Thursday, December 29, 2011

Proud of Our Own: Honda Accord and Honda Fit Make Car and Driver's "10 Best" List


Since 1983, coincidentally the same year we moved into our newer, larger location, Car and Driver magazine has annually nominated a list of what they consider the top 10 best cars of the year. Over the past quarter century, Honda has blown the competition out of the water, doubling second place holder, Toyota, in the wins column. To add to Honda's consistent dominance, the Honda Accord has claimed 26 of these "Best 10" spots, the most for any car model.  For many years, it seemed as if the Car and Driver articles were written by Honda! Not to be outdone, the Honda Fit has been on the list every year since 2007, and 2012 proves to be no different.

 What exactly does Car and Driver like so much about the Honda Accord? For starters, the continued overall excellence in a vehicle. They highlight how this large sedan is "lighter on its feet than many sport coupes," and "when Honda plays to its strengths, it is better than anyone at producing vehicles with a supernaturally fine balance of attributes." The 2012 Accord will get you 33 mpg, so you can have fun driving a car without breaking the bank at the gas pump. The stylish body, entering its 5th model year, still keeps up with its more recently updated competition. Available in both 4 door and coupe options, four cylinder and six, the 2012 Honda Accord satisfies the conservative family type or the car owner looking for a double take as they cruise down the highway.

Now in its 6th year on the list, the Honda Fit is still the favorite in its subcompact class. With more competition in this category than ever, this type of consistency shows Honda's commitment to making every vehicle the best it can be.  "Overall, the Fit is not just a triumph over other small cars, it's a triumph of engineering," says Car and Driver. They love the spacious interior of such a small car, and go on to mention how much cargo space you can achieve thanks to the lay-flat rear seating, "57 cubic feet of cargo volume - 13 more than you'll get if you flop the back row in a Ford Explorer." The Fit is a fuel efficient, price efficient, little ball of fire that you can whip around the streets with confidence.  It's huge considering it's so small.

Route 23 Honda continues to see the quality and value Honda has always been know for, and want you to make your own personal assessment . Schedule a test drive with us and see for yourself why the 2012 Honda Accord and Honda Fit belong among the car industry's best.  Inventory has returned to pre-Tsunamai levels and good availablity exists on both models.

Visit us at www.route23honda.com for more information on these vehicles.

Check out Car and Driver's "10 Best" article in the January 2012 issue or see it online here: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/2012-10best-cars-feature

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Dealer Review: 2012 Honda Ridgeline Sport


I took a 2012 Ridgeline Sport home the other night. It was not what I expected. True to its name, it is a Sport - appealing to outdoor, mountain bike, and ATV enthusiasts. It is not a Limited or an EX or an Si. As you would expect from Honda, the truck is solid. No squeaks or rattles, lots of power, and lots of torque. I don't know the specs, but are they really important? It's the fact that I press the gas pedal and it GOES that I notice.
 
 
The buttons and knobs have a cool, rough, trucky feel and look, but they are not where I, as a lifetime Honda driver, would expect them. The headlights are to the left of the steering wheel on the instrument panel. I kept twisting the left stalk, the traditional Honda headlight control, and turning the windshield wipers on. Lately, most Hondas have been equipped with Auto on/off headlights - not the case here. I've also become accustomed to automatic climate control - set it and forget it - not on the Sport either. I also might have thought, Compass? No. Outdoor temperature? No. I think this is a miss for Honda. I know they wanted to make this a sharp, sporty, and affordable truck. I didn't expect the leather, heated seats, or sunroof at the $30,000 price point and indeed you don't get it. XM radio is also not an option.
Stop by Route 23 Honda to take a test drive!
www.route23honda.com
 
 
I really like the black trim on the headlights and taillights. The black theme contintues on the door handles, mouldings, big alloy wheels (I don't know what size - BIG though). The Sport comes with all weather mats as you would expect. Key-less entry, easy foldaway rear seats, adjustable tilt wheel, MP3 jack are all standard equipment as is the really cool "in the bed locking trunk." It includes the towing hitch and cargo lights. This truck is a stunner. I had people looking at me wherever I went. The unique grill with the red "SPORT" lettering gets some second looks too. The kids love the privacy of the dark tinted windows. We all took advantage of the dual power outlets, using one for our GPS and the other for a phone charger. The center console provides ample storage and includes two good sized cup holders. You could easily keep a burger and fries tucked neatly within its confines.
 
