Kelley Blue Book Best Buys of 2016: Small Car - You Guessed it the 2016 Honda Civic

And here's a link to that announcement from Kelley Blue Book:

Please Click Here

All-new Civic again sets the pace for the small car segment.
"Game-changing" isn't a term we use lightly, but it's apt for the 2016 Honda Civic. All-new and now in its 10th generation, Honda's venerable compact car has thrown down the gauntlet for the rest of the segment. Thanks to a top-to-bottom revamp, Honda's latest Civic is the most sophisticated yet -- and will leave competitors scrambling to catch up.
This marks the Civic's second year in a row winning the title of Kelley Blue Book Best Buy among small cars. That outgoing model was and is a winner; the all-new Civic shines even brighter. In addition to taking the top spot for this year's Best Buy among small cars, this all-new Civic was also named this year's Overall Winner among all 2016 Kelley Blue Book Best Buys.

Once an Event, Twice a Trend, Three times a PHENOMENON!!!

For a record 30th time in the 32-year history of the award, Car and Driver magazine has named the Honda Accord to its prestigious annual list of the 10Best Cars in America. "Do something special once, you might be called lucky. Do something special twice, you start to build some credibility. Do something special 30 times, like the 10Best Honda Accord, and you've accomplished something truly extraordinary," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc

Honda Road Readers Program - Time well spent in transit

The Honda Road Readers Program is Designed to Encourage Children to Use Their Imaginations During Drives.

Did you know that the average family spends about four hours per week in the car?  Honda wants families to put that time to good use. Today the brand is launching Honda Road Readers, a new app (available on Apple® and Android™) providing Honda drivers free access to children's audiobooks to expose children to great literature and foster their imaginations. An introductory video to the program will be promoted on Honda's social channels, using the hashtag #HondaRoadReaders.

Check it out!

In a Nutshell....

• Custom-Created App Gives Honda Owners Access to More Than 100 Free Audiobooks, Offers Parents Opportunities for Quality Family Time
• Honda Road Readers Program Seeks to Better Utilize the Roughly 208 Hours the Typical American Family Spends Driving Per Year

The all-new tenth generation Civic is Bigger, Bolder, More Spacious and Advanced..

Sporty and Sophisticated Visual Presence Portends What's Under the Skin of the Dramatically Redesigned 2016 Civic Sedan

Additional design and engineering highlights of the all-new 2016 Civic Sedan include:

• Dynamic new styling – with a bolder, more aggressive face; sharp and sophisticated body lines; a sporty fastback profile and premium features, including the expanded use of LED exterior lighting
• All-new Civic platform architecture – with a 1.2-inch-longer wheelbase, a nearly 2-inch wider body and wider track that gives Civic a more athletic and aggressive stance while contributing to its more refined ride quality and larger cabin, including 1.2 inches of added rear-seat legroom
• A more rigid, lightweight and tightly sealed body – featuring a new Advanced Compatibility Engineering^™ (ACE^™) body structure, supporting Civic's fun-to-drive performance, class-leading cabin quietness and targeted top-class crash safety ratings: NCAP 5-star Overall Vehicle Score and IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+
• A more spacious and premium-quality cabin – with premium, soft-touch surfaces and refined detailing that exceeds the mainstream compact-car class, along with an expanded list of standard and available features, including heated front and rear seats, automatic climate control, remote engine start and eight-way power driver's seat
• Honda Sensing^™ – available suite includes Collision Mitigation Braking System^™, Lane Keeping Assist and Road Departure Warning, and adds, for the first time, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, setting a new bar for advanced safety and driver-assistive technology in the mainstream compact class
• Advanced connected-car capabilities – enabled by a new and more intuitive 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface with Android operating system, also featuring Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto^™ compatibility for seamless integration of smartphone features and functions      

Honda Named “2016 Best SUV Brand” by U.S. News & World Report for CR-V, all-new HR-V and Pilot

  

On Nov 11, 2015,  Honda was named “2016 Best SUV Brand” by U.S. News & World Report, tied to the excellent scores earned by the Honda HR-V crossover and CR-V and Pilot SUVs in the U.S. News & World Report Best Cars Rankings.

“Honda wins the Best SUV Brand award on the strength of its entire SUV lineup,” said Jamie Page Deaton, Managing Editor, U.S. News Best Cars. “The HR-V, CR-V and Pilot are all consistently ranked at the top of their respective classes, as automotive journalists are impressed with the utility, comfort and family-friendly features that all three offer. No matter what class SUV shoppers are searching in, Honda has a model worth considering.”

This accolade comes as Honda continues to strengthen and expand its light-truck lineup, which began with the launch of the refreshed 2015 CR-V in the fall of 2014, followed by the spring arrival of the all-new HR-V crossover and summer introduction of a redesigned, third-generation Pilot. On the strength of these products, Honda is on track for record results in 2016, with light truck sales reaching a new high of 550,210 units through October, a 13.6 percent gain over year-ago results; with CR-V on track to earn the title of America’s best-selling SUV for the 4th consecutive year.
 “This recognition of Honda as the Best SUV Brand validates our effort to produce world-class SUVs to meet the needs and desires of families of any size,” said Jeff Conrad, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Honda Division. “Honda is committed to providing fuel efficient, safe and fun products with the quality and reliability to meet the needs of our discerning customers.”
The awards recognize the brands whose vehicles perform the best on an overall basis within four major categories of the U.S. News vehicle rankings: Cars, SUVs, Trucks and Luxury. The Best Vehicle Brands methodology uses the combined overall scores from the U.S. News Best Cars rankings across all models in each of the award classes. The overall rankings score is based on an analysis of published, credible reviews of a given model from the automotive press, as well as safety and reliability data.

