Japanese Car Guide

Honda Fit

Honda cars have always been at the limelight for decades now due to their high performance, durability and affordability. Recently, Honda has added another feather to its cap when it bagged five spots in the 2008 rankings of American magazine U.S. News and World Report for the best cars and trucks.

Here is the complete list of winners courtesy of WorldCarFans.com:

Best Economy Car: Honda Fit
Best Midsize Car: Honda Accord
Best Upscale Small Car: Volkswagen GTI
Best Upscale Midsize Car: BMW 3-Series
Best Luxury Car: BMW 5-Series
Best Compact SUV: Honda CR-V
Best Midsize SUV: Honda Pilot
Best Large SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe
Best Luxury Midsize SUV: Lexus RX 350
Best Full Size Pickup: Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Best Affordable Sports Car: Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Mazda Speed3 (three-way tie)

Honda got five citations while German cars got two. Two American cars made it on the list and the two others that tied with Honda for the best affordable sports car category were from Mazda, also a Japanese brand.

The cars and trucks were ranked according to different factors such as safety, reliability, comfort and design features, among others. The U.S. News and World Report gathered the opinions of respected automotive journalists to determine the best cars and trucks for 2008. And they had Honda in mind most of the time, which only affirms Honda�s growing presence in the international automotive industry today.

Congratulations to the people behind Honda for a job well done.

I stumbled upon the news that the 2008 Mazda6 is now the leader in the mid-size sedan segment. I�d like to believe that. The 2008 Mazda6�s unparalleled performance, refinement and practicality are what earned it big sales success in the United States.

It was reported that the range-topping 3.0-liter V6 engine is responsible for its strong performance. Imagine, it can produce 212 horsepower (at 6,000 rpm) and 197 lb-ft torque (at 5,000 rpm). It is the only sedan with a six-speed automatic transmission that enhances performance, drivability, smoothness and gas mileage.

This new addition to the sedan family has a new standard Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), 17-inch alloy wheels (i Sport models), security alarm system (Sport VE and Touring) BOSE� stereo system and two exterior colors (Volcanic Red and Silver Metallic). What more can you ask for?

Nissan Murano, it’s a twin metamorphosis of the mid-size crossover SUV by Nissan last December 2002 and was launched at 2003. it was the first of its kind by Nissan. It beat the Pathfinder as Nissan’s top-of-the-line SUV until the launch of the Armada in 2004. It was authored by the American branch in La Jolla, California. It was inspired by the Nissan FF-L Platform used by Maxima’s sixth generation and the Altima’s third. The Murano is the first and last version released by Nissan.

By 2006, the Murano leveled in-between the Xterra and Pathfinder, which champed over the Murano in size since 2005, wherein it immediately soared by becaming Nissan’s best-selling SUV, finally beating the Pathfinder off the top of the charts.

Car maintenance has always been a problem by motorists such as myself. Not that I don�t want to spend much on car maintenance, it�s just that sometimes I rely on the weather forecast more than my car manual. Which should not really be the case.

Here are three important tips that can help keep your car running for a longer time:

� During winter, keep more gas in the tank so less air gets rid of ice that could get to fuel lines

� Instead of burn-outs in the morning, drive gently, do some slow stops and the brakes will heat up in no time

� Always follow your car manual�s recommended oil change interval

Happy driving!

The “Japanese lifestyle” is a term used by some medical doctors that refers to the way the Japanese prepare their meals—less frying, more soups and raw fish.

But the definition of Japanese lifestyle nowadays has changed a bit and included cars in it. And the Honda FCX Clarity sure is a part of that healthy revolution.

It mainly runs on hydrogen fuel cells, so emissions of the said car are not toxic. However, the car has been made available only to the Southern California market since fuel stations that load hydrogen fuel are abundant in the said state (car manufacturing is also limited). The car too is a little bit expensive for the middle class market, but Honda promised that by 2018, they have the right technology to mass produce the said car.