 
A couple of must have accessories are the hard tonneau cover (looks really cool with the whole black theme), the door visors, and black rectangular running boards. Bottom line, for a Ridgeline priced toward the bottom of its trim levels, the Sport model brings a lot of style and substance to the table. While leaving some of today's toys and luxuries behind, Honda is able to bring 4WD, V6 power, hot looks, towing capacity, and all around utility to a mid sized pickup, all for around $30,000.

Written by Adam Barish
Owner of Route 23 Honda

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Aftermarket Drives Honda’s 2012 Civic Plans at SEMA


When the 2012 Honda Civic design debuted at Detroit’s North American International Auto Show, a portion of the ninth-generation’s car crowd could possibly be heard yawning to what they deemed more of a mild redesign. The underwhelming styling has apparently cut into the reputation for the new Civic regardless to the fact there is no indications core Honda aspirations of quality and value is unaffected. Perhaps caught off-guard by the rush of considerable advancement of competitor’s compact cars, the 2012 Honda Civic’s debut might not have been the thriller the Japanese auto brand is seeking.
While there will be no shortage of loyal Civic buyers eventually upgrading to the ninth-generation car, others left under-stimulated by the new compact vehicle will find the three creations based on the 2012 Honda Civic a reason for exhilaration.

Bisimoto 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe


A modified sport compact theme designated as a straight-liner performer, the Bisimoto 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe is maxed out with four-figure horsepower.
The Civic Si edition’s K2427 engine undergoes a drastic retuning by Bisimoto to unleash deep, hidden potential few would expect from an economy car. Arias forged pistons, Supertech valvetrain, NGK Iridium spark plugs and a Golden Eagle intake manifold are some of the mild engine enhancements beefing up the Civic Si Coupe’s 2.4 liter engine for what will be new heights in Honda performance. Supplied by Turbonetics, the Bisimoto 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe is jarred by an extreme turbocharger and intercooler kit. Requiring racing fuel to run at optimum performance, horsepower for this Bisimoto version of the Honda Civic is estimated in the range of at least 1,004 horsepower. Somewhat surprisingly, the Bisimoto 2012 Honda Civic Si is advertised as street legal.
Wearing a Gatorwrap custom body wrap with Type 2 graphics, Bisimoto adds exterior body improvements to the 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe available through their Extreme Dimensions collection. Eins Gramm 18-inch aluminum wheels on high performance Falken tires allow the 1000-plus horsepower Bisimoto 2012 Honda Civic Si Couple and its race-spec chassis to sail across pavement. A Steen roll cage shields the car’s interior featuring Buddy Club P1 racing seats.

Honda 2012 Civic Si Coupe HFP


Presented at the 2011 SEMA Show, Honda has made it easier for racers to prove the seemingly shy 2012 Civic does have the soul for demonstrating performance-oriented driving. The first of what will be only 500 United States-bound street worthy kits available for 2012 Civic Si Coupes, auto racing play a part in a factory-backed equipment grouping.
Developed by Honda Performance Development (HPD), the Honda Factory Performance (HFP) limited edition kit is a most comprehensive assortment of race-ready pieces. Starting with a full HFP body kit engineered for superior aerodynamics, the exterior pieces come in one of seven body matching colours. The entire HPD Civic Si Coupe is 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) lower in overall ride as high-performance springs and dampers is designed to provide well-suited handling as well as balance. The HFP edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe rides on 18-inch HFP alloy wheels. HFP emblems are included on the HPD 2012 Civic Si Coupe is carpeted floor mats illuminated by red ambient lighting.