Accord recognized more than any other model in the Car and Driver magazine history

Honda Accord Wins a Record 30th 10Best Cars Award from Car and Driver Magazine

Nov 18, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif.
        

For a record 30th time in the 32-year history of the award, Car and Driver magazine has named the Honda Accord to its prestigious annual list of the 10Best Cars in America.

"Do something special once, you might be called lucky. Do something special twice, you start to build some credibility. Do something special 30 times, like the 10Best Honda Accord, and you've accomplished something truly extraordinary," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division of American Honda Motor Co, Inc.

"Earning a record thirty 10Best awards from Car and Driver demonstrates Accord's enduring values of advanced fuel efficiency, safety and fun-to- drive performance all built on a foundation of incredible quality and reliability."

Now in its ninth generation, the Accord went on sale in the U.S. in 1976 and has been produced in America at Honda's Marysville, Ohio auto plant since 1982¹. Total U.S. sales of Accord now top 12.5 million units, with more than 10.5 million Accords made in America, including models built for export.

"The Accord is the sole- high-volume product to earn this award year after year," noted Car and Driver magazine.

Accord was the most popular car in America in 2013, 2014 and again thus far in 2015, based on IHS Automotive new retail vehicle registration data².

1 Honda products are built using domestic and globally sourced parts.
2 Based on IHS Automotive new retail vehicle registration data for 2013, 2014, and 2015 CYTD September.

Stepping up to the Technology Learning Curve. Let's ride!

Stepping up to the Technology Learning Curve.  Let's ride!

What I mean is this, Honda has provided us with nearly everything we need to fully utilize the new and exciting technologies that you will find embedded in many of the latest models.  You'll find much of this information on the Honda YouTube Channel. Here's the first of many 'How To' videos that are currently available on the Honda YouTube Channel.   I've embedded the YouTube videos and the directory of those videos just below.  Go ahead just click on the play icon.  If you want to go to a specific topic...Click on 'PLAYLIST' and you can jump to that topic of interest.



You can visit the Honda channel or just keep watching the above video. You'll see each of the following in the order shown.



Honda Ridgeline? This may be a hint...of what's to come?

Honda Announces Return to Baja at 2015 SEMA Show, Ridgeline Baja Race Truck Hints at Styling Direction for All-New 2017 Ridgeline Pickup

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 3, 2015 – Today at the 2015 SEMA Show, Honda revealed its Ridgeline Baja Race Truck, a purpose-built racing machine that marks Honda’s return to off-road truck racing, while also providing an early glimpse at the styling direction for the all-new 2017 Honda Ridgeline pickup that will hit dealer showrooms in the first half of next year. The Honda exhibit also showcased a multifaceted display of personalized Honda cars, SUVs, powersports products and two- and four-wheeled racing machines.

The Honda Ridgeline Baja Race Truck, in red, white and black Honda Racing livery, will compete in this year’s running of the SCORE Baja 1000. The tube-frame unlimited class off-road truck is powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 developed by Honda’s U.S. motorsports engineering arm, Honda Performance Development (HPD), and features a body designed by Honda R&D Americas’ Los Angeles Design Studio with inspiration taken from the next-generation Ridgeline truck, also being designed and developed by Honda R&D in North America. Key design cues drawn from the highly anticipated 2017 Honda Ridgeline can be seen in the front fascia, hood, roof, bed and side profile.

“We’re happy to share some of the high-level styling direction for Ridgeline and to celebrate this desert race truck that signals the return of HPD power to Baja,” said Art St. Cyr, president of Honda Performance Development. “While this race truck is unique and different from the production Ridgeline, it does a nice job of expressing not only our styling direction but also the fact that the Ridgeline, for all its unique qualities, has been and will continue to be a pickup with true truck capability.”

The Ridgeline Baja race truck is being developed by HPD in partnership with the Proctor Racing Group. It will be powered by HPD’s HR35TT race engine, a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 producing upwards of 550 horsepower and using the same block, cylinder heads and crankshaft as the production engine that will power the all-new Ridgeline. Additional custom elements of the powertrain include an HPD-designed intake plenum and custom engine ECU programming.

2016 Honda Pilot: Using Voice Recognition for Navigation

In case you missed this on the Honda YouTube Channel.

The 2015 or 2016 Honda CR-V - An unbiased preview

This video will serve to set the bar for what one should expect in a onsite vehicle demonstration.
This being a pretty thorough presentation.

Before the rubber meets the road there is Trust

A few tenets of our 21st Century Honda Dealership:

1) YOUR Trust is first and foremost to us.

 First, before we talk business, before we seek to 'earn' your business we seek to earn your TRUST.  Trust is at once a state of mind and emotion.  We want you to be comfortable from the beginning.  We have a beautiful facility here, that houses happy employees and is as much home to all of us as it is a workplace.  We want to entertain you in a way that makes you comfortable as if you were indeed in our home.

2) We listen to YOU before we speak.

Before we share our opinion, thoughts, objectives with you we want to hear YOUR opinion, impressions, thoughts and objectives.  We're here to listen first.


3) YOU are in control.

We can do it your way.  Forget about a process that is rigid and 'us' oriented, let us follow your
lead, you have a need, you have an objective, we're listening and adaptive to your approach.  e.g. if you want to work the numbers first, fine.  Should you want to drive the car first, explore all that new technology, fine.  Let's do it the way that makes you feel comfortable.


4) We are a team and great communication means keeping YOU in the loop.

You'll notice that not only do we work hard, we work smart and as a team to provide you with a world class car buying experience.  There are all kinds of 'newness' out there, the least of which is all that new technology that is now part and parcel to any new car or truck.  We have state-of-the-art tools to demonstrate, learn and explore these new technologies.  And as a new Honda owner you'll find that we will keep you abreast of changes before, during and after the sale.


