While Honda said they remain cautiously optomistic, they are happy to see increased consumer interest in their vehicles, especially their all new Honda Accord Crosstour.

So things continue to improve for Honda in general and the Honda Accord looks poised to continue to lead the way for Honda.  The Honda Accord has sold 43215 units year to date, versus 32,557 units year to date last year.  Meanwhile the Accord Crosstour, competing against the ultra popular Chevrolet Equinox, continues to shine with 4,169 units sold year to date.

For more details on Honda Accord sales figures and for Honda Motor Co as a whole, see their press release.

Cars.com editor Patrick Olsen said the “constant government and media scrutiny of safety issues”  among the wide ranging recalls by Toyota has had definite impact on the make of vehicles consumers are considering.   The only question is how much more damage will be done before the Toyota issues are put behind them, and more importantly how long the effects of the recalls will linger.

The Toyota woes have also had the same effect on consumer interest in the compact car market as well as the full size pickup truck market.

While it is unfortunate for Toyota, it is nice to see the boost that Honda Accord will likely get, as the boost in consumer interest translates into a boost in sales and production of the already popular Honda Accord.

The shares fell 5.9 percent to close at 1,599 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the most since July 13. The stock fell as much as 8.5 percent following the recall announcement yesterday.

Takata spokesman Kimio Kobori said the Tokyo-based company supplied the air bags for 2001 Honda Civics and Honda Accords. About 285,000 units of the models have been recalled in the U.S., Honda spokeswoman Yasuko Matsuura said.

2002 Honda Accord models have also now been recalled.

As previously reported, the airbag defect resulted in one death in the U.S., Japan’s transport ministry said yesterday.

Takata, the world’s biggest maker of auto safety equipment, said the air bags it supplies to other carmakers are manufactured differently and do not suffer from the same problem.

Buy a new Honda Accord with the Cash For Clunkers Program

Thanks to the Obama Administation Cash For Clunkers program, now is the time to buy a new Honda Accord! If you’ve been considering selling your gas guzzling SUV or other older vehicle, take advantage of up to $4500 trade in to buy a more fuel efficient Honda Accord.

It’s a win-win-win-win-win situation! Why you ask?

For starters, you dump that gas guzzling SUV. That saves you a ton of money on gas every week, and helps reduce gas consumption overall, which reduces oil consumption, which reduces America’s reliance on foreign oil! I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea!

Second, you get up to $4,500 rebate on the purchase of your new fuel efficient Honda Accord. That’s over and above any other rebates or incentives currently offered on the Honda Accord. Add that to the fact that dealers are already slashing prices in an effort to reduce their sky high inventories, and you can just imagine how much you are going to save on that shiny new Honda Accord.

Third, you save lots of money on fuel, and maintenance on that shiny new Honda Accord. That’s extra money in your pocket every week/month to help pay your car or house down faster!

Fourth, imagine thousand or tens of thousands of others also taking advantage of the Cash For Clunkers program to buy a new Honda Accord. This could have the potential to have a significant impact on your oil consumption, which ultimately will reduce our reliance on foreign oil, which should reduce the cost of gasoline going forward!

Fifth, and lastly (I promise), all these new car purchases will help improve sales at all the major car manufacturers, hopefully, shoring up the financial woes of General Motors, Chrysler and Ford!

So, if you take advantage of the Cash For Clunkers Program, you are improving not only your own financial situation, but also improving the American economy, reducing oil dependency, and bailing out the auto makers. So get out to your local dealer and buy that new Honda Accord you’ve been dreaming about, or maybe the new Honda CRZ, in the remote chance that it comes out before this program expires.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc,  total vehicle sales declined 39.2 percent compared to the record setting numbers from May 2008.   Year to date sales totaled 430,358 units, down 33.3 % over last years year to date numbers.   The Honda Divsion posted a decline of 39.7%, while the tree huggers( I mean enviromentally conscious) helped offset things a little with an increase in Honda Hybrid sales of 7.5 %.  Now before you tree huggers start cheering, that 7.5% increase means Honda sold 2,780 new Hybrids in May…out of almost 89000 cars sold.  That means hybrids account for barely 3% of their sales.  When is the green revolution going to take root?  Now, before you tree huggers attack me, I am totally for hybrid and electric cars, I especially like the Aptera 2e, however, until the U.S. government institutes policies that push manufacturers to build less gas guzzlers and more hybrids, and provide financial incentives to incent consumers to pass on that hefty SUV, and buy a hybrid or electric car, the hybrid market will die a slow death.

