A Little ‘Insight’ On Honda’s Newest Green Vehicle

Not long after I wrote the Misfits article about the first generation Insight, Honda released the 2019 Insight to dealers everywhere.

I was astounded when the first one should up here, because for one: it looked nothing like its older generations, and for two: that’s a good thing.

 

 

The newest Insight sits on the Civic platform, with a few minor changes. Its updated front and rear fascia more closely follow Honda’s design language. Sensing is standard across all trims. And it has one of the highest rated MPGs of Honda’s “Green Lineup” at 51 mpg. It has the same inline-four cylinder/Atkinson Cycle powertrain, it puts out roughly 151hp through the front wheels, as per the usual with Honda.

 

The way it looks is unrivaled, though many say it looks like a Civic Hybrid. In my opinion, you wouldn’t be able to tell its a hybrid until you got close enough to see the “Hybrid” badging. And that’s the best thing about it. The fact that it drives like a hybrid, but looks like a different kind of Civic gives Honda the advantage in the eco-friendly playing field. Majority of its competition have quirky styling (looking at you, Prius), so to see an eco-friendly car actually have good styling is refreshing.

 

Another major buying factor of this car is it’s price. At its base trim, the Insight starts at roughly $22,000. And with that, you get Honda’s Sensing suite, push-button transmission, and 51 mpg. At the top end, the Insight Touring runs about $28,000, which gets you heated leather seats, a sunroof, and an updated LCD touch screen infotainment system available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

 

The Insight isn’t exactly a head-turner, but it’s perfect for the every day commuter looking for something a little different.

 

If you’ve enjoyed this review and want me to review another Honda, just let me know!

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post A Little ‘Insight’ On Honda’s Newest Green Vehicle appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog https://ift.tt/2MHAbpO
via IFTTT

Honda’s Automotive Misfits: The Crosstour

Ahh yes, the Crosstour. The spiritual successor the Element, the ugly duckling, one of Honda’s more controversially-designed cars. And, one of my favorites.

 

The Crosstour started off production in 2010 as the “Accord Crosstour,” built on the Accord platform and slotted just below the Pilot in Honda’s lineup. It was classified as a hatchback/wagon, was available with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive. In the two-wheel drive models, it came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It was originally marketed as a more off-road and outdoors based car, competing with the likes of the cladded wagons of the time; i.e., Volvo’s and Subaru’s. Unfortunately, it never really caught on with the camping crowded, and thus was killed off in 2016 due to a lack of sales.

 

For me, it’s hard to see why it was discontinued. Sure, it’s styling was a bit of an acquired taste, but with the V6 engine (which nearly every Honda owner complained about missing when the 2018 Accord was released) and all-wheel drive, it made for a fun drive that was different than every other crossover of that era. Had the trend of camping and outdoorsmanship been more prevalent in the early 2010’s, the Crosstour would’ve been out there on the trails and campgrounds.

 

And that’s what I love about it. Not to sound like a hipster, but the Crosstour was before it’s time, in my opinion. It had the soul of an off-roader, but the ride of a luxury wagon, but never got the chance to really prove itself. With the market moving to the great outdoors, shouldn’t we have cars to emulate that?

 

If you have any ideas of what Honda Misfit I should spotlight next, or if you have one you’d like to see featured, let me know!

 

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post Honda’s Automotive Misfits: The Crosstour appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog https://ift.tt/2se7un6
via IFTTT

Honda’s Automotive Misfits: The Element

This week’s Misfit is one of my personal favorites; one I came close to buying: the Element. Honda’s quirky and rugged “off-roader” that sparked a lot of mixed opinions.

 

The Basics:

The element started production in 2003 based on the same platform as the CR-V. It was available with front-wheel-drive or Honda’s “Real-Time” all-wheel-drive. Under the hood was a 2.4L inline four-cylinder engine mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic.

With 166hp and 160lb-ft of torque you could only haul up to 1500lbs, but with 74 cubic feet of cargo space, who really cared how much you could tow? Fun fact: the Element had so much cargo volume for an SUV of its time, it won Dogcars.com’s “Dog Car of the Year” in 2007 for is cargo space, easily cleanable floors, and its 4-wheel-drive system. In later models, Honda added a navigation system and a few other creature comforts.

 

 

The Legacy:

It was one of the most versatile cars of its time, yet in 2011 it was killed off. Why? Because consumers no longer had a need for such a niche-market car, as its appeal was mainly for the hikers and the dog-lovers. Most consumers who wanted a smaller Honda SUV in the mid-2000s all bought CR-Vs.

As quirky and niche as the Element was back in its day, it’s still one of the coolest cars produced, in my opinion. Now that camping and overland-ing have grown in popularity, we’re starting to see a rise of off-road related 4×4 vehicles; and in some cases, even a return, like the FJ Cruiser for example. It’s the same case for the Element, it’s practically made for camping in.

Before Honda ended the production of the Element in 2011, it released a “performance” edition, dubbed the “SC,” comparable to the Accord’s “Sport” badge. The “SC” badge added no real performance upgrades, although it did come with more street looks and a manual transmission, as a last attempt to snag the young buyers.

 

 

Verdict:

The Element was before it’s time. It was made for a young active buyer who loves dogs and the outdoors. Unfortunately, the market at the time didn’t agree, forcing Honda to discontinue it, but luckily the market is now swinging towards the young active buyers again, so maybe we’ll see familiarity in the Element’s spiritual successor, whatever form it takes.

In my opinion, you could start calling the Element a “future classic” and I predict we’ll see more of them on the road and at the campgrounds.

 

 

 

I’d love to hear your opinion on the Element, and if you’ve got a Honda you consider a misfit, send it my way!

By Christian Olsson

The post Honda’s Automotive Misfits: The Element appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog https://ift.tt/2Furbf9
via IFTTT

Honda’s Automotive Misfits : Introduction

Honda is known for making reliable, affordable, and good looking cars. But over the years, they’ve also produced some brow-raisers. These cars, whether or not you liked them, deserve recognition. That’s what this blog series is going to be about: shining a spotlight on Hondas that were brushed under the rug.

We’re going to start off this series with a car I’ve always wondered about as a kid:

The First Generation Insight 

The Insight, introduced in 1999, was a 3-door, 2-seater hybrid electric hatchback. It only produced 67hp, but its EPA numbers were breaching 60mpg, which made it one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. at the time of its production. It was available with a manual transmission, and no air conditioning.

 

 

 

Its looks were very quirky; the arch cover over the rear wheels turned some heads and turned some people off. Its 67hp came from a 1.0 three-cylinder engine, as well as the first iteration of Honda’s Intelligent Motor Assist (IMA), an electric motor that attributes to regenerative braking.

 

 

Mix that all together and you get a seemingly average hybrid car, right? Most of the time, you’d be correct; but with the Insight’s manual transmission option, you actually get a pretty decent race car, as it turns out. I’m not kidding. In 2006, an Insight won the Formula 1000 Rally Class A Championship in the U.K and in 2011 was asked to step down because it dominated the first three rallies of the Formula 1000.

 

Top-mark fuel efficiency, decent looks, and a manual transmission should usually make for a good-selling car, but unfortunately, Honda ended production of the quirky little Insight in 2006, only to be revamped in 2008 as just another Prius look-alike. Maybe the 2019 Insight will be just as interesting as the first.

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post Honda’s Automotive Misfits : Introduction appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog https://ift.tt/2H3Xsz8
via IFTTT

Dream Car Garage Essentials

With Honda’s Dream Garage Sales Event going on, we wanted to ask you guys what kind of cars would you put in your Dream Garage?

And if you’re having trouble thinking of some, here are the essentials (some of these are optional of course, and are all Hondas):

1. Daily Driver
The daily driver is one of the most important cars you could have in your garage. It’s the one you put miles on, your grocery-getter, the one that gets you from A to B (in a hurry if you choose right), the one that gets you to work on time.

Our pick: 2018 Civic Hatchback, I personally recommend EX-L or above, or the 2018 Accord.

 

 

2. Classic (optional)
From weekend cruisers to show cars that collect dust in a museum, a classic car is always a good investment. Sure they can be unreliable, stripped out or basic. But that also holds a certain kind of novelty in its own right, sometimes that’s all you need.

Our pick: 1965 Honda S600. In Phoenix Yellow.

 

3. Project Car (optional)
Project cars are always a love/hate relationship. You hate the problems they come with and the money you put into them, but you love the reward of driving them when it’s all said and done.

