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Category: Honda

Latest reviews and road test on all Honda cars. Unprecedented information about Honda parts, recalls, and maintenance.

  • Honda Insight vs. Toyota Prius

    Honda Insight vs Toyota Prius
    Ladies and Gentlemen, the battle of Honda Insight vs. Toyota Prius is now begins! On the top, both of these cars have a lot look-a-like but under the hood, they have plenty of differences. The Toyota Prius has dominated to the hybrid car market since 1997. It was first launched in Japan in 1997 and went on sales worldwide since 2001. On the other hand, the Honda Insight is a new comer to hybrid market since 2010. Both of them are currently the most interesting and hottest mid-size hybrid cars available in the market and it will be fun to compare them from head to toe.

    Round 1: The Design

    Cargo room: Compare the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight side by side, the Prius has more room for the front seats, back seats, and boot. One of our drivers is 170cm (5’6’) and he is complaining the head room isn’t enough for him when he sits on the driver seat. As for the back seat, Prius tends to have more legroom compared to Insight. When we checked out the back seat of the Insight, we found the low roof line makes the access a little bit tricky. Passengers need to stoop a little bit in order to get into the car to avoid hitting the roof.

    Trunk: At 21.6 cubic feet, the Prius’ trunk is slightly bigger compared to the Insight which has a much smaller backside of 15.9 cubic feet.

    Round 2: Fuel Economy, Performance, and Safety

    Fuel Economy: While the Insight is smaller, it is suppose to be more fuel efficient. It did get 41 city/44 highway mpg but the Prius perform better at 51 city/48 highway mpg.

    Engine: The heart of the Insight consists of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an electric motor. The combination produces a maximum output of 98 hp and 123 lb-ft of torque. While we take the car up hill with four passengers inside the Insight, the car suffers a little bit at sloppy hill. The Prius is powered by a bigger engine – a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine married to a pair of electric motors. The combine power sends a total output of 134 hp.

    Curb Weight: Honda Insight is 1,237 kg (2,730 lb) and Toyota Prius is 1,380 kg (3,042 lb)

    0-60 mph: The Honda Insight accelerates from 0-60 mph in 10.9 seconds while the Prius did the same in 10.1 seconds. A few tenths slower than the Toyota Prius.

    Round 3: Safety

    Honda Insight: Front airbags, Side airbags, Head airbags, 4-wheel Antilock Brakes System, Electronic Brake Enhancements, Traction Control (Not available on LX model), Stability Control (Not available on LX model), Tire-pressure monitoring system.

    Toyota Prius: Front airbags, Side airbags, Head airbags, Knee airbags for driver, 4-wheel Antilock Brakes, Traction Control (Standard), Stability Control (Standard), Tire-pressure monitoring system.

    Round 4: Interior

    Honda Insight vs Toyota Prius Interior
    The interior of the Prius features a multifunction display which the graphics look like the video games from the ‘80s. When the driver use the steering wheel control, there will be a display appear in the dashboard. Overall, the driving experience is very good and the car is very quite but not until the driver step hard on the gas pedal.

    The interior of the Insight is quite simple and straight-forward compared to the Prius. It features a standard automatic climate control, visual aids, and a speedometer with changeable background color.

    Round 5: Price

    • Honda Insight: MSRP from $18,500 to $21,965
    • Toyota Prius: MSRP from $24,000 to $29,805

    Round 6: Fun Or Not?

    The turning circle diameter is one of the factors to determine whether a car is fun to drive or not. Honda Insight is featured with an electric power steering with a turning cicle of 34 ft. On the other hand, the Toyota Prius has 34.2 ft turning circle diameter for Prius Two, Prius Three, Prius Four, and 36.0 ft turning circle diameter for the Prius Five. The Insight is slightly tighter than the Prius but both of the cars are fun to drive and it kills every corner on the road.

    Round 7: What else except Honda Insight and Toyota Prius?

    Other than Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, there are some other hybrid cars in the market that constantly received good reviews from automobile enthusiasts. These cars are Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Civic hybrid, Lexus CT200h, Toyota Camry hybrid, Toyota Prius C, Honda Jazz hybrid and some other vehicles in the Hybrid car list.

