Cambridge Centre Honda

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New Owners Clinic

You're Invited:
To Cambridge Centre Honda's monthly New Owner's Clinic.
 
A Honda trained technician will talk you through all of the mechanical aspects of your new vehicle that you may not have been aware of. They will discuss key ideas in keeping your vehicle running smooth and answer any questions that you may have. You will also be provided with a complementary oil change to be used at your convenience!
 
Please RSVP to tricia@cambridgecentrehonda.com or call Tricia at (519)623-5991 or Click Here for the online form.

Upcoming New Owner's Clinic dates:
Wednesday January 6th, 2010
Wednesday February 10th, 2010
Wednesday March 3rd, 2010
Wednesday April 7th, 2010
Wednesday May 5th, 2010
Wednesday June 2nd, 2010
Wednesday July 7th, 2010
Wednesday August 4th, 2010
Wednesday September 1st, 20
Wednesday October 6th, 2010

Spa Day

Have your vehicle serviced on the second Monday of the month and you will receive a gift certificate for a  complimentary manicure at Luck Souls Beauty Spa located on King Street in Cambridge.
 
Upcoming Spa Day dates:                                                         
Monday February 8th, 2010                             
Monday March 8th, 2010
Monday April 12th, 2010
Monday May 10th, 2010
Monday June 14th, 2010
Monday July 12th, 2010
Monday August 9th, 2010
Monday September 13th, 2010

Honda to Debut FC Sport Concept at Toronto

The Honda engineering team has been tinkering with their V-Flow hydrogen fuel cell technology, and they've now adapted it to a sports car. Currently employed in the FCX Clarity Sedan, the system has been reconfigured for a light weight application with a low center of gravity in a new concept model called the FC Sport.
 
The concept intends to show what's possible with the flexibility of the unique V-Flow hydrogen fuel cell system. This type of powerplant turns hydrogen into electricity-- with water vapor being the sole emission. The electricity, in turn, drives the vehicle through a set of high-output electric motors.
Electric motors make all their power all of the time-- and friction-based power loss found in traditional drivetrains is negligible.
 
The FC Sport concept features optimized placement of the various drivetrain components including the battery, motors and hydrogen storage tanks. The cabin features a centre-mounted steering wheel for a race-car like feel, too.
 
"The Honda FC Sport explores new ways to satisfy automotive performance enthusiasts in a world beyond petroleum," said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada. "People who enjoy sports cars will not be forgotten by Honda in a hydrogen-powered future."
 
If you can't wait until then, the Toronto International Auto Show opens next weekend.

Honda Shows Insight to Montreal Crowds

The second generation Honda Insight was on display today at the 41st annual Montreal Auto Show, promising shoppers an affordable and cutting edge means to save fuel and do their part for the environment.
 
The latest Insight boasts many unique features- notable among them being a driver-selected 'eco' mode and a mileage-coaching 'Eco Assist' drive system. Eco Assist helps coach drivers to save fuel by allowing them to see the effects of various driving habits on real-time consumption.
 
"Many Canadian motorists, especially hybrid vehicle drivers, enjoy trying to get the most fuel economy from their vehicles," said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc. "The visual nature of Eco Assist is designed to help Insight drivers improve their efficient driving skills by making the hybrid experience both fun and rewarding."
 
With Eco Assist, the speedometer surround changes color to highlight driving habits that either save or waste gasoline. It turns blue during wasteful driving, and green when drivers are saving fuel.
 
Insight will be available in LX and EX trim levels, both of which are powered by an advanced 1.3-liter aluminum-alloy i-VTEC engine that drives the wheels through a Continually Variable Transmission (CVT). Honda officials say the drive system is optimized for high efficiency and fun-to-drive performance.
 
Acura's controversially restyled Acura RL and TL models were both on hand, featuring Acura's advanced Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system for added all-season performance.
 
The TL and RL are on sale now, and the Insight is expected a little later this year.
 