Our pick: 1980’s Honda CR-X, or a Prelude.

 

 

4. SUV/Truck
Everybody needs a utility vehicle too. Something to haul friends, family, and firewood. Something big enough to survive winter months and the trails, with enough space to fit all your gear.

Our pick: 2019 Pilot or 2018 Ridgeline.

 

 

5. Track Car (optional)
The track car can technically be any of the above if you’re brave enough. But a track car is more often than not a bare-bones, all-out crazy machine you take out every so often.

Our pick: 2018 Honda Civic Type-R, or the S2000.

 

 

BONUS

Supercar (optional, of course)
They’re expensive. By no means practical. Not in the least bit versatile. They can’t fit more than 2 people. And they’re overpowered for most laws. But they’re fun, so it’s justifiable.

Our pick: 2017 Acura NSX.

 

 

If there were any you think we missed, let us know! Tell us your picks for your own dream garage (they don’t have to be Hondas). For more cool content, check out our Instagram page @louisville_honda_world and to see what cool cars might fit in your dream garage, visit https://ift.tt/2DHs4la to see our inventory!

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post Dream Car Garage Essentials appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog https://ift.tt/2InjQ2P
via IFTTT

Top 5 Things We Want From Honda

So recently I sent out a feeler on our social media channels, asking you guys what you would like to see Honda change or improve upon in the future and you guys really delivered. A lot of the responses were great ideas, in my opinion, and hopefully, Honda would agree.

Here are the top 5 things we as consumers would love to see from Honda in the coming years:

1. Older Models Making a Comeback
Cars like the old Prelude and the S2000 were heavy hitters back in the day when Honda made performance affordable, so a modernized version of those two would be unbelievably popular now.

 

 

2. Updated HR-V

The HR-V is marketed now as an entry-level Honda, but we feel that with a few updates, it could turn into a serious contender in the crossover SUV market. For starters, the new 1.5L turbocharged engine would fit in perfectly for the HR-V and give it that extra kick it’s missing.

 

3. An “Offroad” Trim/Package 
The HR-V, the CR-V, Pilot, and especially the Ridgeline are all worthy of an offroad trim level, similar to Toyota’s TRD Offroad. A more rugged Ridgeline or CR-V would open the door for adventurers everywhere.

 

4. A Premium Sound System 
With the new Accord dipping its toe in the luxury market, we feel that it’s deserving, especially on the Touring trim, of a premium sound; one to give Harmon Kardon a run for its money.

 

5. All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) sedans
Why should the SUV’s have all the fun? An AWD Accord or an AWD Type-R would give Honda that extra step into the world of luxury and performance. Combine that with the usability of the Civic Hatchback, and you’ve got yourself the perfect daily driver, for any time of year.

 

BONUS:
An Accord Estate (Station Wagon)
The market for station wagons isn’t exactly booming in the U.S., but it is on the rise again, and the perfect contender for a wagon variant would be the new Accord, with its redesigned body lines. Not to mention it’ll give Honda owners another option, for those who want the dashing looks of the Accord and the cargo capacity of the CR-V. Mix that in with all-wheel-drive and you’ve got the next biggest trend in the car industry.

 

 

If there was anything you think we missed, let us know!

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post Top 5 Things We Want From Honda appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog http://ift.tt/2oY9389
via IFTTT

UPDATE: 600,000 Mile Man

Bill Diehl recently gave me some background and some stories along the way on his journey to 600,000 miles. To read his full story, click here: http://ift.tt/2Bl4Fa8

One of the stories Bill recounted to me starts with Dale Greathouse, our Service Director, recommending to Bill to put oil in his car every 1000 miles or so since he’s nearing the 500,000 mark. After four quarts of oil while stuck in the mountains, Bill high-tailed it back to the dealership only to find out he had been putting the oil in the transmission fluid reservoir. 150,000 miles later and the car’s still running great, original engine and all.

Thanks for the stories Bill, keep it up!

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius 

The post UPDATE: 600,000 Mile Man appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog http://ift.tt/2FeT7s1
via IFTTT

The 600,000 Mile Man

 

So recently I sat down with Bill Diehl, the owner of a 2003 Honda Accord coupe…with just over 600,000 miles. I had heard he was coming in for a celebration after just passing that milestone, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity for a Q and A session.

