Blog Category: Honda

With Earth Day right around the corner, it only makes sense to take a look at the leading  environmentally-friendly green vehicle market. What was once a market dominated by the Toyota Prius has ballooned in the last year or so to include a wide range of manufacturers, models, and features. The green car is here to stay and with recent legislation proposals in California and other States, we’re likely to see even more of these environmentally-friendly vehicles on our highways and city streets.

In every industry, perception and what we think of specific companies, brands and logos goes a long way in contributing to our purchase decisions. When it comes to buying a new car or truck, this brand awareness and perception goes a long way in how we research our vehicle purchases and ultimately in the vehicle we choose to buy.

It’s not much of a surprise that poll numbers supported the recent federal government decision to raise CAFE (that stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards to 54.5 mpg by 2025. Given the fact that fuel prices are only going to creep ever upward -- not to mention the environmental costs of getting the gas from the ground to the pump -- drivers are realizing the benefits of high-mileage vehicles. It helps, too, that technology is improving, with hybrid systems, valve shutoff systems, direct injection, and clean diesels that all deliver a fun driving experience with better fuel economy.

According to JD Power and Associates, despite modest improvement in initial quality on both newly developed models and new version of existing models over the last 5 years, the trend has not continued and initial quality for newly developed models for 2011 is down, as is reported in the organization’s newest study.

The Initial Quality Study, conducted by JD Power for the last 25 years, is a survey of recent buyers and lessees of 2011 models.  Owners are contacted after 90 days with the cars and are given a 228-question survey designed to provide the manufacturers with information to “facilitate identifying problems and drive product improvement.”

"Back To Football"...If you are a football fanatic, you know exactly what this quote means...after the offseason soap opera of the NFL Lockout, fans across the country were thrilled to see everything put to bed with the owners and players getting back to focusing on what millions of Americans love....football.  Between the upcoming professional and college seasons, for the next 5 months, millions of fans, every weekend, will load up their beloved car, truck, SUV, or hybrid and head out to a fun filled day of tailgating.  Yes, other sports may get the occasional tailgating group, but football, more than any other sport, brings out the tailgaters.  And thus, our vehicles play a critical role in our game day experience.

We’ve been talking a lot about used cars, lately.

The reason is simple:  there are some really great deals to be gotten if you know what to look for and how to spot them.  Our friends at Edmunds have put together their annual Edmunds Used Car Best Bets, which is a great list that will help you in that search. 

Their name is a little hard to remember, but if you are in the market for a new or used auto, you definitely do not want to forget who the IIHS is.  Formed over 50 years ago, the mission of the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS) is to help reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage. 

As is the case in any industry, the law of supply and demand is a huge driver in the automotive market.  The ability to keep popular models flowing into dealership inventory is the key to success at both the dealership and manufacturer level.

NADAguides, one of the most trusted names in automotive analysis, recently released its Most in Demand Vehicles Report.  The report is a comprehensive list of the hardest to find models as well as alternative choices for shoppers willing to go beyond their original ideas.

In a world where image really is everything, consumer opinion can make or break a brand.  Recognizing that, Kelley Blue Book – a longtime industry leader in automotive research and information – has just released its annual Brand Image Awards for 2011.  The awards, which are based on detailed data from KBB Market Intelligence’s Brand Watch study and are derived from an online study of more than 12,000 in market auto shoppers, recognize the best of the best in 10 categories.  These different categories leave no market uncovered.

Car and Driver, one of the leading automotive publications dedicated to enthusiasts and auto reviews, recently announced their 10Best Cars for 2011.  The full coverage of their 10Best selections can be found in the January magazine edition and on their website, CarandDriver.com.

When it comes to measuring long term reliability and value, Consumers Union (the publisher of Consumer Reports Magazine) is one of the most respected sources in the industry. So for consumers, it's always helpful to see their ratings on new autos, as you should definitely consider their Top Picks as solid recommendations.