New Honda New cars review 2009

1. Multi-unit Ownership The proof is in the pudding. The best indication that a franchisee is happy with his business is if he spends more money to purchase another unit or an additional territory. The logic is the same as why Honda has such a strong reputation in the car market. If your uncle Jeff has bought three Accords in a row, Honda must be doing something right.

For the most part, multi-unit owners start with one store which becomes so successful that the want a second and so on. In order to finance a second store, a lender will examine the first store’s cash flow. If a franchise wasn’t financially viable, it would be nearly impossible to open additional units.

Multi-unit ownership is also an indication of operational efficiency in a concept. With some franchises, there is so much work that is impossible for the franchise owner to focus on anything but day to day operations. The book, “The E Myth” talks extensively about this trap of getting stuck “working in your business” vs. “working on your business.” Even if you never plan to open multiple units, this is an important characteristic, because more likely than not, you would eventually like to retire or at least take a vacation one day.

Be wary of franchise owners who explain low multi-unit ownership by suggesting franchisees make enough money with just one unit. If there is one thing history has shown, people rarely decide they have “enough” money.

2. Proven Franchisor Track Record There are three items to think about when examining the franchisor’s track record. The first is an understanding of how much risk there is that the franchisor might go out of business. Unfortunately, many of the 2,500 franchise concepts available just won’t make it as sustainable businesses. If you purchase one of these concepts, you may lose much of your investment.

Second, the franchisor’s track record should give you an indication about the quality of the concept. Did the franchisor own several successful stores for many years before deciding to franchise his concept or did he just decide one day that there was good money in franchising so he better come up with a concept.

Third, franchisors with longer track records have more established training and support programs. While you might save a few thousand dollars buy getting into a franchise early, chances are you won’t get much for your investment. New franchisees haven’t had the time to put together development support or training programs or marketing campaigns. Also, if you are one of the first buyers, you are the guinea pig which often means more risk. Maybe a new food concept works great in a mall food court or maybe it doesn’t? Wouldn’t be nice if you weren’t the one who had to run the experiment?

3. Strong, independent franchisee association Unfortunately, the unspoken reality is that the franchisor’s and franchisee’s interests aren’t always aligned. Eventually, there will be disagreements over finances, marketing programs or development issues. Knowing that issues are sure to arise, it is helpful to know that you will have an organized group of franchisees who can relate to your situation. Independent associations have many benefits. In addition to creating leverage for the purpose of negotiating with the franchisor, an association also can improve communication among franchisees. Independent associations also allow members to pool resources to hire competent professionals such as lawyers or financial advisors or marketing consultants. Finally, like with any organization, a collective, institutional memory is created. The AFA has an excellent article on associations on its site

It is also a negative sign if the franchisor goes out of its way to discourage an association. It usually means that the franchisor does not have the franchisees best interests in mind and is afraid of having to deal fairly with franchisees.

In addition to independent associations, franchisees may also develop a co-op to purchase goods at a discount or control a portion of the system’s advertising budget or develop a lobby group for a specific issue. All of these our good signs.

Is such a half-breed a car, or is it a truck? While some crossovers, especially the larger ones with three rows of seats, are more SUV-like, this one appears closer to a car. As far as government classification goes, the signals are mixed: for emissions and fuel economy testing, the EPA sees it as a passenger car. For safety certification, NHTSA calls it a truck.

Honda calls it a “five-door, five-passenger premium CUV” and offers it in two models: a well-equipped EX (just over $30,000, including destination) and an upscale EX-L (about $33K). “Real-time” four-wheel drive adds $1,450 and voice-activated navigation with a rear-view camera, another $2,200, but both are available on the EX-L only.

Standard on the EX are dual-zone automatic air conditioning; 360-watt, 7-speaker audio with a 6-disc CD player; easy fold-down 60/40 split rear seats; 225/65 R17 all-season tires on alloy wheels; a power moonroof; steering-wheel audio controls; auto-off projector beam headlights; fog lights; rear privacy glass; and a hidden removable utility box.

The EX-L adds leather-trimmed seats (heated in front), steering wheel and shift knob; memory mirrors and driver-side seat; 225/60 R18 all-season tires; auto-on/off headlights; a cargo privacy cover; a HomeLink transmitter; premium speakers and a USB audio interface.

How much of this Crosstour is Accord under its skin? Honda says roughly 60 percent of its parts are shared with the sedan, including the chassis and powertrain, the instrument panel and most of the interior. That chassis incorporates fully independent double-wishbone front and rear-multilink rear suspensions, both slightly upgraded for the taller, heavier Crosstour. Notable among those upgrades are rebound springs inside the front shocks to improve handling and reduce body roll, two-piston front brake calipers and bigger rear rotors.

The only available powertrain is the Accord’s 271-hp 3.5-liter i-VTEC SOHC V-6 coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. This award-winning engine uses Honda’s exclusive Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) cylinder deactivation system to enhance fuel economy by shutting down two, or at times even three, cylinders when it’s lightly loaded. The electronically controlled 5-speed automatic is smooth but slightly less fuel-efficient than the latest 6-speeds offered by GM, Ford and others. The 2WD Crosstour is EPA-rated at a respectable 18 city/27 highway mpg and the 4WD EX-L at 17/25.

The two interior color choices are charcoal black with a black instrument panel or ivory with a two-tone (black upper, tan lower) instrument panel, both with tasteful faux wood accents. To quiet the cabin, a new Active Sound Control (ASC) technology uses the audio system to acoustically minimize engine noise. There is 25.7 cu. ft. of cargo room behind the 60/40 rear seats; and, folding them down increases the area to 54 cu. ft. Access to it is easy thanks to a large tailgate opening and a low lift-over height. Three other handy features are twin levers that quickly fold those seats flat into the floor, carpeted lids that flip over to create easy-to-clean plastic surfaces and a hidden 1.9-liter storage box with handles for easy removal.

