This morning we have good news and bad news. The good news is, the massive recall of Takata's fatally flawed airbags is continuing. The bad news is, the recall is as complicated as ever, and it's going to take years to complete. (For quick a recap, click here.) Today, Honda--formerly known as...Read More»
Earlier this month, rumors began circulating that up to 40 million airbag inflators installed on U.S. vehicles would be added to the already-massive Takata recall. Shortly thereafter, Honda issued a recall for 20 million additional devices, while Toyota's roster grew by a more modest but still...Read More»
Quiet confidence. It's one of the many traits that impressed when we tested the 2011 Acura TSX sedan and counterpart 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon. It also helped that Acura designers dialed down the controversial grille to Dull Roar. For 2012, the mug doesn't shrink further and neither does the...Read More»
In the 1980s and 1990s, the minivan ruled the school carpool and the pickup lane at daycare centers across this great land. They were new, they were clever, they were American. And then SUVs came along, and they were much cooler, and newer, and even more American. That's when minivan sales started...Read More»
Carmakers [in 1998]: “SUVs are the new minivans, because young parents hate the minivan’s Soccer Mom connotation. Also wagons are a non-starter for precisely the same reason.” Carmaker [Acura, in late 2010]: “The new-new: wagons.” If you’re scratching your head...Read More»
Full confession: When I first heard Acura was putting a big, 3.5-liter V-6 into its TSX sport sedan, my response involved a shoulder shrug. That's because the TSX didn't really need it; as we've said in previous drives, with the standard rev-happy 201-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (especially...Read More»
Consumer Reports, as part of this week's torrent of announcements from its Annual Auto Issue, named the 2010 Honda Fit and 2010 Toyota Prius the best new-car values of the year. While it so happens we like both of those models very much (and appreciate the Prius' 51-mpg rating), they definitely...Read More»
The 2010 Suzuki Kizashi has been a fairly big hit with auto journalists. Our own Bengt Halvorson gave it an impressive 8.2 rating and favorably compared it to the Ford Fusion, the Mazda6, and the Subaru Legacy, but Suzuki has more upmarket aspirations for the new sedan. Specifically, Suzuki wants...Read More»
A couple of months ago, we mentioned that Honda was looking to bring an upscale wagon to American showrooms. Today, it's been made official: in one of the briefest press releases we've received in recent weeks, Honda has announced that an Acura TSX sport wagon will arrive in the U.S. in the fall of...Read More»
The past 48 hours have been big for wagons. Apart from the buzz surrounding the 2011 Mercedes Benz E-class Wagon, there's also been news of the Cadillac CTS-V SportWagon and Honda's likely U.S. launch of an Acura wagon based on the popular Acura TSX. Now comes a new rendering of the next-generation...Read More»
Generational biases are nearly impossible to overcome when it comes to cars and image, and what types of cars are hot or not. At least until recently, much of the Baby Boomer generation, which has held most of the new-car buying power, has been decidedly anti-wagon. My generation, the young side of...Read More»
Since the advent of customized vans in the late 1970s -- and subsequently SUVs in the early 1990s -- wagons haven't gotten a lot of attention from consumers. True, many companies continue to produce them, but they typically lack the snazzy, front-page appeal of crossovers and other sporty...Read More»
Did someone get that license plate--you know, the one on that Mack Truck that just ran over our weekend? Call 911, 'cause we have been robbed of our leisure time yet again. Join us in some mild infotainment as we try to collect ourselves. Most unnecessary news item of the day -- Michigan psycho...Read More»
We've reported before that the diesel-powered Acura TSX has been "delayed indefinitely," but now the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Honda's diesels are on the back burner because of expensive materials. The Freep might have missed the story from October, in which it was reported that the...Read More»
The new 2009 Acura TSX goes on sale at the end of the month, and Honda's upscale brand and its upscale managers have tagged it with a price of $28,960, not including destination charges of $715. That's for the base manual-transmission version. Acura says the TSX with the Technology Package and...Read More»
The New York auto show is on, and The Car Connection is on, too -- now that the whole Starbucks snafu has been settled and no lives were lost. First up, while the crowds are digesting the words of Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli and being wowed by the new Acura TSX, is a set of live shots of the new...Read More»
If you’re willing to spend just a little more $30,000 on a luxurious sport sedan, you have a lot of options — the Audi A4, BMW 328, Infiniti G35, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C300, Saab 9-3, Subaru Legacy GT Spec.B, Volvo S60, and Acura’s own TL are just a few. And there’s the...Read More»
