Tag: Honda

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HONDA HYBRID LOOKS DOWN THE ROAD

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 Median strip to Monaco and much more in between, Honda has it all pretty-well covered. The powerplant specialist is a cut above with its premium mowers, and under sweeping new regulations in Formula One, has looked to the future of the automobile through extended electrification and the use of sustainable fuels. As far as cars are concerned, Honda was at the front of the grid with its Insight, in 1999, among the first to bring electric power to the production automobile. However, Insight was soon out of sight as the… Read more

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PRELUDE TO A HYBRID WAY OF LIFE

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The new Prelude is something of an enigma. The Honda that rolled out all-wheel steering in the late 1980s, and a decade later, the Insight, one of the first to bring electric power to the production automobile, has just come on to the market as if standing still, for after 25 years, innovation is sparing in the MY26 generation sports coupe. The Prelude e:HEV rolls on a Civic Hybrid platform with the same 135kW powertrain and rides on a Type R-based suspension and Brembo brakes. More Civic than savage, at… Read more

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NEW HONDA ZR-V GETS ADVANCED HYBRID TECHNOLOGY

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There’s a misconception out there that, in late-2001, Toyota was the first manufacturer to launch a petrol/electric hybrid passenger vehicle onto the Australian market. While the Prius name quickly became synonymous with the emerging powertrain technology in fact it arrived about six months after the Honda Insight. The Insight didn’t live up to its name leaving Toyota to dominate the hybrid (HEV) market to such an extent that it now offers them in just about every model in its range. Indeed, many of its most popular models, such as Camry,… Read more

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CR-V DRIVING TO THE LETTER

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The folk at Honda, it seems, have long memories. Back in 1995 the Japanese company developed one of the first compact sports utility vehicles on the market – the Comfortable Runabout Vehicle, or CR-V, as we know it. Landing Down Under in 1997, in the 30 years since, the CR-V has sold almost a quarter of a million units here and won numerous awards, including Australian Car of the Year in 2023. Why wouldn’t anyone wish to continue to bask in the glow of such storied ancestry? Welcome to the… Read more

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CR-V DRIVING TO THE LETTER

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The folk at Honda, it seems, have long memories. Back in 1995 the Japanese company developed one of the first compact sports utility vehicles on the market – the Comfortable Runabout Vehicle, or CR-V, as we know it. Landing Down Under in 1997, in the 30 years since, the CR-V has sold almost a quarter of a million units here and won numerous awards, including Australian Car of the Year in 2023. Why wouldn’t anyone wish to continue to bask in the glow of such storied ancestry? Welcome to the… Read more

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HISTORIC INSIGHT INTO HYBRID HONDA

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It’s not surprising that one of the world’s largest engine builders, in 1999, was among the first to bring electric power to the production automobile. What is surprising is that the company, Honda, persisted with its poor selling petrol/electric powered Insight, whereas rival, Toyota’s hybrid Prius went on to capture the world’s imagination and massive sales. The Insight limped on to a third generation in 2018. Based on the tenth-generation Civic sedan the new Insight used Honda’s third generation two-motor hybrid powertrain, featuring a 1.5-litre Atkinson Cycle petrol engine, combined… Read more

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HONDA CIVIC E:HEV L

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Civic received a mild makeover towards the end of last year. The refreshed model sees the sporty styling enhanced with a new front bumper and radiator grille that combined produce improved aerodynamics. The previous petrol-powered entry model has made way for the hybrid e:HEV L, powered by the same petrol-electric setup that powers the more expensive LX. You might think Honda is a little late to the hybrid party, but along with Toyota was one of the pioneers of hybrid technology with the launch of the Honda Insight way back… Read more

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HONDA HR-V Vi X

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When it arrived here in 1999 it was one of the first compact SUVs around and at once set the standard for what has since become one of the fastest growing segments of the automobile market. Unfortunately, with its bland styling and three-door body, that original HR-V never really took off and it was subsequently discontinued in 2003. It remained off the Australian market until 2015 when the much more attractive five-door second-generation model arrived. The third generation of the HR-V arrived here in 2022 with sleeker styling, advanced safety… Read more

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HONDA ZR-V VTI LX

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You might think the ZR-V is the smallest of Honda’s SUVs but you’d be wrong because the latecomer actually slots between the HR-V and long-serving CR-V. It’s taken us a while to catch up with the ZR-V, but it has been worth the wait because ZR-V is the pick of the bunch. STYLING ZR-V is a good-looker, in an understated way with its Maserati-inspired grille. Based on the Civic hatch, ZR-V is a five-seat, mid-sized, front-wheel drive crossover. It’s available in three petrol-only grades plus a range-topping hybrid, petrol-electric version…. Read more

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CIVIC SERVICE INTO THE FUTURE

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With a heritage of more than half a century there is lots that can be said about the Honda Civic. No navel gazing here, though. Far from dreamy reminiscences about its-once popular product, the maker says the company is looking strictly to the future with the updated model as a bridge to total electrification of its vehicles. The entry-level petrol engine has been given the shove, with the new Civic e:HEV L hybrid filling the position, while the e:HEV LX variant is still available. Performance buyers have not been left… Read more