Photo taken from http://autocult.com.au

Here�s a good news to all Japanese car lovers out there. Honda has just released two new models: the Accord Sedan and the Accord Coupe. According to Honda website, the two cars promise �a new automotive experience like no other.�

The newest Honda cars were built to suit our modern lifestyle. With the Accord Sedan, �comfort, luxury and advanced technology� are a showcase while the Accord Coupe matched performance with sports styling.

So, for all of you who would like to own these cars, talk to your trusted dealers and request a quote now.

To compare prices and features of these new Honda babies, click here.

One of the most successful and best selling cars in America is the Toyota Corolla, owing to its reliability and good resale value, as well as it’s no frills, no non-sense approach to driving – the Corolla is all about getting you from Point A to Point be in the most efficient way. Toyota is obviously not sleeping on the job with the newest Corolla on their lineup, the 2010 model. It is generally similar to the 2009 model, with a few improvements here and there. The new 2010 model performs like it’s older brothers, giving a balanced (some might say boring) driving experience in both city streets and highways. Fuel economy is again a major feature of the Corolla, with the least economical model boasting a 29-mile per gallon fuel consumption. The prices also are reasonable, ranging from $15,000 – $20,000 for a brand new model.

Maybe its the economy and maybe its because of the utter lack of sales, most Japanese car makers are increasing prices on their vehicles to compensate for some of the losses they are suffering due to dismal sales. Compared to the European and American auto industry, most Japanese firms have managed to survive the current recession but they have had to do with some cut-backs. Like Honda and Toyota which have withdrawn from some auto shows and from the fast paced Formula 1 Circuit. They are still continuing with research into most of their future concepts which would be taking the streets in the future but they have slowed down considerably.
Dealerships in other countries have suffered greatly due to dismal sales figures but Japanese cars are still some of the top selling brands the world over. Many car makers are in trouble due to lack of sales and with debt they have managed to pile up in recent years, much so that even America’s big three are now in hot water. With grim predictions for the future of the economy, the Japanese will surely keep on reinventing the auto industry with their varied brands and innovative technology.

The Japanese people are shaped by commitment to quality and with that in mind, they have come out on top of the market when it comes to auto manufacturing. They know that the Americans have all the muscle and the Europeans have their prestige and both claim to have passion built into their cars thrown into the mix is of course pride for their products and what do you have? The biggest, most expensive and powerful vehicles on the market. The Japanese on the other hand focused on technology they are so good at and brought it into their cars. Japanese cars are loaded with technology from top to bottom and the best thing is that they realized the need for economy.
They took what their customers say they needed and improved on it, creating diverse products that people wanted. They started from the customer up to the manufacturing aspect then infused it with technology which made a mix that spelled success. Other car makers say this is what you want, they said what do you need and gave it to them. Auto makers of the world have learned a thing or two from the Japanese as they take over the realm they used to have a grasp on. With the global economy on the rocks, Japanese cars are still selling due to economic prices and fuel consumption as they head into the future as the world’s best auto makers.

画像転載元: theautochannel.com

最近、ホンダが新型オデッセイを日本で発売すると発表しました。発売日は10月17日になる予定です。モデルチェンジされた新型オデッセイは、低床と低重心の車体と車高の低さが特徴です。さらに従来の一般的なミニバンより性能が良いとのことです。車内は非常に広々としています。また、新型オデッセイは 次世代の安全技術,を使用しており、ホンダの安全最優先のポリシーを反映したものになっています。 新マルチビュー・カメラシステムを搭載しています。 スペシャルバージョンでは、さらに助手席がリフトアップシートになっています。 発売は11月です。 デザインのコンセプトは情緒や感性を大切にするものです。 見る人全てを感動させるようなデザインを目指したようです。 これが、第4世代のオデッセイです。 人間と機械のインターフェイスが一体となることにより、運転者や同乗者の自由が増します。 その存在感は別格です。 最新型のオデッセイは、どんな時でも乗る人、運転する人はもちろん、見ている人にも大きな感動を与えるために開発されたのです。