Honda Owners Force Free Transmission Fix

Ah, the power of peaceful protest.

Honda and Acura owners recently saw their hard work pay off when Honda issued a technical service bulletin for the vehicle. The issue? Owners of certain vehicles claimed the car had a transmission problem involving the third gear randomly popping into neutral and grinding incessantly.

Previously, Honda claimed to know nothing of the problem and refused to issue a recall. A TSB is short of a recall, but owners can still get the problem fixed free of charge by bringing their vehicle into a dealership. You can see the TSB for the Honda Civic and Accord here, and the TSB for the Acura here. For a full list of models affected, go to the jump.

Cars.com Faceoff: 2008 Ford Focus, 2008 Honda Civic, 2009 Toyota Corolla

In honor of graduation season, Cars.com took three of the most popular compact sedans on the market and decided which one should get a big bow put on top. Even if you’re a Hoops McCann and no one gets you a car for your hard work, these three are sensible first-car choices for the newly employed, too. But which one takes the cake? See if the Honda Civic can stand up to the redesigned Ford Focus and all-new Toyota Corolla.

Cars.comparison: Graduation Gifts

Friday Fleet Notes: 4.25.08

This Friday's fleet notes come packed with insightful takes on the Saturn Astra, Infiniti EX35, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic EX-L, and Toyota Matrix XRS. Our staff had plenty to say, both good and bad, about the vehicles, so be sure to check out their posts, then link to the expert reviews after the jump.

2008 Saturn Astra

• This was a bummer for me. I was soooo looking forward to driving this car, but when I got behind the wheel I was again greeted by anemic acceleration. However, unlike the Corolla, the Astra XR is supposed to be a fun-to-drive machine. I did not experience much fun. It handled well but felt heavy. The automatic transmission was a dog, and do I need to mention the controls? A fellow reviewer called them hieroglyphics because the symbols are so hard to translate. There’s no USB or AUX-in capability either, not even as an option. Eegads. It was nice-looking, though, I’ll give it that. — David Thomas, senior editor

Reader Review of the Week: 2008 Honda Element

This week's reviewer had to dig to find the downside to the 2008 Honda Element, but as with all cars, there were glitches and features that needed a tweak. Still, our reader reviewer gave the Element high marks on all the important, ahem, elements. As always, you can submit your own car review here.

Recall Alert: 2003 Honda Accord

Honda is recalling 353,000 2003 model year Honda Accord sedans due to a potential problem with the windshield wipers. Over time, water can leak into the wiper motor, causing corrosion and eventually wiper-motor failure.

The company will inspect all recalled vehicles and replace the wiper motors if corrosion is found. Undamaged vehicles will get a protective shield to prevent future problems. No accidents or injuries have been reported, according to Honda. 

Concerned owners cant contact Honda at (800) 999-1099

2009 Honda Pilot Trim Levels, Pricing, More

Yesterday we brought you a full review on the new 2009 Honda Pilot, along with a couple of videos and a photo gallery. Today, we're going to break down the trim levels that will be available and the differences therein.

Pricing has not been announced but Honda expects the MSRP to be between $27,500 and $40,000 when it goes on sale May 22. That’s right in line with the current $27,595 starting point, but the addition of a Touring trim level takes the formerly top price of $33,445 way up. The current low price is also for the Value Package trim, which is not available for 2009; it’s being replaced with an LX trim. Confused? Don’t worry — we’re going to break down all the trim levels below. 

Video: 2009 Honda Pilot

On his recent trip to test drive the new 2009 Honda Pilot, Mike Hanley was busy. Besides turning in a full review, he also shot two videos — one with an overview of the new Pilot, the other checking out the seating and cargo capabilities of the three-row crossover. See for yourself below.

Video: Honda Pilot Overview
Video: Honda Pilot Seating

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Honda Pilot

Here it is folks. The review you’ve all been waiting for. OK, the single guys and gals out there probably weren’t waiting for it, but a lot of families out there will be interested to hear what Mike Hanley has to say about the redesigned 2009 Honda Pilot. It has two things going for it right out of the gate — more horsepower and better fuel economy. That’s hard to beat.

2009 Honda Pilot Expert Review
More on the Honda Pilot (KickingTires)

2009 Honda Pilot Photo Gallery

It’s now 2 a.m. here in Chicago, and while most actions these days can be automated, we didn’t want to risk the chance of these photos leaking out before they were ready. Luckily for me, I have a seven-week-old who likes to get up every couple of hours in the middle of the night and wake his daddy. So, anyone else up at this ungodly hour can now check out the 2009 Honda Pilot in all its glory in the photo gallery below.