"Honda Insight offers Canadians great value, a full complement of standard safety features, fun-to-drive performance with the functionality of a hatchback design, and high fuel efficiency with very low emissions for an environmentally responsible car near the middle price range in the Honda lineup" Chenkin added. "With the introduction of the all-new Insight, we're opening up Honda's hybrid technology to a new group of buyers that previously may not have considered a hybrid car because of cost".

Honda Insight Unveiled at NAIAS

2009 is going to be a big year for environmentally-minded car shoppers. Hybrids from Toyota and Honda are arguably the big news on the green front at the moment, as both promise to deliver yet-unmatched levels of performance, efficiency and affordability.
Today at the North American International Auto Show, Honda unveiled their second-generation Insight Hybrid, several years after the original left the market. The latest iteration of the nameplate will put owners at the helm of one of the most sophisticated vehicles of its type, and help them make the most of the fuel-saving hardware with an "Eco Assist" drive program.
 
The latter function helps coach drivers to save fuel by allowing them to see the effects of various driving habits on real-time fuel consumption. A multi-colored speedometer backlight offers visual guidance--turning blue during wasteful driving and green when drivers save gas. Basically, more green backlighting means less fuel burned.
 
Power comes from a 1.3-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to Honda's IMA hybrid system. Combined output is rated at 98 horsepower and 123 lb-ft of torque.
 
"Many Canadian motorists, especially hybrid vehicle drivers, enjoy trying to get the most fuel economy from their vehicles," said Jerry Chenkin, executive vice president of Honda Canada Inc. "The visual nature of Eco Assist is designed to help Insight drivers improve their efficient driving skills by making the hybrid experience both fun and rewarding."
 
A Multi Information Display helps track mileage achievements over time, and there's even an 'ECON' mode that's manually selectable to alter various characteristics in the name of mileage. It's like the 'Sport' button on some performance cars, though with the opposite effect.
 
Styling of the Japanese-built Insight contains some sporty elements, though the overall look seems somewhat disproportionate and awkward--especially towards the rear.
 
Available in LX and EX trims in Canada, Honda claims that their Insight will be the most-affordable hybrid on the market when it goes on sale this spring.

2009 Honda Element Restyled 

Honda's restyled their Element to bring its looks in line with the new fascia found on their heavier duty machinery like the Ridgeline and Pilot.
 
The exterior should keep fans of the flexible and adventurous model happy- as it's still instantly recognizable as an Element from any angle. However, the application of a more athletic grille, chunkier bumpers, blocky fenders and revised head and taillights give it a more confident and capable look.
 
The interior has been refreshed as well, and now includes brighter color options and new metal trim. Updated fabrics, switchgear and instruments help round out the revisions, and a new low-profile centre console is included. There's an available convertible centre console as well, which features a removable storage cooler. The interior continues to promise flexibility to help it adapt to any job.
 
"The Element's key strength is a spacious, versatile and rugged interior that adapts quickly and conveniently to people and cargo," said Dick Colliver, executive VP of American Honda Motor Company. "For 2009, the enhancements strengthen the totally unique original concept with more refinement and functionality."
 
Several trim levels and options are available, and Element continues with availability as a front or four wheel drive model. A full selection of dealer accessories can be ordered for further customization as well.
 
The updated Element is on sale in the U.S. now.

Honda has Developed a New Airbag, the i-SRS

 

Honda's new airbag, the i-SRS, is an important step forward in safety technology. Compared to a conventional airbag (SRS), the i-SRS deploys twice as quickly (in 0.020 seconds) and protects the driver longer.
 
To achieve these results, Honda's engineers developed a system that gradually deploys the airbag. Gas is introduced through a spiraling tunnel and is first directed to the centre of the airbag, which quickly attains the pressure required to protect the driver. The gas then continues down the spiral, increasing the airbag's diameter.
 
The airbag has also been equipped with a gas release control valve ensuring that the gas is only released once the airbag is completely inflated. It remains at a constant pressure longer, increasing the driver's safety.
 