    Conclusion

    The Toyota Prius is without doubt a recognized good hybrid car in the market with over millions of units sold. However, consider the economy we are in today, buyers who feel the price of a Prius is high may consider the Insight as an alternative which is nearly as good as the Prius. As for the look, one man’s meat is another man’s poison, we will leave this to the buyers.

  • 2012 All-new Honda Civic finally sees the sunlight

    2012 Honda Civic

    The all-new 2012 Honda Civic finally sees the sunlight after the factory in Thailand was forced to close several months due to severe flooding last year. At the 2012 Bangkok Motor Show, Honda gives a preview of the all-new 2012 Honda Civic. It appears to be more attractive but still has the characteristics of fuel-efficient, good handling, and sporty.

    There will be some significant improvements every time a new generation of the Civic is introduced. The ninth generation Civic (FB) embraces a few things that we have never seen before in the eighth generation Civic. While the E85 fuel is increasingly common in the country, the 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter i-VTEC engine feature the latest technology from Honda that can use E85 fuel. This feature will make the Civic highly attractive because E85 fuel is cheaper than ordinary gasoline and it often acclaimed as a way to reduce air pollution.

    The ninth generation Civic in the US market has six completely redesigned models, these being the Civic Sedan, Civic Coupe, Civic Si Coupe, and the highly fuel-efficient Civic HF, Civic Hybrid, and Civic Natural Gas. According to Honda’s blog in Thailand, there will be five Civic models officially launched in early May but the models are remaining unknown. A rumor flying around mentioning that the Type R version of the ninth generation Honda Civic will employ a turbocharged engine. However, the only model that is being displayed at the Motor Show is the 1.8 i-VTEC Sedan model.

    Honda Civic Front
    2012 Honda Civic Front

    Compared to the previous generation, the headlamps for ninth generation Civic appeared to be slimmer. The iconic “devil eye” found in the previous generation is no longer available. The front grille is completely redesigned and the logo has been shrunk.

    2012 Honda Civic rear view
    2012 Honda Civic Rear

    The rear of the car received a significant change. Everyone was “vowed” when they first saw this car at the Motor Show. The rear lights appeared to be smaller and more “polite” compared to the previous model. Having received the reputation for being reliable (100,000 miles on the engine does no harm), cheap-to-maintain, sporty, powerful, and highly fuel efficient. We believe the Civic will once again hit the market as one of the most popular compact cars.

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  • Honda Insight: One of the cheapest cars to own

    2012 Honda Insight
    There are reasons why the Honda Insight is getting more and more on the road and the sales keeps on increasing. Is it because it is cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and gives really good fuel mileage? Let us share our reviews on the all-new 2012 Honda Insight and see if these are true. Thanks to Jeremy who had invited us to test drive his 2012 Honda Insight which he has just driven the car out of the show room last month. It is a one-month old baby and everything is brand new when we check out the car. We can still taste the new car smell in when driving it.

    Jeremy paid RM99,800 to drive the car out of the Honda Showroom. These include the car price of RM96,686.65, insurance for a year RM2743.35, road tax for a year RM70 due to its engine capacity, and a few hundred dollars for handling fee, endorsement fee, and registration fee.

    The Insight features a 1.3L i-VTEC four-cylinder IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) engine that produces 88 hp and 121 Nm. The motor itself produces 14 PS and 78 Nm which is a significant improvement compared to the previous models. The maximum combined output is 98 hp and 123 Nm of torque. The hybrid system also consists of a nickel-metal hydride battery pack which is stored in the cargo floor below the spare tire. The power is transferred from the engine to the front wheels through the famous CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) system.

    Design of The Car

    Honda Insight

    It is charming, silky, and the aerodynamics of the car is great. Together with a set of 16” alloy rims and 185/55R16 tires, we can also see some image from the first generation Insight that was introduced in 1999. The 2012 model features a new pair of headlights that wear a blue tint highlight. The rear lights have been modified for better visibility.

    The overall height of the car is 4,395mm but when one of our crew members with the height of 175cm sat on the driver’s seat, he can feel his head hitting the roof. Taller drivers may need to modify the height of the seat for more comfortable drive. The rear seats are a little bit cramped too. The boot is quite big and large items can be pushed into the car with the rear seats fold down. The space of the boot is one reason that makes Jeremy decide to take this car rather than the Prius.

