2011 Honda Odyssey Specs Suspension Rebates Top Speed Color Price and Review

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.


The biggest changes in the redesigned Odyssey are obvious at first glance, as it no longer looks so much like a conventional minivan. Honda's ideas on styling have been polarizing as of late (read: the Accord Crosstour is ugly as sin), so it's smart that the company chose the Civic as the donor of the new minivan's face. The venerable compact is still the most complete and fluid execution of modern Honda design language, and what it lends to the Odyssey works to make Honda's largest vehicle appear smaller and sleeker. It helps that the Odyssey has a lower and much wider stance, having been stretched over two inches across.

While its front and back sections don't exactly mate up well in profile, each works on its own. The flying buttress D-pillar helps the rear end achieve a more contemporary look, like that of many crossovers. Honda is calling the quirky jog in the beltline at the Odyssey's C-pillar a "lightning bolt," and it's more than just a clever device to give the vehicle a dynamic, moving-forward look. That little dip makes the third-row windows bigger and increases the feeling of roominess for passengers in the way back.



Honda clearly wants to make the back of the bus a more desirable place to ride, and it's come up with some enticing new features to serve the rear-seaters' needs. The first is that the third row now has two sets of LATCH anchors, while the second row can be had with three. These carseat attachments mean more than horsepower to breeder parents, and the Odyssey has more of them than the competition.

The second row is interesting in that Honda has decided not to follow Chrysler into its folly of designing seats to fold into the floor like those in the third row. Understanding that it's the rare day when you want to use your minivan like a pickup truck, Honda instead designed a system that allows the second-row seats to be moved laterally to make more room for passengers or car seats, while improving third-row access through the center in the process. The optional second-row-center seat can even be moved forward to place an infant carseat closer to mom and pop in the front. This is smart engineering trumping gimmicky marketing.



Up front, the cockpit is functional and the controls are similar to any number of other Honda or Acura vehicles (save for a dash-mounted shift lever). While having a central LCD display with a field of buttons and one large controller knob below seems to be the industry norm these days, it's unfortunate to see Honda abandoning the touch-screen interface that made its in-car navigation systems the class of the industry a decade ago. Also upsetting is Honda's decision to place the climate controls above those for the audio and navigation systems, a huge flaw when you consider that many drivers will set an automatic temperature setting and then rarely look at it.

Behind the wheel, the Odyssey is a nice driver, though it no longer feels as much like an Accord. It's not that this new version of what used to be the best driving minivan on the market can't corner, but that the steering doesn't provides as much feel as its predecessor.



If the Odyssey drives more like a minivan than a station wagon now, it certainly doesn't accelerate like one. Honda's 3.5-liter V6 makes 248 horsepower in the 2011 Odyssey, along with 250 pound-feet of torque. It revs quickly and has great throttle response, and Honda has done a masterful job of matching the gear ratios of the new, optional six-speed automatic transmission to make the Odyssey move. This is a minivan than can go quicker than it should, at least with babies onboard.

Honda has also included its Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system as standard equipment. This shuts down two or three of the V6's cylinders when they're not needed, improving fuel economy. This and some other measures, including a 50-to-100 pound weight reduction, have helped the Odyssey boast some impressive EPA numbers for a roughly 4,400-pound vehicle. With the standard five-speed automatic, the van is rated at 18 mpg city, 21 combined and 27 on the highway. The six-speed automatic improves each of those numbers by a single mile-per-gallon, and that's tops among any vehicle that can carry eight passengers.



No minivan these days would be complete without some sort of video screen for the kids, and Honda has gone big in this department with an optional 16.2-inch widescreen that folds down from the headliner in the second row. (A more conventional nine-inch screen is also available.) Before you get too excited about having a display larger than a MacBook Pro in the Odyssey, however, understand this is really just two normal-sized displays mated into a single, wide LCD panel. While it's possible to stretch out a single video source to cover the entire screen in a grotesquely distorted aspect ratio, the more useful application is to allow each side of the vehicle to select a separate input source for their half of the screen, choosing from the DVD player, composite auxiliary inputs and an HDMI port.

