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Some 2017 Honda Ridgeline info: The EPA has rated the FWD Ridgeline at 19 mpg city, and 26 highway.  AWD rated 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

Is Fiat testing their Brazil only product (Fiat Toro) in the USA to test the waters as a competitor to the 2017 Honda Ridgeline pickup?  Fiat also sells an even smaller unibody pickup in Brazil as the Nova Strada. This was spied testing in Detroit, Michigan.  My guess is this would be sold as a RAM truck.  Anyone remember the Dodge Rampage? The Fiat Toro shares the same platform as the Jeep Cherokee.  In Brazil the Toro offers a 140hp 1.8 liter gas, or a 170hp 2.0 diesel engine with 6-speed manual and auto, or 9-speed on AWD models.

Japanese Magazine has rendered another possible new Honda, this time the next generation Accord scheduled to appear as a 2018 model.  It's clear they used the new styling of the 10 generation Honda Civic as inspiration. Big and obvious rumor is the addition of turbo power.  Will Honda put the new 2.0 turbo in the Accord and drop the optional 6 cylinder?  Will it continue to use the CVT, or offer the new 10-speed automatic Honda has developed? Here is a fun photoshop of a convertible Accord Coupe .  Convertibles are a very small market outside of rental company cars in California, Florida, and Hawaii; but this would be a fun option to compete with the new Buick convertible and the Audi A3 cabriolet. 

Mag-X Japanese Magazine has rendered a possible update that retains the silhouette of the current model, but features a new face inspired by the latest Honda Civic. A bolder chrome grille with LED headlamps, new bumper design, refined side profile and new tail lamps. Reports state that it will be 30 kg lighter than the current model. Engine options, the Honda Jazz / Fit is rumored to pack the company’s new 1.0L Turbo engine, which produced 127 hp in a Honda Civic prototype.  Car and Driver Brazil has also rendered a possible new version of the Honda Fit Twist.  For those not familiar, Honda sells a cross-over version of the Fit in Brazil called the Twist.

Kia has been teasing this car since the concept appeared in 2011.  Several key elements from the concept can be viewed in this spy photo.  This small RWD sports sedan is the formula Acura should adopt in a small sports sedan to battle the BMW 3 series.

Drawing influence from the 2017 Acura MDX SUV, the Acura CDX features Jewel Eye LED headlamps, new Diamond Pentagon grille housing a big logo, heavily sculpted front bumper, flowing design lines, dual exhaust pipes and gloss black bumper and side sill extensions. Based on the Honda HR-V, the Acura CDX measures 4,495 mm in length, 1,840 mm in width and 1,600 mm in length, and has a wheelbase of 2,660 mm. The Acura CDX will be the brand’s first locally-made model in China that will be manufactured by the Guangzhou-Honda joint venture. Under the hood is a 1.5 turbo petrol engine capable of producing 182 hp and 240 Nm. It is paired to an eight-speed DCT, while an AWD system is available in the top-end grade. 

Looks like the 2017 Honda Avancier will be a hit for China in the luxury SUV market.

The Honda Concept D SUV shown last year in China in now the production Honda Avancier.  Previous speculation was, it was to be named the UR-V.  I for one am glad Honda has given this new SUV an actual name rather than some alphabet soup letters. The Good Stuff: Powered by Honda's new 2.0 liter turbo mated to a nine speed automatic.  Hybrid rumored along with a lower priced model powered by the current CR-V powertrain. The Avancier is aimed as more a flagship-luxury product.  Profile is very BMW X6 and other coupe like crossovers. I think this would do well in the USA to slot above the CR-V, or as a replacement for the Acura RDX.

Power will come from a 1.5 turbo with an output of 182hp and 240nm, mated to an eight-speed DCT. Size: 4495/1840/1600, and wheelbase is 2660. The Acura CDX will debut on theBeijing Auto Show next week and launch on the Chinese car market in the third quarter of the year. The CDX will compare with cars like the Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA. The Acura CDX will be manufactured by the Guangzhou-Honda joint venture. It is the first Acura that is made in China. The CDX stands on the same platform and shares a lot of parts with the Honda XR-V SUV, but the CDX will be positioned higher up in the market.

Looks like Honda is testing the all-new CR-V in Ohio.  You can see the LED headlights in the photo that are similar to the Accord Touring and Civic Touring. Early sketch showed the CR-V losing the high mounted taillights on the side of the hatch, but clearly they remain. Expect to see new turbo engine mated to the CR-V for improved performance and economy.  Big question remain will be the rumored third-row seating.  This spy photo looks to be similar in size to the current CR-V.  Will Honda make a stretched version for a 3rd row?

Photos of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline at a Honda dealership.  Looks like the on sale date is close.

2016 Honda Civic launches in China, debuts 1.5L VTEC TURBO-6MT variant Honda and its Chinese JV partner Dongfeng have launched the tenth generation 2016 Honda Civic sedan in China. The new generation model will be available in four grades. Honda isn’t offering a 1.8- or 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine in China. Standard across the range, is the 1.5-litre VTEC TURBO turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 174 hp and 220 Nm of torque. While globally only the continuously variable transmission is offered with this engine, China is the first market where Honda is offering a choice of even a 6-speed manual transmission. So far, the 6-speed manual transmission has been offered only with the naturally aspirated engines in 2016 Civic sedan. LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights, LED tail lamps, 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel, sport seats, Honda Connect infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration compatibility, ABS, EBD, ...

Wards 10 Best Interiors in Lap of Luxury Read full article This year’s winners: Honda Civic ($27,335) Nissan Maxima ($38,750) Chevrolet Camaro ($46,095) Chrysler Pacifica ($48,455) Lexus RX ($52,968) Mercedes-Benz GLC ($54,360) Audi TTS ($58,500 as tested) Cadillac XT5 ($63,845) Volvo XC90 ($84,005) BMW 7-Series ($129,245) Honda was drubbed four years ago by critics who found the interior of the ninth-generation Civic compact car to be dull and uninviting. Now, the 10th-generation Civic has arrived, erasing those memories with a fresh, upscale cabin that stands apart from its segment rivals and reminds the world why the Civic remains one of America’s most popular small cars. Aesthetically, the new Civic is spot-on, with two shades of adjoining metallic trim (bronze and silver) on the instrument panel and doors. In addition, this beige interior is spiced up by a single black stripe down the center of each front seat. For $27,335, a top-of-the-range Civic can be had with a 10-speaker ...

Honda's new BR-V goes on sale in India in May. The BR-V in these images is the top-end ‘VX’ variant, and features the ‘i-DTEC’ badge on the hatch, confirming Honda’s 1.5-liter four-cylinder EarthDreams diesel engine.  The BR-V is also expected with a 1.5-liter i-VTEC petrol engine. Features seen on the India-spec BR-V include LED light guides, projector headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, front and rear skid guards, roof rails, a rear spoiler and a rear wiper/washer. The BR-V is based on the same platform as the Honda Brio series of cars. Similar to the 2016 Honda Amaze, the interior of the BR-V too will feature Honda’s new layout with a 2-DIN entertainment system, automatic climate control, steering mounted controls and 60:40 split second row seats.