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Posts Tagged ‘Honda civic 2009’

Honda Civic - The Car That Made Swindon Proud Again:New honda civic review

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Honda Civic - The Car That Made Swindon Proud Again  
by Jon Barlow

 

I’m from Bristol a city with a proud heritage albeit with the notable exception of the slave trade. One of the things we Bristolians do possess is a bit of a mischievous sense of humour which often involves taking the mickey out of surrounding towns. Unfortunately Swindon has long been the recipient of a lot of remarks although in fairness they have often been made by people who are actually from the town, most notably Mark Lamarr.I guess its a bit like when you are running down a member of your family and if your partner joins in you rush to the family member’s defence arguing that its ok for you to criticise them but no-one else. Having said that I have been to Swindon on a number of occasions and I have to agree with the sentiments expressed by Andy Partridge the former lead singer of Swindon band XTC. You’ll have to look these up for yourself.

Despite the amount of criticism Swindon has received, a fair amount of celebrities and stars including the late actress Diana Dors were born there. Who can forget the likes of Melinda Messenger who proved she had hidden talents whilst working at a local Direct Mail company before going on to more dubious fame.

Swindon has a strong railway tradition and was chosen by Isambard Brunel as the location for his Great Western Railway (GWR) works. Part of the site still remains and is the home of the steam railway museum.

Since the demise of the railways and the overall decline in British manufacturing industry Swindon became a centre of commerce with a lot of financial companies relocating from London to provincial towns and cities in order to reduce costs. As a result Swindon became a boom town in the eighties and nineties and even attempted to boost its importance by applying for City status. Unfortunately this proved to be unsuccessful but Swindon did succeed in drawing manufacturing back in the form of Honda.

This was a real coup for the area and for Britain as a whole which didn’t have the best reputation when it came to car manufacturing. We seem to be able to build some of the best cars in the world when it comes to hand crafting luxury or sports models for the rich and famous. When it comes to knocking out utilitarian vehicles for the masses you could guarantee production would last for about half an hour before some kind of industrial dispute would develop.

Honda took a big risk then and entrusted the manufacture of its successful Civic model which had been selling well since 1973 believe it or not. Honda had a brief encounter with Triumph who were part of British Leyland and some pretty ropey cars briefly appeared badged as Triumph and then Rover. Since then two million cars have rolled off the production line at Swindon including about a million Civics.

I must admit that personally I wasn’t a big fan of the Civic especially since the time I arrived back to a car park to find a collection of intellectually challenged young men attempting to remove the spoiler from the roof of my Mitsubishi Colt. They were then proposing to attach it somehow to their Honda Civic although as the spoiler was bolted to the roof they just succeeded in causing about £500 worth of damage to my car.

I have since recovered from this and must say that the latest version of the Civic and come to think of it the one before are very stylish cars.

I do still find it intriguing that the appeal of the Civic seems to be divided between those in their twenties and people above retirement age. Honda is no doubt aware of this but even the retro triangular designs of the latest Civic seem to work for young and old. The Civic shows no sign of losing its appeal though and long may it continue. There is no doubt that the Honda plant in Swindon has contributed significantly to the prosperity of the town.

Honda And Toyota Dominates South African Auto Market : New Honda 2009 review

Friday, May 30th, 2008

Honda And Toyota Dominates South African Auto Market
by Anthony Fontanelle

Japanese automakers have been known for their reliable vehicles which have become the favorite of most consumers. This can be clearly seen in the United States auto market where market share of Japanese automakers continue to increase while the Big Three’s decline. This trend is not only seen in the United States though as according to J.D. Power and Associates, Honda and Toyota dominated the 2007 South Africa Customer Satisfaction Index.
According to The Auto Channel’s report, the two Japanese automakers received top ranks more than any other automaker. For Honda, the Civic, CR-V, FR-V, and the Jazz topped their respective segments. For Toyota, the Avensis, Hilux, the Land Cruiser Prado and the Tazz received the highest rating in their classes. The Customer Satisfaction Index is a study conducted by J.D. Power and Associates to gauge the level of satisfaction of customers regarding the vehicles that they have purchased.
According to The Auto Channel, J.D. Power and Associates, the study focuses on the first 10 to 21 months of ownership. Four factors covering 77 attributes are taken into consideration to gauge the satisfaction of customers. Of the four factors, the highest weight was given to the quality and reliability of vehicles which is given a weight of 32 percent. Aesthetics is second with a weight of 29 percent. Satisfaction of customers is also based on their experiences on the dealership which is given 19 percent. Last but not least is the cost of ownership which corresponds to 20 percent.
Brian Walters, the vice president of J.D. Power and Associates’ Europe, Middle East, and Africa Operations, said that Honda and Toyota are showing their dedication to building quality vehicles. “Honda and Toyota models continue their strong performance in satisfying customers in South Africa,” said Walters.
“In both 2006 and 2007, four Toyota models ranked highest in their respective segments, while Honda has led in nameplate rankings in both years. These results are a testament to the commitment to high quality that both brands demonstrate. In addition, Mercedes-Benz maintains its ranking in the top five for a second consecutive year and improves in an impressive manner since 2006,” he expressed.
“The consistent improvement in overall satisfaction in the South Africa market is good news for consumers, franchised dealers and manufacturers,” continued Walters. “However, there is still significant room for improvement. While customers seem to be more satisfied with vehicle quality and reliability as well as vehicle appeal, service satisfaction and ownership cost satisfaction levels are not on par.” Honda is also the manufacturer of Acura vehicles and auto parts such as Acura cargo liners. (source:autopartswarehouse.com)

 

Honda Civic Forums and Honda Forums Offer Great Information : New Honda civic 2008 review

Thursday, May 29th, 2008

Honda Civic Forums and Honda Forums Offer Great Information
by Kathryn Lang

The Honda Civic is a small car that offers big space. A quick look around the internet will show you that there are thousands of people talking about the big “little car” on Honda forums, Honda Civic forums and other chat rooms at all hours of the day.
The Honda Civic has always been an economically savvy vehicle. When it first came on the market with the slogan “it will get you where you are going” the low price and well-rounded construction of the Civic made it a winner. Many of the Honda forums or the Honda Civic forums have owners from the first introductions up to the latest models. It seems that when people get into a Honda Civic they just don’t want to ever get out.
Today the Honda Civic continues to be innovative and economically conscious and their timing couldn’t be any better - as many of the comments on Honda Civic forums and other automotive sites will attest to this fact.
As the consumers on the Honda forums and Honda Civic forums have become more aware of the ecology and as conservation is becoming more of a mainstream attitude, Honda Civic provides an answer to many of the rising needs. In recent years, the Honda Civic has raised the bar for going green with the Hybrid and the GX NGV.
The Honda Civic Hybrid combines traditional automobile technology with electric technology to get an estimated 45 mpg. It also offers a lower emissions rating than most vehicles on the road today. Many of the Honda Civic forums have owners that boast of the Hybrid’s performance and its comfort.
The Honda Civic GX NGV takes green to the next level. It runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and offers nearly zero emissions. About the only complaint that I stumbled across on the Honda forums or the Honda Civic forums are that the gas tank capacity is too small.
America has shown a continued love for the Honda Civic, in turn it has consistently been one of the top compact cars in the country. It is a top choice for buyers looking for the best new model and is praised on the many Honda forums and Honda Civic forums for its surprising comfort and power. With its high level of reliability it is also a great choice for used buyers as well.
The Honda Civic will likely continue to help lead the industry with innovations. As it continues to reach for the highest standards, the Honda Civic will also keep its lead in the hearts of its loyal fans.



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