While this HDMI port is bound to get video game geeks excited, it's more of a way for Honda to future-proof its van than anything else. The screen in the Odyssey is still pretty small, making most modern video games designed for widescreen, high-definition displays difficult. Your World of Warcraft addiction will have to be a lot more severe than mine to want to play in the back of an Odyssey.



As much as I like the Odyssey, I do have three caveats that are absolutely worth mentioning. The first is an audio system that had issues outputting varying levels of distorted sound across all audio sources throughout a 1,000-mile roadtrip, making even podcasts unlistenable. I'm trusting the tester was merely defective, and that this isn't a widespread problem with Honda's Active Noise Cancellation system, which uses the audio system to make the interior of the vehicle quieter.

The second issue is an aesthetic one: Why can't Honda hide the Odyssey's door track? Honda knows the importance of styling, given how much its redesign of the Odyssey was based on making a van that looked different from any that have come before. So why is it, then, that this company continues to allow these giant gashes on either side of the minivan to persist. Toyota and Chrysler tuck their door tracks under the third-row window, and such a configuration would make all the difference in tidying up the Odyssey's busy rear, which looks too much like it has been on the losing end of a battle with a guardrail.



My final complaint has as much to do with my own financial situation as it does with Honda, but $40,775 to get an Odyssey with the six-speed automatic seems a wee bit dear. That's an exceptional amount of money when the base model costs just $27,800. Whatever happened to paying an extra $1,500 for the better transmission? Why is the six-speed transmission bundled with a nav system and DVD player? This kind of business practice is akin to a cell phone provider offering a cheap plan with a token few minutes for thirty bucks, and then charging twice that amount to get enough minutes to actually use your phone.

As fantastic as the Odyssey is, there's a bigger question at hand: Can it (or Toyota's "Swagger Wagon," or a nicely revamped Grand Caravan from Dodge, or the all-new Nissan Quest) convince the masses that minivans aren't the automotive equivalent of wearing sweatpants? Surely there are a sizable amount of people who wouldn't drive a minivan even if it came with a personal invitation from Rob Halford himself. But Honda thinks that this market is primed for growth, and that's reasonable speculation. With plenty of consumers making the SUV-to-crossover jump in the interest of cutting their fuel bills while maintaining a capacious interior, giving minivans another look is the smart thing to do.

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2011 Airstream Avenue Specs Rebates Suspension Top Speed Color Price Features and Review

2011 Airstream Avenue – Click above for high-res image gallery

This is the time of year when you can't help but realize that you've been tucked away in an office while the desk calendar has been the only one getting a workout. It's time to look at a map and pack a bag. Coincidentally, my friend Tom had the same thing in mind. He's about to have his first baby, doing work on his first home, and he's getting a look in his eye that suggests it's time for a breather. For me, the open road is always calling and, when a friend is ready to join in, it means the stars have aligned for a road trip.

Those two little words create all kinds of questions, the first of which centers upon what type of vehicle to use. We're both 30, so we'd like a little luxury but... we're both 30, so we'd like a little adventure too. Thankfully, a brief call from Airstream put my name on the keys of a 2011 Avenue slumbering in a Los Angeles parking lot.



From the outside, the large Chevrolet Bowtie in the center of the grille is familiar, but the rest of the sleek, silver Avenue lends our chariot an immediately upscale appearance. The roof is taller, the paintwork seems to have an extra layer of depth and the tinted windows give off an air of cooler-than-the-next-guy motoring. The dolled-up Express van that Tom and I are staring at appears to be a suitable home on wheels from the outside. It may not have the iconic aluminum cigar look associated with Airstream's travel trailers, but the Avenue still manages to come off as stylish.

Grabbing our bags and heading inside, we're greeted by an interior that rivals Manhattan's finest broom-closet sized studios. The front driving space is standard Chevy Express, with the exception of a rear camera display mounted over the rear-view mirror, but the Avenue is packed with storage space and amenities just behind those front thrones. It's enough living space that I suspect I'll be charged first and last month's rent when returning the Avenue.



