2012 Honda CR-V

Compact crossovers are a little like toothbrushes. They perform a necessary function, but they’re rarely exciting. Everybody needs a toothbrush, though, and toothbrush manufacturers want to outsell their competitors, so we have wear-indicating bristles, flexible split heads, integrated tongue-and-cheek scrapers, and the like.
Accordingly, much of Honda’s technical presentation on the new CR-V focused on the next-gen mini-ute’s new features, including standard stuff like two info screens, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and a function that reads incoming text messages from paired phones—assuming said phone is from a short list of BlackBerrys or a Droid X, as those are the only devices with which the CR-V can currently communicate. Meanwhile, lesser points like the powertrain and the basic construction of the chassis were only mentioned in passing. Makes sense: Once Colgate nails down the perfect handle cross-section, head shape, and bristle feel, it’s probably going to keep making that same toothbrush. Honda was pretty happy with the outgoing CR-V—and its sales numbers indicated that buyers were, too—so the new CR-V is a lot like the old one.
Hello, Again. You Should Have Brought a Friend. Maybe a Turbo.
The spec-sheet familiarity begins with the only available engine. It’s the same dual-overhead-cam 2.4-liter inline-four, but it now boasts a 5.4-percent reduction in internal friction and a more efficient alternator. These slight changes increase output to 185 hp and 163 lb-ft, bumps of five and two. It’s worth noting that the power peak occurs at 7000 rpm, and the automatic transmission shifts about 300 or so rpm before that. Unless you’re going to lock your CR-V in first around town, don’t expect to feel those extra fillies. You won’t hear them quite as much as before, either, although Honda still has the most pleasing soundtrack in the tiny-truck business. It’s louder than we would expect most crossover buyers to want, but it obviously isn’t deterring many—the CR-V is the perennial bestseller in its segment.
Behind that only slightly updated engine is an only slightly updated transmission. Against a market that is swelling with six-speed automatics—not to mention the nine-speed ZF unit on its way for front-drive applications—Honda is sticking with the CR-V’s fiver. Lower-friction internals and lower-viscosity transmission fluid boost efficiency, and a wider ratio spread nudges the CR-V’s fuel-economy ratings up. Front-drivers see their mileage increase from 21/28 city/highway to 23/31; all-wheel-drive models go from 21/27 to 22/30.
The Snow Falls and Molasses Wins
The downside is that the CR-V remains among the slowest in its class. The Honda’s ratios make it feel even slower than its predecessor—in first gear, redline resides north of 40 mph; in second, it’s hiding in the 80-mph range—but when we got the new CR-V to the test track, it actually clicked off the 0-to-60 run in two fewer tenths, or 8.5 seconds. We’ve recently logged about half a dozen complaints about the ratio spread in Chrysler’s rear-drive five-speed—we would like Honda to note that this unit is imminently being replaced with an eight-cogger—because of its ludicrous gearing.
Although few people floor it off the line during their morning commute (more people should try it; they’d be amazed how much more time they have in a day if they don’t drive like they’re dead or waiting to be), there are real-world drawbacks to dog-slow crossovers. Run up on a surprisingly slow truck on the freeway, and you’d better have a long opening behind you in the left lane. When you pop out to pass and give the CR-V the boot, it’s going to need a lot of time to get up to speed. Accelerating from 50 to 70 mph takes 5.6 seconds, while the combined time for 30–50 and 50–70 runs is more than 10 seconds. Should you floor it at much more than 60 mph, the trans only drops into third, stranding you around 3500 rpm. At that speed, it feels like you only need two digits to quantify the 2.4-liter’s torque output. Drivers behind you are likely to display two digits of their own. For even greater sluggishness, Honda fits all 2012 CR-Vs with an “econ” button that dulls throttle response and widens the acceptable window of variation for the cruise and climate controls.
In response to criticism for sticking with the five-speed, Honda’s answer was along the lines of, “Our five is damn good. The customers wanted efficiency gains—we gave them efficiency gains.” We appreciate the philosophy of extracting greater efficiencies from existing hardware before creating all-new systems, but clinging to the five-speed seems kind of lazy.
