Honda Accord News

Cars equipped with futuristic technology that can save lives by braking automatically are being recalled in Australia and overseas because their latest safety systems are on the blink.Japanese car makers Subaru and Honda have issued two separate recalls involving technology that is designed to prevent rear-end crashes and/or avoid hitting pedestrians.Subaru is recalling more than 5000 of its latest Outback wagon and Liberty sedan models equipped with its “Eyesight” system that uses two cameras behind the windscreen to scan the road ahead.A sign of just how complex modern cars have become, Subaru has discovered a seemingly unrelated brake light fault can disable the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system.A statement from Subaru said: “The (Eyesight) system may not operate as intended in an emergency braking situation (where the driver has failed to apply the brake), or may fail to properly engage the brakes when the vehicle has been placed in (automatic cruise control) mode. This is due to a software programming issue.”Subaru says the fault “does not affect the performance of the brakes when engaged by the driver” and no incidents have been reported in Australia or overseas.See full details on the Subaru recall here.  Meanwhile Honda Australia is recalling more than 2000 examples of its latest Accord sedan and CR-V that are equipped with similar automatic emergency braking technology.Rather alarmingly, in the case of the Honda fault, the automatic braking system can be activated when it is not supposed to.“In certain driving conditions, the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) may unexpectedly activate while operating the vehicle,” the Honda recall statement says.“In rare cases, the system may interpret certain roadside objects, such as metal fences or guardrails, as obstacles and apply emergency braking.”See full details on the Honda recall here and here.The faults come as the car industry is debating how much technology should be introduced in modern cars, and how much control should be taken away from the driver.Car giants Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and technology companies Apple and Google, are all experimenting with driverless cars that rely on cameras, radars and other sensors to navigate their way through traffic with limited or no input from the driver.But the latest recalls show that the technology still has a long way to go before it becomes failsafe.

New-car sales hit the accelerator for the second month in a row after the best March result of all time - but former Australian favourites Holden and Ford hit a wall.

The Honda Accord Hybrid sedan marks a turning point for the Japanese company; it's the company's first all-new hybrid system in 16 years.Toyota has sold almost 10 times as many hybrid cars as Honda globally but the company hopes to close that gap with a series of all-new petrol-electric cars.The Honda Accord Hybrid has lithium-ion battery technology (for longer petrol-free driving range) and two electric motors (mounted back to back) which are connected to an Atkinson cycle engine (similar to that used by Toyota) for new levels of fuel efficiency.Unlike earlier Honda hybrids, the new setup will allow the car to use electric power alone up to cruising speeds, when conditions are ideal, before switching to petrol.The Accord Hybrid sips just 4.2L/100kmEarlier Honda hybrids used the electric motor only to boost the petrol engine once it was already on the move.Based on overseas fuel economy figures, the Accord Hybrid sips just 4.2L/100km, making it more frugal than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.Honda is yet to release pricing but it is expected to start from less than $40,000.As with the top-end versions of the current Accord, the Hybrid will be available with a blind-zone camera, which shows in the central display screen an image of the left side of the car in turns or when changing lanes.Meanwhile, the Honda NSX will be powered by a twin-turbo V6 matched to another version of the company's new hybrid technology (including a lithium-ion battery), and a nine-speed twin-clutch automatic. Power and performance figures are yet to be released.Honda Australia is yet to confirm its allocation of NSX supercars, which are due to go into production in the US (rather than Japan) this year."We are still aiming for 2016, hopefully some time in the middle of 2016," says Honda Australia director Stephen Collins. And the price? "I can honestly say thatI have no idea where it will end up," Collins says.In the US, the NSX is tipped to cost about $150,000 plus taxes and delivery charges. But it will probably exceed $200,000 here.The original NSX went on sale in Australia in 1991 for $160,000, rising to $220,000 in 1995 then $256,000 when it was discontinued in 2005. About 160 examples were sold here from a global production run of 18,685.Honda Australia says that only a handful of its national network of 107 dealers will sell and service the NSX.