But before I get to that, I want to talk about the car.

 

 

 

When I first heard a guy was bringing in a car with that many miles on it, I expected it to be an older Accord, from the 90’s, as those usually tend to last a long time. I also expected the car to be in rougher shape, but to my surprise, this one was in good condition. There were a few cracks in the leather and the floorboards of the driver footwell, but everything else was nearly spotless. Now the exterior was a bit of a different story; a few scratches, dents, dings, and paint fade. But with that high mileage, you almost expect it. What’s a car without some stories and character?

 

 

Then I moved on to the engine bay. Everything was original, belts and hoses too. All except for the duct tape on the air filter, which was the only duct tape in the entire engine bay, let alone the entire car. Diehl said he taped it up 120,000 miles ago.

Before our guest of honor arrived, we had cleaned it up and moved into our showroom in our certified building. When Diehl walked in, he laughed and said he had never seen it this clean, that it hasn’t been in a showroom since the day he bought it. It was a proud moment for him.

 

 

Then we sat down for the Q and A:

Did you buy the car brand new?

Yes sir, bought it in September of 2002!

How often did you have it serviced?

Whatever the recommendation was from Honda, every three or four thousand miles or so.

Were there any major issues with keeping it going for so long?

The alternator went out twice, left me stranded a couple times. The engine started burning oil around four hundred thousand miles or so. I took it in for service and the guy said it wouldn’t last another ten thousand. That was two hundred thousand miles ago. Other than that, it’s been extremely dependable. I’ve driven to over thirty states, and Canada.

Is there a secret to it?

Just the regular maintenance, you know. Taking care of it. Changing the oil and rotating the tires. I’ve had three sets of tires on it, each set lasted me one hundred thousand miles.

 Has anyone offered to buy it?

Only once, the guy offered me $2000 for it.

Have you ever considered trading in or selling?

Oh no, it’s not for sale. Maybe when I hit a million I’ll give it to Honda or something.

So is that your goal? A million miles?

Yes sir, that’s the plan. A million miles. I did the math, it’ll take me another eight years to get there. It takes nearly two years or so to hit a hundred thousand, so I usually do fifty thousand miles a year. Maybe then I’ll send it up to Marysville (Honda).

How do you plan on reaching a million?

Same thing I’ve been doing, just the regular maintenance every three or four thousand miles.

What are you going to do with the car once it hits your goal?

Good question. I don’t know, Honda says they’ll give me a new one.

Is this the first Honda that you put high miles on?

Yes, but I’ve always had Hondas. And they’ve always been Accords, and they’ve always been black. This would be my third one. My first one was in 1989, with the flip-up headlights, almost looked like the Prelude.

After chatting with Diehl for a bit, I learned he had bought the car from our very own Lamont Chandler, who is now a New Car Manager. Diehl services it with us here at Honda World now, working with our Service Director Dale Greathouse ever since he bought the car.

 

 

                                                                   Dale Greathouse (left) and Bill Diehl (right) celebrating 600,000 miles on Bill’s 2003 Accord

 

                                                                                                                 Bill telling his story to our New Owner’s class

 

                                                                     Bill’s cake, courtesy of our service department

 

Bill Diehl celebrates with us every hundred thousand miles he passes, and we’re honored to have him.

Keep up the good work Bill, see you at the next hundred thousand!

 

 

The post The 600,000 Mile Man appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog http://ift.tt/2Bl4Fa8
via IFTTT

Let’s Be Clear: Not Your Average Plug-In

It’s 2018. The future is here. Ever since the release of Tesla’s Model S, car manufacturers have been following suit by offering a full range of electric and hybrid vehicles, all with their own personal flair and somewhat-unique style, with more intent on gas mileage than aesthetics, which I cede is not the most important factor in car production.

Then there’s the Honda Clarity. It’s their newest contender in the race towards the future of the automobile industry. And its based on the Accord platform, one of their best-performing cars for nearly 40 years, so you know it’s got to be good.

 

The Clarity comes in three different engine setups: a plug-in hybrid, a full electric, as well as a hydrogen fuel cell, with the electric and fuel cell only available for lease in select markets. The third to release in the series, it comes standard with a 1.5L 4cyl. engine, and a 17kw/h battery. Overall, it puts out about 212hp, with gas mileage numbers in the mid 40’s and 47-mile maximum all-electric range.

