New Honda New cars review 2009

Honda Accord Head Lights  
by louie liu

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 to Increase Presence in Indian Auto Market
by Anthony Fontanelle

The Asian continent is fast becoming a huge market for automobiles. While some European markets seem to be slowing down and the U.S. auto sales is hampered by housing problems, Asian countries are increasingly becoming a favorite of car manufacturers. In fact, China and Japan are only next to the United States in terms of auto sales.
Aside from these two countries, another Asian country is fast becoming a hub for car manufacturers. India is now the fourth biggest car market in the Asian continent and car companies are taking notice. Not so long ago, General Motors announced their interest in the growing auto market of the country. Aside from General Motors, the alliance of Nissan and Renault has already started testing the Indian auto market. Following their steps towards the high ranks is the second largest Japanese car manufacturer Honda.
The company announced that they will be manufacturing and selling compact cars in the region by the year 2009. The company’s decision to market smaller cars in the country is due to the fact that the three-quarters of all the cars sold in India are compact cars. General Motors, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Renault have also announced that they will be manufacturing small cars for the country. Honda’s small cars to be sold in India will be built on a plant to be constructed in Rajasthan. The company reported that they expect to spend $728 million in the construction of the new assembly facility.
Honda’s announcement to enter the small car market in India is fueled by the prediction that the country’s demand for small cars will continue to increase in the near future. It has been estimated that by the year 2016, annual car sales in India will reach 3 million units. This predicted car sales will be divided by car manufacturers such as Suzuki and Hyundai, both of which have an already established buyer base in the country, as well as other brands like Nissan, Renault, General Motors, Volkswagen, Honda and other domestic and international brands who are willing to invest in India.
Although it is speculated that Honda will be manufacturing small cars, the Japanese car company is yet to name what model they will be producing at the Rajasthan production plant. Upon completion, the assembly facility will be expected to produce 60,000 vehicles annually. By the year 2014, Honda plans to expand the facility and increase its production capacity to 200,000 per year. The facility will handle all the processes handled by a full time automobile assembly plant. Although Honda is yet to announce the full scale of jobs to be handled by the facility it is expected that the brake assembly for vehicles will be one of the tasks of the plant.
To meet the expected production output, the new plant will be employing 4,000 workers. This means that Honda will not only benefit from the growing market in India but they will also be helping the country’s economy.