after the jump

honda jazz iphone app Honda has made some incredible commercials over the years. Remember “The Cog?” How about Commercial of the Decade “Grrr?” Then there is two of our favorites; “Impossible Dream” and “Impossible Dream II.” These spots share two common traits: all are voiced by the silky-smooth Garrison Keillor and each is innovative in its own way.

The ad geniuses at Honda are hoping to strike gold once again with a now spot titled “This Unpredictable Life,” which features Keillor and a bunch of animated characters. The Honda Jazz (the Fit here in the U.S.) spot itself is well-written and attractively animated, but the innovation comes in the form of an iPhone app that actually communicates with the commercial.

To download the app, simply hit the App Store and type Honda Jazz in the search. The object of the free game is to hold up the iPhone with the app running while the commercial is being played. Any time one of the characters from the game (shown, right) are shown in the commercial, you have to shake your iPhone. As you “catch” the characters, the app gains interactivity whenever you tap on them.

Once you download the app you can hit the jump to play the commercial. Make sure the volume is up on your computer so your phone can sense the sounds in order to tell when you’re supposed to shake. We definitely won’t guarantee the game is a blast to play, but we’re impressed with the creativity in any case.

Gallery: Honda Jazz Commercial

Honda Jazz Commercial

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Video: Honda debuts trippy new Jazz ad with Garrison Keillor voiceover, interactive iPhone app

Video: Honda debuts trippy new Jazz ad with Garrison Keillor voiceover, interactive iPhone app originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Honda debuts trippy new Jazz ad with Garrison Keillor voiceover, interactive iPhone app”

Nissan blows by Honda in global automotive sales

Filed under: Honda, Nissan

In the U.S., the pecking order among Japanese automakers looks like this: Way out in front is Toyota, followed by Honda and Nissan respectively. On a global scale, however, Nissan has finally leapfrogged Honda for second banana status. Torque News reports that Nissan’s global sales soared 21 percent in 2010 due in part to exploding business in China. All told, Nissan moved 4.08 million units during the calendar year.

Honda also saw increased sales, but it managed only a five percent gain. That’s 3.56 million vehicles sold, or about 500,000 fewer units than its rival. 2010 was a very solid year for Nissan, as well its alliance partner Renault, which also fared very well. Together the two automakers combined to sell 7.3 million cars and trucks. That’s more than Ford or Volkswagen, though Renault-Nissan sales aren’t officially counted together when the final rankings are tabulated at the end of the year. Toyota led all automaker sales for the year, followed by General Motors and VW.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Nissan blows by Honda in global automotive sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Nissan blows by Honda in global automotive sales”

2011 Honda Odyssey earns five-star crash safety rating

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Safety, Honda

2011 Honda Odyssey – Click above for high-res image gallery

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new testing methodology has proven to be remarkably tougher than its old tests. In the past NHTSA gave out five-star ratings like they were “massage” pamphlets on the Vegas strip, but the new regulations have led to only 11 five-star Overall Vehicle Scores out of 50 vehicles. So with that in mind it’s big news for Honda that the all-new 2011 Odyssey has earned an overall five-star rating for all three crash tests, test category and overall. In fact, the Odyssey’s only four-star score came in rollover testing. Honda points to its new Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure as a reason the Odyssey fared so well in NHTSA testing. ACE evenly distributes crash energy throughout the front end of the vehicle, making front-end collisions less dangerous for passengers.

The Odyssey’s big win from NHTSA comes after the popular minivan managed the top score of “Good” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Odyssey isn’t yet eligible for the Top Safety Pick designation since it hasn’t been tested for roof strength. Hit the jump to read over the Honda press release.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey: Review

2011 Honda Odyssey

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading 2011 Honda Odyssey earns five-star crash safety rating

2011 Honda Odyssey earns five-star crash safety rating originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2011 Honda Odyssey earns five-star crash safety rating”

Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Honda

2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

2011 Honda Accord for Europe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda has announced that it will use the world stage of the Geneva Motor Show to pull the covers off its latest Accord sedan and wagon for Europe. Just to be clear, this car is very different from the Accord offered in the United States. In fact, the European Accord is very similar to the Acura TSX that’s available Stateside. ‘Course, we do wish we could get the European Accord’s fascia on our TSX, but we digress…

So what’s new? Naturally, the exterior styling has been revised ever so slightly, mostly to the front fascia and headlights. Honda has also added what it calls Active Cornering Lights that illuminate when the steering wheel is turned more than 90 degrees and a High-Beam Support System that uses a CMOS camera embedded in the windscreen that senses when to turn the brights on and off.

