Honda Certified Used Cars Interactive Tour

Honda Certified Used Cars take the guesswork—and the footwork—out of car shopping. Check out an interactive tour about benefits of buying Certified and be sure to check out the Honda Certified Used Car website: http://www.dublinhonda.com/used-inventory/index.htm to view current offers and vehicles available at Dublin Honda.

Honda Earns Multiple Honors in AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards and Total Car Score's 2012 Top Scoring Car Awards

Honda has captured three of AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards for the 2012 Honda CR-V, Odyssey and Pilot, and four of Total Car Score's inaugural Top Scoring Car Awards for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline, Fit, Odyssey and CR-V.

"It's fantastic to have so much of Honda's outstanding product line represented in these awards," said Michael Accavitti, vice president of marketing operations for American Honda. "AutoPacific's awards tell us we're creating truly satisfied owners, and the Total Car Score awards demonstrate how widely and well regarded Honda's products are among top authoritative sites."

AutoPacific's 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA) are based on over 75,000 surveys completed by owners of new cars and light trucks in the United States in the first quarter of 2012.The VSAs are based solely on owner input, and are an accurate measurement of how satisfied new car and light truck buyers are with their recently purchased vehicle.

The Top Scoring Car Awards are based on Total Car Score's ranking formula, which utilizes the ratings from trusted automotive sites converted into a simple percentage. These ratings are translated into a single Total Car Score that allows car shoppers to quickly and easily compare cars.

Honda Boasts Three Of The Top Four Most-Visited New Cars On Kbb.com During Q1 2012

Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new car and used car information, today reveals that Honda had three out of the four most-visited new cars during the first quarter of 2012 on its top-rated website, www.kbb.com . The Honda CR-V was the most-shopped new vehicle on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com during Q1 2012, with the Civic taking No. 2 and Accord following at No. 4 during the same time period.

"With the recent redesign of Honda's CR-V, the brand hit a home run among in-market new-car shoppers garnering more traffic than any other new car on kbb.com during the first quarter of the year," said Akshay Anand, market intelligence web analyst for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "Creating popular new product supported by witty and engaging marketing efforts, Honda clearly resonates strongly with consumers."

In-market new-car shoppers have taken a strong liking to the CR-V crossover thanks to its favorable recent redesign combined with increased visibility attributed to popular advertising, such as the 'Ferris Bueller'-themed TV spot airing during the Super Bowl in February. In addition to its most-shopped status on kbb.com, the new CR-V also captured the No. 1 spot in compact crossover sales during Q1 2012.

The fuel-sipping Civic, also redesigned for 2012, undoubtedly benefitted from a spike in gas prices during the first quarter of the year. The hot-selling compact model also has been supported by steady advertising for its sporty Si version and technology-laden EX-L trim. The Civic holds the top spot in Q1 2012 sales in the highly competitive compact segment, besting the also-redesigned Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra and Volkswagen Jetta by a healthy margin.

The Accord, a perennial highly shopped stalwart, has benefitted from recent increased buzz surrounding mid-size cars. With many popular new designs hitting the mid-size class this year, including a forthcoming Accord redesign slated for fall and other hot-selling models with redesigns this year including Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima, the popular sedan segment is experiencing a renaissance. The current-generation Accord continues to show impressive sales numbers even before the debut of its redesign later this year, outselling the popular new Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima while staying close on the heels of segment leader Camry in April 2012.

"Once the redesigned Accord arrives later this year, we could see a shakeup in the mid-size sedan category, especially as the competition heats up with the arrival of a redesigned Altima and Fusion," said Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst of automotive insights for Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. "Boasting three of the top 10 best-selling cars during the first quarter of 2012 combined with mirrored interest from scores of new-car shoppers on kbb.com, Honda is poised for continued success this year."

Other popular Honda models placing among the top 50 most-visited new cars on kbb.com during Q1 2012 include the Odyssey at No. 24, Pilot at No. 28 and Fit at No. 45.

The redesigned Toyota Camry reached No. 2, and Hyundai's popular Sonata climbed to No. 5, to round out the top five most-visited new cars on Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com during Q1 2012.

Ken Harveys Dublin Honda Memorial Day Sales Event!

