Post-quake Honda says it now has lots of Fits, Insights for dealers

Honda offered a terrific sign this week that it is finally getting back on its feet in the U.S. after the March earthquake and tsunami that drastically slashed production.

It is now telling dealers that they can resume ordering two of the most in-demand models -- the small Honda Fit and the hybrid Insight, Automotive News reports.

The two models, both made in Japan, have been among the most in-demand as gas rose to an average of nearly $4 a gallon. The Fit is the smallest car that Honda sells in the U.S. and comes recommended by Consumer Reports. The Insight is the brand's underrated hybrid, a competitor to Toyota's Prius.

"Honda's manufacturing operations in Japan are returning to nearly normalized levels by the end of summer," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Honda's U.S. sales operation in a memo to Honda dealers. Adding back Fit and Insight "represents a major improvement from the recovery timetable we provided you last month."

Honda stopped orders on the models after the earthquake. Honda didn't incur major damange to its factories in Japan, but it has been badly impacted by the shortage of parts that has hampered other automakers, including those in the U.S.

In fact, Mendel is downright bullish. Noting that other models like the Pilot SUV, Odyssey minivan and CR-V small crossover are coming back to normal production levels, he implored dealers, "it is imperative that you keep your foot on the sales pedal."

It won't be easy: Sales fell 22% in May compared with a year ago, the News notes.

Source;
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/06/post-quake-honda-says-now-lots-of-fits-insights-for-dealers/1

Post-quake Honda says it now has lots of Fits, Insights for dealers

Honda offered a terrific sign this week that it is finally getting back on its feet in the U.S. after the March earthquake and tsunami that drastically slashed production.

It is now telling dealers that they can resume ordering two of the most in-demand models -- the small Honda Fit and the hybrid Insight, Automotive News reports.

The two models, both made in Japan, have been among the most in-demand as gas rose to an average of nearly $4 a gallon. The Fit is the smallest car that Honda sells in the U.S. and comes recommended by Consumer Reports. The Insight is the brand's underrated hybrid, a competitor to Toyota's Prius.

"Honda's manufacturing operations in Japan are returning to nearly normalized levels by the end of summer," said John Mendel, executive vice president of Honda's U.S. sales operation in a memo to Honda dealers. Adding back Fit and Insight "represents a major improvement from the recovery timetable we provided you last month."

Honda stopped orders on the models after the earthquake. Honda didn't incur major damange to its factories in Japan, but it has been badly impacted by the shortage of parts that has hampered other automakers, including those in the U.S.

In fact, Mendel is downright bullish. Noting that other models like the Pilot SUV, Odyssey minivan and CR-V small crossover are coming back to normal production levels, he implored dealers, "it is imperative that you keep your foot on the sales pedal."

It won't be easy: Sales fell 22% in May compared with a year ago, the News notes.

Source;
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/06/post-quake-honda-says-now-lots-of-fits-insights-for-dealers/1

Video: 2011 Mazda2 - Good, but not quite (Honda) Fit

You know that the Honda FIT is a good car when it's used as a benchmark when comparing other good cars....

The subcompact Mazda2 isn't a bad car, but "not bad" isn't enough to take the world by storm. In today's competitive car market, there are plenty of really good cars to pick from.

Good fuel mileage is a big reason buyers go for small cars. The Mazda2 returned an average of 30 mpg overall with an automatic transmission and 33 with the manual in our testing. While that's not too shabby, it isn't outstanding these days. The larger and more comfortable Toyota Corolla compact returned 32 mpg overall in our tests with an automatic, and the midsize Hyundai Sonata GLS clocked in at 27 mpg overall.

Both of those cars are newer designs than the wee Mazda, and that's one of the 2's problems: Engine, transmission, and other technologies are advancing so fast that an older design just can't deliver the fuel economy of newer models. And the Mazda2 is an older design, having been on sale in Japan, Europe, and other markets for several years before being introduced to U.S. buyers earlier this year.

That leads to the other problem. There's good reason why carmakers bring certain models to certain markets and don't bring others. Roads, driving habits, and lifestyles vary tremendously around the world. The Mazda2 does not drive like it was designed for U.S. roads. That's because it wasn't.