There are also three new colors: Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre and Celestial Blue Pearl, while inside you’ll find a few detail updates to the finishes, including red interior lighting for the Type S models and blue interior lighting for all other trims.

Perhaps more important are subtle changes to the car’s 2.2-liter i-DTEC diesel engine (mostly the rather nebulous “reduced internal frictional losses”) that, coupled with a “host of underbody aerodynamic aids,” increase fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions, if even just a small amount.

As for the stuff you can’t see on the surface, Honda says it has quited the cabin and revised the dual-mode dampers for greater high-speed stability and “a significant improvement in ride quality, even on poor road surfaces.” If you like what you’ve read so far, you’re bound to love the entire press release, which can be found after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva

Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva”

Opinion: Has Honda lost its footing?

Filed under: Honda

Honda Civic Concept sketch

When Honda handed out sketches of an all-new Civic Concept last December, they received a warm welcome from those anticipating big changes for the maker’s long-popular compact sedan.

So, the Honda press conference at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show last week triggered more than a bit of confusion – and even some disappointment. True, we journalists are used to seeing things watered down when an automaker moves from sketch to concept, and then from concept to production car. But the Civic Concept revealed in Detroit is no fantasy in chrome. If anything, in terms of design, it’s only a moderately warmed-over version of the current compact sedan.

Which raises some serious questions about Honda’s strategy at a time when the compact market is becoming more competitive than it has been in years. Until recently, Honda could assume that the only real competition for the Civic would be the Toyota Corolla. No longer.

Paul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.

Continue reading Opinion: Has Honda lost its footing?

Opinion: Has Honda lost its footing? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Opinion: Has Honda lost its footing?”

Report: 2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Honda

Honda Civic Si coupe concept

Honda Civic Si coupe concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

A Civic for everyone. That was Soichiro Honda’s motto when rolling out the original Civic, and it’s one to which his company intends to stick with the launch of the next-generation model. When the all-new 2012 Civic is launched in April, Honda will roll out a whole variety of body and propulsion configurations within mere weeks of each other, instead of letting months pass between the debut of one model to the next.

Among those variants, we can expect both a sedan and a coupe, with several conventional gasoline engines on offer – including natural gas and hybrid versions – as well as the sporty Civic Si.

The new Civic, previewed recently at the Detroit Auto Show, was slated to debut in 2009. But when the global economy started going south, Honda sent the design back to the drawing board for a nearly complete overhaul before it ever saw the light of day. The result is expected to be much roomier than the current model, though the exterior design hasn’t changed all that much.

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Coupe

2012 Honda Civic Coupe

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Sedan

2012 Honda Civic Sedan

[Source: AutoWeek]

Report: 2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: 2012 Honda Civic coming in April, all variants to launch in quick succession”

Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Honda, Reviews

A Minivan Screams For Vengeance

2011 Honda Odyssey

2011 Honda Odyssey – Click above for high-res image gallery

While we shouldn’t be shocked by anything coming out of Madison Avenue, part of me is incensed to hear Honda using Judas Priest to advertise its new Odyssey. That’s right, the opening riff of the greatest album from the gods of heavy metal deployed, not in the service of Satan, but to sell a minivan?

