Honda Legend 2012 News

Honda Australia has issued a recall notice to replace faulty Takata airbag inflators in a batch of 25,282 of its vehicles, which had already been recalled to rectify the same issue.

Only a fraction of the 1.2 million cars on Australia roads with airbags that can spray shrapnel have been fixed, new figures show.

It’s the biggest recall in Honda Australia history and the consequences of not getting the airbags replaced can be deadly.The number of Honda cars recalled in Australia to replace potentially deadly airbags has climbed to a staggering 421,000 vehicles with the addition of 71,000 extra models today across the Jazz, Civic and Legend range.Honda is one of eight car brands recalling up to 53 million cars globally -- including more than 5 million Hondas -- to replace Takata airbags that can fire shrapnel when deployed in a crash.So far the faulty airbags have been linked to at least eight deaths overseas, but none have been reported in Australia.Honda has the highest number of affected vehicles in Australia (421,000), even more than market leader Toyota (258,000) which sells almost six times more cars. It represents more than four out of every five Hondas sold locally during the recall period.It brings the Takata airbag tally across all brands to more than 900,000 vehicles in Australia.Honda Australia Director, Stephen Collins, told News Corp Australia the company was fixing 5000 cars per week across its network of 107 dealers.“This is unprecedented for us and shows how seriously we are taking this issue,” said Mr Collins.Because so many airbags need replacing globally, some customers face a painstaking wait that could stretch into 2017 before having their cars fixed.But Honda says at least one third of the 421,000 cars have had their airbags replaced so far in Australia.The crisis has left drivers with the unenviable task of taking the risk and driving their cars or -- if they can afford it -- park their recalled car until new airbags become available.So far, authorities in the US and Australia have not ordered the recalled cars off the road.The odds of being killed are difficult to calculate. Not all of the airbags in the 53 million cars are defective.But internal testing by Takata in 2015 found 265 of 30,000 recalled airbags had ruptured -- or less than 1 per cent.That may sound like good odds, until you realise it still leaves 530,000 cars around the world -- and at least 6000 in Australia -- with airbags that can kill.The three Honda models added today include the Honda Civic (2006 to 2011), the Honda Legend (2007 to 2012) and the Honda Jazz (2012).Chrysler 300C sedan 2005 to 2007BMW 3 Series 1997 to 2006Honda Jazz 2004 to 2009Honda Accord 2001 to 2006Honda Accord Euro 2004 to 2007Honda CR-V 2002 to 2008Honda Civic 2004 to 2005Honda Civic 2006 to 2011 (added 25 February 2016)Honda Legend 2007 to 2012 (added 25 February 2016)Honda Jazz 2012 (added 25 February 2016)Honda MDX 2003 to 2006Lexus SC430 2001 to 2003Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK 2014Nissan N16 Pulsar 2000 to 2006Nissan D22 Navara 1997 to 2004Nissan Y61 Patrol 1997 to 2010Nissan T30 X-TRAIL 2001 to 2007Nissan A33 Maxima 1999 to 2003Subaru Impreza 2004 to 2007Toyota Echo 2003 to 2005Toyota RAV4 2003 to 2005Toyota Corolla 2003 to 2007Toyota Yaris 2005 to 2007Toyota Avensis 2003 to 2007

Plans for a powerhouse Legend in 2010 with an eight-pot engine and all-wheel drive are well advanced at HQ in Japan, but the driving force for the newcomer is actually in the US. More US drivers are pushing for V8 engines, a shift Hyundai has also identified, and answered, with its Genesis sedan and coupe. Now Honda is looking for more go in a move that could have implications for Australia . . . only if the maker decides to bring its second-string brand, Acura. An Acura plan is being developed at Honda Australia's headquarters and it could easily include the V8-powered Acura RL that is now an open secret around the world. “We understand that a V8 engine will be launched in the new flagship Acura model in America. That is the car called the RL,” Honda Australia managing director Yasuhide Mizuno says. “We believe the V8 is being introduced to create a bigger differential between the RL and the Accord. Whether it comes to Australia depends on our strategy for introducing Acura." “It won't be until the next decade, at the earliest, before we decide on whether we launch that brand. That depends on us reaching a number of other targets with the Honda brand,” he says. Mizuno confirms the V8 will have the same eco-focused cylinder de-activation system already seen on the latest V6 Accord — which can run as a six, four or three-cylinder motor — but is giving away nothing else. Honda gave the first hint on its V8 plan with the ugly Acura Advanced Sports Concept it displayed at the 2006 Los Angeles motor show. There is no prize for guessing it was a design study for the coming RL, though Japanese artists believe Honda has listened to criticisms of the original design and made significant changes as it works towards production. Honda of America has been listening carefully to the word on the street, as it wants the V8 RL to go up against BMW, Audi and Lexus. One source says Honda plans to extract 315kW from the V8, but — thanks to the cylinder de-activation system — also believes it can generate class-leading fuel economy figures. The other big change for the RL and Legend, which currently share a front-wheel-drive mechanical package, is the switch to on-demand rear-wheel drive with four-wheel steering. Honda of America believes rear-drive is essential for the RL, but the company is developing a revised version of the SH-AWD system used now to provide rear-drive balance at all times with an on-demand power feed to the front wheels when rear traction is compromised. So it's good news on the technology and design fronts, but there will be bad news on price. The RL is aimed at a $70,000 bottom line in the US and that would probably put it close to $100,000 in Australia.  

The company's flagship nameplate has been absent for two years but it has been returned with serious intent.