In the interior, the Clarity PHEV is outfitted with a sophisticated leather design inspired by the 2018 Accord, along with the push-button transmission, and an array of other standard features from Honda’s wheelhouse, such as the Sensing suite, Smart Entry, HomeLink, and an 8in hi-res infotainment touch-screen with Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto integration.

 

Now that all the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s talk about the important thing: how does it drive?

Let me preface this by saying personally, I’ve never been a fan of hybrid engines, mainly because my love for cars was developed by hearing an engine roar, that was part of the thrill for me. So naturally, I’ve always been turned off by hybrids, because they don’t make a lot of engine noise and are often aesthetically unpleasing.

As far as looks the Clarity has various futuristic design elements, along with a touch of nostalgia with the partial wheel-arch cover, reminiscent of the 1990s Insight. Looking out the rear window reminded me of driving the Crosstour, which was hit and miss for some, but overall the concept fit with the Clarity. Maybe not quite as good-looking as the Accord Hybrid or the CR-Z, but perfect for somebody looking for a quality PHEV that doesn’t want to drive something that resembles a flat-bottomed egg.

 

 

But something was different with the Clarity that separates it from other hybrids. You forget about what noise the engine is making when the 212hp is at your fingertips in an instant. In Sport mode, the shifts were smooth, yet snappy and responsive simultaneously. After a certain amount of pedal input (sorry boss), the 1.5L reared its small head with a glorious sound (compared to the whine of the hybrid battery, at least), and treated me with a decent amount of pick-up. It was the first time a hybrid put a smile on my face since driving the CR-Z a few years ago.

For more information about the Clarity, you can check out our YouTube channel or our website at http://ift.tt/2DHs4la. You can also swing by our showroom for a test drive!

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

Photo Credit: Drew Meyer and Christian Olsson 

 

The post Let’s Be Clear: Not Your Average Plug-In appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog http://ift.tt/2Ddmx4U
via IFTTT

7 Car Accessories Perfect for Winter Driving

With winter weather incoming, it might be time to prepare your car for the harsh conditions and slippery roads. Here are OEM accessories that could make driving in the winter time easier for your daily driver or weekend cruiser, Honda or not.

1. Engine Block Heater: an engine block heater just warms up the engine compartment during cold temperatures. So instead of letting your car warm for 10 or 15 minutes, with an engine block heater it’ll only take less than a few minutes. You can pick one up at practically any auto parts store, for around $30 or $40.
2. Remote Start System: allows the driver to start their car from roughly 30ft away, most likely in the comfort of their own house or office. The remote start systems keeps the car locked, and keeps it running for about 10 minutes before shutting itself off. Most modern cars come standard with these, but you could also pick one up for around $100 or less.
3. First Aid Kit/Roadside Kit: bandages, flares, batteries, flashlights, jumper cables, tire-repair kits, etc. Anything to survive snowbanks…or the apocalypse.
4. Heated Steering Wheel/Heated Seats: keep your hands warm with a little touch of luxury while you’re on the road in colder temps. Talk to your local dealership about having them installed.
5. Roof Rack/Cargo Carrier (My Favorite): keep the contents of your backseat from flailing around (unless it’s a child, then use a seatbelt) by an easily accessible storage bin that’s also aesthetically pleasing. These roof-boxes are very useful for long road trips or trips to the ski resort. You can pick one up from nearly any auto store for around $200 or higher.
6. Rubberized Floor Mats: keep your floorboards nice and clean, just in case you track in some snow or salt. Most dealerships offer these with the price of the vehicle, but you can also pick up some generic ones for less than $50.
7. Winter Tires: You can find the studded tires in the northern parts of the country, but around here winter tires usually mean thick and knobby tread to give you more grip on slushy and icy roads.

Ask your local car dealer about other OEM accessories available for your car that better fits your style! See more at http://ift.tt/2qJquwm or swing by our showroom here in Louisville and ask a Honda Genius about accessories today!

 

By Christian Olsson, Honda Genius

The post 7 Car Accessories Perfect for Winter Driving appeared first on Honda World Blog.

from Honda World Blog http://ift.tt/2mfYprT
via IFTTT