The critical chassis measurements—wheelbase, front and rear track—are identical to the previous CR-V’s, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that the new car’s underpinnings also land in the “same old, same old” column. Nay, says Honda: 65 percent of the basic structure is new. Part of that 65 percent is additional bracing around the back of the body. It further solidifies what already felt like one of the firmest shells in its class and contributes to what Honda claims is a 40-percent increase in the balance between responsiveness and stability. Claiming exact-percentage increases in unquantifiables doesn’t make much sense to us. Then again, neither does the fact that such a sporty-feeling chassis can be the favorite in a segment whose buyers certainly don’t prioritize athletic feel. But the CR-V is agile and firm, and the ride only gets unsettled on pavement that seems engineered to unsettle a vehicle. The steering is a bit slower than the outgoing CR-V’s, and although some added heft makes it feel more certain on-center, there’s otherwise less communication than before. We doubt many buyers will care. Neither will they notice that the electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system is quicker in its operation, more efficient, and lighter than the old hydraulic setup.
Feels Bigger Inside
Overall length is down by one inch, and height drops by 1.4 inch for front-wheel-drive models and one inch on all-wheel-drive versions. That robs front-row occupants of about an inch of headroom; legroom stays the same up front and is reduced by 0.2 inch in the rear. But the 2012 CR-V is a good deal wider up around the front windows than its predecessor, which lends it a much more spacious feel. The back seat of the outgoing vehicle could be adjusted fore-and-aft and offered four different seat-back angles; the new one has no fore-and-aft adjustment and only two seatback angles. Even so, we found it much easier to get comfortable in the back of the new car than in its predecessor. More sound-deadening material throughout the cabin makes this generation much quieter than the last CR-V.
Just as important to the CR-V’s target customer is the folding rear seat. Seats up, you’ll find 37.2 cubic feet of cargo space, up from 35.7. Maximum volume drops exactly two cubes, though, to 70.9. From the rear doors, the seats fold in two steps—flip the bottom cushion forward and then drop the back cushion on top of it—but levers on either side of the cargo area drop each seat in one smooth action.
Other features of the new CR-V are less impressive. Neither of the infotainment system’s two screens presents its assigned information clearly, and the controls for both are obtuse. If this Gen-Y author couldn’t immediately figure out how to navigate a USB-connected iPod, you’ve got trouble. And Honda apparently believes that high-tech features should have ColecoVision graphics.
For better or worse, Honda is proud that those features are standard on all CR-Vs, starting with the base LX trim. Moving to the EX adds a sunroof, nicer seat cloth, an intermittent setting for the windshield wipers—for which we imagine every LX buyer would gladly trade one of the two information screens—a security system, and body-color door handles and mirror housings. The CR-V EX-L piles onto that leather upholstery, a 10-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats, automatic climate control, an upgraded audio system with XM satellite radio, and a few interior trim pieces. Above EX-L, buyers have to make a tough decision: Do you want to get to your destination or travel in peace? Nav and a rear-seat entertainment system are available, but not together. The Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000, on the other hand, has a timer to remind you to brush for two whole minutes and an in-handle display to provide feedback on the user’s brushing habits.
Honda hasn’t announced pricing yet, but figure on the ladder remaining similar to what it was in 2011, with the LX around $23,000, the EX near $25,000, and the EX-L commanding about $28,000, all with front-wheel drive. Add in navigation or the rear-seat entertainment system, and you’ll probably surpass $30,000.
The 2012 CR-V pleases on paper and remains a refreshingly competent entry in a dull segment. We’re amazed and heartened that a vehicle that feels so sporty relative to its competitors can consistently outsell all of them. But the new CR-V also delivers a few subtle insults—the poor integration of some of the technologies and Honda’s refusal to fit a six-speed transmission or more powerful engine among them. We still find it fundamentally satisfying, but a toothbrush should never offend. View Photo Gallery

