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

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

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