    Honda Insight rear view

    Road Test

    We didn’t really rev the car very fast because it is still a new-born baby to the owner. Jeremy allowed us to drive his car up till 120 km/h (75 mph) and try the performance of the car from 0 to 100 km/h. We drove the car for a few kilometers and it gave us the feeling that says, “Just go as far as you want, the fuel will take care of itself”. The cabin is quiet during the ride but there are not enough leg rooms for rear seats. It took us about 11 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h, a few seconds faster than the Honda Civic but a split of a second slower than what it is written in the brochure. It could be due to the gas pedal not fully stepped.

    At the right hand side of the steering wheel, there is a cruise control button where driver can set and maintain a steady speed for long journey drives. This will give better mileage. Besides, there are also a lot of gadgets to play around. These gadgets are mostly related to the hybrid system.

    Honda Insight interior

    Fuel Economy

    41 city/44 highway mpg; 17.4 city/18.7 highway km/l; It is impressive but it does not measure up to the Toyota Prius which rated at 53 city/46 highway mpg.

    What is good about this car?

    The Honda Insight is without a doubt a great 4-door hatchback and also one of the cheapest cars to own this year. According to Yahoo, the average 5-year fuel cost is $6,508, the average 5-year insurance cost is $5,487, resulting in the total 5-year ownership cost of $29,786 in the U.S. It has been proven that the Insight is cheap to buy, cheap to maintain because spare parts are inexpensive, and most important it is enjoyable to drive. This also explains why the 2000 Honda Insight has been ranked as the most efficient Environment Protection Agency (EPA) certified gasoline-fueled vehicle ever. Besides fuel economy, the 2012 Honda Insight scores an overall of Good results from the IIHS crash test.

    Honda Insight

    What is not so good about the car?

    The only concern about buying a hybrid is the replacement of the battery pack that could be costly. The car battery enjoys a warranty of up to 253,000 km (157,000 miles) of use or 10 years. The battery pack will cost around US$2000 dollars and an extra of US$900 dollars for the installation. During our test drive, we notice that the car engine shuts off with auto-off engine at traffic lights and the air-conditioning is off too.

    Honda Insight interior

    Price

    • United States: MSRP from $18,350
    • United Kingdom: Price from £16,995 OTR (On The Road)
    • Malaysia: As of 2012, only one model available at RM99,800 OTR.

    Honda Insight’s main competitor: Toyota Prius is, and always is, the first challenger for the Insight. Although the Insight has undergone great improvements, it still has a long way to go to catch up with the Prius as far as the headroom, legroom, and fuel mileage are concerned. The Insight’s mileage is not as good as that of Prius but it is still one of the most popular hybrid cars with cheap selling price. Other than that, the 16.1 overall steering ratio, 5.17m turning radius at wheel, and 11m turning radius at body make it more fun to drive compared to the Prius.

    Honda Insight’s similar cars: Lexus CT 200h Hybrid, Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, Honda CR-Z, Honda Jazz/Honda Fit, Toyota Prius C, and Ford Fusion Hybrid.

    In conclusion, the Honda Insight has proven that hybrids will not make a dent in your pocket. It is a hybrid car that can hug the road and the planet at the same time.

    Honda Insight

  • 2010 Honda City Review

    2010 Honda City
    The Honda City is a subcompact car that we see on the road everyday. One of the Honda City owners contacted us to review her car. Thanks to Vivian who had given us the opportunity to test drive her beloved 2010 Honda City Grade S. It is the fifth generation that was first introduced in Siam Paragon, Bangkok on 10 September 2008. Vivian purchased the car at RM85,480 in 2010. She traded in her Renault Kangoo for RM40K and the balance she settled with cash.

