New Honda New cars review 2009

Honda India weighs local production of CR-V : New CRV 2009 review
by Anthony Fontanelle

Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HSCI) — a joint venture between the Honda Motor Company Ltd., Japan and Siel Ltd., a Siddharth Shriram Group company is weighing the option of locally manufacturing the CR-V. The Honda CR-V is currently directly imported from Japan as a completely built unit and sold in the Indian market.
According to Masahiro Takedagawa, president and CEO of HSCI, “We are studying the possibilities of producing the CR-V locally, which will help up become a far more active player in the growing SUV market.”
At present, the Japanese auto maker is retailing an average of about 300 units of the CR-V every month. And, the vehicle has a landed price of around Rs 20 lakh, of which nearly half is accounted to import duty component.
By the time Honda decided to manufacturer the CR-V in India, the target price for the vehicle will swoop down to Rs 12-14 lakh. That would mean better attraction from the customers.
By fact, the CR-V is the leading player in the top-end SUV segment which include the Ford Endeavour, Mitsubishi Pajero, Suzuki Vitara and a host of other models. Most of the models are actually imported directly — an advantage that Honda is weighing.
Another point would be the translation into more numbers in local production. HSCI believes that there is potential to increase market share, most especially if the vehicle was able to build a solid brand image for itself in the specific market.
Takedagawa said that the company is extremely bullish on its prospects in the overall automobile market. That is even while the current fiscal has a little to write home regarding issues in the premium car segment.
Honda, more than a maker of Acura CL brake dust shields (site:car-stuff.com/mmparts/acura-cl/brake_dust_shields.html) and premium engines, hopes to close this fiscal with the production of approximately 68,000 units of the City, Civic and Accord.
Previously, HSCI has announced its interest to manufacture more than 150,000 cars by 2010. The company sees the year as the time when annual car production in the country is expected to be in the region of about 2.5 million units.
Takedagawa said that the Honda CR-V will boost the growth of the company for the future. He said, “Honda will strive to redefine the image of the hatchback with this model.”
The Honda CR-V will be produced at the company’s second plant in Rajasthan — which will be commissioned by 2009.

Trying to Sort Out the Confusing Names and Product Lines of Hyundai & Honda
by Terry Bolton
Once thought of as an italic logo rip-off company of Honda, Hyundai is now beginning to establish its own reputation as a quality car company. Using the image of Honda as the provider of the most reliable vehicles, Hyundai has since styled its own reputation for reliability. Hyundai has become a serious competitor in the American car marketplace. In recent years, Hyundai has even begun appearing with Honda in the top ranks of customer satisfaction surveys. Hyundai & Honda seem to be forever intertwined in similarity since Hyundai struck the American marketplace. How has Hyundai done it?
Constant Investment in the Future
From the beginning, Hyundai has had a large budget for innovation and improvement in their products. They find out what customers and non-customers find most dissatisfying about their cars and make planning decisions to attempt to fix their designs so that all of those people will be potential customers in the future.
2006 Hyundai & Honda: The First Real Quality Challenge
In 2006, Hyundai first showed itself to be more than a cheap car rip-off of the Honda brand. The release of the 2006 Hyundai Tiburon to compete with the 2006 Honda Civic sent shocks through the imported automobile industry. The 2006 Hyundai Tiburon cost about $4,000 less than the 2006 Honda Civic, even though the Hyundai Tiburon came standard with more features than the Honda Civic. Additionally, the Hyundai Tiburon had tinted glass, heated exterior mirrors, and performed at 2 MPG better than the Civic.
2007 Hyundai & Honda: Small Car Showdown
In 2007, Hyundai made waves by filling its Elantra full of features at less money than the Civic with only the most basic features. Such features as radio controls in the steering wheel, built-in Bluetooth connectivity, and XM satellite radio options were built into the Elantra. Even more impressive was the way Hyundai & Honda differed in warranty. Hyundai showed so much confidence in its Elantras to provide a five-year, 60,000 mile warranty, while the Civic only had a basic three-year, 36,000 mile warranty. Many also reported increased satisfaction with the new seating comfort and space for back-seat passengers.
4) 2006 Hyundai Tiburon GS vs 2006 Honda Civic Si 6-Spd MT
One of the first glaring differences between the 2006 Hyundai Tiburon and the 2006 Honda Civic is the price tag, where the Tiburon costs about $4,000 less at $16,095. Both vehicles offer access to a standard CD player, yet consumers have the option to also enjoy a cassette player in the Hyundai. While halogen headlights come standard on both cars, the Hyundai provides standard fog lights while Honda only offers this as an extra option. Other features of the Hyundai Tiburon that have impressed buyers include heated exterior mirrors, tinted glass, and 24 MPG (compared to 22 MPG with the Honda).
Overall, Hyundai has made great strides in regards to their overall features, interior, and beyond - making it a viable competitor in the car industry. This has caused automobile leaders (like Honda) to break a sweat.