Recall Alert: 2012 Honda Accord and Crosstour

Honda is recalling 347 Accord sedans and Crosstour hatchbacks to address airbag issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

In certain vehicles, the side curtain airbags for the driver and front passenger may have a faulty inflator. In the event of an accident, the affected airbags will not deploy, increasing the risk of passenger injury.

Honda will begin notifying owners on Feb. 10, and the affected airbags will be replaced for free. Owners can call Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept Video

Honda has a knack for delivering concept cars that look pretty much production ready. The Honda Accord Coupe concept is a pretty good indicator of what to expect for the next-generation Accord, which goes on sale this fall. Overall, the updates are subtle compared with the current model, but there's more use of trapezoidal shapes, bulges and crease lines, according to Cars.com editor Joe Bruzek.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept: Photo Gallery

On the surface of things, the Honda Accord Coupe Concept looks like a mild refresh of the current-generation model.

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However, a second look reveals subtle new arches, creases and curves that give the Accord Concept more flair.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept: Up Close

The Accord concept doesn’t look significantly different from the current Accord until you give it a second glance, where details like rounded curves and flowing design replace a fairly bland profile. New arching lines over the rear fender, along with larger grilles and a hood that bulges at the front, make the coupe look more muscular.

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Honda’s concepts are usually a clear indicator of what the production version will look like, though some of the wilder pieces on the concept car, such as the multi-reflector headlights and chrome-surrounded fog lights, won’t likely make production.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan Shrinks, Gets Plug-in Hybrid Model

Hot on the heels of Honda’s debut of the Accord Coupe Concept at the 2012 Detroit auto show was Accord sedan news. Honda plans to add a gas/electric plug-in hybrid version of its best-selling car to the lineup for model-year 2013. The automaker last offered the Accord in V-6 hybrid trim for the 2007 model year; it was dropped because of slow sales and subpar fuel economy.

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Honda also announced that the new Accord sedan will be lighter and shorter. Honda hasn’t released specs but says the sedan’s new dimensions will improve the car’s driving dynamics and increase fuel economy.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

• Looks like: A more voluptuous Accord coupe
• Defining characteristics: Not silver, more curves instead of hard edges
• Ridiculous features: 20-inch wheels, rear exhaust exiting through bumper
• Chance of being mass-produced: Sure thing; the new Accord goes on sale this fall

The Honda Accord Coupe Concept is a preview of the next-generation Accord that goes on sale this fall. Honda typically stays true to its concepts, so we don’t expect the coupe to look too different when it hits dealerships. This concept is so close to production that Honda announced detailed engine and transmission options.

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The overall size is unchanged from the current coupe, but the trapezoidal shapes and hard edges are toned down and replaced by a more curvaceous style in the hood and fenders. The front end is more upright with larger grilles for a more aggressive look. The concept’s profile isn’t too different from the 2012 coupe, with a similar raked body line that climbs upward toward the rear. Around back, the lip spoiler molds into the body, and the exhaust dumps out mid-bumper instead of underneath, a style with a lesser chance of making it to production.

2012 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect, Updated

Twenty-five days separate us from the 2012 Detroit auto show. Of the more than 36 new cars coming to the show, we now can confirm at least 28 vehicles will be there.

Unlike the 2011 L.A. Auto Show, the Detroit show seems to focus heavily on concept cars. The most important production cars we know of now include the 2013 Ford Fusion, 2013 Dodge Dart, 2013 Acura RDX, 2013 Toyota Prius c and the 2013 Cadillac ATS.

This week we learned that the 2013 Fusion will be at the show and a Lincoln MKZ concept, as we previously reported. The Fusion will be introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 10 and at the Detroit auto show on the same day. The next-generation Mercedes-Benz SL-Class will also be shown off (shown above).

There will be some thinly veiled concepts to look out for, too. They include the Acura ILX Concept, a compact car with a hybrid variant, and, more importantly, the 2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept. If past Honda concepts are any indication, it will pretty much be the new Accord that will go on sale later next year.

For now, those are the major releases we know about. We’ll have more info once the 2012 Detroit auto show gets under way Jan. 9.

2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept Headed to Detroit

News about the 2012 Detroit auto show just keeps on coming. Besides three debuts for Acura, Honda will also roll out a concept version of its next-generation Accord coupe at the auto show in January.

Called simply the Accord Coupe Concept, it sounds like it, too, will be in the tradition of past concepts that look nearly identical to the real thing. Case in point: The last Honda Accord Coupe Concept shown above that debuted at the 2007 Detroit auto show.

The 2013 version will debut on the second media day of the auto show, Jan. 10. As always, stay tuned to our coverage for breaking news before and during the show.

Recall Alert: 876,000 Honda and Acura Vehicles

Honda is expanding earlier recalls to replace the driver-side airbag inflator to include an additional 273,000 Honda and Acura vehicles, the automaker announced. The recall now includes certain 2001-02 Honda Accords, 2001-03 Honda Civics and Odysseys, 2002-03 Honda CR-Vs and Acura 3.2 TLs, and 2003 Honda Pilots and Acura 3.2 CLs. This serious defect has resulted in one fatality since the recall was first announced in 2008. The recall has been expanded in July 2009, February 2010 and May.

The automaker also has determined that 640 recalled driver’s airbag parts, which were used for repairs, have been installed in cars. Honda cannot determine the vehicles that received the parts, so it’s recalling about 603,000 vehicles to inspect the airbag parts and replace the parts if necessary.

In the affected vehicles, the airbag inflators can deploy with too much force, causing the inflator casing to rupture. This could result in injury or death.

Affected owners will receive a recall notification from Honda later this month. Honda owners can determine if their vehicle is affected by this recall at www.recalls.honda.com or call 800-999-1009 and select option 4; Acura owners can go to www.recalls.acura.com or call 800-382-2238 and select option 4.

Honda To Build Two High-Tech Hybrid Systems, More Fuel-Efficient Standard Engines

Honda’s powertrain lineup is starting to look stale tech-wise compared to the competition. Despite the fuel-economy increases, the recently redesigned Honda Civic and CR-V essentially have carryover technology underneath their hoods. Under Honda’s just-announced three-year powertrain plan, that landscape is about to change … quickly.

In real-world testing, the Civic has outperformed 40 mpg cars from Ford and Hyundai. Honda’s updates will help reposition it as the most fuel-efficient automaker, overtaking Hyundai, according to the carmaker’s plans.