Hows that for some bad news?  Did you even hear about it with all the death and destruction news on the American car maker front? Not exactly a rosy picture in the Japanese auto sector is it?  Now, granted, May 2008 was the best month ever for American Honda.   One wonders, how Honda can withstand this kind of downturn, and carry on solvent.  Maybe the U.S market and government should dig a little deeper into this and see what went wrong here, and how to stop it from going even more wrong in the future.

Here’s hoping things pick up in June, though I imagine given the fire sales going on at closing American dealers, that things may be even worse for Honda, if that’s possible.

In the Honda line, this is the best Accord, just as the Civic hybrid is the best Civic. But the Accord pushes the envelope to include 0-to-60 in 6.7 seconds in a comfy five-passenger sedan while, according to the EPA, achieving 30 mpg city, 37 highway. Yes! Consider: The four-cylinder automatic Accord does only 24 city and 34 highway. With today’s technology, only a hybrid could hit all of these marks.

This primo Accord naturally has the highest price, about $30,000 base, Honda says, including automatic, leather, heated seats, AM-FM-satellite radio and six-CD changer, anti-lock brakes, and curtain airbags; the only option is a nav system.

It also has the best performance of any Accord four-door, outrunning the V-6 automatic by 0.3 second to 60 mph and 1 mph in the quarter, to 93 mph in the end zone.

The only sacrifices: You give up 2.8 cubic feet of cargo space (leaving 11.2) to make room for the traction battery and its ventilation system; the rear backrest no longer folds forward for access to the trunk; and the spare tire is replaced by a small air compressor and a can of sealant (Honda pioneered this approach to repairing flats on the original NSX). And, of course, you get whacked by something over three grand on the sticker, too.

From the driver’s seat, you see what you always see in Accords, except for some subtle details in the HVAC controls and Honda’s unique hybrid gauges positioned low in the cluster. The “charge” and “assist” indicators are miniature bar graphs extending horizontally, and a separate battery-level graphic is off by itself to the right. There’s also an indicator labeled “ECO” that often glows green. ECO? Call it the “good news” light celebrating your propulsion on only the three front cylinders.

Except for this small array of unusual graphics in the cluster, there’s little about this car to say it’s a hybrid, or that it’s the best Accord. There’s a small “hybrid” badge on the decklid, less conspicuous than the V-6 emblem below it, a token decklid spoiler, special five-spoke alloy wheels, a different grille color, and tires upsized one notch to 215/60R-16. The eye is hardly grabbed.

Honda is low-profiling this one. We think average folks wouldn’t notice anything about the way it drives, either. Okay, engine off at idle might raise flags, except, “Is it really off? What’s that little noise? There’s a vibration, too.” Until you read the manual, the small green “AUTO STOP” blinking on the cluster is cryptic to the point of huh?

During our summer test motoring, the A/C was always running. The belt-drive compressor (75cc displacement) stops with the engine, but the electric compressor (15cc) maintains cabin coolness and keeps the Accord alive with enough vibration that you could think—in a Lexus anyway—the engine were still idling.

The 2997cc V-6 has a system to deactivate all the valves on the rear bank. It’s programmed to shrink back to three-cylinder operation below 3500 rpm when cruising or coasting, and the others don’t come alive even for mild acceleration. Instead, the electric motor readily and seamlessly kicks in to help. Only at higher revs, or if the battery is down, or if significant acceleration is ordered, will all six cylinders join in. One staffer thought he could feel some rough running on three, but most of us could not. This feature is highly successful, effectively cutting consumption in half when the green glows.