5) If there is a way we'll find it and make it work for YOU.

 We'll continue to have your best interest in mind.  During the sales process we'll offer multiple solutions both in terms of vehicle models and trim levels and financial scenario that address the various buy and lease alternatives.


6) Finding the best fit for YOU is winning.

 Should we hit an obstacle, should you decide that our product is not right for you, no hard feelings.  Based upon our effort to be thorough, chances are we'll arrive at the same solution at the same time.  No conflict, we're with you.  May the best car win.

How Creative Are YOU? Share your latest 'creative'.

Honda Builds 30 Millionth Automobile in North America

Wow!!!

On September 15, 2015 Honda marked a major milestone as the company's eight auto plants in  the United States, Canada and Mexico reached the 30 million mark in total automobile production. Honda started auto production in North America in Marysville, Ohio, on Nov. 1, 1982.  Last year, more than 97 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America.

2016 Honda HR-V Achieves Highest Overall Score for Collision Safety from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Key Safety and Driver-Assistive Features:

In addition to the application of Honda's ACE™ body-structure, the 2016 HR-V features a host of standard active and passive safety features and offers many standard and available driver-assistive technologies, such as:

• SmartVent® Front Side Airbags
• Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor
• Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH)
• Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with Traction Control
• Motion-Adaptive Electric Power Steering (EPS)
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Honda LaneWatch® (EX, EX-L Navi)
• Hill Start Assist (HSA)
• Expanded View Driver's Mirror
• Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with Guidelines

Standard safety equipment on all 2015 Honda models includes ACE™ body structure, Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) with traction control; an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); side curtain airbags; dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; and front side airbags.

Did you know? Honda has a deep history in music programming and music marketing

That's right...

Honda has a deep history in music programming and music marketing with the development of engaging programs and sponsorships aimed at reaching music fans from their love of music. The Honda Civic Tour was created in 2001 and since its inception, 3.6 million fans have attended Civic Tour concert events and the program has become one of the nation's most compelling, successful music concert tour franchises. Concert goers have had the chance to experience their favorite bands up-close-and-personal, including live and interactive performances by Maroon 5, Linkin Park, Blink-182, The Black Eyed Peas, Paramore, Incubus, Fall Out Boy, Grouplove, Portugal, The Man and many more. Each year, the Honda Civic Tour's headlining artist customizes a Civic vehicle for one lucky tour fan to win.

In 2009, Honda began partnering with the biggest and brightest music festivals throughout the U.S., including Sasquatch, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Music Festival and The Governors Ball in New York. The automaker's festival activations have included a Honda-sponsored stage with performances by some of the festivals' best artists, opportunities to win VIP tickets and Honda vehicles, interactive onsite vehicle displays and more.

In 2014, American Honda brought together an unprecedented group of entertainment and technology leaders, including Live Nation, iHeartMedia, Revolt, YouTube and Vevo to produce and distribute some of the best original, high-quality music content available under the Honda Stage name, through a combination of live events and exclusive online content. Honda Stage offers music fans access to custom live and online music programming and performances, behind the scenes content, artist interviews and more at www.YouTube.com/HondaStage.

YouTube reveal, 2016 Honda Civic Sedan

Honda will debut the all-new 2016 Honda Civic Sedan (http://automobiles.honda.com/2016-civic/) with musical support from buzzworthy alt-rockers Night Riots (www.nightriots.com), live from the YouTube Space LA at 6:15 pm PDT on Sept. 16. The reveal of the 10th-generation of Honda's best-selling model worldwide will be hosted by Liz Hernandez of NBC's "Access Hollywood" and streamed live via Honda's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/Honda).

The 2016 Honda Civic Sedan live YouTube reveal will feature multiple tracks performed by Night Riots, including their breakout hit, "Contagious" and latest single "Oh My Heart", which is currently heating up at Sirius XM's "Alt Nation" and stations nationwide. Adding to the celebration, Night Riots front man Travis Hawley will share his story behind the music; how The Power of Dreams connects Night Riots with the revamped 2016 Civic lineup and Civic Coupe designer, Guy Melville-Brown.

Night Riots' Sept. 16 performance at the Honda Civic Sedan reveal will serve as a prequel for the band's upcoming North American tour with Young Rising Sons that kicks off October 28th at the Constellation Room in Santa Ana, CA, in support of their EP, "Howl."

All-New 2016 Honda Civic Sedan
The Honda Civic, America's top retail-selling compact car for the past five years¹ and the most popular vehicle with U.S. millennials², receives a complete redesign with a decidedly sporty, sophisticated and youthful new look, along with the first application of Honda turbo engine technology to a U.S. model. The completely overhauled 2016 Civic receives the most ambitious remake in its 43-year history.

Honda Introduces Apple CarPlay

Honda Introduces Android Auto™

Android Auto: The right information for the road ahead

2016 Honda Pilot Simulated Crash Test - Who Loves Technology!?

‘16 Honda Pilot SOT

Utilizing the Real Impact crash visualization software co-developed by Honda, the company simulates IIHS small overlap testing for the 2016 Honda Pilot.