The 2 is a kick to drive around town, zipping in and out of tight spaces and easy to park. On back roads, it's also entertaining to toss around. But the 2 isn't a fun cruiser. It's noisy on those highways we Americans rely on to get around so much, with a choppy ride, and it can feel a bit darty, requiring a lot of steering correction to stay on course.

Honda brought the subcompact Fit to our shores a few years ago, and it, too, was a design not intended for the U.S market. But with much more interior room and a clever folding rear seat that turns it into a mini cargo truck, the Fit has been a hit with American buyers. It's one of our top-Rated subcompacts.

The Mazda2 entered the increasingly crowded subcompact category as a contender and outscored some others in our testing. But it isn't as Fit as some others.

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/12/video-2011-mazda2-good-but-not-quite-fit.html

Video: 2011 Mazda2 - Good, but not quite (Honda) Fit

You know that the Honda FIT is a good car when it's used as a benchmark when comparing other good cars....

The subcompact Mazda2 isn't a bad car, but "not bad" isn't enough to take the world by storm. In today's competitive car market, there are plenty of really good cars to pick from.

Good fuel mileage is a big reason buyers go for small cars. The Mazda2 returned an average of 30 mpg overall with an automatic transmission and 33 with the manual in our testing. While that's not too shabby, it isn't outstanding these days. The larger and more comfortable Toyota Corolla compact returned 32 mpg overall in our tests with an automatic, and the midsize Hyundai Sonata GLS clocked in at 27 mpg overall.

Both of those cars are newer designs than the wee Mazda, and that's one of the 2's problems: Engine, transmission, and other technologies are advancing so fast that an older design just can't deliver the fuel economy of newer models. And the Mazda2 is an older design, having been on sale in Japan, Europe, and other markets for several years before being introduced to U.S. buyers earlier this year.

That leads to the other problem. There's good reason why carmakers bring certain models to certain markets and don't bring others. Roads, driving habits, and lifestyles vary tremendously around the world. The Mazda2 does not drive like it was designed for U.S. roads. That's because it wasn't.

The 2 is a kick to drive around town, zipping in and out of tight spaces and easy to park. On back roads, it's also entertaining to toss around. But the 2 isn't a fun cruiser. It's noisy on those highways we Americans rely on to get around so much, with a choppy ride, and it can feel a bit darty, requiring a lot of steering correction to stay on course.

Honda brought the subcompact Fit to our shores a few years ago, and it, too, was a design not intended for the U.S market. But with much more interior room and a clever folding rear seat that turns it into a mini cargo truck, the Fit has been a hit with American buyers. It's one of our top-Rated subcompacts.

The Mazda2 entered the increasingly crowded subcompact category as a contender and outscored some others in our testing. But it isn't as Fit as some others.

Source;
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2010/12/video-2011-mazda2-good-but-not-quite-fit.html

2011 Honda Fit Receives More Standard Features; VSA Added to All Models

All I can say is carpted floor mats.... It's about freakin' time....
Accommodating, versatile and fuel-efficient five-door now includes standard VSA, USB, cruise control and remote entry on all models

11/29/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif.
The Honda Fit offers even more value for the 2011 model year in its already versatile, fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient five-door package. New for 2011, all models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) as standard equipment, along with more comfort and convenience features.

New features on the Fit (base model) include cruise control, remote entry, a USB audio interface and VSA. The Fit Sport (non-navigation) also gains VSA for 2011, along with carpeted floor mats.

The Fit Sport with Navigation (previously equipped with VSA as standard equipment) receives carpeted floor mats as standard equipment. Four new colors become available - Alabaster Silver Metallic, Polished Metal Metallic, Celestial Blue Metallic and Vortex Blue Pearl - and replace similar colors from the previous model year.

Compact on the outside yet spacious inside, the Fit stands apart from other entry-level vehicles with its multi-functional interior and emphasis on quality and refinement. The exclusive 60/40 split rear Magic Seat® offers multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations - tall object mode, long object mode and utility mode - in addition to the standard five-passenger mode.

The exterior design provides excellent outward visibility and contributes to the vehicle's aggressive, sporty stance. The 1.5-liter, i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine is tuned to deliver a rewarding combination of power and fuel economy. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic transmission is available. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on Fit Sport models equipped with the available automatic transmission allow for manual gear selection.