2011 Dodge Durango Crew AWD vs. 2011 Ford Explorer XLT 4WD, 2011 Honda Pilot Touring 4WD

When it comes to automotive function, it’s hard to beat the minivan. But, aside from a fussy two-year old, few things shout “Mommy!” quite as loudly. Minivans are about parenting, and moms and dads—as any teenager can attest—aren’t cool.
And yet, some parents cling desperately to the fantasy that they are as hip as Miles Davis. They might need a minivan, but they just can’t stand the silent judgments of society. Enter the alternative to the one-box kid hauler: the three-row SUV. We last visited this burgeoning segment in 2008, when we assembled six three-row non-minivans. The Honda Pilot emerged victorious by a slight margin over the Mazda CX-9. We praised the Pilot’s spacious eight-passenger interior, its eagerness to venture off-road, and its somewhat carlike handling. Since then, two all-new competitors have turned up in the car-pool lane.
From Ford comes the Explorer. Once a sales-topping SUV and the darling of suburbia (until it became branded a rolling, ­flipping, tire-tread-shedding menace), the Explorer is new from the rubber up. The ­traditional body-on-frame structure is gone, swapped for a slightly lighter unibody platform that also underpins the Flex and whose roots can be traced to Volvo. A V-8 is absent from the order books; the most powerful engine is a 290-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. For the fuel conscious, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 237 horsepower is on its way. All-wheel drive is an option on V-6 models; otherwise, the Explorer is a front-drive machine.
Over at Dodge, the old-school body-on-frame Durango sat out Chrysler’s bankruptcy ugliness and, like the Explorer, has returned this year as a unibody “crossover” SUV. A product of parent company Chrysler’s now severed ties with Mercedes-Benz, the platform can count the Benz ML and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee as kin. Unlike its three-row competition gathered here, the Durango can still be had with a V-8—a very serious 360-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi. But this class is dominated by V-6 power, so for this test we recruited a Durango with the standard 290-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 (there’s also a Heat trim level, which increases V-6 power to 295). Unlike the Explorer, two-wheel-drive Durangos are rear-drive.
In the interest of determining which minivan alternative works best, we spent a few days and more than 300 miles driving these three vehicles, climbing in and out of second and third rows, and folding and unfolding seats. During our drive, we stopped for lunch at Win Schuler’s restaurant in Marshall, Michigan, where the spreadable and highly addictive Bar Scheeze was created. We brought back a large tub of the zesty cheese for our co-workers to enjoy, plus a new champ in the three-row-SUV class. 

 

New Cars for 2012: Honda Full Lineup Info

New Cars for 2012: Honda Full Lineup Info

Charting the changes for the 2012 model year.

[ MARKET SHARE 2012 EST., CHANGE FROM 2011: 8.26%, -1.23% ]
–CR-V: Due late in 2012, Honda’s fourth-gen CR-V will feature edgier styling that we expect to be very close to that of the concept vehicle shown above. Honda has hinted that we can expect the 2.4-liter four-cylinder/automatic transmission powertrain to continue with incremental upticks in engine output and fuel economy. We also expect extensive interior upgrades, including improved space utilization and cargo versatility.

Civic: On sale since April, the Civic’s gen-seven makeover emphasizes fuel economy and comfort across an expanded range of models and body styles. The Civic hybrid continues to be the fuel-economy standard-bearer, with EPA ratings of 44 mpg city and highway. Honda also offers a thrifty conventional version, the HF, with a 140-hp, 1.8-liter four and low-rolling-resistance tires; it’s capable of 29 mpg city and 41 highway. A natural-gas model will be available later this year. The sporty Civic Si returns with a modest horsepower gain from a new 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. Honda took no chances with the styling.
Crosstour: Updated features include a rearview camera, Bluetooth capability, a USB interface, and automatic on/off headlights, but the bigger news is its name: The Accord prefix is gone.
Insight: Honda has freshened the front and rear fascias, updated the interior, and upgraded the audio and nav systems. The company predicts better fuel economy through improved aero, low-rolling-resistance tires, and reduced friction in the 1.3-liter engine. It’s due in showrooms by November.
Pilot: For 2012, the Pilot goes with the contemporary crossover flow, featuring smoother contours and a more urbane appearance. The interior has upgraded feature content, a new instrument panel, improved materials, reduced control-button count in the center stack, and updates to the audio and nav systems. Honda cites improved fuel economy, but specifics will have to wait for the Pilot’s September on-sale date.
Ridgeline: Once thought to be on the discard list, Honda’s unique pickup survives, with new front styling and the addition of a Sport trim package. Honda also forecasts improved highway mileage.