2009 Honda Pilot Expert Review (Cars.com)

2009 Honda Pilot Week

The all new 2009 Honda Pilot will officially break cover tomorrow morning and Cars.com will be the place to be to learn all about this updated suburban fixture. Tomorrow, we’ll have the full expert review from Mike Hanley along with a video. There will also be a large photo gallery going live tonight at midnight PDT and a thorough breakdown of the Pilot lineup later this week. Stay tuned and if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments below.

Update:
2009 Honda Pilot Expert Review (Cars.com)
More Honda Pilot News (KickingTires)

Friday Fleet Notes: 4.11.08

This week's fleet notes takes on two competing hybrids, the Honda Civic Hybrid and the current champ, the Toyota Prius. In addition the Ford Focus makes an appearance, so if you're interested in how our staff felt about the Sync system, this might be a Friday fleet note you don't want to miss.

Toyota Prius

• Having driven a rental Prius in Denver a few months back, I was dreading the worst: an uncomfortable ride, a whiny engine at freeway speeds, a brake pedal that felt like a steel rod pressing up against the tires. Boy, was I surprised. This non-rental Prius could not have been more different. It was a much smoother ride. The engine, even at 70 mph, purred quietly. The brakes still felt a little funky, but I wasn’t in any doubt about their abilities and I still managed to get around 50 mpg. This experience gets the Prius off my hit list. — Patrick Olsen, Editor-in-Chief

Hybrid Demand Staying Strong

Are you willing to play tug of war to get a Toyota Highlander Hybrid? How about rock, paper, scissors for a Ford Escape Hybrid?

It might come down to that; Cars.com statistics on unsold new-car inventory within a 30 mile radius of Chicago show only a pair of Highlander Hybrids on lots. There are just nine Escape Hybrids, 79 Honda Civic Hybrids and 248 Toyota Prius hybrids.

"When gas prices go up, so does demand for hybrids, and hybrids are in big demand," said Jeff Foltz, president of Auto Outlook, which tracks Chicago-area sales for local dealers. "In just the first two months of this year, hybrid sales in Chicagoland rose 40% to 1,514 units, from 1,084 a year ago."

Cars.com Faceoff: Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest

While most requests we hear from families involve wanting a car that has all the capabilities of a minivan but isn’t actually a minivan, there are still minivan shoppers out there. Cars.com’s Joe Wiesenfelder and Mike Hanley took on three popular models, including the newly redesigned Dodge Grand Caravan and slightly tweaked Honda Odyssey. Can the Nissan hold its own against such tough competition? Check out the Faceoff to find out.

Cars.comparison: Family Workhorses

Saturn, Honda Draw Green Shoppers Online

Compete.com — a free web tracking website — had an interesting blog post today about which car-brand websites green-conscious web surfers go to the most. Naturally, you would think Toyota would be No. 1, seeing as it sells more hybrids than anyone else, but as it turns out Saturn attracts green-conscious buyers in larger percentages than any other site. Based on Saturn’s overall traffic, it had the highest percentage of visitors who classify as environmentally conscious, as defined by Compete. Honda’s website gets the most green consumers overall, though. Toyota and Ford come in a close second and third, respectively.

So what does this say about the brands? For one, it doesn’t seem green sales equal green interest on the web, or Toyota would dominate. What do you think? Check out the full blog post and let us know in the comments below.

Can Going Green Include Your Choice of Automobiles? (Compete)

Up Close: 2009 Honda Fit

In person, the new Fit looks a lot like the old Fit, but with a longer and more gradually sloping nose. The base of the A-pillars are farther out in front, which puts them more in your line of sight. They're not too thick, though, and Honda put small sail-shaped windows between them and the front of the door. It looks a bit peculiar from the outside, with the windows extending even farther past the front doors, but it helps with visibility.

The burning question here is how large the new Fit is, especially compared to the Nissan Versa, which owes its success, in part, to its greater size. At 6 feet tall, I fit in the Fit's backseat, where legroom has improved but still doesn't seem to match the Versa's. Cargo capacity, however, is impressive. In addition to a cavernous cargo hatch, the backseat offers a good deal of versatility. The 60/40-split backrests fold forward in a single step. You can also raise the seat cushion, giving a super-tall space between the floor and ceiling, similar to the backseats of some pickup trucks. There's even a storage box inside one of the seat cushions that’s accessible from its underside.