2016 Accord Raises its Game with Dynamic Styling, Chassis and Body Upgrades, Available Honda Sensing™, plus Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™

Aug 18, 2015

• Sporty and sophisticated new styling with expanded use of LED lighting
• New 7-inch Display Audio offered with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
• First application of 19-inch wheels on Accord
• Newly available 60/40-split and folding rear seat, heated rear seats, rain-sensing wipers, and parking sensors
• New line-topping Touring trim for Accord Coupe

The always popular, benchmark-setting Honda Accord, retail car buyers' most popular choice in 2013 and again in 2014¹, receives a major mid-model cycle refresh for the 2016 model year. With dynamic new styling, a revised and upgraded body and chassis, and Honda's first-ever application of available Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, the 2016 Accord Sedan goes on sale tomorrow with the Accord Coupe following on August 26. The Accord also benefits from the addition of Honda Sensing™, among the most comprehensive suites of safety and driver-assistive technologies ever offered in the midsize car class, along with a host of available new features and technologies, including HD Radio, heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors and more. For model year 2016 the Accord Coupe also gets a new top-of-the-line Touring trim, while the Sedan in Sport trim and Touring versions of the Sedan and Coupe get the first-ever application of 19-inch alloy wheels on Accord.
Representing a high value proposition, the 2016 Accord has a starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)² unchanged from the 2015 model for the Sedan LX and Coupe LX-S. The MSRP for the 2016 Accord Sedan LX with 6-speed manual transmission (6-MT) remains at $22,105 and $22,905 for the Sedan LX with continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Accord Coupe LX-S is also unchanged at $23,775 for the 6-MT and $24,625 for the CVT.
"The best is getting better with the launch of the redesigned 2016 Accord," said Jeff Conrad, Senior Vice President of the Honda Division. "With more customer-relevant technology, an even more refined and sporty ride and top-class fuel economy and safety ratings, the 2016 redesign keeps Accord at the top of its class."
Accord has been named 29 times to Car and Driver magazine's coveted "10Best" list, more than any other automobile, and Accord is the top selling car in America to under-35-year-old car buyers⁴. The 2016 Accord, with its next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure and available Honda Sensing™ technology, received the highest available crash safety ratings from the U.S. government – a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA – and targets a similar top rating of TOP SAFETY PICK+ from the (IIHS (when equipped with available CMBS).
2016 Accord Sedan models equipped with a 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine and CVT get a 1-mpg bump in their highway EPA fuel economy ratings, to 37 mpg, due in part to the application of a lighter weight and re-sculpted all-aluminum hood, along with new aerodynamic elements and friction-reducing features.

All-new 2016 Honda Pilot Earns a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ Rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

Aug 21, 2015 - TORRANCE, Calif.

• 2016 Pilot offers the most comprehensive set of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies ever available on a Honda vehicle
• Available Honda Sensing™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies combines camera and radar systems to help detect vehicles, pedestrians and roadway markings
• Honda's aims to reduce collisions, injuries and fatalities involving its vehicles, using Honda Sensing™ technology

The fully redesigned 2016 Honda Pilot (automobiles.honda.com/pilot/) has received a 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when equipped with optional front crash prevention, bringing Honda one step closer to fulfilling the company's goal to be the first three-row mainstream SUV with the highest available U.S. government (NCAP) and IIHS safety ratings. This IIHS distinction includes a top rating of GOOD in five IIHS crash test modes including a top score of GOOD in the Insurance Institute's stringent small overlap frontal crash test. The 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation is awarded to vehicles that also have an available front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating from the Institute. The 2016 Pilot offers an available frontal crash prevention system that earns a top rating of superior.
"The 2016 Pilot is not only the most technologically advanced Honda vehicle on the road today, but the top choice for family SUV buyers interested in safety performance," said Jeff Conrad, Honda Division senior vice president and general manager. "No other midsize mainstream SUV on the market today can match the comprehensive suite of Honda Sensing™ advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies on the new Honda Pilot."
Available on Pilot EX trims and above, Honda Sensing™ can help improve drivers' situational awareness with its various systems, which include the Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM). These systems benefit from the adoption of a sensor fusion technology integrating the capabilities of a windshield-mounted monocular camera and front grille-mounted millimeter wave radar system to provide enhanced sensing with the ability to identify and anticipate multiple collision scenarios, including those involving a pedestrian. When the system anticipates a collision or road departure, it can initiate warnings and, in certain instances, initiate emergency braking and steering.
"The Pilot demonstrates Honda's commitment to achieving the highest levels of safety performance," said IIHS president Adrian Lund. "The Pilot's crashworthiness ratings set a high standard, and its optional front crash prevention system will help drivers avoid some kinds of crashes to begin with."
In addition, the 2016 Pilot adopts the latest generation of Honda's Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure along with a new "3-bone" underbody frame design and new hot-stamped ultra-high strength steel door rings. Together with Honda Sensing™, these engineering features and technologies deliver major gains to the Pilot's collision avoidance and collision protection capabilities.
Standard safety equipment on all Honda models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) electronic stability control system, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist, frontal airbags, side airbags, side-curtain airbags and a front seat design that can help reduce the severity of neck injury in the event of a rear collision. Honda is also leading the industry in the deployment of rearview cameras, which are standard equipment on all model year 2015 and newer Honda vehicles.
The third generation of Honda's popular three-row SUV Pilot was designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Los Angeles and Ohio, and is manufactured exclusively by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, in Lincoln, Alabama.¹
About Honda
Honda has a long history of leadership in the development and application of advanced technologies designed to enhance the safety of all road users, including automobile occupants, motorcycle riders and pedestrians. The company operates two of the world's most sophisticated crash test facilities, in Ohio and Japan, and is responsible for numerous pioneering efforts in the areas of crashworthiness, airbag technology, collision compatibility and pedestrian safety.

Redline Review: 2016 Honda Pilot Elite

 

 

 

 

Facilitating the Power of Dreams - Honda's Silicon Valley operation

Honda’s Silicon Valley operation, which was first established in 2000, is charged with researching and prototyping game-changing innovations and harnessing new ideas and technology. Current areas of focus include connected mobility, novel human-machine interfaces, supporting app developers through initiatives like Honda Developer Studio and computer science research for vehicle intelligence. Silicon Valley engineers also spearhead the company’s working relationship with Silicon Valley-based technology companies

Click Here to hear more...