A second pair of captain's chairs sits behind the driver and front-passenger seats. They're easily accessible from the driving area or via a pair of wide-opening passenger-side doors. Moving backwards from that opening and turning left, we find a kitchen sink, dual-burner stove, refrigerator, combination toilet-shower and a three- to four-passenger couch (your results may vary) at the very rear of the Avenue. It's more than enough for two guys embarking on a weekend trek up the California coast.

Despite the opulent interior, the Airstream Avenue is still missing something. It doesn't have a navigation system, which is surprising considering it's a built-for-wandering machine that costs a heady $98,000. Despite that lack of satellite-guidance, Tom and I point the Bowtie emblem north and head out from our Huntington Beach starting point. Our final destination will be Pismo Beach, but we're currently separated by 212 miles, LA traffic and the tail-end of record levels of SoCal rainfall.



Scrambling down the 405, we're easing our way in between $150,000 Mercedes-Benz CL coupes and $150 1975 Datsun pickups. Welcome to Los Angeles. Our crawl through the City of Angels is moving as expected and eventually we make our way north of the city, merging on to the 101. The pace quickens but so does the rain. Under the hood sits General Motors' 6.0-liter Vortec V8 engine, which makes 323 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque, and helps push the 8,075-pound apartment towards our coastal destination.

We've got a long way to go before that point, however, and I'm currently possessed of white-knuckle focus. The Avenue is tackling the rain-soaked 101 far better than I could have imagined. It wears new 245/75R16 Bridgestones and a set of fresh wipers. The Airstream is not the source of my Casper-colored knuckles; it's the action going on around me. When the first drops of water fall from the sky and reach the California landscape, our fellow drivers devolve into misguided motoring hell. Tom and I crest a patch of highway traveling in the left lane, only to see a BMW decide to merge back onto the highway from the left shoulder. Did I mention it's pouring and I'm driving an unfamiliar 8,075-pound vehicle? My rain-slicked Puma lays hard into the brake pedal and waits for the familiar pulse of ABS, but it never arrives. Instead, the Avenue merely scrubs the speed in a shockingly smooth manner. Tom breathes a sigh of relief, and with my stomach occupying the same space as my heart, my middle finger has never shone quite so brightly.



The BMW now in our rearview monitor, we press on down the 101. Tom proposes stopping in Santa Barbara for dinner. I bring up the idea of sleeping in Santa Barbara and washing away my nerves. His silent nod of approval confirms our new plans – Pismo Beach can wait. Parking spaces are not turning up, however, as everyone has already decided they are in for the evening, so I put in a call to a good friend who went to college in the area. His friend owns a winery/tasting room and that facility has a parking lot... home, sweet temporary home.

After a burger and some beers, it's time to retreat to our retreat. Flipping his shotgun seat around to face the one behind him, Tom is able to sort out a makeshift bed. Being the captain of this trip, I turned my attention to a wall-mounted switch. Holding it down, the leather rear sofa seating area folds down into a comfortable leather sleeping area. Doors locked, Tom snoring and all the shades pulled, we settle in for the evening. Well... all the shades except the rear one that I forget to install, meaning the light from the parking lot wakes me up every hour.



It didn't matter, though, because we need to get moving the next day sooner rather than later. The light from the lamp in the parking lot slowly becomes less invasive, but only because the sun is getting ready for another lap across the sky. It's time to wake up, pop the six-speed automatic into 'D' and find our way to Pismo Beach. I trade my bed for the driver's seat and Tom turns his chair-bed into a real one.

The weather decides to play nice for the rest of the trip. The downpour we experienced a day earlier gives way to sunny skies and empty roads, and the journey to our KOA Campground cabin in Pismo Beach is over before Tom wakes up from a power nap. The cabin serves as the perfect headquarter accompaniment to our roving Airstream. Inside we find a full kitchen, two bedrooms and a full-size bathroom. The only thing missing is a grille, which means it's time to pile back into the Avenue and venture into town. Fifteen minutes and a freak dash of sleet later, we are leaving San Louis Obispo to return to our Pismo Beach base camp.