The mechanical layout is typical of Honda hybrids, with a thin wafer of a motor/generator (Honda calls it Integrated Motor Assist) sandwiched between the sideways engine and transmission. The five-speed automatic was shortened by 2.4 inches to allow room between the frame rails for the extra 2.7 inches of the IMA.

YONKERS, NY — Value-minded consumers know that buying a reliable used car is often the best choice, but that finding one takes research.

To help simplify the process, Consumer Reports has identified the most and least reliable used cars for 10 years – from model years 1999 to 2008 – in the magazine’s 2009 Annual Auto Issue. Reliability data was compiled from the magazine’s Annual Auto Survey, which generated responses about more than 1.4 million new and used vehicles.

Consumer Reports identifies the most reliable used vehicles in its “Best of the Best” list, which highlights the most well-rounded vehicles and lists other contenders in order of the overall reliability scores for model years 1999 to 2008. The list features nine categories – small cars, family cars, upscale cars, luxury cars, sports and sporty cars, minivans, small SUVs, midsized and large SUVs and pickup trucks. Toyota and Honda dominated the majority of the categories, demonstrating consistent reliability and performance, but some recent domestic models are also worthy choices. Below are Consumer Reports’ picks in five categories:

Small cars: Honda Civic, Toyota Echo, Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, Pontiac Vibe, Mazda 3, Mazda Protegé and Subaru Impreza.

Family cars: Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Toyota Camry (except ’08 V6), Subaru Outback (6-cyl.) and Nissan Altima.

Minivans: Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey.

Small SUVs: Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander.

Midsized and large SUVs: Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Lexus RX, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota 4Runner, Infiniti FX35, Acura MDX, Infiniti QX4, Lexus GX, Hyundai Santa Fe, Subaru Tribeca, Nissan Xterra (’05-’08) and Toyota Sequoia.

To help consumers identify cars within their budget, Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue also contains a “Models to Look For” list, which is categorized by price. It features a variety of used vehicles which all have above-average reliability and are priced from less than $4,000 to $30,000 and up. CR found 19 cars that can be purchased for $6,000 or less including the 1999 Acura CL and the 2003 Buick Century.

The report also features a list of “Used Cars to Avoid” and the “Worst of the Worst,” which names vehicles with multiple years of much-worse-than average reliability, including models from the following manufacturers: Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Porsche, Saturn, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

How used cars are holding up
According to Consumer Reports’ reliability data based on information from the Annual Auto Survey, the most reliable three-year-old vehicles have fewer problems than many newer vehicles – and many of them tend to be Hondas and Toyotas. These vehicles tend to be a good value because the steepest part of the depreciation curve is past and many newer safety features can often be found on these vehicles.

Used-car quality often depends on how a vehicle has been treated by its previous owner. Vehicles that are well-maintained tend to have a long useful life ahead of them. Still, Consumer Reports found that some models will stand up better over time than others. Overall, the most reliable vehicles come from Asian nameplates. Though domestic cars are getting better, they still trail the Japanese models. European models are also improving, but the older ones tend to be among the most problematic.

Here are more trends that stood out in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Survey:

Problem rates for cars have decreased across the board, so newer used cars should hold up better than their predecessors as they age.

Among five-year-old and newer cars, Ford, Hyundai, and Nissan are about tied in reliability.

European cars, long the least reliable overall, are pulling even with the domestics on newer models.

Additionally, cars with high problem rates are not always the oldest.
How vehicles age
Across all 10 years in Consumer Reports’ survey, problems with the check-engine light, windows, and squeaks and rattles are reported most often. Common troubles among almost-new to three-year-old models include body integrity (squeaks and rattles), body hardware and power equipment. On average, three-year-old (2006) models had about 43 problems per 100 vehicles.

Brake problems became evident at five years. The average five-year-old (2004) model had about 62 problems per 100 vehicles. Ten-year-old (1999) models averaged 124 problems per 100 vehicles.

For a full list of the most and least reliable used vehicles and more information on how used cars are holding up, check out the full report in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue on sale through May 4. Free highlights from the April Auto issue will be available at www.ConsumerReports.org.