 

Honda R&D Silicon Valley | Open Innovation

Honda Introduces the Highest Tech Accord Yet in High Tech’s U.S. Hub—Silicon Valley

The 2016 Accord gets a major facelift with sportier, more sophisticated styling, front and rear. In front is a more sharply creased and intricately structured bumper fascia with outside edges that tuck into intake-like meshed areas that house new LED fog lights (Sport trim and above). A new aluminum hood features sharper character lines that meet up with a brighter, more expressive front grille. In the rear, the Accord gets restyled LED taillights and a similarly aggressive rear bumper fascia redesign.

  

All 2016 Accords also can now be equipped with Honda Sensing™, among the most comprehensive suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies in the class. Honda Sensing includes a Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and is available as a standalone option on all trims with the exception of Touring, where Honda Sensing is included as standard equipment.

• Upgraded 2016 Accord features one of the first applications of both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ in a volume-produced vehicle

This is the most high-tech Accord ever built, and now the highest-volume vehicle in the entire industry to offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay®. Upgrades to Accord technology also include the adoption of Honda Sensing™, a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies.

• More dynamic styling, including first 19-inch wheels on Accord
   
• Honda Sensing™ safety and driver-assistive tech available on all trims
   
• New 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface

 

 

 

Looking for Excitement? - Drive a Honda!

A common thread in any Honda car or truck is that "fun to drive" factor.  By design, Hondas are design to maximize that 'factor'.
When it comes to designing a car, sometimes the most important design aspect becomes the feeling the vehicle invokes in its driver. For Honda, that was especially important when it came to the 2015 Honda Civic lineup. Check out Honda's latest ad for the 2015 Honda Civic lineup in the video below:



In a crowded segment of yawn worthy sedans, the 2015 Honda Civic continues to outshine its competition by providing a reliable and enjoyable driving experience. Available in either a sedan or coupe model, each with a variety of trim levels, the 2015 Honda Civic comes equipped with an in-line 4-cylinder engine and either a 5-speed manual transmission or Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Regardless of transmission choice, drivers can look forward to experiencing superior gas mileage ratings upwards of 30 combined mpg. To further invoke that joyous feeling in its driver, each 2015 Honda Civic comes loaded with tech-savvy features such as Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, Pandora audio streaming compatibility and a rearview camera with guidelines.

It's all so easy.  If you're ready to make your next car buying purchase a 'fun oriented' occasion, and to sustain that spirit after you drive off, then stop by the Hendrick Honda Bradenton showroom in Bradenton, Florida.  We have what you're looking for.

Are you ready for this? - the 2016 Honda Fit

Honda Fit is Mega Hit with Buyers and Critics Alike as 2016 Model Goes On Sale Tomorrow

Offering one of the most space efficient and versatile packages in the U.S. market, the 2016 Honda Fit tops it off with fun, fuel efficiency and style.

 

Launching last year to strong reviews and eager buyers, the third-generation Honda Fit has since set a blistering sales pace while continuing to garner praise. Now the playful and practical 2016 Fit is ready to take the baton, carrying forward best-in-class passenger and cargo space, 41 mpg highway fuel-economy rating¹ and sporty yet refined dynamics when it goes on sale July 1 at Honda dealerships nationwide.

 

 

 

Outstanding versatility is fundamental to the design of the Fit. With class-leading interior space and clever configurability courtesy of its center-mounted fuel tank and ingenious Magic Seat®, the Fit epitomizes functionality with spacious and comfortable seating for five and the ability to accommodate large amounts of cargo, including long and tall items.

The 2016 Fit offers a sophisticated yet sporty ride, with responsive and stable handling dynamics. Honda's next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure also benefits handling, as well as safety performance. In fact, the Fit achieves the highest crash-safety ratings in its class for both the U.S. government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

¹ LX model with Continuously Variable Transmission

A little bit of history - What's the common denominator?

Honda established operations in America in 1959 and now employs more than 39,000 associates in its North American sales, R&D and manufacturing operations, with total capital investment in North America exceeding $22 billion.

Based on its longstanding commitment to "build products close to the customer," Honda operates 16 major manufacturing facilities in North America, producing a wide range of Honda and Acura automobiles; automobile engines and transmissions; Honda all-terrain vehicles; power equipment products, such as lawn mowers, mini-tillers and general purpose engines; and the HondaJet advanced light jet.

Eight Honda auto plants in the region, including four in the U.S., have the capacity to produce 1.92 million automobiles each year. In 2014, more than 97 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America. Those plants today manufacture 11 different models, including four passenger cars and seven light trucks, using domestic and globally sourced parts. A fifth U.S. auto plant, the Performance Manufacturing Center, is under construction in Marysville, Ohio, and in 2015 will become the exclusive global production location for the next generation NSX supercar.

Honda also operates 16 major research and development centers in the U.S. with the capacity to fully design, develop and engineer many of the products Honda produces in North America.

The 2016 Honda Pilots are here...Now!

Fully redesigned from the ground up, and substantially re-energized in form and function, the all-new third-generation 2016 Honda Pilot stakes its claim as the new benchmark in the three-row mid-sized SUV segment.  With more of everything family SUV buyers are looking for – performance, fuel efficiency, comfort, safety performance and premium features – in every model and trim, the 2016 Pilot goes on sale June 18 with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)¹ starting at $29,995 for the Pilot LX with 2WD.