Compact on the outside with an overall length of 161.6 inches, the interior provides an impressive passenger volume of 90.8 cubic feet for its class and a rear cargo volume of 20.6 cubic feet. The rear Magic Seat provides convenient one-motion dive-down functionality and can fold flat into the floor to create a rear cargo volume of 57.3 cubic feet.

Safety highlights include the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, standard VSA, anti-lock brakes and more. Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment on all models.

The engine produces 117 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 106 lb-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. The Fit equipped with the available automatic transmission has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 28/35/31 miles per gallon . The Fit Sport with the available automatic transmission has an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 27/33/30 miles per gallon1. All manual transmission-equipped models have an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 27/33/29 miles per gallon.1

The front MacPherson strut suspension and torsion beam rear suspension settings are tuned to provide a sporty, refined and dynamic driving experience. Fifteen- and 16-inch wheels (Fit and Fit Sport, respectively) feature 175/65 R15 84S (Fit) and 185/55 R16 83H (Fit Sport) tires. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) uses 10.3-inch ventilated discs in the front and 7.9-inch drums in the rear.

The Fit comes with standard amenities such as air conditioning, cruise control, remote entry, an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, USB audio interface2, auxiliary audio input jack, MP3/WMA playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS), power windows, power mirrors and power door locks. The Fit Sport adds or replaces: carpeted floor mats, alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights and a security system.

The Fit Sport audio system provides six speakers. The Fit Sport is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition3, featuring a 6.5-inch screen and more than seven million points of interest.

Fit awards and accolades include being named to Car and Driver Magazine's "10Best Cars for 2011" list (www.caranddriver.com), a prestigious honor it has received in each of the five years that it has been on sale in the United States.

# # #
1 Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

2 The USB Audio Interface is used for direct connection to and control of some current digital audio players and other USB devices that contain MP3, WMA or AAC music files. Some USB devices with security software and digital rights-protected files may not work. Please see your dealer for details on compatibility.

3 Certain functions that rely on a satellite signal will not work correctly in Hawaii and Alaska. These functions include, but are not limited to, automatic clock updates and time zone adjustments. RDS not available on navigation models.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/2011-honda-fit-receives-more-standard-features-vsa-added-to-all-models

2011 Honda Fit Receives More Standard Features; VSA Added to All Models

All I can say is carpted floor mats.... It's about freakin' time....
Accommodating, versatile and fuel-efficient five-door now includes standard VSA, USB, cruise control and remote entry on all models

11/29/2010 - TORRANCE, Calif.
The Honda Fit offers even more value for the 2011 model year in its already versatile, fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient five-door package. New for 2011, all models include Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) as standard equipment, along with more comfort and convenience features.

New features on the Fit (base model) include cruise control, remote entry, a USB audio interface and VSA. The Fit Sport (non-navigation) also gains VSA for 2011, along with carpeted floor mats.

The Fit Sport with Navigation (previously equipped with VSA as standard equipment) receives carpeted floor mats as standard equipment. Four new colors become available - Alabaster Silver Metallic, Polished Metal Metallic, Celestial Blue Metallic and Vortex Blue Pearl - and replace similar colors from the previous model year.

Compact on the outside yet spacious inside, the Fit stands apart from other entry-level vehicles with its multi-functional interior and emphasis on quality and refinement. The exclusive 60/40 split rear Magic Seat® offers multiple seating and cargo-carrying configurations - tall object mode, long object mode and utility mode - in addition to the standard five-passenger mode.

The exterior design provides excellent outward visibility and contributes to the vehicle's aggressive, sporty stance. The 1.5-liter, i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine is tuned to deliver a rewarding combination of power and fuel economy. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a five-speed automatic transmission is available. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on Fit Sport models equipped with the available automatic transmission allow for manual gear selection.

Compact on the outside with an overall length of 161.6 inches, the interior provides an impressive passenger volume of 90.8 cubic feet for its class and a rear cargo volume of 20.6 cubic feet. The rear Magic Seat provides convenient one-motion dive-down functionality and can fold flat into the floor to create a rear cargo volume of 57.3 cubic feet.

Safety highlights include the Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, standard VSA, anti-lock brakes and more. Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags, dual front-side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS) and side-curtain airbags are standard equipment on all models.