Honda Accord finally achieves maximum five-star safety rating along with Nissan X-Trail, Honda City, Toyota Prius C and upcoming Peugeot 308.Honda have overcome the shock of last year's four-star safety rating for the Accord sedan, with recent structural tweaks helping it to earn the full five stars from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).When the 9th generation Accord appeared in May 2013, ANCAP deemed its frontal offset test performance unsatisfactory for a five-star rating, scoring 11.21 out of a possible 16 .Honda has since implemented changes to the frontal structure of the Accord in August 2014 which has raised its score in the frontal offset test to 14.79 in this round testing, pushing it over the line for a maximum five-star rating."This is a great example of a non-regulatory program at work," ANCAP Chairman Lauchlan McIntosh said."Honda has reviewed the ANCAP test results and actively implemented changes to offer consumers a safer car."The same praise was not lavished on the X-Trail mid-size SUV however, with ANCAP critical of Nissan's omission of the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) from Australian-spec models. Despite this the SUV still gained a five star safety rating.ANCAP was similarly critical of the Qashqai small SUV's AEB omission when it was tested earlier this year.Like the Qashqai, AEB is available on European-spec X-Trails, along with several other models on the Australian market. It can prevent collisions by detecting stationary objects and applying braking force before the driver reacts.For the Honda City and Toyota Prius C, all model variants have been given the maximum five stars by ANCAP. Only diesel versions of the new Peugeot 308 have been awarded five stars, leaving petrol versions unrated.

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

At a time when the maximum five-star ANCAP rating is almost a given for major brands, and the latest Kia Cerato hatch has taken the top rating, the four-star score for the Accord is a shock.It failed to reach the grade in an offset-frontal impact, one of the foundations tests for the Australasian New-Car Assessment Program's testing, providing insufficient protection for the driver's legs.The Accord result follows several other four-star results, including the Ranger Rover Evoque and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which also fell short in the frontal-offset scoring as ANCAP has sticked to its original criteria despite the sister European NCAP program winding back its requirements in that area.It also comes despite a wide range of available high-tech safety assistance equipment - radar cruise control, blind-spot assistance, adaptive lights and automatic emergency braking - on the 2013 Accord.Honda Australia is playing defense on the ANCAP result, referring all Carsguide questions to a two-line prepared statement. "Honda Australia is surprised and disappointed with the ANCAP result for the all-new Accord," it says. "The Accord has an impeccable 37-year history and this ninth-generation is no exception."It points to the five-star ANCAP rating for its most-recent new arrival, the latest CR-V SUV that went on sale last November. ANCAP chief, Lauchlan McIntosh, admits the Honda result is a surprise but there is no mistake. "I don't think they'd deliberatley gone out of their way to do this," McIntosh tells Carsguide. "That's the test. That's the result. We checked it very carefully to make sure the result is what it is."But he says it confirms the need for independent safety testing.  "You do these tests and people ask why we bother. That (the Honda result) shows the advantage of ANCAP.  Every now and then we get a result that's not what you expect. It's not a bad result, but others do better."He also reinforces the five-star message for all carmakers and says that, despite the growing number of brands with safety assistance technologies, the star ratings still come back to the basics. "It really shows the need to continue testing and show people these results. We are now getting to the stage where we're expecting five stars from the well-known brands. The base hurdle is something you've got to get over. That's why we do the testing. It shows you the complexity, still, of making cars. You've got to be careful and watching."This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover 

Honda have unveiled their 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid for the US market, which boasts a 4.8L/100km fuel economy – making it one of the most frugal cars to hit the market.The fuel figure is just 0.9L/100km more than the most economical Toyota Prius model. However, Honda have given no indication yet that we’ll see it as a contender against the Prius here.The new Hybrid, revealed in California for the US market, is being considered by Honda Australia, but no decision has been made.“The Accord Hybrid is under consideration for Australia however we have no time frame,” said Honda Australia spokesperson Melissa Cross.Honda however have announced the hybrid for the Japanese market, meaning that there will be a right-hand drive model manufactured.So prospective Australian customers have to wait, but the car’s reveal gives us a peek into what Honda have in store.Both the US and Japanese Hybrid’s will sport a 5-star safety rating, super low fuel economy and a comprehensive line up of interior technology as standard.The Accord Hybrid features the same styling as the standard Accord Sedan, but has an added unique hybrid badge, blue-accented light lenses and grille, LED daytime running lights, a unique wheel design and a spoiler.The Honda Accord Hybrid has the new two-motor Hybrid powertrain, which we have already seen in the Accord Plug In, released earlier this year. The Accord Hybrid has an added ‘Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi Mode Drive’ powertrain, which allows the car to move through three driving modes.‘EV Drive’ is for off the line starts and normal cruising. ‘Engine Drive’ is for high speed cruising on the highway. ‘Hybrid Drive takes charge of the 124-kW electric motor, and a 2-0 litre DOHC i-VTEC 4 cylinder engine, while remaining efficient in stop-start situations. Honda say the result is smooth, powerful acceleration.Honda have introduced more tech to its already long list, with instantaneous fuel economy and energy flow information joining Honda’s LaneWatch, lane departure warning and forward collision warning on an 8-inch colour display.Interior comfort hasn’t been withheld, with HondaLink and Aha radio making its way into this Honda after its 2013 debut. The technology allows you to browse Facebook, News, Twitter and more content in your car – while it’s not moving we hope. ‘Aha’ radio from Harman brings your favourite music content to you on the go, syncing up with your phone for your favourite tracks, playlists and stations.As well as being economical, the Accord Hybrid is also safe. It boats a 5-star NCAP Safety rating, due to its ‘ACE’ body structure which debuted in the 2013 Accord, along with Honda’s new ‘SmartVent’ airbags.The Accord Hybrid goes on sale in the US in October 2013, with no word yet on an Australian release time frame.