Once officially settled in, I dive headfirst into the refrigerator. Our other (previously unmentioned) traveling companions included eight 22-ounce beers from a variety of breweries, maple-bourbon steak tips, au gratin potatoes, soaking mushrooms and a $40 cowboy steak substantial enough to spar in the heavyweight class.

The Avenue provides suitable space for us to dine thanks to a post and table top that mounts centrally between the quartet of captain's chairs. We dine and drink while chatting about the things that weigh heavy on the minds of 30-year-old men. That gets old fast, so we decide to hook up my PlayStation 3 to the 19-inch flat-screen mounted above the two front seats (since we had parked under a tree, it wasn't receiving a signal from the roof-mounted satellite receiver anyway). Video games and craft beer consumption continue throughout the evening until Tom retires to our KOA cabin and I hit the bed button again.



Rear shade in place, I sleep undisturbed, and upon waking am well-rested enough for our return drive to Orange County. The earlier rain kept many people at home, which means California's highways are unusually empty. The Airstream Avenue hums down the sun-soaked highway while Tom and I sing along to the iPod plugged into the auxiliary input. Our weekend road trip is nearing a close.

It may have been a quick getaway, but the Airstream was the perfect traveling companion. We sipped an average of 12.2 miles per gallon out of the 31-gallon tank. The Avenue handled like one would expect from a top-heavy, 8,075-pound van, yet the engine and brakes were well suited to the application. Inside, the Avenue suffers from the squeaks and rattles found in any large recreational vehicle, yet the level of fit and finish is still top notch. Drawers and cabinets remained clamped, our precious cold cargo didn't slide around and the overall level of interior noise proved to be on par with any other well-built motorhome. Tom's bed may have been larger in the KOA cabin, but my bed was much nicer.

The 2011 Airstream Avenue is a well-equipped studio apartment on wheels. While it's not really suited for parties numbering greater than two, it's an excellent way for a pair of friends or a couple to get away for the weekend without leaving their home at home.

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2011 Honda Pilot 4WD Touring Specs Rebates Suspension Top Speed Color Price Features and Review

2011 Honda Pilot 4WD Touring - Click above for high-res image gallery

The family Crossover Utility Vehicle segment is, to put it mildly, crowded. Every major automaker has at least one option from which to choose. Ford has four choices, while Toyota makes due with three options. Some models feature two rows of seating, while others boast room for up to eight. Then there are the more off-road capable options to contrast with the docile soft-roaders.

Though most automakers have gone crossover crazy, Honda has made due with a simple two-CUV lineup. The perennially top-selling CR-V takes care of those who desire a smaller footprint, smaller price tag and higher fuel economy, while the larger Pilot takes on the three-row crowd. The Pilot has been mostly successful during its nine-year production run, with high marks for safety (the 2011 model has an overall score of four stars from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) and reliability (Consumer Reports gave it the organization's coveted Recommended rating). Dancing on the fringes of the CUV segment and selling in low numbers, Honda also offers the nearly gone Element and Accord Crosstour, but it's still the boxier CR-V and Pilot doing the heavy lifting for the brand. Honda made enough changes to the Pilot to keep it competitive with stiff competition like the Toyota Highlander and Chevrolet Traverse? We spent a week with a well-appointed 4X4 Touring model to find out.



When the Pilot first hit the market in 2003, Honda's CUV was competing mainly with quickly aging body-on-frame Sport Utility Vehicles like the previous Ford Explorer and Chevrolet Trailblazer. That first-generation Pilot's 240-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 and relatively nimble chassis made those SUVs look outdated in comparison, and buyers took notice. The Pilot later received a touch-up in 2006 and a fuller refresh in 2009, but other than a boxier, more macho design and an interior that some say actually regressed, the formula really hasn't changed all that much. That's not as damning a statement as one might think, considering how far ahead of the competition the Pilot once was, and it helps that repeat buyers know exactly what to expect from their big Honda: safety, reliability and unshakable resale value.