If you’ve driven an Accord sedan, you’ll feel right at home in a Crosstour. Honda engineers have compensated well—via specific spring rates, shocks and stabilizer bars—for its modestly increased size and the potential of added cargo weight. Unladen, it rides and handles about as well as the somewhat agile yet compliant sedan. Its brakes are suitably strong and fade-free, but its constant-ratio steering is somewhat slower at low speeds compared to the sedan’s variable-ratio system.

With six inches of ground clearance, this is no off-road crawler, but the available fully automatic Real Time 4WD system improves its bad-weather and off-pavement capabilities by sending power to the rear wheels when the fronts begin to slip. The 5-speed automatic can be manually shifted, and its new downshift rev-match feature smooths manual downshifts.

Standard safety features include Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist. The comprehensive restraint system includes dual-stage, multiple threshold front airbags; driver’s and front passenger’s side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); side curtain airbags with a rollover sensor; and active front seat head restraints.

This new 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour slides neatly between Honda’s Civic-based CR-V compact crossover and its larger, more truck-like (Accord-based) Pilot CUV and competes directly with Toyota’s similar Camry based Venza and Nissan’s Altima-based Murano. Call it what you want but seriously is a very interesting new entry in the increasingly crowded crossover field.

In the Honda plant in Marysville Ohio, a new concept was born. The Honda Accord became the first Japanese car to be made in a United States facility. That plant in Marysville is still up and running and producing Hondas in a large way. The plant is now a much larger mass production facility.

When you look at the newest models of the Honda Accord you are sure to see pure luxury. The smooth sleek style of these cars will surely make you want to purchase one today. There are several types of Honda Accords that are being made today.

The two door Accord is the first that we will cover. This coupe comes equipped with a manual transmission in most cases. If you are a family that can fit comfortably into a vehicle that has only two doors, this vehicle may be the right choice for you. If you feel like you may need a larger vehicle, Honda has a larger Accord for you.

The next type of Accord is the four door Accord or Sedan. The four door sedan is a great value for the price. The interior provides a lot of room for every passenger. It offers the two back doors to make entry and exiting the car a much easier experience. If you belong to a larger family, this sedan may be the choice for you and your family.

The last of the Accords is the five door wagon. This vehicle is great for transporting items or family to almost anywhere. It is very spacious and has a smooth yet powerful engine. You are sure to enjoy this vehicle and all of the amenities that it provides.

If it is time for you to make your next automobile purchase, be sure to check out all that Honda has to offer. The Honda Accord is considered one of the most reliable vehicles in its class and is very sleek and stylish. It is available in many different sizes and models so there is sure to be one that will fit your needs.

In October 1946, Soichiro Honda established the Honda Technical Research Institute in Hamamatsu, Japan. The goal was to develop and build small 2-cycle motorbike engines. Two years later, Honda Motor Company, Ltd. was created. Honda’s first US storefront opened in 1959 in Los Angeles.

Honda’s first production automobile was the T360 mini pick-up truck. The first production car from Honda was the S500 sports car.

Chronological highlights of the history of behind Honda cars as reported by world.honda.com include:

1963Honda’s first sports car (S500) and light truck (T360) released. 1966Sales and export of S800 begin. 1967Front-wheel-drive minicar, N360, released. 1968Export of N360 and N600 begin.

1971Life minicar released.

1972Civic released.

1976Accord CVCC (1600cc) released.

1978Prelude released.

1981City released. 1985Today minicar and Legend released. Quint Integra released.

1986 Honda expanded into the luxury automobile market with the creation of the Acura brand

1989Accord Inspire released.

1990NSX sports car released. 1992Worldwide automobile production reaches 20 million units. 1994Odyssey released.

1995Worldwide Civic production reaches 10 million units. CR-V sports utility vehicle released. Worldwide automobile production reaches 30 million units.

1996Step WGN (Wagon) released. 1999Honda S2000 sports car released. Lagreat Canadian-made minivan released. Insight hybrid released.

2000Life Almas, first minicar with features for the physically challenged, released. Stream minivan released.

2001Fit released. Civic Hybrid released.

2003Honda becomes first Japanese automaker to produce 10 million cars in the U. S. New Odyssey released.

2005Ridgeline next-generation truck released in U.S. American Honda Motor begins sales of Phill, the first home refueling appliance for natural gas vehicles. Leasing of FCX fuel cell vehicle for home use begins. Worldwide sales of Honda hybrid vehicles reached 100,000.

2006Zest unveiled. Performance of next-generation fuel-cell car FCX Concept demonstrated.

2007Crossroad released.

In August 2008, Honda surpassed Chrysler as the 4th largest automobile manufacturer in the United States. Currently, Honda is the second largest manufacturer in Japan behind Toyota and ahead of Nissan.

Honda increased global production in September 2008 to meet demand for small cars in the U.S. and emerging markets. Due to the current global crisis, the company is now rearranging U.S. production to keep operations functioning, while building fewer minivans and sport utility vehicles.

Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in its home nation of Japan in February 2009. The U.S. market received the new Insight in April 2009. Honda expects to sell 200,000 of the vehicles each year, with half of those sales in the United States. Since 2002, Honda has been selling the Honda Civic Hybrid (2003 model) in the US market. It was followed by the Honda Accord Hybrid.

The history of Honda Cars has been filled with many achievements. With the current economic slow down, Honda is making necessary adjustments to its business structure to ensure its future success.