While the 18-year-old headbanger in me would like to stand up and rail against Honda (“If you think you’re going to make me think your stupid soccer mom taxi is cool, well, You’ve Got Another Thing Coming!”), the truth of the matter is that Honda’s ad agency nailed it. We’re not teenagers anymore. We’ve grown up and had families. I even own a minivan, and, indeed, there is at least one Judas Priest CD that lives in the center console. And after driving the new Odyssey for a week, I have serious van envy. Honda has crafted the ultimate, state-of-the-art people mover, even if it’s not much more than some flashy design and incremental improvements in areas like powertrain, fuel efficiency and equipment.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Odyssey: Review

2011 Honda Odyssey

Continue reading Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey

Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Review: 2011 Honda Odyssey”

Online Find of the Day: You can own Honda’s CA proving grounds

Attention real estate investors, motorsports teams and all-around wealthy folks, we have found your next investment ,and all we ask in return is an open invitation. Honda has apparently decided to put its Cantil, California proving grounds up for sale, and we’re drooling over the possibilities. The listing, which is being handled by CB Richard Ellis, consists of various test tracks (including a 7.5 mile oval track and 4.5 mile winding road loop) and buildings located on over 4,200 acres of land. There’s no asking price attached at the moment, but we can only assume that a long string of zeros will be written on the buyer’s check.

Check out the listing on the CB Richard Ellis site then help us ponder how to turn this automotive playground into our new headquarters.

[Source: CB Richard Ellis via Bring-A-Trailer]

Online Find of the Day: You can own Honda’s CA proving grounds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Online Find of the Day: You can own Honda’s CA proving grounds”

Report: Honda recallying 2,277 Accord and CR-V models over wiring problem

2010 Honda Accord Sedan – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to USA Today, Honda has announced that it is recalling 2,277 Accord and CR-V models for an electrical coupling that may have been damaged while the engine was being installed in the vehicles. If this is the case, the engine could stall during normal operation. The condition impacts certain 2010 Accord and CR-V models, and as of right now, no injuries or accidents have been reported due to the problem. Still, Honda says that it’s important for owners who are notified of the recall to take their vehicles in for inspection. Honda is expected to repair or replace the connector free of charge.

Owners of impacted vehicles can look for letters informing them of the recall in February. Repairs are slated to begin shortly thereafter. Hit the jump to see the NHTSA recall announcement.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Accord Sedan

Gallery: Review: 2010 Honda CR-V

[Source: NHTSA via USA Today]

Continue reading Report: Honda recallying 2,277 Accord and CR-V models over wiring problem

Report: Honda recallying 2,277 Accord and CR-V models over wiring problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Honda recallying 2,277 Accord and CR-V models over wiring problem”

Detroit 2011: Honda Civic Coupe and Sedan Concepts are visions of a compact future

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Budget, Sedan, Honda

2012 Honda Civic Coupe Concept

2012 Honda Civic Coupe Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda dusted off concept versions of the ninth generation Civic Coupe and Sedan at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show today, and the automaker says that along with mildly updated exteriors, both vehicles will wear improved interiors compared to the current-generation Civic. Judging from the history of Honda concepts, there’s a good chance that the production versions of both the four and two-door Civics will be very similar to the vehicles you see above. That means that the Civic Coupe will wear styling influenced heavily by the current Accord Coupe.

Meanwhile, four-door buyers can expect an exterior design very similar to the 2011 Civic. Though the sedan’s front-fascia wears a little bit more menace than the current design, the carried-over grille and headlights are more than a little familiar. Out back, new tail lamps and a re-sculpted trunk deck dominate the view.

Honda says that for the first time, buyers in all 50 states will be able to get their hands on the natural-gas Civic. Previously, the green machine was only available in select markets. Additionally, the Civic Hybrid will now boast lithium-ion batteries as opposed nickel-metal hydride. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2011 Detroit: 2012 Honda Civic Coupe Concept

2012 Honda Civic Coupe Concept

Gallery: 2011 Detroit: 2012 Honda Civic Concept

2012 Honda Civic Concept

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Coupe

2012 Honda Civic Coupe

Gallery: 2012 Honda Civic Sedan

2012 Honda Civic Sedan

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Detroit 2011: Honda Civic Coupe and Sedan Concepts are visions of a compact future

Detroit 2011: Honda Civic Coupe and Sedan Concepts are visions of a compact future originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Detroit 2011: Honda Civic Coupe and Sedan Concepts are visions of a compact future”