New Honda New car review 2008-2009

• Nissan Altima Hybrid: Getting fired up by the Hybrid rush, Nissan also choose to unleash its dragon- the Altima Hybrid. This 4 door family sedan has a capability of seating 5 people and does not have any variants. Equipped with 2.5 litre I4 hybrid engine that gives a mileage of 33-35 mpg with 158 Hp, Altima comes with a variable speed automatic transmission as standard.

• BMW 5 series: An already powerful, sophisticated and technologically advanced vehicle got a face lift in the year 2008. The major changes in the BMW 5 series happened in the exterior design and engine power area. BMW 5 series is available in six variants and caters to everything from super luxury sedan, luxury sports sedan to luxury wagon. The basic variant of this car starts with 528i sedan and has a 3.0 litre 16 valve engine that gives 230 Hp with 18-28 mpg in city and highway; this has a 6 speed manual transmission. The 550i sedan is the top end model of the 5 series line-up and comes in 4.8 litres, V8 engine which churns a 380 Hp with 15-22 mpg in city and highway; this variant also has a 6 speed manual transmission as standard and an optional 6 speed automatic transmission.

• Audi A4: 2008 came with another striking performer - the Audi A4. Sharing the visual appeal of the Audi A5, the Audi A4 is a visual masterpiece created to work wonders both inside and out. One of the major features of the Audi A4 is the presence of Daytime running lights and Drive select which make it distinct from the tough competition form BMW 3 series and the Mercedes C-class. With the press of just one button, the drive select feature can adjust the suspension, steering ratio and related knick knacks for a comfortable or sporty ride. Available with 10 variants, the Audi A4 2.0 litre 2.0T SE Avant Quattro Tiptronic gives a mileage of 19-27 with 200Hp and comes with 6 speed automatic transmission as standard.

• Honda Accord Coupe: Being one of the flagship models of the Honda brand, it was necessary to upgrade the Honda Accord Coupe to meet the likes of Nissan Altima. Honda Accord Coupe is a 2 door family coupe which has a 5 passenger seating capability. It is also available as a sports coupe. With a 5 speed manual transmission as standard, the basic LX-S 5-Spd MT has a 2.4 Litre I4 engine that gives 190 Hp and has a mileage of 22-31 mpg in city and highway. The top-end EX-L V-6 5-Spd AT w/ Navigation System comes with a 3.5 Litre V6 engine that can cruise with 268 Hp while achieving a mileage of 19mpg on city roads and 28mpg on highways, it has a 5 speed automatic transmission as standard.

Overall car production in 2008 has remained on expected lines however some companies did experience a slowdown in demand owing to the economic slowdown in many countries.

The highly acclaimed Civic and Accord saw Honda make rapid international progress. Today, the company makes everything from cars and motorbikes, robots, jets and jet engines, to lawn and garden equipment. Honda’s current crop of cars includes the Accord, CR-V, Civic, FR-V, Jazz, Legend and S2000.

HONDA HISTORY
In 1948 Honda’s founder, Soichiro Honda, started a new company: Honda Motor Co. They soon came up with the “batabata”, a motorised bicycle named after the sound the engine made which became a huge hit across Japan. Later, Honda’s most popular model, the Dream, could be spotted all over the Japanese islands.

Honda introduced its first car in 1957, the N360. In 1958, the American Honda Company was created. In 1972 Honda entered the American market with the small fuel efficient Civic - just as the energy crisis was hitting economies. In 1986 Honda introduced a luxury line of cars and in 2007 Honda announced plans to launch low-priced hybrids.

HONDA FACTS

• Type: Public company
• Founded: September 24, 1948
• Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
• Key People: Soichiro Honda, Founder. Takeo Fukui, CEO
• Industry: Automobile & Truck manufacturer & Motorcycle
• Products: cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, electrical generators, robotics, marine equipment, jets and jet engines, and lawn and garden equipment, Acura vehicles.

FEATURED MODELS

• HONDA ACCORD - manufactured since 1976, first as a compact hatchback and then evolving into a premium large family estate and saloon car
• HONDA CIVIC - a compact car first manufactured in 1972 and now in its eighth generation. The Civic Type-R is a widely respected hot hatch, while the Civic IMA is a hybrid with an electric motor and petrol engine
• HONDA CR-V - public demand for a sport-utility vehicle from Honda led to the creation of this compact crossover SUV in 1996
• HONDA FR-V - a clever six seat MPV, which features three seats in the front and three in the back
• HONDA JAZZ - a five-door hatchback car first produced in 2001. It rivals the Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris and is known as the Fit in Japan, China, and America
• HONDA S2000 - a two-seat roadster created to celebrate Honda’s 50th anniversary and launched in April 1999
• HONDA LEGEND - a large luxury car which is currently in its fourth generation

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Honda Cub motorcycle is the best-selling vehicle in history, with around 50 million sold worldwide
• Soichiro Honda was president of the Honda Motor Company until retiring in 1973. He was labeled “the Japanese Henry Ford” by People magazine in 1980
• The first passenger vehicle in the world to have four-wheel steering technology was the Honda Prelude in 1987
• In 1964, Honda entered Formula One racing for the first time, recording its first victory the following year. It’s current F1 campaign is headed by British racer, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello from Brazil
• In 1991, Honda posted its 10th consecutive win in the Isle of Man TT.