With crazy low prices, insanely low interest rates, and amazing trade in offers, this Memorial Day at Dublin Honda is sure to be one of the most memorable in years. And for the next two days, we have a special deal available. As the weather gets warmer, getting into your car becomes a more and more dreadful experience. We've got a two day sale on our Heatshield Sun Shades. Check out the coupon below.

Make sure you come by Dublin Honda this weekend and take a test drive in something that catches your eye. Don't feel like battling the crowds? Then shop online at http://DublinHonda.com. See you soon!

Honda to Power Homes the Green Way

TOKYO – May 22, 2012: Honda is reducing household energy consumption through its Smart Home System, demonstrated in two purpose built houses in Saitama, Japan.

First unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, the Honda Smart Home System is one of Honda’s key products that will help it cut the carbon dioxide emissions of its products by 30 per cent (compared to the year 2000).

Honda’s Smart Homes are designed with solar panels, rechargeable battery units, a household gas-engine cogeneration unit, hot-water supply system and an energy management system called the Smart e Mix Manager.

Controlling electricity supply from the commercial grid, the Smart e Mix Manager works to reduce carbon dioxide and provide back-up electricity so the house can operate self-sufficiently in the event of a power outage or disaster. This system also works to optimise use of household energy supplies to charge electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Honda Australia Director and General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Stephen Collins, said the Smart Home System is one of many green initiatives Honda is currently developing.

“The Smart Home System highlights Honda’s versatility and commitment to developing new energy technologies aimed at decreasing environmental impact,” Mr Collins said.“This is a glimpse into the future, today.”

The test houses are part of Honda’s agreement with the E-KIZUNA Project run by the city of Saitama.

A third house featuring the Honda Smart Home System is scheduled to be built in Saitama and will be linked to the existing two houses to demonstrate how a smart community would work. Testing is likely to continue until 2018.

Globally recognised as one of the industry’s great innovators, Honda plans to study and verify a "vehicle-to-home" charging system that uses electric energy within batteries of electromotive mobility products to supply electricity for household use.

Honda is the world’s biggest engine manufacturer, a leader in automotive research and development and consistently rated a top performer in customer satisfaction.

There are more than 400,000 Hondas on the road in Australia and millions of happy customers worldwide.

 

Courtesy of theAutoChannel.com

Honda UNI-CUB Personal Mobility Device

Honda Motor Co. unveiled the new UNI-CUB personal mobility device, designed for harmony with people. Featuring a compact design and comfortable saddle, UNI-CUB offers the same freedom of movement in all directions that a person enjoys while walking.

Representing the evolution of the U3-X personal mobility device that Honda announced in 2009, UNI-CUB features Honda's proprietary balance control technology and the world's first omni-directional driving wheel system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System). These technologies allow the rider to control speed, move in any direction, turn and stop, all simply by shifting his or her weight. Since the rider can freely move forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally, he or she can quickly and easily maneuver among other people.

Moreover, UNI-CUB's compact saddle-style packaging makes it easy for the rider's legs to reach the ground and maintains eye-level height with other pedestrians. This configuration promotes harmony between the rider and others, letting the rider travel freely and comfortably inside facilities and among moving people.

With Latest Test Flight, Honda Nears First Jet Deliveries

Honda Motors Co. said its Honda Aircraft Co. unit completed the first flight of its latest test aircraft, marking another step in bringing the small HondaJet to market.

The aircraft, dubbed F3, is the fourth so-called FAA-conforming plane the company has built. It is meant to be used mainly for testing avionics and electrical systems in flight as the design makes its way to the federal certification required before it can be sold to customers.

The 74-minute test flight began at Honda Aircraft Co.’s headquarters at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C. It reached an altitude of 11,500 feet and a speed of 313 knots true air speed, or KTAS in pilot-speak.

Honda said earlier test planes have already met or exceeded its performance goals including a maximum speed of 420 KTAS, maximum cruise altitude of 43,000 feet and a climb rate of 3,990 feet per minute. The company referred to the jet as a “sports car in the sky.”

Honda has said it plans to begin delivering the plane to customers later this year with a sticker price of about $4.5 million.

Dublin Honda May Service Specials!

Check out Dublin Honda's May Service Specials! We've got some great deals this month like our "Mature" Honda discount, a fluid service special, a free timing belt special, not to mention that we'll meet or beat any other Honda Dealer's service special or coupon! To see the rest of our specials this month, click here.