2012 Honda Pilot

Honda, like airline companies, likes its Pilots to be sober, and there’s nothing to raise the pulse in the 2012 Pilot, which the company has subtly refreshed. But for the vast number of Americans—and many of our own staffers—who appreciate the current Pilot and the innocuous, reliable, and easy way it transports up to eight people and their stuff, this is no bad thing.
For 2012 the Pilot is available in the same four trim levels as last year—LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring—and buyers can spec any Pilot with two- or four-wheel drive. On all Pilots, the seemingly Battlestar Galactica–inspired fascia seen on the current model is mostly gone, replaced with a rather plain face for 2012. A three-slat grille has been installed, while the lower edge and fog lights are redesigned. LXs still wear 17-inch steel wheels, but EX models and up gain new 18-inch aluminum wheels (an increase of 1 inch over last year’s). A power rear hatch is now standard on the EX-L, in addition to the Touring.
Like the changes to its face, the alterations to the Pilot’s interior aren’t immediately apparent and require a Pilot expert to spot. The buttons on the center stack were rearranged for what the company says is a more user-friendly layout, the trim ringing the gauges was redesigned, and the instrument cluster lighting is now white instead of ice blue. EX-L models without the optional navigation system get a new eight-inch color display above the center stack. Those with nav now have a sharper screen and memory expanded to 60 gigs. Honda’s HandsFreeLink Bluetooth and audio streaming is now standard on EX, EX-L, and Touring Pilots—previously the feature was available only when paired with navigation on EX-L and Touring models.
It’s the changes we can’t see that comprise the significant upgrades to the three-row crossover for 2012. Honda added sound insulation to all Pilots, and the acoustic windshield glass exclusive to last year’s EX-L and Touring models has spread throughout the lineup. A 2011 Pilot placed third in a recent three-way comparison test and excessive road and wind noise were among our biggest complaints with it, so any efforts to quiet the racket are welcome. The Pilot is powered by the same 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 as last year, but fuel economy is up, courtesy of friction-reducing engine tweaks. In a world where eight-speed slushboxes are becoming more commonplace, we expected Honda to upgrade from its five-cog unit, but the quint soldiers on. Regardless, the 2012 Pilot’s efficiency improvements vault it to the top of the eight-passenger crossover heap. Front-drive models now get 25 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city—up 1 and 2 mpg over last year’s car. Four-wheel-drive Pilots see the same mileage increases, now earning a rating of 17/24 mpg.
Prices for the 2012 Pilot are up marginally, with the EX-L model’s $300 increase being the largest. The front-drive Pilot LX starts at $29,280, followed by the $32,130 EX; $35,380 EX-L; and $40,030 Touring. Adding four-wheel drive to any model will set you back $1600. Honda says this refreshed model will begin arriving at dealers in September. View Photo Gallery

