2008 Hot Lava Scion XD Review
2008 / 2009 Scion XD Test Drive & Review
Review of the 2008 Scion xD Hot Lava Special Edition.
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2009 Ford Fiesta previewed by Motor Trend
Ford is moving in the right direction, trying to make better smaller cars that will sell. While it isn’t clear why they keep dropping and returning to old names, the 2009 Ford Fiesta appears to have the potential to be a hit for the company.
Car and Driver test drove a European Fiesta. They like the car, noting the following:
It’s an aggressive and emotional shape with strongly three-dimensional surfacing, but look closer and it’s also very neatly finished and detailed. That reflects the whole car’s personality — it’s zippy and a ball of fun, but equally it’s thoroughly refined with a sense of depth to the engineering.
The car certainly is sharper looking than the Ford Focus, which is selling well despite its ugly design and ancient underpinnings.
Read Motor Trend’s review here.
2009 Honda Fit Sport — Test Drive — First Impressions
Below is my review of my test drive of the 2009 Honda Fit. According to the finance manager at my local dealer, there are NO deals being made on these cars. They’re selling them for full MSRP plus dealer ad-ons.
2009 Honda Fit Sport - Test Drive First Impressions
Impressions of Honda’s newly redesigned subcompact car, the 2009 Honda Fit.
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Introducing the Honda Prius…. er…. Insight!
Honda’s reintroducing its Honda Insight, originally the first mass production hybrid car, as a five passenger hybrid. So far, the picture above is classified as a concept, meaning it may change before the car reaches production sometime next year. Honda is promising a cheaper hybrid to undercut the popular Prius. The original Honda Insight was the first hybrid, but never got much love because of its ugly design and the fact that it was only a two-seater. With an aggressive hybrid strategy, Honda hopes to attack Toyota’s dominance. Here’s Honda’s press release:
TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 4, 2008 – Honda will reveal a concept version of its new small hybrid vehicle, to be named Insight, at the 2008 Paris International Auto Show, Oct. 2, the company announced today. The new Insight Concept, shares styling cues with Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle, and will provide an early look at the highly anticipated 5-passenger hybrid vehicle.
Going on sale in the U.S. next spring, the all-new purpose built Insight will come to market at a price significantly below hybrids available today. From this unique position in the marketplace, the Insight will advance the affordability and accessibility of hybrid technology to a new generation of buyers.
“The original Honda Insight pioneered hybrid technology in the U.S. and remains a symbol of Honda’s commitment to innovative technology and fuel efficiency,” said Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. CEO. “This new Insight will break new ground as an affordable hybrid within the reach of customers who want great fuel economy and great value.”
The Insight Concept defines a new stage in the evolution of hybrid technology, utilizing a more cost-efficient version of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) hybrid technology, resulting in a new level of affordability for hybrid customers worldwide. Evoking the innovative styling cues first seen in the FCX Clarity, the Insight Concept is designed with a low center of gravity and a generous five-passenger cabin, offering the kind of driving pleasure and roomy interior that customers have come to expect from Honda. While the Insight Concept’s aerodynamic design clearly identifies its fuel efficient purpose, its five-door access and folding rear seats speak to functionality that is designed to meet the needs of customers with an active lifestyle. The Insight Concept is a small, fuel efficient hybrid car that delivers big style and functionality with a healthy dose of fun.
Honda achieved a significant cost reduction in Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) components which should make Insight the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date. The production Insight will be offered as a five-door, five-passenger hatchback. Numerous technologies, including a function to assist customers in achieving more fuel efficient driving habits, will be applied to achieve a further improvement in real world fuel efficiency. With its affordable price, the new hybrid vehicle will represent the best value in its segment. Along with the Civic Hybrid, the new vehicle will be produced at an expanded hybrid vehicle production line at Honda’s Suzuka factory in Japan.
The Insight is expected to have annual global sales of 200,000 units per year – approximately 100,000 in North America. Following the launch of the new Insight, Honda also plans to introduce another unique sporty hybrid vehicle based on the CR-Z Concept, first shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. All together, Honda’s global sales of hybrids should increase to approximately 500,000 units a year, or more than 10 percent of its total worldwide annual automobile sales.
The original Honda Insight was introduced in December 1999, as America’s first gas-electric hybrid car. The first vehicle to break the 70-mpg fuel economy barrier, Insight was designed from the ground up to demonstrate the ultimate potential for fuel-economy in a 2-seater subcompact automobile.
A leader in the development of cleaner, more fuel-efficient mobility products, Honda introduced the first low-emission gasoline vehicles; America’s first gas-electric hybrid car and the world’s first EPA-certified hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the FCX. In 2007, Honda was named “greenest automaker” by the Union of Concerned Scientists for the fourth straight time.
For more information and downloadable high-resolution images of the Insight Concept and other Honda vehicles, including the Civic Hybrid, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at www.honda.com.
Ann Job’s Review of the Hyundai Accent
Ann Job’s review of the Hyundai Accent notes the common Hyundai theme of lots of great safety features for the price, but hints of cheapness throughout, and not a very inspiring design.
These cars appear to have come a long way since the mid 90’s when they first came out, but I think the Accent would be down on my list in their segment.
Finally a date for the Elantra Touring????
Automobile.com is reporting the Elantra Touring will be coming to the US in January. It will be nice to have another hatchback offering in this segment, and Hyundai’s success with the Elantra sedan is sure to translate to the Elantra Touring.
Now if they’d just update that stupid website.
Nissan Cube — The Cool New Scion xB
Ever since Toyota made the Scion xb look like the bastard offspring of an Element and an xA, I’ve wished there was something out there to replace it. The Nissan Cube might be it. This little car is coming soon to the United States. It’s tiny size is a bit of concern, but I can’t wait to see what arrives on these shores.
Read more about it in Car and Driver.
Ann Job’s Review of the Toyota Corolla
Ann Job likes the Toyota Corolla, essentially calling it a mini-Camry.
In What World Does A Chevy Aveo Beat a Honda Fit?
In the Autotropolis review of the 2009 Aveo vs. the 2008 Fit. Autotropolis feels that the comfort, transmission, and On Star on the Aveo make it a better bargain.
While I’m sure you can get a 2009 Aveo for far cheaper than the Fit, I’ll take a Honda build over a Daewoo any day.
Is Toyota Becoming the New GM?
Autoilluminati has an interesting article about the shift in power from the Big 3 to Japanese automakers and the apprehension the writer felt when renting a lowly Chevy Cobalt
The article got me to thinking about Toyota’s rise to the top of the automotive world. Could it be possible that the mistakes of GM will soon manifest themselves in Toyota?
The signs are there. Numerous recalls over the past few years, uninspired looking cars that aren’t much fun to drive, some less than average reliability in Consumer Reports for certain models, and an increasing number of reviews that call attention to skimping on interiors.
Could Toyota be cutting quality to raise profits? To be sure, the company is still heads and shoulders above most of the competition, and has numerous bulletproof models, but you have to wonder if the company’s sheer size isn’t leading it to be complacent.
Edmunds Inside Line News- Nissan Set To Kick Off Local Production in Vietnam July 2, 2009
- OnStar Goes to China July 2, 2009
- Tuner Special: Zolfe Orange Classic GTC4 July 2, 2009
- Brazil: Fiat Strada Adventure Crew Cab Rolls Out July 2, 2009
- 2010 Detroit Auto Show Being Promoted Via Facebook, Twitter July 2, 2009