Sometimes when automakers shorten a seat's cushions to make it fit into the floor (or put a storage box in it), the seats end up being less comfortable, but this one seemed fine to me ... albeit for a minute, not an extended drive. 

The front seats are plenty roomy and the overall quality is good. I don't think it's markedly better than the current-generation Fit, but that car already leads the competition, in my opinion.

Related:
Honda Bringing New Fit to New York Auto Show

Recall Alert: 2004-2008 Acura TLs

Honda has issued a recall of 273,000 Acura TLs from the 2004-08 model years, citing two different mechanical issues. The first has to do with the windshield wipers. Approximately 129,600 ’04 and ’05 TLs could have wipers with a faulty circuit breaker that at some point could leave the wipers inoperable. Fixing the problem involves a simple trip to the dealer to check and replace the windshield wiper motor, if necessary.

If you only have time to take care of one problem on your Acura TL, however, we kind of recommend this second one. In some cases, engine heat has caused a power-steering hose to crack, which could potentially leak steering fluid onto the catalytic converter. This could lead to a great deal of smoke or, in a worst-case scenario, fire. Honda wants to replace all the hoses.

No one has yet reported an accident or injury due to either problem, but Acura will of course fix both free of charge. Clearly this is a bargain: A free windshield wiper motor and your car not catching on fire.

Acura Recalls 273,000 TLs Due to Fire Fears (Autoblog)

Friday Fleet Notes: 2.29.08

This week, we have input from staffers on multiple vehicles, including the Mazda RX-8, Jeep Patriot, Subaru WRX STI and the always-coveted Chevy Malibu. Check out what our staff had to say, then take a look at our latest Expert Reviews for each vehicle for more in-depth coverage.

2008 Honda Odyssey

• Unlike many minivans, the Odyssey doesn't forget about the driver. The V-6 engine is a smooth performer, and the van's responsive handling is much appreciated. Cabin quality is impressive, and seat comfort is good in all three rows. If I were shopping for a minivan, I'd spend my money on this one. – Mike Hanley, Cars.com reviewer

Honda Still on Top in U.S., Says Consumer Reports

For the second year in a row, Consumer Reports has named Honda the automaker selling the best vehicles in the U.S., based on factors ranging from reliability to vehicle comfort.

Toyota and Subaru ranked second and third, followed by BMW, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen. No domestic nameplate appeared on the list.

Honda Bringing New Fit to New York Auto Show

The 2009 Honda Fit will make its debut at the New York auto show next month. We’ve already seen what the Fit will look like, as it debuted in Japan last year, but we‘ll still have to wait until the New York show to get more specifics, especially regarding mileage and when the new Fit will go on sale.

You can check out our original report here, and we’ve reposted the photo gallery of the Japanese model below.

Cars.com Reviews the 2008 Honda Odyssey

When the keys for a new minivan come to the office we’re don’t rush over with the same enthusiasm as if it were a sports car. But after a week in the new Honda Odyssey — a fully loaded Touring model at that — reviewer David Thomas came away impressed by how luxurious this family-friendly vehicle was. Make sure to check out the full review with video.

2008 Honda Odyssey Expert Review

Natural Gas Porsche Clone Makes Methane Sexy

Honda has been selling a version of its Civic sedan that runs on natural gas for a few years. Didn’t know that? Most people don’t. But you can buy one and a home refueling station if you live in New York or California. The French company PGO decided to draw attention to their CNG car by putting it in a classic Porsche-styled body.

The retro ride is fueled by natural gas too and will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. PGO, which has no relation to Porsche, says the roadster has a small turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 150 hp and goes 0-62 mph in 6.5 seconds. It also has a range of 280 miles.

The French company says it will produce a limited run of the $70,000 convertible but would gauge reaction to see if it will build more. Would a radical look convince you to go the natural gas route?

Gorgeous CNG-Fueled Porsche Clone Debuts In Geneva (Autotopia)

New Diesel Engine Headed to Acura

The Acura TSX will be the first car to have Honda’s new i-DTEC clean-diesel engine under its hood. The North American debut will be in the 2009 model, with other vehicles to follow in the next few years.