2012 Honda Fit

The Honda Fit is one devious little subcompact—its dinky size and milquetoast looks belie its incredible interior versatility and surprising athleticism. But good as it may be, the current Fit bowed in 2009, which means it’s time for the five-time 10Best winner to get an update.
A New Snout for the Fit Sport
The Fit lineup continues unchanged into 2012, and still consists of the base Fit and the Fit Sport. Both get new cup holders, console ambient lighting, and additional sound insulation in the floor, front fenders, and A-pillars—the latter hopefully addressing one of our only complaints about the Fit, its high levels of road noise. To that end, Honda also thickened the glass used in the Fit’s unique front quarter windows. The base car picks up new wheel covers for its 15-inch steelies, as well as body-color side mirrors in place of the black-painted units on last year’s model.
The Fit Sport was given more attention, with new blacked-out headlight surrounds, new 16-inch aluminum wheels, and a reworked front grille and fascia. Inside, the Sport is set apart with a new dark metallic finish replacing the previous black and gray theme; new cloth upholstery; and chrome accents ringing the outboard HVAC vents, center HVAC control tabs, and gauge pods. In the functional department, the Sport’s steering wheel gains audio controls as standard; buyers previously needed to pony up for the navigation system to add them. If you do need directional guidance and hate your left foot—nav can’t be had with a manual transmission—the system now includes Bluetooth phone and audio-streaming capability, and is also upgraded to run from 16 gigs of flash memory instead of a DVD.
Skip Taco Bell for a Week and You Can Afford the Price Bump
Mechanically, the Fit is unchanged. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder produces 117 hp and 106 lb-ft of torque, and in a recent comparison test with the Mazda 2 and the Ford Fiesta scooted a 2010 Fit Sport manual to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds. The transmission choices remain a five-speed automatic—with manual mode and paddle shifters on the Sport—or a slick five-speed manual transmission that we named one of 2011’s 10Best Manuals.
Pricing for the Fit has inched upward for 2012. Base Fits ring in at $15,945 with a manual and $16,745 for an automatic—increases of $75. The Fit Sport costs 50 bucks more than before, with a row-your-own example running $17,680 and one with an auto $17,810. Finally, the nav-equipped Fit Sport jumps a huge $300 to $20,310. That last number may seem a bit high for such a small car, but no other vehicle in the Fit’s class yet offers the same mix of behind-the-wheel fun and tremendous practicality, and the 2012 version should deliver those goods, too. View Photo Gallery

2012 Honda CR-V Concept

Honda has released pictures of the concept version of its next-generation CR-V, and it looks, well, pretty much like we expected based on recent spy photos. The vehicle seen here is, as is typical with Honda’s concepts, a loosely disguised version of the production car, which will debut at November's L.A. auto show and go on sale by the end of the year.
That’s not to say that when the fourth-generation CR-V arrives at dealerships it will be festooned with some of the concept’s more colorful design elements. Items like the smoked-out headlights, prominent front skid plate, gargantuan wheels, and polished black lower trim likely will remain the domain of the show car. Otherwise, though, what you see here is what we’ll get.
Despite a relatively significant change in the CR-V’s design—it’s major by Honda’s conservative standards, at least—the new car will be mechanically similar to the one it replaces. Front-wheel drive definitely will again be standard, with optional all-wheel drive returning to the menu, too. It’s doubtful that Honda will make any major changes in the engine department from last year’s car, meaning that buyers will probably get a 2.4-liter inline four good for about 180 hp. Unlike the 2011 CR-V, which had a five-speed automatic transmission, the new model is likely to receive a six-speed unit. If Honda does go this route, you can expect a modest boost in fuel economy over the current CR-V’s 21 mpg city/28 highway for front-drive models and 21/27 for those with AWD.
While the CR-V has never fully roused the enthusiast’s soul, it has always been one of the more involving small crossovers to pilot. (Pun intended as an excuse to post a link to the face-lifted 2012 Pilot, which Honda recently announced.) At the same time, the CR-V has been one of the more practical and easy-to-use small utes, too, a factor we’re sure is of higher importance to most of the people with one in their driveway. (There are a lot of those people: 227,760 CR-Vs were sold in the past 12 months alone.) We don’t expect those traits to change with this next-gen model, although we’ll have to wait until Honda shows the production model to find out for sure. View Photo Gallery