2012 Honda Civic Hybrid Delivers on Mileage

An average of 43.5 mpg -- that was during a week's test drive of the 2012 Honda Civic hybrid on city streets and highway. Now, that's pretty impressive. And we didn't have to sacrifice ride quality, safety or comfort in the redesigned gas/electric hybrid.

Available in four trims, the front-wheel-drive sedan is equipped with a 1.5-liter (up from the previous 1.3) engine with Integrated Motor Assist that develops 110 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 127 pounds-feet (increase of 4) of torque at 1000 rpm. The inline-four-cylinder engine is mated to an electric motor, which is powered by a lighter 20-kilowatt lithium-ion battery. A seamless Continuously Variable Transmission is standard.

The hybrid offers a regenerative braking system for additional fuel savings. When brakes are applied, the electric power functions as a generator and converts the captured kinetic energy into useable electricity for recharging the battery. Want to eke out further fuel efficiency? Just press the ECON button. Also part of the Eco Assist system is the plant leaf graphics, which track driving habits.

Indeed, Honda has boosted gas mileage on this 2012 version over its predecessor by 4 mpg in city and 1 mpg on the highway. And compared to the conventional Civic sedan, the hybrid sees a 16 mpg and 5 mpg increase in city and highway respectively.

Base-priced at $24,200, the Civic is priced up to $26,900 if you would like leather seats and a navigation system.

With its cheeky styling in and out, smooth but solid ride and frugal fuel consumption, the Civic hybrid is an easy choice. Honda's reputation for durability and reliability only adds to the compact car's value.

Parking Lot/Unparalleled

Car and Driver names the Accord to their 10Best List a record 26 times.

Honda Pilot, 2012: Best buy midsize minivan

The mid-size Honda Pilot hits all the sweet spots when it comes to three-row family minivans—plenty of space, good power, decent handling, comfort and even optional all-wheel drive.

The 2012 Pilot has sleeker front styling, a redesigned instrument panel, upgraded audio systems and more sound-deadening. Never mind the boxy old-school general styling—it allows plenty of room for passengers with the third-row seat in its normal position.

Honda claims the four-door hatchback Pilot seats eight, but six is a more reasonable number, at least for adults. The second-row split seat, which has a center armrest with cupholders, slides fore and aft. But climbing in and out of the third-row seat to add to that number is awkward. And leg room is tight for adults behind the second-row seats.

The high floor causes a high step-in, although occupants have a good view of surroundings once settled. 

Cargo room is modest with all seats in place, but the fold-flat second-and third-row seats significantly enlarge it.

There are four trim levels (LX, EX, EX-L and Touring). List prices start at $28,470 for the base front-wheel-drive LX and go to $40,820 for the top-dog Touring model. The LX costs $30,070 with all-wheel drive, an extra $1,600 for all trim levels. That drive system allows decent off-road capability, although the Pilot is no Land Rover.

This Honda has a 3.5-liter 250-horsepower V-6 that provides good 65-80 mph passing and Variable Cylinder Management that lets it shut down certain cylinders to maximize fuel economy. But towing capacity isn’t very good.

Fuel economy is an estimated 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 on highways with front-drive and 17 and 24 with all-wheel drive. A 21-gallon fuel tank provides a respectable highway driving range.

Economy probably would be a little better if the Pilot had a six-speed automatic transmission instead of a five-speed unit, which seems dated. But the easily reached short shifter juts from the center of the dashboard so it doesn’t take up room. 
 
I tested the full-boat $40,820 Pilot all-wheel-drive Touring. Its wealth of items include a DVD rear entertainment system, navigation system, Bluetooth connection, seat and mirror memory, backup camera and sensors and a power tailgate, which is handy when your arms are full of groceries. The hatch has a strap and indented interior slot to help close it you don’t want to wait for the automatic tailgate operation.

Still the base model has plenty of stuff, including a premium sound system, air conditioning, keyless entry and power windows and mirrors. The EX adds a power driver seat, multizone automatic air conditioning and steering wheel audio controls.

The EX-L adds a sunroof, power front passenger seat, heated leather-covered front seats and the power tailgate.

Safety features include anti-lock brakes with brake assist and strategically placed air bags.

I couldn’t tell when the smooth V-6’s cylinders were cutting out or in during highway cruising. Acceleration was strong off the line and during 65-80 mph passing. The transmission works effectively, and the ride is comfortable, if a bit soft. After all, this is no sports sedan, but a vehicle designed for family passenger comfort.