The engine produces 117 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 106 lb-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. The Fit equipped with the available automatic transmission has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 28/35/31 miles per gallon . The Fit Sport with the available automatic transmission has an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 27/33/30 miles per gallon1. All manual transmission-equipped models have an EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 27/33/29 miles per gallon.1

The front MacPherson strut suspension and torsion beam rear suspension settings are tuned to provide a sporty, refined and dynamic driving experience. Fifteen- and 16-inch wheels (Fit and Fit Sport, respectively) feature 175/65 R15 84S (Fit) and 185/55 R16 83H (Fit Sport) tires. The standard anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) uses 10.3-inch ventilated discs in the front and 7.9-inch drums in the rear.

The Fit comes with standard amenities such as air conditioning, cruise control, remote entry, an AM/FM/CD audio system with four speakers, USB audio interface2, auxiliary audio input jack, MP3/WMA playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS), power windows, power mirrors and power door locks. The Fit Sport adds or replaces: carpeted floor mats, alloy wheels, an underbody aero kit, rear roofline spoiler, fog lights and a security system.

The Fit Sport audio system provides six speakers. The Fit Sport is available with the Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System™ with Voice Recognition3, featuring a 6.5-inch screen and more than seven million points of interest.

Fit awards and accolades include being named to Car and Driver Magazine's "10Best Cars for 2011" list (www.caranddriver.com), a prestigious honor it has received in each of the five years that it has been on sale in the United States.

# # #
1 Based on 2011 EPA mileage estimates. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.

2 The USB Audio Interface is used for direct connection to and control of some current digital audio players and other USB devices that contain MP3, WMA or AAC music files. Some USB devices with security software and digital rights-protected files may not work. Please see your dealer for details on compatibility.

3 Certain functions that rely on a satellite signal will not work correctly in Hawaii and Alaska. These functions include, but are not limited to, automatic clock updates and time zone adjustments. RDS not available on navigation models.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/2011-honda-fit-receives-more-standard-features-vsa-added-to-all-models

Honda Accord and Fit Receive Car and Driver Magazine's "10Best Cars" Awards

Car and Driver magazine has named the 2011 Honda Accord and the 2011 Honda Fit as two winners of its prestigious and highly competitive, annual "10Best Cars" award. Now in its eighth generation, the Accord has achieved "10Best" status 25 times in the 29 years that Car and Driver editors have been conducting the competition, more than any other vehicle in the award's history. The Honda Fit has been honored with 10Best status in each of the five years that it has been on sale in the United States.

"The Car and Driver '10Best' awards are among the most coveted awards in the industry," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "These awards recognize the company's ongoing emphasis on performance, quality and safety, and Honda is honored to have its vehicles regarded so highly over the years."

Honda Car and Driver "10Best" Award History

Accord
2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1994,1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983

Civic
1996, 1991,1990, 1989, 1988

CRX
1988, 1985

Fit
2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007

Prelude
1998, 1997, 1996, 1995,1994,1993, 1992, 1986, 1985, 1984

S2000
2004, 2002, 2001, 2000

Source;

http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-accord-and-fit-receive-car-and-driver-magazine-s-10best-cars-awards

Honda Accord and Fit Receive Car and Driver Magazine's "10Best Cars" Awards

Car and Driver magazine has named the 2011 Honda Accord and the 2011 Honda Fit as two winners of its prestigious and highly competitive, annual "10Best Cars" award. Now in its eighth generation, the Accord has achieved "10Best" status 25 times in the 29 years that Car and Driver editors have been conducting the competition, more than any other vehicle in the award's history. The Honda Fit has been honored with 10Best status in each of the five years that it has been on sale in the United States.

"The Car and Driver '10Best' awards are among the most coveted awards in the industry," said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "These awards recognize the company's ongoing emphasis on performance, quality and safety, and Honda is honored to have its vehicles regarded so highly over the years."

Honda Car and Driver "10Best" Award History

Accord
2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1994,1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1986, 1985, 1984, 1983

Civic
1996, 1991,1990, 1989, 1988

CRX
1988, 1985

Fit
2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007

Prelude
1998, 1997, 1996, 1995,1994,1993, 1992, 1986, 1985, 1984

S2000
2004, 2002, 2001, 2000

Source;

http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-accord-and-fit-receive-car-and-driver-magazine-s-10best-cars-awards