The i-SRS will be introduced in the Honda Life, a small car scheduled for launch in Japan this November.

2010 Honda Odyssey NHL Limited Edition

Automakers Report Cards

 

The overall score is calculated from the car maker's average test score and average predicted-reliability Rating. The average test score is based on the individual score for all vehicles we've recently tested from that automaker. The predicted reliability Rating is based on how models, for which we have sufficient reliability data, compare with the average score for all models over the most recent three model years. Scores are on a 100-point scale. Also shown is the percentage of the tested vehicles we recommend from each automaker. Highs and lows are common traits found on several of the automaker's vehicles.
 
Honda - Japanese Automaker
Overall score: 78 Average Test Score: 78
Highs: Crash-test results, handling, ride, powertrains, fuel economy, reliability.
Lows: Road noise.
Tested vehicles recommended: 95%
 
Mazda - Japanese Automaker
Overall score: 73 Average Test Score: 76
Highs: Handling, steering, braking, acceleration, agility, fuel economy.
Lows: Road noise.
Tested vehicles recommended: 86%
 
Toyota - Japanese Automaker
Overall score: 74 Average Test Score: 74
Highs: Quietness, fuel economy, reliability, ride, powertrains, access, acceleration.
Lows: Lack of agility, steering feel.
Tested vehicles recommended: 89%
 
Mercedes-Benz - German Automaker
Overall score: 72 Average Test Score: 81
Highs: Handling, ride, acceleration, fit and finish, quietness.
Lows: Controls, transmissions.
Tested vehicles recommended: 67%
 
Hyundai - Korean Automaker
Overall score: 70 Average Test Score: 71
Highs: Ride, controls, quietness, long warranty, fit and finish, drivetrains.
Lows: Agility, fuel economy, suspension.
Tested vehicles recommended: 55%
 
Chrysler - North American Automaker
Overall score: 48 Average Test Score: 52
Highs: Interior room and features, controls, acceleration, smooth transmissions.
Lows: Reliability, fuel economy, visibility, noise, ride, braking, fit and finish, agility, front-seat comfort.
Tested vehicles recommended: 0%

The First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
November 2009

Toronto, Ontario - For quite a while now, automakers have shied away from the term, "station wagon." Such vehicles, it is felt, imply too much practicality and not enough style. For many they're just too old-fashioned - it's what their parents drove, or their grandparents, even - they have no vitality, no flair. Who wants to be associated with something like that?

But a 2010 Honda Crosstour? well, here's a nice-looking, stylish vehicle that seems to have all the benefits of a wagon, without the stereotype and without the boxy profile. And it's available with all-wheel drive, has 205 millimetres of ground clearance, 18-inch alloy wheels (19s are available from the dealer) and pulls hard with its 271-horsepower V6 engine. Looks sporty, too!

No, Honda doesn't describe the Crosstour as a wagon, but the word did come up a few times at its Canadian launch in Toronto. As you'd expect (from the name, of course?) Honda describes the Crosstour as crossover, or CUV. It's targeted primarily at empty-nesters, active singles and couples whose kids are finally on their way (out, that is): baby boomers, in other words.

The Crosstour is based on the Accord platform (its full name is Honda Accord Crosstour), and represents a step up from the Accord sedan and coupe. Although based on the Accord Sedan, none of its exterior panels are shared with other Accords. It has four doors, with lots of rear seating room to accommodate friends or kids' kids. It's got a wide hatchback (or lift gate, if you prefer), enabling owners to easily transport large items like the new gourmet barbeque or mega-golf bags and luggage for a week.

The rear seats fold forward via handy levers at the rear of the car so you don't have to walk around and reach in from the rear doors. There are plenty of containers, cubbies, cupholders, pockets and surfaces to store your personal knick-knacks as required.

In my experience, Boomers like a little luxury to go with their utility, and in this the Crosstour also obliges; it being a premium vehicle whose specification matches that of the top-level EX-L Accord.