2012 Honda Civic / Civic Hybrid / Civic Si Official Photos and Info

Concept cars and spy photos couldn’t prepare us for the stunning inoffensiveness of the ninth-generation Honda Civic, coming to dealers this spring as a 2012 model. Despite the sedate looks of the new models, they’re guaranteed shopper favorites—the company sold over 260,000 Civics in 2010, and the nameplate is likely to continue racking up big numbers going forward. That’s because the new car is shaping up to do what Civics have always done best: deliver good fuel economy and a fun steer at a sensible price.
New Styling? Who Gives a Sheetmetal?
“Evolutionary” perfectly describes the new Civic’s styling. The wedgy profile carries over, but both the 2012 sedan and coupe get more organic, taut sheetmetal in place of the outgoing cars’ slabby sides. The front and rear ends have more dimension than in the past, too. Perhaps the most significant styling change for the four-door is in its swap of the previous sedan’s scalloped taillights and concave rear for a bulbous style that’s reminiscent of the Mercedes C-class. The coupe looks more aggressive from the side and rear, especially in Si trim, and we dare suggest that it even looks racy. (We’re going to assume the heinous wheel gap in the photos is the result of poor Photoshop work and not some sort of off-road package.)
Overall, it’s a car that’s meant to appeal to the masses, and the ninth-gen Civic accomplishes the mission of looking better without making enough of a change to scare away any shoppers. In other words, think the difference between original Triscuits and new Garden Herb Triscuits.
This new Civic also gets a revamped interior, although official photography from Honda is thus far limited to a single shot. The driver-oriented layout from the last-gen car remains, as does the two-tiered dash, featuring a digital speedo seated in the mezzanine. The Civic has picked up a new steering wheel, as well as new shapes for the vents. In other news, the IRS has revamped several earned-income tax-exemption forms for the 2011 tax year.
With Okay Power Comes Great Fuel Economy
Honda rarely—if ever—carries a flag into horsepower wars. As such, the regular-spec 2012 Civic will pack a 140-hp, 1.8-liter inline-four, as does the current car; Honda remains mum on whether torque will increase from last year’s 128 lb-ft. What changes somewhat, however, is fuel economy, with ratings improving from 25 mpg city/36 highway for the automatic-equipped 2011 Civic to an estimated 39 mpg highway for 2012. (The city rating for the new Civic hasn’t been announced.) This engine will be paired with a five-speed automatic, and although it’s not listed in the press release, we’re certain a five-speed manual will also show up.
Honda also has even more fuel-conscious shoppers covered. A new Civic HF model revives the nomenclature from past efficiency-minded Civics, and it promises 41 mpg on the highway with the 1.8-liter engine, although Big H hasn’t yet revealed the voodoo used to achieve the uptick in economy. At the top of the fuel-economy ladder sits the new Civic hybrid sedan, which is touted as pulling off an impressive 45 mpg combined, an improvement of 4 from the last generation. Like the outgoing car, the 2012 Civic hybrid will put out a combined 110 hp from its gas and electric power sources, but the engine has grown from 1.3 liters to 1.5, and the nickel-metal hydride battery has been replaced with a lighter and more compact lithium-ion pack. There also will be a Civic GX sedan, which burns natural gas with the same basic 140-hp engine as the regular car; its availability will be spread to all 50 states for this new generation.
The Civic sedan and coupe, HF, hybrid, and natural-gas models all will come standard with Honda’s Eco Assist system. This computerized coach is intended to help drivers optimize their on-road fuel economy, and will alter the transmission’s behavior in the Civic hybrid. The rest of the cars just get digitally displayed tips for efficient driving.
Two Flavors of Si
The new Civic’s biggest underhood change comes in the Si model, which will once again be sold as a sedan and coupe. The 2.0-liter inline-four is out, replaced with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder that also sees duty in the Acura TSX. In the Civic Si, it will make 200 hp and 170 lb-ft—increases of 3 hp and 31 lb-ft over the previous car—and is paired to the same slick-shifting six-speed manual transmission from the TSX. As in the past, a three-pedal setup is the only option for the Si. While we have no complaints about that, Honda failed to address the Si’s significant power deficit against much of its competition, in particular the 263-hp Mazdaspeed 3 and 265-hp Subaru Impreza WRX. We also hope that the 2.4-liter doesn’t make the new Si too mature; a lot of the thrill of the outgoing model was winding it up to the 8000-rpm redline. Honda says the EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of the new Si will be up to 31 mpg from last year’s 29.
Coming Soon to a Showroom Near You
Honda isn’t planning a formal auto-show reveal for the new Civic, but promises that detailed specs—including official EPA city and highway fuel-economy numbers, torque ratings, and dimensions—will be available in April. It’s around that time that we’ll slide behind the wheel of the new Civic, and customers should be able to start writing checks then, too.
Considering how much better the Civic sedan and coupe concepts looked in the metal versus the press pictures, we will reserve final judgment on the production models’ new duds until we see them up close. But if the new Civic turns out to be just as inoffensive in person as it is in photos, we promise not to be offended. View Photo Gallery