Check out Honda Australia's new ad for the 2013 Accord. 

Information is good, but domination is bad. So I like big digital speedometers, blind-spot warning systems and reversing cameras, but I'm against automatic parking, radar cruise controls and anything which can influence the steering.My personal jury is still out on automatic emergency braking, but I think it's probably going to get a tick. The reason for this reluctance runs all the way back to the very first cars I drove with anti-skid braking systems, a BMW 5 Series and a Honda Accord.I can clearly remember the wheels of the Accord chattering and skidding as I tried a panic stop, but the Five was worse. I was driving on a gravel road when I needed to brake for a corner.I did, but the car did not, and I can clearly picture to this day the tree I narrowly missed as I arrowed off the road with the ABS system working - or not - precisely as the engineers intended.Hitting the personal fast-forward button, there was a Lexus that insisted on applying emergency braking power when another driver cut into my lane and cut the beam for the over-sensitive radar cruise control, a Camry that cut engine power just when I needed it in a corner, and a Volkswagen that refused to accelerate from a Stop sign because I was holding the car on the brake at the same time as tickling the throttle.Just last year, there was a Mercedes-Benz that swerved me into the path of an oncoming car when it detected that I had drifted over the white line, when in fact I was easing gently away from a potential head-on smash.I know that technology improves and I like some of the stuff that makes life easier, but I was overwhelmed this week by the all-new Volkswagen Golf and a bank of safety equipment that runs from a fatigue monitor to radar cruise control, automatic wipers and lights, automatic parking and even multi-collision braking to stop the car after a crash.A lot of this stuff is good, and there's no doubt that it should make our roads safer. But it's also encouraging a breed of drivers who are really just passengers, relying on their cars to save them from themselves. And that cannot be good.This reporter is on Twitter @paulwardgover 

The Accord, here in the middle of next year, boasts a bigger cabin with more luggage room but overall, is about 130mm shorter. It is also 25kg lighter thanks to its 56 per cent use of high-tensile steel. Unusual for Honda is that this car will be the same for its global markets. Previously there were design and structural differences between Accords made in the US and, for example, Thailand, Japan or China. New is a continuously-variable transmission (CVT) that replaces the five-speed conventional automatic. A six-speed manual remains an option in the 2.4-litre while the 3.5-litre carry-over V6 - with cylinder management that lets it run on three cylinders - gets a six-speed automatic. Honda claims the CVT will mean better fuel economy and improve acceleration. Honda's "Earth Dreams'' drivetrains make an appearance with three powerplants - a new 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, a V6 and a hybrid. Unlike many of its rivals, there is no turbocharging. The 2.4-litre claims more power, better fuel economy and lower emissions than its predecessor. It will have direct petrol injection and an updated variable-valve timing system that includes variable cam timing. It is expected to produce about 140kW. Plans are for a new two-motor Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) Accord model next year but Honda Australia hasn't made a call on this. It will be the first time Honda has put this technology into production. Information released the week in the US says the two-motor hybrid system allows engine power to drive the front wheels, charge the battery pack or power the generator. It is similar in design to the Holden Volt's drivetrain. The car defaults to electric-drive mode from startup and - after being charged up overnight - can drive for up to 25km before the petrol engine automatically kicks in to charge the batteries. It is expected to have a range greater than 800km and a fuel economy equivalent of more than 2.4 L/100km. Honda says a 240-volt charging system can recover 12km of electric-only range in 30 minutes and fully charge in an hour. The car can run its climate control full blast and remain in electric mode. The PHEV Accord will be joined in most global markets later in 2013 by a cheaper, more conventional hybrid that has the same drivetrain design as the Civic Hybrid model. Honda has also dropped the double-wishbone front suspension and reverted to the more common MacPherson strut system. It made the same move with the Civic about six years ago. The Accord will also have electric-assist steering to further reduce fuel consumption. Honda Australia expects the Accord here in the middle of 2013.