A cutaway of the 2.2-liter diesel was on display at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and Honda sees its engine as the forefront of emerging diesel technology. The engine uses an optimized combustion chamber design coupled with reduced injection time to deliver a quiet engine that has all the typical benefits of diesel technology: increased performance and better mileage. Honda also says the engine already meets the EPA’s stringent emissions standards for diesel engines.

Acura’s diesel-equipped entry-level sedan will hit European shores before debuting stateside. Europe already has a thriving market for diesels, but it remains to be seen if they will catch on in the U.S.

Following the TSX, Acura plans to get the engine into its crossover RDX sometime in 2009, and work is under way on a V-6 diesel that should be ready by 2010.

Acura TSX Gets Diesel Power Next Year (Autoblog)

Recall Alert: 2007 - 2008 Honda Fit

Honda is recalling up to 34,000 Fits from 2007 and 2008 due to a faulty sensor that’s intended to detect children in the front passenger seat. Honda has found that road salt mixing with melting snow can put young passengers in danger.

Basically, salty water tracked into the car on boots and shoes during the winter can leach beneath the carpet and corrode the wiring for the occupant detection system. If the wiring severs, the car can no longer tell if a child is in the seat and will deploy the front and side airbags in an accident — a legitimate danger for small children.

The recall is in effect for all models registered in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

Honda Recalling 34,300 Fits (NHTSA via Autoblog)

Suburban Dad in Detroit: Honda Pilot Concept

Honda has taken the Pilot, which is hugely popular among the suburbanites in my neighborhood, and made it resemble something much more akin to a Jeep. And let me tell you, very few of the suburban moms I know are looking to be tooling around in a Jeep.

The old Pilot was so attractive to those suburbanites as a more refined, spacious SUV that didn't look or handle too much like a truck. I'm sure the new Pilot’s ride will be as family-friendly as ever, and while I like the more expressive, distinctive look of the grille and face, the lines toward the rear have become more pedestrian and common, making less of an impact on the eye.

As for the interior, I couldn’t get into this concept to check it out, but Honda has a reputation as a quality brand, and I don't expect it to falter with the Pilot. But for me, I can't get past the looks from the outside.

More info and live photos of the Honda Pilot Prototype

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Honda Pilot Prototype

• Looks like: Honda got blander
• Defining characteristics: Nondescript exterior and wild interior
• Ridiculous features: None; this is one practical prototype
• Chance of being mass-produced: 100% — we’ll see the real thing in a few months

Honda doesn’t roll out crazy concepts too often, and this year is no exception. The Pilot prototype you see here will greatly resemble the real thing, which we’ll test drive in the very near future; it will go on sale this spring.

What we learned today is that the new Pilot will have a rounder look than the current one. It will also feature a new six-cylinder engine that can run on three, four or six cylinders — depending on how lead-footed the driver is — and will deliver better fuel economy than the current model. Honda also promises a lot more room inside in both the second and third rows; it even boasts that an “above-average-sized adult male” will fit comfortably in the third row, with plenty of knee room. We’ll believe that when we’re crammed back there.

The inside is a bit more radical and will probably undergo some changes before hitting production. The layout and overall shape of the dash and doors, however, will probably remain the same. Honda also says it will have a more refined ride. Check out the photos below and let us know if you think this is a good evolutionary step for the Pilot. 

Recall Alert: 2005-2008 Acura RL

Honda is recalling 43,200 Acura RL sedans due to a faulty power steering hose that may crack from engine heat and pose a fire hazard, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which just released the information on its website today.

When the hose cracks it can leak flammable fluid and cause a fire if sparked by a hot catalytic converter. The recall — affecting 2005-2008 model year RLs — was issued because of two fires in automobiles in Japan, which led to an internal investigation from Honda’s Tokyo headquarters.

Honda has already begun notifying owners of the hazard and will have dealers replace the hose with a heat-resistant version.

Honda Recalls 43,200 Acuras Over Fire Risk From Hose (Bloomberg)

Honda to Unveil New Pilot at Detroit

Honda plans to show off its new, more-space-age Pilot at the auto show in Detroit next month. This may be just in time, as sales of the Pilot dipped to 106,743 vehicles this year, according to Autodata, a drop of about 22%. With the onslaught of two- and three-row crossovers onto the marketplace, Honda needs a Pilot that can compete against newer models with tons of features. Honda hopes the revamped three-row SUV can regain some of that ground, although in the age of increasingly prized fuel efficiency, that may be difficult.