The variable-assist power rack-and-pinion steering is nicely geared, although a little heavy. Handling is pretty good, assisted by the Pilot’s standard stability and traction control systems, along with front and rear stabilizer bars—not to mention my test vehicle’s all-wheel-drive system. However, you can feel this is a heavy, rather softly sprung 4,300 to 4,600-pound vehicle during quick maneuvers.

The brake pedal has a nice linear action, and stopping distances during normal driving are good. The foot-operated emergency brake, though, seems old-fashioned.

The interior has easily read gauges, but the audio and climate controls are small to medium in size, and there are many similar-looking dashboard buttons. Front seats provide good support.

The front console has two conveniently placed cupholders with a large sliding cover, and the other two seating rows also have cupholders. Rear windows lower all the way so kids don’t spill drinks handed to them by workers at fast-food drive-through lanes.

Large rearview mirrors and my test Pilot’s backup camera helped a lot when maneuvering in tight spaces, but the turning circle for this rather long minivan is just average.

The outside hood-opener latch is easy to find, which isn’t the case with many vehicles. But the hood is held open with a prop rod, instead of more convenient hydraulic struts.

The solid, nicely built Pilot should be on every minivan shopper’s list.

Pros: Ungraded front styling. Roomy. Good punch. Nice ride. Decent Handling. Available all-wheel drive. Acceptable highway fuel economy.

Cons: Fairly high step-up. Hard-to-enter third-row seating. Only a automatic.

Bottom Line: A "best-buy" among minivans.

Don't forget about Bunco Night, sponsored by Ken Harvey Autos!

Ken Harvey's Auto Group is sponsoring a terrific even this month (May 11th) at The Barn, located at 3131 Pacific Ave, Livermore. All proceeds will be going to benefit the Creative Autism Solutions Team and Good News Bears. In addition to Bunco, there will be live music, great food, a no-host wine bar, prizes and more! Register now, because space is limited.

This event is being held on May 11th and will start at 6:30 PM.

2012 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe Recognized by USAA as a Best Value

USAA, a leading financial services provider to the U.S. military and their families, today named the 2012 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid Coupe to its second annual Best Value vehicles list, which identifies the top 2012 automobiles in 16 categories that give consumers the most bang for their buck. In addition, today USAA named the CR-Z to its "Top 10 for Teens List," which focuses on traits parents said they cared about most: reliability, safety and affordable insurance costs.

The Honda CR-Z rose to the top in the coupe category, recognized for offering best-in-class EPA fuel economy ratings, achieving the "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and offering reasonable maintenance and ownership costs.

Best Value automobiles offer the best financial value of all vehicles USAA evaluates as part of a broader rating system called USAA Preferred, which uses quantitative data to evaluate vehicles' cost, safety and reliability, among other key factors. There are nearly 80 cars, trucks and minivans that are currently designated as USAA Preferred vehicles, and the Best Value list represents the vehicles that rose to the top of each category.

"The CR-Z creates a whole new value category as the first true sport hybrid, offering great fuel economy, a low entry price, an available 6-speed manual transmission and a feisty change of character with the push of the Sport button," said Mike Accavitti, Vice President of National Marketing Operations for American Honda. "It's like having two cars for the price of one."

"The goal of the list is to help members identify vehicles that typically offer better safety ratings, lower insurance premium costs, higher fuel economy, better overall reliability and lower MSRP compared to other vehicles in the same category," said Steve Thompson, an assistant vice president at USAA. "The Honda CR-Z rose to the top as a vehicle that offers these key elements, making it a great buy for the value-minded consumer."

 

Courtesy of Mazda Media

Dublin Honda summer fluid special!

Right now at Dublin Honda, you can get $10 off any transmission, coolant, brake or power steering fluid change! Don't wait - regularly changing your fluids can keep your car running smoother for longer. And who doesn't want that? A few bucks now will save you hundreds or even thousands down the road. Come in today, or call 877-579-6708. You can also visit us at DublinHonda.com!

Landing a car loan is getting easier

 If you're going shopping for a new car we have good news for you. You can now get a car loan even if your credit rating isn't perfect.