2012 Honda Civic Previewed by Concept Sketch

Remember the Civic? With the high level of flux in the econobox segment of late, Honda’s little sedan and coupe have been somewhat overlooked. The current generation landed in the U.S. for 2006, so the car is just about due for a rework, which will appear in concept form at the 2011 Detroit show.
If Honda concepts of the recent past are any indicator, the production Civic—due in the spring of 2011 as a 2012—should look a lot like the little red number sketched here. And that means it will in turn look a lot like the current European Civic; this sketch shows a combination of the Euro car’s aggressive headlights and the wide-mouth grille on the current U.S. Civic. The lower fascia also gets angry, and there appear to be LED strips situated inboard of the fog lamps. And we’re hoping for more stylistic lightning bolts, à la 2011 Odyssey’s beltline.
As for what will power the new car, we expect a lineup of four-cylinder engines similar to the current car’s, as well as the return of the Civic hybrid. Look for more information—on the concept, at least—early next year. View Photo Gallery

2012 Honda Fit Hybrid to Debut in Paris

We already knew that Honda was working on fitting a hybrid drivetrain into the Fit, and we now know we’ll see the final product at the Paris auto show in September. The car will wear its European nameplate, Jazz, for its debut; it will be known as the Fit hybrid in Japan. Honda says there are no plans to bring the Fit hybrid to the U.S. market, although we will get a reworked Civic hybrid for 2012, if that’s any consolation.
Like other Honda hybrids, the Fit hybrid sandwiches the electric motor and gas engine together. Dubbed Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), the Fit gets the same version of the system that powers the Insight and CR-Z. Hybridized Fits will use the Insight’s 1.3-liter i-VTEC gasoline engine, which provides 88 hp and 88 lb-ft of torque in that car, paired with an electric motor rated at 13 hp and 58 lb-ft. Like the IMA system in the Civic hybrid and Insight, Honda claims that the Fit hybrid can run on solely electric power in certain low-speed cruising situations. Really, though, unlike the Toyota Prius, the Honda hybrids can’t run on electricity from a stop or even very often. Honda also says the Fit hybrid will return fuel economy comparable to that of the Insight, but we’ll be surprised if its efficiency surpasses the already-frugal conventional model enough to justify an anticipated price premium. For the record, EPA ratings for the Insight are 40 mpg city/43 highway; we averaged 46 mpg when we tested an Insight EX.
The Fit hybrid stands apart from regular models with a new grille, different headlights with blue-tinted housings, a restyled lower fascia with protruding fog lights, and a chrome strip on the rear hatch. It will also feature a darker, single-color dashboard and be the first Euro-market Jazz available with leather seating. The Lime Green metallic paint shown here will be exclusive to the hybrid model, which is probably a good thing. The Fit hybrid will go on sale in Japan this fall, and the Jazz hybrid hits European dealerships in early 2011. View Photo Gallery