One appealing aspect of buying a Honda Pilot is the simplicity of its available options. For example, our $41,175 4WD Touring model came equipped with Bluetooth, a navigation system, leather seats, rear-seat DVD and a power liftgate. An impressive list of features for sure, except that this big Honda is without a single option box checked. The above is all standard on this highest trim level that starts at $40,395, and yet there are plenty of accessories to pick from, including some exorbitantly priced 18-inch wheels that retail for $3,093. Most utility vehicles in this price range start with 18-inch wheels standard and offer optional 20-inch or bigger wheels, which makes the extra three grand that Honda's asking for one-inch larger diameter wheels than standard 17s even tougher to swallow.



If the goal of offering standard 17-inch wheels even on the top-of-the-line Touring model is to make the Pilot look even more massive than it actually is, then... mission accomplished. From the side the Pilot looks every bit as large as the GMC Acadia, even though GM's crossover is about a foot longer. The big and bold theme is accentuated with a Lego block design theme throughout, as the Pilot reminds us of a super-sized Ford Escape. Up front, it features a squared, in-your-face double polygon chrome grille framed by a pair of headlamps that appear to have missed the trend towards more stylized peepers. The same storyline unfolds out back, with more boxiness and a similar absence of flair.

The Pilot's exterior screams "utility vehicle," and that theme carries over inside this crossover's large cabin. We mentioned earlier that some feel the interior of the latest Pilot was actually downgraded when the vehicle was redesigned in 2009. You'll get no arguments from us on that point, as the current model's massive center stack and hard plastic materials are outdone by the first generation model's more appropriately sized center console and more appealing materials. And although our tester didn't feature this accessory, the Pilot's dash can be made more attractive by dropping $393 for light wood accents that break up the expanses of dark plastics. Speaking of the center console, we have no idea why Honda designers chose such a massive canvas to place so many tiny and difficult-to-find buttons. We counted 62 buttons total, though don't hold us to that figure, as our eyes began to fail sometime after reaching 40.

We usually require a day or so to adjust to our new surroundings when testing a vehicle, but we never got comfortable enough with the Pilot's multitude of controls to come anywhere close to mastery. We even found ourselves repeatedly looking away from the road for three to five seconds at a time as we hunted for the proper radio or climate control settings. Despite being called "Pilot," there's no reason this crossover's interior should mimic the cockpit of a 747. And then there is the oddly placed shifter, which blocks passage the driver's reach to the mass of buttons and switches on the other side. View the Autoblog Short Cut below to see why the lever's position is all wrong.

That's a lot of hostility aimed at the Pilot's cabin, but there are some areas where the boxy Honda shines. First and foremost is comfort. We love the Pilot's front-row seats (the second row is a bit low to the ground). They're big, comfy and upholstered with high-quality leather. The steering wheel, too, feels very posh. And then there is the Pilot's cargo-hauling capability, which easily bests that of the Toyota Highlander. The Pilot is also the widest vehicle in its class, beating the Chevy Traverse by all of .1 inches. But hey, a win is a win, and the Pilot uses its span to swallow up more cargo than its middle-of-the-pack 87 cubic-feet of cargo carrying capacity would suggest. The Pilot also wins when it comes to handy storage space throughout the cabin, with our favorite cubby located under the load floor behind the third row. The six-inch deep storage space helps keep your cargo from pinballing around the cabin.

With great size comes great weight, and the Pilot tips the scales at over 4,600 pounds, or nearly 200 lbs. more than the Highlander. Yet in spite of the Pilot's size, Honda has done little to increase power over the years. The crossover's 3.5-liter V6 churns out 250 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 253 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 revolutions. Those numbers would have been impressive about five years ago, but in 2011 the Pilot lags behind the Traverse by 38 horsepower. Even the much smaller Toyota RAV4 can out-grunt the Pilot by 19 horsepower with its optional V6.



And while the Pilot's engine, which is mated to a tried-and-true five-speed automatic transmission, is smooth as glass, the power deficit is all too obvious. And less horsepower doesn't translate to a decreased reliance on fossil fuels, as the Pilot lags behind both the Traverse and Highlander on the fuel economy front. When equipped with all-wheel drive, the Pilot earns 22 miles per gallon on the highway and 16 mpg in the city according to the Environmental Protection Agency. We managed a meager 18 mpg in mixed driving, which is still better than most eight-passenger crossovers, albeit nothing to brag about to your hybrid-driving neighbor. We were expecting better fuel economy what with the Pilot featuring Honda's Variable Cylinder Management technology that shuts down two or three cylinders when conditions permit, but alas, we never found it.

