Honda Pictures: Honda Cars

Honda Motor Company announced it will recall 412,000 Odyssey minivans and Element light trucks because of brake problems in the Honda vehicles.

The Honda recall announcement came in mid-March, 2010. Brake problems in Honda cars seem to arise from faulty engineering which allows air bubbles to get into the braking system each time it self-checks. Model years affected by the recall are 2007 and 2008.

Recalled Honda vehicles have been involved in several crashes. Three minor injuries have resulted from the Honda recall. Thus far, no deaths or serious injuries have been associated with the recalled Honda cars.

Honda Recall Process

Honda stated that owners who receive notification as part of the Honda recall should take their vehicle to an authorized dealer where the repairs will be done.

Posted in: Honda Cars

New Honda Hybrid Cars

New Honda hybrid cars for 2010 include the Honda Civic Hybrid and the resurrected Honda Insight Hybrid in a more practical 4-door form. While gas/electric hybrids are relative newcomers to the automotive market, Honda set the pace for hybrids with the introduction of the original Honda Insight Hybrid in 1999.

New Honda Hybrid Cars: Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid was introduced in 2002 as a direct competitor to the Toyota Prius. The 2010 incarnation sports a 110-hp 1.3 liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine with Integrated Motor assist (IMA) and permanent-magnet electric motor. The theory behind Honda's hybrids is simple; primary locomotion is provided by an under-powered, un-thirsty internal combustion engine. Additional power for better acceleration is made by a small electric motor that lies sandwiched between the engine and transmission.

The Honda Civic Hybrid features all the amenities of the decked-out EX model (sans moonroof) and adds several "goodies" unique to the hybrid. A CVT transmission, a unique 15" alloy wheels, turn signals integrated into the outside rearview mirrors and automatic climate control are among the features reserved for this particular Honda hybrid car.