 

Among its many no-compromise attributes, the new Pilot’s 280-horsepower², directed-injected 3.5-liter i-VTEC^® engine adds 30 horsepower while receiving a segment-topping EPA combined fuel-economy rating of 23 MPG for the 2WD with nine-speed automatic transmission, up 2 MPG from the 2015 Pilot.³ The technology-enhanced efficiencies continue with the available i-VTM4™ AWD system that not only allows you to drive all wheels with traction in a variety of driving conditions but also applies torque vectoring to enhance dynamic driving agility.  And family functionality is better than ever, with a more spacious third row and cargo area and One-Touch Walk-in third row access, and a host of ports and plugs to accommodate virtually every imaginable device, from smartphones to iPads, game consoles to digital video cameras, with up to four 2.5-amp USB outlets for charging the family’s most power-hungry stuff.

“The 2016 Pilot takes full advantage of Honda’s packaging expertise to deliver the outstanding, family-friendly cabin space that has made Pilot such a popular choice of family SUV buyers,” said Jeff Conrad, Honda Division senior vice president and general manager. “This third-generation Pilot reaches higher into the premium end of the three-row SUV market than ever before with a new line-topping Elite model that will give us an even stronger foothold at the upper end of the midsize SUV segment.”

The all-new 2016 Honda Pilot SUV, with seating up to eight passengers, joins the best-selling Honda CR-V and all-new HR-V as the flagship of an expanded lineup of innovative, benchmark-setting Honda SUVs. It is the third generation of Honda’s popular three-row SUV to be designed, developed and manufactured in America. The new Pilot was designed and developed by Honda R&D Americas, Inc., in Los Angeles and Ohio, and is manufactured exclusively by Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC, in Lincoln, Alabama.⁴

“Our design team in California and development team in Ohio worked to create a new breed of no-compromise SUV that meets the diverse lifestyle needs of American families,” said Marc Ernst, Pilot Development Leader. “This means the 2016 Pilot has incredible family functionality when the kids are in tow, a stylish and premium experience for a night on the town or an off-road adventure.”

Since its arrival in 2003 as the first three-row, mainstream SUV to be developed on a car-like unit-body platform, the Pilot has helped set industry standards for fuel efficiency, spacious and thoughtful interior packaging, safety performance, and dynamic handling performance in the midsize SUV segment. American consumers have responded by purchasing more than 1.4 million Pilots over the past 12 years. Pilot also ties the CR-V in having the highest brand loyalty of any Honda model, with approximately 63 percent of Pilot buyers returning to purchase another Honda vehicle.

Reengineered from the ground up, virtually every aspect of the 2016 Pilot has been thoroughly redesigned to better accommodate the needs of all its occupants – the driver and all passengers – delivering more family-friendly utility, more advanced technology, and more premium attributes and amenities than ever before. The 2016 Pilot also ups the ante for premium refinement with major upgrades to interior quality and more standard comfort and convenience features on all trims, along with the addition of a new, line-topping Elite version that offers a series of Honda-first features including 20-inch wheels and tires, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, a first-ever panoramic glass roof and many other premium family SUV features.

The 2016 Pilot is powered by a direct-injected 3.5-liter SOHC i-VTEC^® V-6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM^®) – along with the available two new advanced transmissions and a class-defining all-new intelligent variable torque management (i-VTM4™) AWD system with Intelligent Traction Management and torque vectoring capability. Together, these features make this the most powerful, refined and capable Pilot Honda has ever offered. These technologies, combined with a nearly 300-pound reduction in vehicle weight (on upper trims), improved aerodynamics and reduced running resistance, make this the most fuel-efficient offering in the midsize SUV segment, with EPA fuel-economy ratings improved by as much as 2/2/2 mpg city/highway/combined³ over the previous model.           

The new Pilot also moves to the top of the class in safety performance with the most comprehensive suite of Honda Sensing™ advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies ever offered on a Honda vehicle. Furthermore, the 2016 Pilot adopts the next generation of Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure along with a new “3-bone” underbody frame design and new hot-stamped ultra-high strength steel door rings. Taken together, these engineering features and technologies deliver major gains to the Pilot’s collision avoidance and collision protection capabilities, as it targets the highest available U.S. government (NCAP) and IIHS safety ratings.

¹ MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) excluding tax, license, registration, $880 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.

² Peak power: 280 HP @ 6000 RPM (SAE net), peak torque: 262 ft-lb (355 Nm) @ 4700 RPM (SAE net)

³ Based on 2016 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.

⁴ Manufactured using domestic and globally sourced parts.

Congratulations to "Car and Driver Magazine" - 60 years of Intelligence, Independence, and Irreverence

What's you favorite Automotive publication? And why?

Like any great company, Car and Driver is reaching out to it's readership with the following questions:

• Your favorite car you or your family has owned, and your favorite story about it.

• Your favorite car of the past 60 years.

• When you first discovered Car and Driver.

Great questions. It's really not all that dificult to 'stay in touch'. It's where the rubber meets the road.

Here's how Honda wished the publication a Happy 60th anniversary. 

The new 2016 Honda HR-V crossovers started to arrive here at Hendrick Honda Bradenton. Seems no sooner do they hit the ground they are being test driven, purchased and enjoyed!

Honda's Senior VP & General Manager of the Honda Division shared the following words just prior to the arrival of the 2016 Honda HR-Vs here.

"The announcement this week of a sub-$20,000 starting price for the all-new 2016 Honda HR-V crossover underscores its important role as the new gateway to the Honda light truck lineup. The HR-V is the next critical step forward in the fortification of our light truck line-up and a vehicle that's certain to generate a lot of excitement and customer traffic when it arrives at Honda dealerships in two weeks.

From the refreshed 2015 CR-V that came to market last fall, to the arrival of an all-new Pilot this summer, we're building the foundations for our future success, step-by-step. Now, we're putting our focus on the newest piece of the puzzle with HR-V, which combines class-leading fuel economy, dynamic styling and Honda packaging magic to create an incredible value proposition.

With the CR-V and Pilot already sharing the highest brand loyalty ratings in our lineup, and the HR-V pulling in new, younger buyers at the gateway to the lineup – it will only get better next year with the arrival of a new Ridgeline and redesigned Odyssey.

With the Kentucky Derby just a day away, I'd sum it up by saying that the new HR-V is an early favorite to win one of the most closely watched races in the auto industry today. We're off to the races!"

Jeff Conrad
Senior Vice President & General Manager
Honda Division

What more can we say? Maybe you have something to add?

As a CR-V owner what's your opinion on the success of the CR-V. Is it style, safety, performance and engineering, economy? Or any combination of these.

Here's the view from Mr. Jeff Conrad,Senior Vice President and General Manager,Honda Division:


"When we launched the 2015 Honda CR-V with a significant mid-cycle redesign, we aimed to provide our customers with across-the-board upgrades—in styling, performance, fuel efficiency and family-friendly technology; and customers have responded by voting with their pocketbooks to make CR-V the best-selling SUV in America.

The experts also have taken notice. This week, the Cars.com/USA TODAY/"Motor Week" Compact SUV Challenge chose the CR-V for the top spot over six competing models. This adds to the accolades CR-V has earned from Motor Trend as the 2015 Sport Utility of the Year, from Kelly Blue Book as a KBB.com Best Buy for 2015, as well as from U.S. News and World Report as a Best Cars for Families winner.

The Cars.com/USA TODAY/"Motor Week" selection of CR-V as the top SUV is all the more sweet because the panel of expert judges included real-world customers. With sales topping 100,000 units in the first four months of this year – an all-time record start for CR-V – clearly customers are choosing CR-V. And with a new HR-V crossover in dealer showrooms, and a new Pilot SUV heading there soon, the Honda light truck lineup just keeps getting stronger."

Jeff Conrad
Senior Vice President and General Manager
Honda Division

Did You Miss This - Posted Early April

Hands-Free Selfie Technology — another first from Honda

Honda prides itself on always being at the forefront of
the latest automobile technologies.

That’s why we're proud to announce the all-new HR-V Selfie Edition.

With 10 cameras across the interior and exterior, the HR-V Selfie Edition
allows drivers to snap self-portraits while the car is in park.

Watch the video above for a demonstration from our beta-tester, Ashley.

For More Information and a Gallery of Pictures Click Here
Always drive responsibly and avoid distractions. HR-V SLF is currently being beta tested.

When it's about Value and Savings consider leasing your next car or truck

 If you've been a loyal Honda customer or you've achieved a level of financial status that you're proud of, you should consider leasing your next Honda car or truck.  When you visit our dealership we'll provide you with all of the information that you need to make that informed decision, to Buy or Lease.

Here are just a few of the highlights of a lease through Honda Financial Services. 

• Turn-in fee waived for loyal customers
  A loyal customer is one who purchases or leases another new Honda automobile within 30 days prior to or after the turn-in date.
• $500 Excessive Wear and Use Waiver
  A loyal customer may be eligible for an excessive wear and use waiver of up to $1,000.
• Flexible Terms
  Contracts can range from 24-60 months. You can even eliminate monthly lease payments with our One-Payment Leasing program.
• Multiple Mileage Options
  Choose from 12,000 or 15,000 miles per year. Additional miles can be purchased at signing.
• Automatic GAP Coverage
  Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) generally covers the difference between insurance payments and the outstanding lease if our vehicles is stolen or deemed a total loss. GAP coverage is standard on all Honda Leadership Leasing.
• Guaranteed Purchase Price
  Honda Leadership Leasing locks in the end-of-lease purchase price at signing, which can protect you against market fluctuations.
• End-of-Term Flexibility
  Even after your lease is over, Honda Leadership Leasing can still give you options. You can purchase the vehicle for the guaranteed price, lease or purchase a new Honda, or simply return the vehicle.
• No purchase-option fee.

"The sky is the limit", Don't Believe It!

The sky used to be a reasonable limit.  Perhaps metaphorically for most but not for Honda. Last June 2014 Honda's first production jet took flight.  These days, at Honda it would seem that 'the sky' is just another milestone.  As the potential for new forms of transportation are without limit.  The Sky and Beyond.  Take a look at the Honda Jet.

With the completion and flight of Honda's first production Business Jet the future is exciting. There's a market for business jets and the benefits are depicted in the illustration below:

There's one profoundly evident characteristic that has gone without mention.  It's public recognition will likely occur at the knee of the curve of that market acceptance curve.  Please watch the first video clip from May 2014 and the more recent video from June 2014, and share your thoughts..

How Many Reasons Do You Need To Celebrate???

The Honda Graduate Program may have 500 for you and then some...

If you have questions there's an awesome brochure in our showroom and a great website where you can get answer to most of your questions.

Here's the link to the Honda Financial Services website: Please Click Here

If you are considering a new Honda and you think you may qualify let us know and visit us soon.  If you've already taken advantages of the Honda Graduate Program please share your experience here.

1 point an event, 2 points a trend, 3 a PHENOMENON!

Honda ‘Best Overall Brand’ for 3rd consecutive year

New-car shoppers have once again recognized the Honda brand (automobiles.honda.com) as the ‘Best Value Brand’ and ‘Best Overall Brand’ in Kelley Blue Book’s 2015 Brand Image Awards, based on the company’s Brand Watch™ study. This is the fourth time Honda has been named ‘Best Value Brand’ and marks the third consecutive year it has been recognized as ‘Best Overall Brand’ by non-luxury car shoppers on KBB.com.

Honda Offers Fun Technology - Look Here

From Safety Cams to Selfie Cams, you're covered.