Crosstour features chrome door handles, stainless sill plates and brushed metal fittings inside, and standard equipment includes leather interior, automatic climate control, new five-speed automatic transmission with downshift rev-matching; 360-watt, seven-speaker audio with USB interface and satellite radio; compass and outside temperature gauge, fog lights, moonroof, power heated front seats with driver-side memory, memory side-mirrors with tilt, cargo privacy cover, Homelink transmitter and wood-trim interior accents. It's pretty swank in that cabin; not pretentious, mind you, but definitely a cut above.

The full-time all-wheel drive is optional, and is a first for North American Accords, I believe. Also optional is a Navigation package that includes Bluetooth connectivity and a rear camera to help when reversing. However, the Navigation package is available only with the AWD vehicle, although Honda expects the AWD version to be the most popular.

Safety equipment is abundant, including stability control, ABS with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution, multiple threshold front airbags, full side-curtain airbags, active front head restraints, Honda's ACE body structure, pedestrian injury mitigation system and tire pressure monitoring system.

Exterior styling is eye-catching; sporty, but not ostentatious. It has the right balance of flair and restraint.

While the Crosstour is about 195 kilograms heavier than the Accord Sedan (285 kg for the AWD version), fuel economy is quite similar. In litres/100 kilometres, city/highway, the Crosstour FWD gets 11.5/7.2 while the equivalent Accord sedan returns 11.0/6.7. The Crosstour AWD returns 12.3/8.0. Contributing to the Crosstour's competitive fuel consumption are aerodynamic refinements and the V6 engine which runs on three, four or six cylinders, depending on load. Cruising along a flat highway, for instance, will activate the fuel-saving three-cylinder mode.

On the road the Crosstour is smooth and quiet. Even on rough aggregate, tire noise doesn't intrude into the cabin, and the overall feeling is of refinement and stability. Wind noise, too, is typically absent.

Under hard acceleration, the transmission shifts quickly and precisely, and in typical Honda fashion, the V6 engine is exceedingly smooth.

The standard moonroof doesn't rob occupants of headroom, with front and rear passengers having plenty. It's also very easy to enter and exit through the wide-opening doors. The multi-adjustable driver's seat and tilt/telescope steering will provide a safe and comfortable position for most drivers, although the passenger seat isn't adjustable for height.

The suspension has been uprated (as have the brakes), and even though the engine and fuel tank are mounted low in this vehicle (to lower the centre of gravity), this is still a tallish vehicle that will lean in sharp curves.

The Crosstour is 70 mm longer than the Accord sedan, and given its coupe profile, the rear pillars seem quite distant. Consequently, visibility out the rear window is somewhat limited compared with the sedan. It's the same with the front pillars (A and B-pillars). They're large and wide, blocking vision sometimes when making a turn or changing lanes. I'd like to see some blind spot assistance available on this vehicle, and a standard audio back-up alert if the rear camera isn't fitted.

A couple of other omissions are the lack of Bluetooth connectivity on models without AWD/Navigation, and, for some, the lack of a power liftgate. That being said, the liftgate is nicely balanced and light in operation, although a power liftgate in this type of vehicle would be appreciated by many buyers.

While targeted to older buyers, I can see younger families also finding this to be a suitable vehicle. It's an appealing alternative to the SUV or SUV-styled CUV, offering many of their benefits without the high fuel consumption. It's sleeker than a wagon, but more practical than a sedan; it has a sporty coupe profile, but you can easily get to the back seat.

The Crosstour is an evolution of the wagon, and in this it's not alone in the marketplace. Competitors include the Toyota Venza, Nissan Murano, and Subaru Outback. Pricing has not been released at the time of this writing, but will start in the mid-$30,000 range, with additional cost for AWD and Navigation options. Honda expects to sell a modest 3,000 Crosstours annually in Canada, mostly to "boomers," but you never know.