The Pilot makes up for its lack of power and so-so fuel economy with a rock-solid chassis that tackles bumps and other imperfections with little fuss. Its rack and pinion steering is linear and nicely weighted as well, though there's not much that can make this big 'ute feel sprightly when turning into a curve. It snowed on the last day we had with the Pilot, which gave us the opportunity to test the Pilot's all-wheel-drive setup. The system can transfer up to 70 percent of the engine's power to the rear wheels when the need arises. We experienced next to zero slip with all-wheel drive engaged, which translated into a lot of confidence when we needed it most. We can't say the same for the Pilot's brakes, though. While the pedal felt firm, we noticed that the positive vibe didn't translate into increased stopping power. On more than one occasion, we found ourselves tapping on the brake at first, then pressing more firmly when we realized the vehicle wasn't stopping as quickly as we thought it would.



After a week with the Pilot, we can see why many customers love their big Honda. It's roomy, smooth, reliable and safe, which hits many of the attributes near and dear to the American car buyer. And who cares if the Pilot is a bit south of stylish? The crossover segment isn't this industry's canvas of choice to display cutting-edge design, and neither has Honda ever been accused of being an artist. Buyers know this going in.

While we can see why the Honda faithful are perfectly happy with their Pilot, there are a lot more seven- and eight-passenger fish in this sea of crossovers. The aforementioned Highlander and Traverse consistently beat the Pilot in terms of power, fuel economy and style, and there are very few areas where the Pilot takes them both out. Sales, however, is the most concrete harbinger of a vehicle's success or failure, and by that score, the Pilot continues to do well. Even so, we're looking forward to the next iteration of Honda's big family hauler.

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2011 Honda Accord Specs Suspension Rebates Top Speed Color Prices Features and Review

The 2011 Honda Accord ranks 7 out of 19 Affordable Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 46 published reviews and test drives of the Honda Accord, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2011 Honda Accord is the go-to car for reliability and practicality in the class of Affordable Midsize Cars. To keep pace with rivals, Honda has made some minor changes to this year’s model that makes it better than ever.

The Accord nameplate is one of the most storied names in the business. Among its many awards, it has been named one of Car and Driver’s 10Best an astonishing 24 times.

The Honda Accord continues to stay in the spotlight for good reasons. Critics praise its massive interior space – the government actually categorizes it a large car – strong resale value and impressive long-term reliability. In fact, Car and Driver says that the 2011 Honda Accord “remains a first-rate ambassador to the segment.”

Still, the Accord is beginning to show some signs of early aging. Combined with the introduction of fresher rivals, competition is getting stiff. Describing the newly-redesigned 2011 Hyundai Sonata, Road and Track writes, “Warning to Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Mazda and Nissan: Your corporate lives just became more difficult.” What’s more, hybrid alternatives continue their assault on the segment with highly-ranked cars like the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Toyota Prius.


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Honda Accord CF3 Specification Suspension Top Speed Rebates Price Color and Review

 

I have owned a fair bunch of cars. I started with a Swift (1990-91 model) that had been in our family since 1993. I got it in the year 2000. It was during the college days. Sold that to buy a Mehran. A brand new one. I loved the Mehran (why, if you dare ask, would one love a car like that? then you’ve got to read my review of Suzuki Mehran). After Mehran, I bought a brand new Baleno. I sold the Baleno, at a good price, in 2006. In the January of 2007, I got my hand on a car that is definitely a sure-fire winner. The Honda Accord CF3.
When I decided to buy the car, pretty much everyone told me not to buy it. Why? Well, for the only reason people tell you not to buy a car i.e. resale. “Market kee garee nahi hai” or “Buy a new Corolla and be done with it!” What? I have not regretted buying the sleek CF3 one bit, since the 3 odd years that I have owned it.
The car drives like a charm. It gives me 8 to 9 kms to the liter. I had decided when I bought it that I will not install CNG to the car, and I am so far happy with that decision. At 1800 CCs, the Accord has smooth acceleration and nimble handling, thanks to the EPS (Electronic Power Steering). Of course, handling of a car has not ‘that’ much to do with the Power Steering, but the overall ‘feel’ of the drive is enhanced many folds.

