Saturday, July 26, 2008

Honda's Changes for 2009 Lineup

Accord: New V-6 rating adds three horsepower for a total of 271 and six pound-feet of torque for 254.

Civic: A new grille and front bumper, revised taillight lenses, and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel are the major changes. The Civic hybrid now has stability control and, though it may dim the car’s green aura slightly, a leather interior option.

Element: Honda will restyle its flower-delivery van with revised sheetmetal and upgraded interior amenities and electronics. The platform and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine remain unchanged.

Fit: An all-new and larger Fit hits in October, up about two inches in wheelbase and overall length. Inside, there is more room in the five-passenger, five-door cabin. A 1.5-liter four makes about 120 horsepower, and the front strut, rear torsion beam suspension is hung on a stiffer unibody and has been retuned for better ride quality but with the same lively steering as the previous Fit. Sounds phat.

Odyssey: Honda’s minivan gets an output restatement for models with cylinder deactivation; horsepower goes up three to 244 and torque goes up three pound-feet to 245.

Pilot: All-new for 2009, the seven-passenger Pilot returns slightly larger, a bit roomier (especially in the second- and third-row seats), significantly stiffer, and with more rectilinear styling. Another 2.9 inches were added to the wheelbase, but the overall dimensions remain almost the same. The 250-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 has an enhanced cylinder-shut-off mechanism that adds 1–2 mpg to the EPA ratings.

Ridgeline: The grille and some interior amenities are new. The V-6 is retuned with a new camshaft profile for more low- and midrange torque, and the transmission ratios are now taller for better fuel economy.

CRV: Unchanged

S2000: Unchanged

Source: http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/what_s_new_for_2009_car_news/browse_by_make/honda_car_news

No comments: