Posted on April 28, 2005 at 9:47 pm by Jeff
Here’s a nice overview of the Honda Ridgeline from Autoblog.com. Personally, I really like the look of this truck - it figures, as my wife thinks it’s one of the ugliest things she’s ever seen. (she also can’t understand my love for the Infiniti FX). The newest Honda offering is geared towards “Soccer Dads” (if there is such a thing). It’s rugged, manly, powerful, but most of all, it’s a Honda. In the past I never really thought much of owning a Honda, but a few years ago we decided to lease a Honda Pilot. Aside from a few small personal “annoyances” the Honda Pilot has been an awesome vehicle for our family. If I was going to buy a new truck - I would give the Honda Ridgeline a serious chance…here’s what one expert thinks:
It wasn’t a big surprise that the new Honda Ridgeline that pulled up for a week in the Autoblog Garage was silver. It seems every Honda is silver. So why not their first ever truck. Color aside, the Ridgeline looks no different in person than it does in press materials or TV. The edges and shapes are so extreme they seem almost cartoonish in real life. It feels like you’re driving a concept vehicle and not something that is being mass-produced. To me that is actually a very appealing sensation.
My first impressions after a few drives around town are very mixed. There are some things I love about the Ridgeline and quite a few that are extremely negative. One plus is the ride, handling and power. They’re all great. The Ridgeline feels like a truck in the right ways. It is big but drives like a dream. Steering is crisp, power comes quickly and bumps barely jostle you. Add a quiet and really spacious cabin and people will think this is the perfect truck.
…excerpt from: www.autoblog.com
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Posted on February 28, 2005 at 11:41 am by Jeff
Honda Accord Coupe 2005: The Weekly Driver Review
By James Raia
Just inside the guard gate, the world renowned 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, Calif., begins with a primarily downhill and often winding two-lane road to Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tree-lined route features lavish, oceanfront homes and a predominately forest-like setting along
California’s central coast.
It’s a perfect several-mile locale for drivers who like to shift through gears. And it’s not-so-surprisingly pleasant while doing so in the 2005 Honda Accord.
With its V6, six-speed manual transmission offering, the exceedingly popular model crosses categories. The Accord is listed as a midsize vehicle and it’s often compared to the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.
But the 24-valve, 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower coupe is just as much sports car as it is anything else. And it provides one more reason why the Accord – in its more than 25 varieties – is among the most popular and most often best-buy categorized vehicles on the road.
During my weeklong test drive, I drove the Accord Coupe round-trip from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula. The interstate portion of the journey included about 400 miles. I drove the aforementioned section of the 17-Mile Drive six times round-trip on clear, blue sky days and in heavy rain. It made little difference.
In all driving conditions, the Accord Coupe performed with confidence. Steering and handling is responsive and poised. Lane changes are smooth. While not as quick as other vehicles categorized as sports cars, the Accord Coupe accelerates well and finds its ways through gears more than adequately. Its 17-inch wheels further add to the tight road
feel. The Accord’s ride is also adequately quiet.
Like all Hondas, the Accord Coupe’s interior is designed in a straightforward manner. Gauges and all instrumentation are clean and used simply. The navigation system is likewise efficient and easy to learn.
Despite its coupe status, front-seat passengers have comfortable leg, body and head room. Back seat passengers (two fit comfortably) have easy access. Side rear-view vision is slightly impeded by headrests and side pillars. The driver’s seat, while comfortable for a six-foot, 185-pound driver, is void of the superior seat cushioning of high-end vehicles.
Standard interior features are plentiful: leather-trimmed seats, AM/FM, six-disc CD with six speakers, XM satellite radio, heated front seats, power window and door locks, illuminated visor vanity mirrors, cruise control, exterior temperature gauge, sunglass holder and well-
positioned armrests and storage compartments.
Finding fault with the Accord is difficult, but cargo room could be better, and average city mileage numbers aren’t special. Yet, the Honda Accord has built its reputation through the years for good reasons. It does everything well, and offers reliability and great resale value.
Whether a buyer opts for the base LX four-door, four-cylinder sedan, the EX V6 four-door sedan or the EX, V6 coupe, the sportiest model of all, it’s hard to improve upon the Accord or find any vehicle with more to offer for the price.
Safety features – Dual-stage driver and front passenger dual-stage front, side and side curtain airbags. Antilock brakes.
Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 20 mpg (city), 30 mpg (highway).
Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Power train, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited mileage
Base price – $28,880
James Raia is a Sacramento, Calif., journalist who writes about sports, travel and lifestyle topics as well as the automotive column, The Weekly Driver Review.
To read more car reviews, visit: The Weekly Driver Review
To subscribe to his free electronic newsletters, visit the web site:
href="http://www.ByJamesRaia.dom">http://www.ByJamesRaia.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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Posted on January 31, 2005 at 1:28 pm by Jeff
I am currently on the lookout for quality new car reviews to share on the New Car Price Quotes blog. Having been in the business I know that there is very limited original content out there. Most reviews are coming from Edmunds, Intellichoice, or NewCarTestDrive. Now, there’s nothing wrong with these reviews - I’m just looking for original content. So “stay tuned” for more details.
Yesterday’s post included a review of the Honda Pilot, but a professional writer. It’s a great review, but I thought I would add a personal touch by writing my own. I leased a Honda Pilot EX in September 2002 (model year is 2003) just as the vehicle started entering Honda showrooms (I was one of the original owners of a Honda Pilot). We will be turning the car in this coming September and so far I have nothing but rave reviews.
Our actual vehicle was a 2003 Honda Pilot EX in sage brush pearl (think forest green). The sticker price on the vehicle was $30,500 and we paid $28,700. The EX comes with leather, power everything, CD-player, etc. We did not opt for the DVD or navigation packages. We are currently carting around 2 kids (22 months and 1 month) and have had a very easy time with an infant carrier (with base) and child seat - that LATCH system works great. Even with the back seat fully occupied there is still plenty of room in the back with the 3rd row folded down.
There is nothing flashy about the interior design and layout (it is a Honda), but everything is sensibly laid out and easy to access. Shorter drivers might find the center-console stereo controls a bit far to reach, but the controls mounted on the steering wheel solve this problem. There is plenty of head and leg-room for tall passengers and drivers as well. I am 6′3″ and can ride comfortably in the first or second rows. The third row is really for small adults or children only (though once we did fit 6 adults and 1 child in a car seat in the Pilot). The only problem I’ve run in to is with the infant carrier and base installed behind the driver seat. I cannot put the seat as far back as I would like - it runs into the infant seat. Aside from that the Honda Pilot is very roomy for both passengers and cargo.
Maintenance has been fairly routine. We have changed the oil in our Honda Pilot every 7500 miles (as suggested by the manufacturer) and have also performed the suggested 6-month maintenance. We did have 3 recalls on the Pilot which required me to leave it at the dealership for an entire day, but it was not much of an inconvenience.
Handling has been very good - even in the snow (and we’ve had a lot in Michigan this year). The vehicle has good acceleration and I’ve noticed reasonably good gas mileage - approx 18 city, 23 highway. There is plenty of horsepower, and acceleration is very smooth. Road noise is minimal and the overall drive is very enjoyable. Our Honda Pilot is mainly driven by my wife and it has proven to be a very reliable vehicle.
Her biggest complaints are the automatic climate control, and the fact that we don’t have a sun/moon roof. The Honda Pilot’s automatic climate control can be a little annoying as it typically “blasts” hot or cold air until the set cabin temperature is reached. You can easily override this by manually controlling the air speed and temperature. We also had to manually manipulate most of the vents - this one open, that one close, this one pointing up, that one pointing down - but you have to do that in almost every car anyway. The Pilot’s “manual” rear-control is also a nice feature for those passengers in back.
Some features I’d like to see on the Honda Pilot (and the current models may have these): memory seats, back-up sensors, and a moon roof. I would highly recommend the Honda Pilot to anyone looking for a reliable SUV with our without a family. Our Honda Pilot lease is up in September and we will be moving to a minivan. Right now the all new 2005 Honda Odyssey looks like a good choice!
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