By: J. Patrick Eaken

Contact e-mail: sports@presspublications.com

We are testing the Accord LX four-cylinder model, a low-cost, reasonably equipped economical model. Redesigned in 2008, it is larger than its predecessor, and by some measures nearly qualifies as a “large” sedan.

The new Accord shape has lost its bland look and now offers a hint of European style.

The 2009 Honda Accord

Engine options are two DOHC four-cylinders and one V-6. The 2.3 liter, 177 hp four-cylinder is only offered on the LX and LX-P models while the 2.3 liter, 190 hp is offered on the EX, EX-L sedans and the LX-S, EX and EX-L Coupes. The 3.5 liter SOHC, VTEC, 271 hp V-6 engine is offered on the EX V-6 and EX-L, V-6 sedans and the EX-L V-6 coupe.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the LX and LX-P four-cylinder sedans, the EX and EX-P four-cylinder sedans and the LX-S, EX and EX-L four-cylinder coupe. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the EX-L V-6 coupe.

A five-speed automatic transmission is standard on the EX and EX-L V-6 sedan and is available on the four-cylinder LX, LX-P, the four-cylinder EX, EX-L sedans and the four-cylinder LX-S, EX, and EX-L coupes.

The power available in the 177 hp test car is fine for most situations, but just adequate for starting off on a hill. As one would expect from Honda, the engine is smooth, quiet and refined, as is the five-speed automatic transmission.

This car handles very well on the side roads and twists, giving a solid, secure feeling to the driver. The ride is big-car comfortable, but on the firm side. On the freeway, tire and wind noise can become tiresome. This problem (especially tire noise) has dogged the Accord for some time now, and Honda should have it on its list for correction.

The interior is well finished in the LX, and with the leather and wood in the EX-L this is a true luxury car. The instrument panel is simple, easy to read and attractive.

Honda engineers remained aware of the importance of fuel economy during their redesign. The EPA has modified its method of determining estimated fuel consumption for 2008, so comparing the 2009 Accord fuel consumption with previous Accords is not appropriate. However, we have reason to believe the new estimates are much more accurate.

The estimated fuel consumption for our tested model is 21 mpg city/30 highway. The estimated fuel consumption for the V-6 models is 19 city/29 highway. Not much of a difference.

Honda offers little in the way of options, but has a plethora of different models to choose from, certainly more than we can cover in any detail.

Basically, the least expensive Accord is the $20,905 four-cylinder LX with manual transmission, while the model we drove (with automatic transmission) is $21,205. The LX models are fairly well equipped with such standard items as keyless remote entry, front and rear head protection air bags, cruise control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel (with “touch controls”), traction and stability control and a tire pressure monitor. The $24,405 four-cylinder EX adds a more powerful 190 hp engine, an alarm system, a moonroof, a six-disc CD changer, power driver seat and alloy wheels. The $26,405 four-cylinder EX-L adds heated seats, heated power mirrors, leather and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The $26,605 V-6 version of the EX has similar equipment on its four-cylinder counterpart, and the $28,705, V-6 EX-L has similar equipment on the four-cylinder EX-L 4-cyl, except the V-6 gets dual power seats, fog lights and an XM radio. A navigation system adds about $2,000 in the EX-L sedans. The entry level LX-S Coupe is $22,405 and top of the line coupe with navigation comes in at $31,155.

The warranty is 36 months and 36,000 miles, with a power train warranty of six years or 60,000 miles.

This lower cost, well-equipped Accord should be very satisfactory for most buyers and drivers. It is simple, economical and comfortable, with many features usually found on higher priced sedans. For a savings of around $8,000, this car compares well with the top of the line EX models.

The Accord has a strong history of quality, reliability and longevity, which help its sales along. However, this sedan now has some tough competition from the likes of the Fusion, Malibu and of course its old rival, Camry. Honda needs to keep its eye on the ball, so to speak, to keep ahead. You can’t go wrong with this sedan. It does everything most people need in a car.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at austin@sandiegometro.com.