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Honda CR-Z Specification Suspension Rebates Price Color Safety Features and Review

Overview:

The Honda CR-Z, also known as the first hybrid sports car, is a compact hybrid electric automobile manufactured by Honda. The CR-Z is regarded as the spiritual successor to the second generation Honda CR-X in both name and exterior design.

It is rated one of Europe's safest cars after independent crash test results from Euro NCAP, and in the U.S., is rated as an Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV).

Currently, CR-Z is the only gasoline-electric hybrid model comes with a manual transmission.

Exterior style:

When look at the CR-Z, you get the distinct notion that: this car simply looks like nothing else on the road. From the raked rear window inspired by the CR-X, to the pointy rear lights and bulges distributed in key areas - it's absolutely unique and cannot be mistaken from other cars.

The exterior of CR-Z shares its basic structure and suspension design with the Honda's current Insight hybrid. However, Honda has made the CR-Z shorter by about a foot, widened the track slightly and reduced overall height by a couple inches. You may at first think that the trimming reduces a lot curb weight, but in fact the CR-Z only weighs about 80 pounds fewer than the Insight, however, the end result of all this is that Honda has indeed created a sporty hybrid.

The CR-Z looks sharp and is fun to drive around town thanks to its small size and quick steering. In general, the CR-Z is still one of the most nimble cars you can buy today.

Interior design:

The Honda CR-Z comes with three versions: base, EX and EX with navigation. The base version equipped standard with 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, hill-start assist (manual transmission), automatic climate control, full power accessories, manual seats with driver-side height adjustment, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and a six-speaker CD audio system (with steering-wheel controls and USB/auxiliary audio jacks).

For the EX versions, Honda has added xenon headlights, fog-lights, heated side mirrors, metallic interior trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth and a seven-speaker premium audio system. With extra bucks, you can get a voice-activated navigation system, 17-inch wheels, performance tires and satellite radio.

Power & Performance:

Under the hood, the CR-Z comes with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid-electric system, which means that the engine acts like a turbo with the electric motor boosting the 1.5 L gasoline engine, resulting in a combined output of 122bhp at 6000 rpm (The gasoline motor itself outputs only 111 bhp at 6000 rpm)

A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with paddle shifters is optional. There are also three different driving modes: Sport, Normal and Econ. With the Sport you can increase steering weight, the Econ has a softer acceleration and steering and with Normal you are somewhere between the other two.

According to 2011 EPA rating, the CR-Z can get 31 mpg on city road and 37 mpg on the highway with manual transmission. The model equipped with CVT transmission has a rating of 35 miles per gallon for city driving and 39 miles per gallon for highway. It is ranked number four on 2011 EPA top ten list of fuel efficient vehicles for CVT equipped model and number ten for manual transmission equipped mode.

The driving experience:

Driving the CR-Z is comfortable, confident and agile for a hybrid. Its well-balanced chassis and light 2,600 lb curb weight make it agile and it absolutely sticks to the ground in the corners.

But if you're expecting sharp handling like a Civic Si, you're going to be disappointed.

However, if you lower your expectations a little, you'll find the CR-Z reasonably fun to drive. The steering, though not hugely informative, is precise and is undeniably some of the most heavily weighted this side of a Lamborghini Murcielag. The brake system is controlled by software modulating regeneration and friction braking, means it is a better braking system than in other hybrids. The power from the hybrid powertrain is certainly sufficient, and you will feel a little more energetic than driving the other cars due to the burst of extra torque from the electric motor at low speed.

In conclusion:

Base model start at $19,200, while a nicely equipped EX with the CVT goes for $21,410.

My opinion: It’s perfectly targeted at younger urban buyers and its priced right too, so get one and you will have extremely fun with it.

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