    Vivian told us she goes for the Grade S because it shares the same engine with Grade E and Grade SE. All of them use the same four-cylinder 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC engine that delivers 120 hp @ 6,600 rpm and has a maximum torque of 145 Nm@4,800 rpm. She prefers not to pay RM92,980 for extra accessories including fog light, door mirror with turn light, exhaust pipe finisher, 16” alloy wheels, Modulo body kit, Nanotechnology solar control film, paddle shift, steering wheel audio control, leather steering wheel, leather gear knob, rear armrest with cup holder, and rear foldable seats. Grade S comes with 15” alloy wheels which is good enough for her. Grade E and SE have adjustable seat but Grade S has no such feature, this does not bother her at all.

    When the car was first launched in 2008, our first impression was the front view of the car looked exactly like the Kamen Rider Black (Masked Rider Black), a superhero for most of us when we were kids. The design of the car looks cyber and it is a big jump from the previous generation.

    Honda City and Kamen Rider Black

    Road Test

    This time, we are told not to rev the car over 140 km/h and with this speed it is good enough to test the car. We brought the car to North-South Expressway and try it till 130+ km/h.  The car ran steady and did not wobble. Driver’s heart will definitely pump faster especially those who are not used to high speed driving. When we reved the car, the response was fast compared to some other vehicles in the same category. The handling was good and we could slightly feel the taste of the fourth generation City. The steering wheel is light and it will be a good car for beginners or first time car owners.

    Honda City

    Honda City maintenance cost

    The car has 32,000km on the odometer at the time we reviewed the car. According to Honda service center, these are the preventive maintenance rates and costs for a Honda City up till 35,000km.

    x1,000 km** 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
    Month** 1 3 6 9 12 15 18 21
    Labour* (RM) 27.56 62.01 110.24 62.01 124.02 62.01 110.24 62.01
    Parts (RM) Nil 85.22 115.90 85.22 221.75 85.22 200.34 85.22
    Total Cost (RM) 27.55 147.25 226.15 147.25 345.75 147.25 310.60 147.25

    Vivian sent her car to Honda service center seven times during her ownership. She sends the car to Honda according to the maintenance table above. All in all, she has spent RM1499.05 (~US$500) in one and a half years.

    Fuel Consumption

    Combined 42 mpg or 18 km/liter. (This we have not yet tested)

    What is good about the car?

    The 506 liter boot capacity is very practical for anyone who needs a subcompact with big boot. You can put in two large luggage without any problems. The interior is also beautifully crafted with a hidden CD player. On the dashboard, there is a digital fuel consumption gauge to inform the driver how many km the car still can go. If it indicates less than 10 km, it is advisable to drive to the nearest petrol station. In the middle of the dashboard, there is a very useful USB port for today’s living. A USB can be used to charge most of the smartphones with USB connector. You can also load thousands of songs into a pen-drive and play the songs through the car stereo. Beside the USB port, there is an auxiliary port. You can play songs from iPhone or iPod on the car stereo by connecting them to the auxiliary port.

    Honda City interior

    What is not so good about the car?

    • The car could run better with a wider tire size.
    • It will be better and more comfortable if the rear headset can be adjusted.

    Honda City’s competitor or other similar cars: Toyota Vios, Ford Fiesta, Proton Gen-2, Suzuki Swift, and Mazda Mazda3.

    Over the years, Honda has put in a lot of effort to research and develop the City which has gone through improvement after improvement. In conclusion, the name “Honda City” has established itself in the automobile world.

    Honda City  Honda City meter gauge rear view

    Honda City interior  dashboard

  • Honda Jazz or Honda Fit: It doesn’t really matter

    Honda Jazz

    Some called it Honda Jazz, some called it Honda Fit; it does not matter because it refers to the five-door subcompact car that has been one of the best selling small Honda cars on earth. The Jazz was a big hit when it was first introduced in 2001. This is because it looks small but it is not small. The outlook is small, the wheelbase is short, the engine is small, but the passenger cargo is spacious and the power is big.

    What we are going to review today is a used Honda Jazz manufactured in 2007. It was own by a young girl,Phoenix, who purchased the car when she was 18 years old. Phoenix’s car model is the 1.5 i-DSI where she bought it for RM94,800 in 2007. With RM20k down payment, she pays roughly RM1400 per month for a five-year loan at 2.88% APR. It is not surprising that lots of Asian is paying over 1k a month for car installment because of the car price. In the U.S., the same model could have just cost less than half of what Phoenix paid in Malaysia. (more…)