Canadians still prefer the Honda Civic despite new offerings from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet and Mazda.

For the 14th year in a row, the Civic has been named Canada’s best selling car with 55,090 iterations of the Civic being sold. The runner up is the Hyundai Elantra, with the Mazda3 coming in next, followed by Chevrolet’s Cruze.

“First and foremost, we thank the thousands of Canadians who bought Honda Civic models this past year to make the Civic the number one car in Canada for the fourteenth consecutive year,” said Honda Canada in a statement.

And thank them they should since this model year Civic has been widely criticized for lackluster performance, sub-par quality and boring styling – things that never would have been said about Civics of the past. This, apparently, has not deterred Canadians and Honda should thank their lucky starts for that, as Consumer Reports for the first time ever did not recommend the 2012 Civic. It is rumoured that Honda is going back to the drawing board to address these issues. The changes could come as early as the 2013 model year.

[Honda Canada]

Miss the S2000? Miss the Prelude? Is the CR-Z  just not doing it for you? It seems that, save for the new Civic SI, Honda has given up on its performance roots. It’s okay Honda fans, don’t lose hope just yet, your favourite automaker hasn’t abanonded performance vehicles altogether. The grand daddy of them all is still slated to make an encore appearance.

Rumours of an NSX successor have been swirling in both “it will return” and “it won’t return” form and this time it seems the former is back in automotive gossip columns. Back in 2008 Honda confirmed that it was working on a NSX successor that was to be V10 powered. Honda quickly shelved the project when the appetite for thirsty supercars went promptly down the drain thanks to stricter CAFE standards.

Well with the Nissan GTR and the Lexus LFA taking away some impressive accolades, Honda couldn’t just sit around and watch, could they? As such, Honda President and CEO Takanobu has confirmed that they are taking the 2008 prototype off the shelf and are dusting it off to see what they can come up with. Apparently the model back in 2008 was very close to production ready, so there will only likely be some minor tweaks here and there. One of the main focuses will be on balance and handling, something Honda can do very well when they set their minds to it.

Takanobu also added that “(Honda doesn’t) want to copy Ferrari for power, but to chase efficiency as well”. This would seem to suggest that the V10 will likely be scrapped and that it may be less powerful than the 500 horses the V10 was rumoured to produce.

No matter, if it’s half as endearing as the original was, Honda is well on their way to producing a credible competitor. No word on when the new NSX will bow, but hopefully the wait won’t be too long.

[Autoblog Canada]

We’re half way through 2011 so it’s a good time to check in and see which models are most appealing to Canadians so far. Honda’s Civic is holding strong as the number one selling car in Canada, while Ford’s F-150 takes best selling truck and best selling vehicle overall.

Here’s the complete list:

1) Ford F-150 – 46,825 units

2) Ram Pickup – 30,459 units

3) Dodge Caravan – 29,986 units

4) Honda Civic – 26,371 units

5) Hyundai Elantra – 24,283 units

6) Ford Escape – 23,183 units

7) GMC Sierra – 22,225 units

8 ) Chevrolet Silverado – 19,233 units

9) Toyota Corolla -18,853 units

10) Chevrolet Cruze – 18,769 units

No big shockers here. I’m a little surprised that the Ford Focus didn’t make the list considering it’s now a credible contender. But Canadians obviously love their pick-up trucks and compact vehicles. Stay tooned to see where each vehicle places at the end of the year and if there will be any new additions to the list.

[Auto 123]

Say hello to the hottest version of the CR-Z.

Making a hot version of the CR-Z isn’t too hard in the first place since the current CR-Z is a hybrid is wolf’s clothing, but the folks at Mugen have been planning to add some go to the CR-Z’s show for quite some time now in the form of a supercharger. That’s right, the CR-Z Mugen will keep the electric motor, but power will be tweaked from both motors.

The CR-Z Mugen has yet to get any official numbers, but they are predicting their version of the 1.5 litre four cylinder plus electric motor will generate a healthy 197 horsepower and 181 pound feet of torque. Add some 110 pounds of weight loss and you’ve got yourself something that’s as close as you can get to a Honda CRX successor.

Now for the bad news. It’s just a concept. But if there is enough positive response, Mugen will considering making some for sale. But the fact is, they really shouldn’t have to do this in the first place. Honda should be making a hotter CR-Z a priority. If they had just made the CR-Z like this from the get-go, they wouldn’t have to worry about the CR-Z’s slumping sales numbers.

Anyway, good to see a somewhat return of cheap performance oriented Hondas.

[Honda]

A local Honda dealership in B.C is apparently skating on thin ice with the NHL over signage that was put up cheering on the Vancouver Canucks.