Car lending has finally returned to more-or-less normal after a few years in which auto lending went from crazy-easy to crazy-hard. Before the financial crisis, it seemed that anyone could get a car loan regardless of their credit history or income.

"They were pretty much lending to anyone with a pulse," said Jesse Toprak, an industry analyst with Truecar.com.

Then, once the crisis hit, it was just the opposite. It was hard to get a car loan even with stellar credit and impossible to get one without it.

Now, people with good credit can once again borrow money to buy a new car. Even those who've slipped up a little can get money to buy a car, providing they're willing to pay a higher interest rate.

"I don't think you need to have the 800-plus FICO score that was probably necessary in 2009," said Alec Gutierrez, an industry analyst with Kelley Blue Book.

Low interest rates on all types of loans are obviously part of the reason auto loans are easier and cheaper to get, said Gutierrez, but the tight market for used cars helps, too.

Used cars are in short supply these days, so good used cars are worth a lot. That means even if things come out badly and the financing company has to repossess your car and sell it as a used car, they'll at least get good money for it.

So sub-prime loans, those "risky" loans made to people with relatively low credit scores who are most likely to default and have their rides repossessed, are now possible.

Gallery: 7 great spring car deals

"The subprime market has come back to life, where it was non-existent a few years ago," said Dave Wescott, president of Westcott Automotive, Burlington, NC and vice-chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association.

Lenders are now willing to look past the simple credit score number and consider the reasons for missed payments, said Toprak. Maybe having missed a couple of mortgage payments won't sink your chances.

"Having looked at over 5,000 loan applications, credit score is not the best indicator of people's ability to repay," said Toprak who formerly operated auto dealership financing departments.

That's especially true now, when many have had trouble making mortgage payments, said Toprak. A person's income is actually being considered by auto financers, he said, whereas they might not have even looked at that in the past.

Still, not everybody is being that thorough. Car buyers might still have to shop around a little to find the best rate, he said.

Experts usually recommend shopping for auto financing even before you begin seriously shopping for a new car. Going into the dealership with a competitive auto financing deal in hand provides an incentive for the dealer to work hard to beat it.

In most cases, the dealership will be able to provide the best financing deal, given that auto dealers have access to special loan rates provided by auto finance companies affiliated with automakers.

Rates are particularly good on pickups and SUVs, vehicles that aren't selling as they once did, said Gutierrez. General Motors, for instance, is offering 0% financing for 72 months on the soon-to-be-discontinued Avalanche truck.

 

Courtesy of CNN Money

American Honda Reports April Auto Sales: CR-V Sets April Record, Accord Sees 41-Percent Gain, All-New 2013 Acura RDX Fast Out of the Gate

American Honda today reported April 2012 U.S. sales of 122,012 units, an increase of 10 percent based on the daily selling rate*. The Honda division posted April 2012 sales of 109,837, an increase of 9.2 percent compared to April 2011. Acura's U.S. April sales of 12,175 were up 18 percent compared to April 2011.

Honda
- Honda Accord sales up more than 40 percent compared to April 2011, demonstrating the strength of Accord, even as an all-new version is set to debut this fall.

- New April sales record for CR-V. Accord, CR-V, Odyssey and Ridgeline all post double-digit percentage sales gains compared to last year.

- Honda Civic Hybrid sales up more than 600 percent on heightened fuel-price sensitivity.

"With double-digit sales growth in April, the Accord continues to be the retail sales leader in the mid-size segment," said John Mendel, American Honda executive vice president of sales. "As other manufacturers resort to fleet sales, the quality and value of the Honda Accord continues to win new customers even as we prepare to launch an all-new model this fall."

Acura
- 2013 Acura RDX is fast out of the gate, with sales of the all-new SUV up more than 65 percent compared to same period last year.

- All core Acura models (TL, TSX, RDX and MDX) post double-digit increases compared to 2011, while MDX remains Acura's best selling model.

- The all-new ILX compact luxury sedan goes on sale May 22.

"We're delighted to see customers embrace the right-sized 2013 Acura RDX," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. "It's great to see so many new owners recognizing the remarkable combination of class-leading fuel economy, performance and luxury in our new SUV."

*The daily selling rate (DSR) is calculated with 24 days for April 2012 and 27 days for April 2011. Year-to-date, the DSR is calculated with 101 days for 2012 and 102 days for 2011. All percentages reflect DSR.