Honda to Introduce New Pilot (Detroit Free Press)

Cars.com Faceoff: 2008 Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry

The best-selling cars on the market are always mainstream midsize sedans. The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry top that list almost every month, but now Chevy has hopes that its redesigned Malibu can make some waves in that pool. Cars.com’s Mike Hanley, David Thomas and Joe Wiesenfelder pitted the four-cylinder versions — the most popular engine choice — against each other to find out which one would win without boring the owner at the same time.

Cars.comparison: Family Sedans (Cars.com)

Friday Fleet Notes: 11.30.07

Cars.com’s notes from our test fleet return after an extended break due to the L.A. auto show and Thanksgiving holiday. That means we had some good impressions built up on a number of recently reviewed cars and SUVs including Chevy's all-new Malibu.

2008 Jeep Liberty

• I was wowed by the extra-large ragtop sunroof, and the airlock-like sound you get when that top closes. It opened up, letting a lot of sunlight into the car, and gave it a near-convertible feeling. That said, the driving experience left me feeling like I was hovering over the wheels, not really attached to them — just kind of bobbing up and down on the suspension. I didn’t feel directly connected to the road, and there was some pretty noticeable lean in turns. — Patrick Olsen, managing editor

Video: Driving Honda's Hydrogen FCX Clarity, Part 2

If you already watched Part 1 you might be asking, “Well, what the heck does it drive like?!” Ahem, your answer awaits in this video. Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder starts up the hydrogen fuel cell and checks out what makes it so intriguing. And the gauges totally look like they’re out of "Star Trek."

Video: Driving Honda's Hydrogen FCX Clarity, Part 1

You might have seen Honda’s commercials featuring the FCX Clarity. They’re very convincing, and almost seem to suggest that it will be on sale at your local Honda dealer. In fact, only 100 will be on the roads, and only in Southern California. Senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder walks us around the FCX Clarity in this first of two videos on the green machine.

Related
2007 L.A. Auto Show: Honda FCX Clarity (Cars.com)

Video: 2008 Honda Element

Reviewer Kelsey Mays steps into the 2008 Honda Element to get a closer look at this versatile SUV. Not exactly known for its sleek styling, the Element impresses anyway with abundant storage space and overall functional design. Check out the video of Kelsey explaining what makes the Element such a winning choice of an SUV.

Related Links
2008 Honda Element Expert Review (Cars.com)
More Honda News (KickingTires)

2007 L.A. Auto Show: Honda FCX Clarity

• Competes with: Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell
• Looks like: Honda’s take on the Prius
• Drivetrain: Fuel cell
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2008, limited to 100 leases in Southern California

Automakers are so excited about hydrogen-powered cars that they’re building real working production models to put into consumers hands. That’s Honda’s plan with the FCX Clarity. Yes, it’s powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which powers electric motors to propel the car. The FCX will be crash-tested and meet all federal regulations before it hits the streets. It will also get a window sticker that shows EPA adjusted mileage figures, which Honda says will be 68 mpg.

The 100 folks who are lucky enough to get on a waiting list and receive an FCX will have to pay a $600 a month lease fee for three years and live near a hybrid fueling station, like the ones in Santa Monica, Torrance and Irvine, Calif. We’re still years away from the FCX hitting showrooms nationwide, as the technology costs are well beyond even most B-list celebrity pay grades. Oh, and there’s not a hydrogen distribution infrastructure. But besides those two things…

Related
More from the LA Auto Show
More Honda News
More Hybrid/Alternative Fuel News

Reader Review of the Week: 2008 Honda Accord

This week, a tall, demanding car buyer has found something that finally fits: the 2008 Honda Accord. The reason this Pennsylvania native wins the nod this week is that he goes through the reasons why his previous purchases of a Camry and 2007 Accord weren’t right for his large frame. He also points out some pros and cons that are unique to him. You can leave your own reader review for all to see here. 

Video: Check out the Accord, Camry and Malibu

Last week when I was checking out the new Chevy Malibu for our review, I was also able to test drive the competition, including the Toyota Camry and the new Honda Accord. Having some extra time on my hands, and extra tape in the video camera I was able to highlight some of the difference between the three cars and hopefully give some insight into the hotly contested segment.

Ed. Note: GM supplied all three cars and I believe all three were representative of what consumers would find on dealer lots. They were all near base model, four-cylinder trims. The Honda and Toyota performed similarly to other vehicles provided to us at other times by the respective automakers.   