Hands-Free Selfie Technology — another first from Honda

x 10 Selfie Cameras

Honda prides itself on always being at the forefront of the latest automobile technologies. That’s why we're proud to announce the all-new HR-V Selfie Edition. With 10 cameras across the interior and exterior, the HR-V Selfie Edition allows drivers to snap self-portraits while the car is in park. Watch the video above for a demonstration from our beta-tester, Ashley.

Always drive responsibly and avoid distractions. HR-V SLF is currently being beta tested.

Safety For Everyone - A Resounding Theme

A Resounding Theme and more so....an evolving reality, now embodied in Honda Sensing™

This new suite of driver assistive-technologies can help you
sense things you might miss while driving. In some cases, they can even help you avoid a collision or mitigate its severity.
You'll find them all on the 2015 CR-V Touring.

Collision Mitigation Braking System™

CMBS™ can help bring your Honda to a stop when the system determines that a collision with a vehicle detected in front of you is unavoidable. A warning sounds, and if necessary, brake
pressure is automatically applied[1].


Adaptive Cruise Control

ACC helps you maintain a constant
following interval, so you don't have to
manually change your speed[2].

Lane Keeping Assist System

LKAS helps keep you in your lane. If you begin
to leave a detected lane without signaling, the
steering wheel adjusts to correct your
lane departure[3].

Lane Departure Warning

LDW can detect unindicated lane departures
from detected lanes. Alerts will flash and
sound to help bring your attention to
correcting the lane drift[4].

Honda LaneWatch™

Honda LaneWatch helps decrease your passenger-side blind spot when
changing lanes. When you use your right turn signal, a view of the passenger
lane with nearly four times more area than the mirror alone appears on your
Display Audio screen[5].

[1] CMBS cannot detect all objects ahead and may not detect a given object; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and other factors. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. System designed to mitigate crash forces. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[2] ACC cannot detect all objects ahead and may not detect a given object; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and other factors. ACC should not be used in heavy traffic, poor weather or on winding roads. The driver remains responsible for slowing or stopping the vehicle to avoid a collision.

[3] LKAS only alerts drivers when lane drift is detected without a turn signal in use and can apply mild steering torque to assist driver in maintaining proper lane position. LKAS may not detect all lane markings or lane departures; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and road condition. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[4] LDW only alerts drivers when lane drift is detected without a turn signal in use. LDW may not detect all lane markings or lane departures; accuracy will vary based on weather, speed and road condition. System operation affected by extreme interior heat. Driver remains responsible for safely operating vehicle and avoiding collisions.

[5] Display accuracy will vary based on weather, size of object and speed, and the display may not show all relevant traffic. The display is not a substitute for your own direct visual assessment of traffic conditions before changing lanes.

What's your favorite Honda TV Ad

Or any Automobile TV commercial for that matter.  And share with us.  What are the characteristics of a good...rather..GREAT TV commercial.  Here's one of my most recent favorites:

Pre-owned Cars and Trucks - Your Comfort Level Assured Here

When you visit the  Hendrick Honda Bradenton website you'll receive a FREE CARFAX Vehicle History Report^™  for any pre-owned vehicle in our inventory.

Every CARFAX Report contains important information that can impact your decision about a used vehicle through a detailed VIN # check. Through this VIN search.  Some types of information included in CARFAX Reports include:

• Vehicle registration
• Frame/structural damage
• Title information
  including salvaged or junked titles
• Accident indicators
  such as airbag deployment
• Odometer readings
• Service and repair information
• Lemon history
• Vehicle usage (taxi, rental, lease, etc.)
• Total loss accident history
• Recall information

Hendrick Honda Bradenton - In the Community

As 'The Presenting Sponsor' of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation(JDRF)/ONE Walk, Hendrick Honda Bradenton is extending an invitation to our employees, customers, and business partners to join us in the drive to put an end to Type 1 diabetes in children.

You can find all of the details on our Website Homepage in the banner shown below.

And take the time to visit the official JDRF/ONE WALK website as well to see just how you can participate:

Please Click here to PARTICIPATE!!

"Watch the World Debut of the All-New 2016 Honda Pilot"

Now more than a concept...a soon to be revealed reality.

An all-new Crossover from Honda - Have a look! Coming Soon

Pictures oftentimes convey a message better than 1,000 words.  And that's what you'll find by following this link:

Click Here for a pictorial introduction of the Honda HR-V

And please share your initial thoughts, and reactions to this all new addition to

the Honda family of automobiles.

What Makes a Honda is Who Makes a Honda

Please check out these YouTube testimonials for a better understanding of what we mean by,

"Hondas are made with people in mind, not machines. That's why what makes a Honda is who makes a Honda."

Click Here

The Honda Mile Makers Clubs - 100,000 and Beyond

Periodically I will stroll through our service department waiting room and ask for a show of hands in response to the question:  "How many of you loyal customers have over 100,000 miles on your Honda Car or Truck?"  Typically there will be a significant show of hands!  And that's what I'm looking for.

My intention isn't to find a potential car deal, more often than not, I'm posing the question in the company of a prospective customer, so as to show confirmation of what we all already know:

i.e. "Honda Cars and Trucks are reliable, quality vehicles that go the distance." (literally)

Now Honda is asking for a "show of hands", and providing the platform for you to tell your story.

Now, Honda is giving you the chance to tell your story.  I've long believed that customers that have driven their Honda Car or Truck 100,000 miles or more are indeed driving 100,000 and 'beyond'.  By that I mean they are driving and enjoying that drive.  That's how I interpret the 'beyond' in that catch phrase, "100,000 and Beyond.

Here's the link for you to follow to tell your story: Click here to share your story!

You'll find that Honda extends Congratulations to all of you Club members.  Acknowledging that "not every Honda travels 100,000 miles and beyond."  And that, " The stories here don’t represent the average expectancy of every Honda. Everyone’s experience is different based on vehicle, driving manner and conditions."