Fox Marketing 2012 Civic Si Coupe


A design firm with a main focus for preparing promotional material for businesses, Fox Marketing has been making a name for itself after customizing 69 vehicles before the 2011 SEMA Show. Becoming Fox Marketing’s 70th automotive design project, their 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe show car beams with Ultrasonic Blue Pearl beauty. A combination of 18 aftermarket suppliers and partners, the Fox Marketing 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe enhances the essence of the compact coupe. Outfitted with aftermarket side skirts as well as front and rear bumper covers, the CarBodyKits.com look provides a sporty but sophisticated look. Sourced from Vossen Wheels, CV3 brushed aluminum 20-Inch wheels are equipped on the Fox Marketing 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe encapsulated in Toyo tires. Yonaka Ronin Black leather seats and a custom rear leather seat are found inside of the sport compact show car wearing Si inserts.
Under the hood of the Fox Marketing 2012 Civic Si Coupe, the Honda 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine has a wide array of racing-caliber components. A BorgWarner EFR turbocharger (a forced-air unit identical to that equipped on Honda‘s 2012 INDYCAR powerplant) is combined with an intercooler in an effort to truly let the engine belt some serious performance numbers. Combined with a cat-back exhaust and some high-flow fuel injection parts, the Fox Marketing 2012 Honda Civic Si Coupe produces over 450 horsepower.

Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan


Unlike the other three leading 2012 Honda Civic SEMA Show vehicles, the Tjin Edition has customized a sedan version of the popular compact car.
While a Magnaflow exhaust system and Nitrous Express performance-boosting unit is fitted to the Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan, changes exercised on this vehicle are more well rounded. Featuring a front bumper and rear spoiler acquired from Unique Fabrication, the Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan is covered with a Wraptivo custom wrap. The exterior details are accented by a Thule roof rack on the modified 2012 Civic. Taking a radical, non-conformist approach to design, the Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan most notable distinguishing item from other custom SEMA creations rests within Falken tires. Mismatched colouring for the RotiForm 19-inch wbeels sees orange used on the driver side and purple on the passenger side.
Inside, leather seating and inserts from LR Interiors decks out the cabin area. Realm Audio supplies the Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan with improved stereo sound through speakers, dual amplifiers and subwoofers. For cases when a baby’s lullaby is pumping out of the Tjin Edition 2012 Honda Civic Si Sedan‘s speakers, a young child rides in Recaro baby seats.

Information source: American Honda Motor Company, Bisimoto, Fox Marketing, Tjin Edition
Photo source: American Honda Motor Company
  • Disli

    Thursday, June 30, 2011

    Did you know?

    Route 23 Honda is a "Green Certified" dealer. We recycle all the waste oil obtained from services and use it to heat our service lane, shop and showroom. We also crush and recyle the waste oil filters.

    Thursday, May 5, 2011

    ASIMO makes its debut at the 2011 FIRST Championship

    ASIMO makes its debut at the 2011 FIRST Championship
    Honda's ASIMO, the world's most advanced humanoid robot, made its debut at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship in St. Louis, Mo. ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, is a culmination of more than two decades of research and development by Honda engineers. Designed to someday assist people in their homes, ASIMO is being used today to encourage and inspire young students, like those involved in the FIRST robotics programs, to consider studies in math and science.
    From:Honda
    Views:60
    7ratings
    Time:04:14More inAutos & Vehicles

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCade74z40&feature=youtube_gdata

    Monday, April 4, 2011

    Very satisfied customer

    I just bought my new honda yesterday. The service was excellent. My salesman was Dino. He was extremely helpful and very easy to work with. The dealership is beautiful - light, bright and open and everyone was friendly.
    http://www.edmunds.com//dealerships/NewJersey/PomptonPlains/Route23Honda/fullsales-374353000.html