2010 Honda CR-V - The jiggle-wiggle-wobble free SUV
Thursday December 3, 2009

There's no reason to compromise your drive to have an SUV. With the 2010 CR-V you can arrive at your destination stirred, not shaken. The 2010 CR-V offers and delivers unsurpassed driveability to SUV drivers.

The new 2010 Honda CR-V brings a dynamic sense of style, handling and refinement to the SUV market, bridging the gap between Sport and Utility vehicles and sedans like no other SUV on this or other markets.
Stylish, highly-versatile and with a roomy 5-passenger interior, the CR-V offers sedan-like handling from a lower centre-of-gravity and a wide track that creates stability and handling for the vehicle.
Combined with a refined suspension the CR-V takes the jiggle-wiggle and wobble out of the SUV class.

Standard fitment of Real TimeTM 4WD and Honda's unobtrusive electronic stability system - VSA (Vehicle Stability Assist) - ensures that handling is more stable in even the worst driving conditions.

As a crossover SUV, the foundation of the CR-V starts with sedan-like on-road performance and good fuel economy and then adds excellent interior packaging, to create a SUV like no other. The CR-V's packaging provides generous 5-passenger interior space and superior cargo functionality that no other vehicle in the segment can match.

The 2010 CR-V provides an optimal balance of size and performance for professionals and families - people who need a vehicle that can perform triple duty as a stylish daily driver, a passenger hauler and as a platform for active lifestyles. Equally at home on the café strip or a snowy mountain road, the 2010 CR-V is a step beyond conventional SUV styling with ultra-modern lines, a fashionable presence with meticulous attention to detail.

The standard 6 disc CD player is capable of playing MP3 and WMA files, the AUX input allows connection of any audio player and the USB connector provides control for a memory stick with audio files and iPOD with full playlist / album / artist control. Speed sensitive volume control adjusts output relative to vehicle speed.

Traction-enhanced Real Time 4WD is standard on all CR-V's enhancing all-weather capabilities when driving in rain, snow, dirt roads and sandy conditions - without the significant weight, fuel economy and handling performance drawbacks of a conventional four-wheel-drive system. Electronic Stability Control, Honda's Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) works in conjunction with the 4WD system to not only provide road holding prowess but also improved off road ability by braking individual slipping wheels, thereby redirecting driving torque to the wheel/s with more traction.

2010 Honda Fit - Fit Be Nimble, Fit Be Quick

The Fit is both very economical and fun to drive, thanks to a 117-horsepower, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with Honda's i-VTEC variable valve timing system. The engine provides enough power even with the available automatic transmission, which has five speeds for better passing response and more relaxed highway cruising. A precise-shifting 5-speed manual is standard, but for those who want the best of both worlds, the Fit Sport model, when fitted with the automatic transmission, features paddle-shifters alongside the steering wheel.

Above all else, it's the Fit's interior that impresses the most. Front seats are ample for tall or large adults, an armrest is available in front and the back seat can actually seat adults, thanks to plenty of headroom all around and longer cushions than is customary for back seats. What's more, thanks to Honda's Magic Seat, the Fit's rear seat folds neatly down to create a flat floor with just one continuous motion, with no need to even remove the rear headrests. The steering wheel adjusts for tilt and telescope, and there's a footrest for the driver. There is also an abundance of convenient cupholders and cubbies.

Thanks to the versatile configuration, the Fit is surprisingly commodious for large cargo items. With the seats down, there is 57.3 cubic feet of space-enough for items like a big-screen TV or cumbersome sports equipment-and there's no tall edge to lift over when loading items.

Also of note on the 2010 Fit is Honda's ACE body structure, which is designed for better compatibility with vehicles of different sizes. The Fit has done well in crash tests and is the only vehicle in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "Minicar" category to achieve Top Safety Pick status for 2009. Standard safety equipment on the Fit includes anti-lock brakes and active front headrests, along with front side and side-curtain airbags. Electronic stability control, a feature not usually seen on low-priced small cars, is available on the Fit Sport.