Weekend Athlete Video: 2008 Honda Element

Athletes come in many shapes and sizes, and some are just better suited for a particular sport. It’s the same with cars — there are jobs for which some are simply the best. I recently got to spend some time with the Honda Element and rediscovered why it scores a perfect 10 for weekend athletes. 

2008 Honda Accord: Through Ian's Lens

We’ve changed the name, but rest assured this photo blog has gotten some great enhancements since we debuted it a few weeks back. This week, I tackle the love-it-or-hate-it styling of the new Honda Accord coupe. You can browse all my shots below, along with commentary on the design.

The Urban Dink: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe

I’m not a fan of large coupes that don’t have some kind of performance aspect inherent in their existence. What the heck am I talking about? The Ford Mustang, Pontiac GTO, BMW 335i — they’re worth the two-door, 2+2 seating configuration headaches. Otherwise, I find most coupes — like the new Accord, Pontiac G6, Nissan Altima and the god-awful Toyota Camry Solara — just pointless. Even as an Urban DINK, you might want to go out to dinner with another couple in comfort, and there are plenty of sporty sedans on the market these days.

What does all this spell for my time with the Accord coupe? It has a lot to make up for in my warped mind.

Honda Confirms Two New Hybrids

Man, things are crazy in Tokyo today: During the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show Honda dropped news that it will indeed produce two new hybrid cars. One will be a Prius-fighting family car, while the other will be based on the CR-Z concept we’ve been drooling over the past few days.

Honda will also bring a street-ready version of its FCX hydrogen fuel cell car to the L.A. Auto Show next month. Both hybrids will hit streets in 2009.

We were hoping to see them — especially the CR-Z — sooner than that. 

Related
Honda Saying Iie (No) to Plug-In Hybrids (KickingTires)
Honda CR-Z Concept: Honda's Next Hybrid? (KickingTires)

Honda Saying Iie (No) to Plug-In Hybrids

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui said today that he doesn’t see any advantage to plug-in gasoline-electric hybrids like GM’s Chevy Volt concept. There has been widespread optimism about the powertrain, but detractors say plugging into already-stressed electric grids — which are often powered by coal-burning plants — is harmful. It seems Fukui agrees.

He said Honda is working on a hybrid-only family car for a 2009 launch. This is news to us. We had heard of a hybrid-only compact car, but a dedicated family car seems aimed directly at Toyota’s Prius. He also said the hybrid technology is getting cheaper and will be about a $1,750 premium versus a conventional gas-powered car. Surprisingly, most of the costs come from production, not the equipment in the hybrids. "Right now, the Civic Hybrid is pretty much hand-made," Fukui said.

So what will Honda develop to take the place of hybrids if it doesn’t go electric? The company is looking at hydrogen and has developed working prototypes (the FCX shown above), as well as home hydrogen station prototypes. Fukui says that in 10 years hydrogen will be closer to a mass-market reality, and obviously the company doesn’t think it needs a stop-gap like plug-ins.

Honda Sees Big Hybrid Volume Push With Next Model (Reuters via AutoblogGreen)

All-New Honda Fit ... in Japan Now, U.S. Eventually

Today, Honda debuted the all-new, redesigned Fit compact car you see above —and in a photo gallery below. Not only that, but the new Fit goes on sale in Japan today. Don’t expect the new Fit to make it to the U.S. anytime soon, however. We don’t think it will take as long as it took the last-generation Fit to reach these shores, but don’t expect a redesigned 2009 Fit in the U.S. until late in calendar 2008 — we’d guess September, since that’s when Honda likes to spring new models on us (see the last Accord and CR-V).

Even with U.S. specs and interior pictures — these are all right-hand-drive models — unavailable, the Japanese versions seen here will be remarkably similar to what we’ll eventually get. There are two engines, 1.3- and 1.5-liter four-cylinders, but what comes to the U.S. may be a different story. Tell us what you think. Is this a big upgrade from the current Fit, or do you like the old look?

Honda Prices New 2008 Odyssey

Last month, Honda told us about changes to its new 2008 Odyssey minivan, but we didn’t know the prices until today, which also happens to be the day the new family-hauler goes on sale. 

Prices start at $25,860 for the Odyssey LX. That’s just barely up from the 2007’s $25,645 price. Neither includes a $635 destination charge. What do you get for the extra money? There aren’t a bevy of new standard features, but the exterior has a slightly new look, and the interior also got a once-over, with improved fabric for the LX and EX. An auxiliary jack for MP3 players is