Kingsway Honda manager Doug Lum pasted the words “Go Canucks Go!!” on the front window of the dealership. Shortly thereafter Lum received a letter from the NHL’s legal council saying Lum’s sign was an infringement on sign and logo copywrite laws. The letter also said that “consumers are likely to be misled that the Vancouver Canucks have an official relationship with your dealership”.

Lum says his intention wasn’t to use the signage to draw more customers or to promote his dealership. He and his dealership are just trying to get into the spirit of the playoffs.

“It just seems kind of ridiculous, their slogan is ‘We’re all Canucks,’” said Lum. “We’re trying to be all Canucks, but they’re not letting us be all Canucks”.

Lum also pointed out that Honda is the official car company of the NHL.

Since receiving the letter, Lum has modified the sign. It now reads “Go ‘nucks Go”. Not to be confused with “Go Ducks Go”.

My personal thought is this is just something to do for an underworked department that obviously has a bit of power trip syndrome going on. I seriously doubt any perspective car buyer would switch their car choice from a Chevrolet or Toyota to a Honda simply because a dealership is cheering on their favourite team. Besides, the NHL should be happy for the extra marketing provided to them. The NHL’s ratings aren’t exactly on the rise.

What do you think?

[CBC]

Aren’t fanboys hilarious/annoying?

In this case we have a clear Honda fanboy that apparently purchased one of the ugliest models Honda makes – the Accord Crosstour. The owner proved it is possible to make it uglier by putting about a million badges on for seemingly no reason other than to brag maybe? Who knows. Luckily this embarrassment likely won’t be seen on any Canadian roads as the owner is from the States.

Everything is just out of place here. The Type-R badge, the aftermarket Honda emblem,  the “V6″ badge and even the “3.5 litre” badge is just wrong. There’s 9 badges in total on the hatch! And don’t think it’s any better up front too. There’s much of the same badging on the front grille along with red pine stripes. Seriously. Grab a barf bag and hit the jump to see a shot of the front.

Overzealous Honda fanboy: you get a huge FAIL for this one.

[Imgur]

Honda must be happy about this.

After experiencing a sales slump and some tough criticism on new products it must be comforting to know that their most recognizable model, the Civic, is still quite popular with Canadians. It was the best selling car in Canada last month.

It must also be even more comforting to know that, despite being a five year old design, it is beating the newly redesigned Hyundai elantra (which was the best selling car in Canada for the month of January and February) and Mazda3. In fact another stablemate in the compact segment is starting to regain in sales – the Toyota Corolla. It was the second best selling car while Chevrolet’s new Cruze took third place with the Elantra and Mazda3 taking 4th and 5th spots respectively.

Despite all those being compact cars, don’t think for a second that Canadians are off huge pick-ups. The Ford F-150 is still the best selling vehicle in Canada overall. The GMC Sierra is 6th overall and the Chevy Silverado is 9th overall.

[Auto North]

Yup, the pic shown above is what the official 2012 Honda Civic Si will look like… which can only be described as a slight evolution at most. Maybe Honda was of the mindset of “don’t mess with what works”?

Anyway, as speculated, the Si will get a new 2.4 litre engine which makes 200 horsepower. That’s only 3 horses more than the outgoing unit, but the key factor is the big bump in torque. It now gets 170 pound foot torque compared to 139. That should give the Si the extra oomph I always thought was lacking. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate a high revving engine (I used to own an Acura CL with the 2.2 litre V-tec), but in the city it really is hard to reach the max power band. It’s almost like putting something on the very top shelf in the kitchen. You know it’s there, but you can never quite reach it. As a result the Civic Si never really felt fast, although Honda did a pretty good job at making it sound fast with that tuned exhaust (which I always thought sounded a little too boy racer for me, but to each their own). Oh, and this new engine is actually 2 MPG’s more efficient than the old powerplant.

The Si will also be available in sedan form as well.

A test drive to see if the Civic Si can now roll with the big boys is definitely in order!

[Honda]

Honda showed the world its Honda Civic “concept” at the Detroit Auto Show recently, and I put the word concept in quotes because this is pretty much what the production car will look like. It will of course get more conventional wheels and lights, but expect the overall shape to be similar.

Most Canadians will opt for a regular Civic sedan, but a selected few among us with petrol in our veins will undoubtedly put the Si version on our shopping lists. The current Si makes 197 horsepower and 139 pound feet of torque. I’ve got to say, I’ve driven the Si and my immediate thought after stepping out of it was “meh”. I think the car overall is pretty underwhelming. One of the big reasons why is the engine and the way it is tuned. 197 horses may seem impressive but it really isn’t without good torque numbers to back it up – and let’s face it, torque is really where the actual power comes from. All anyone cares about it horsepower, but they really should be looking at those torque numbers too.

But according to Honda fanboys over at Temple of VTEC, the 2012 Si will get a new 2.4 litre engine known internally as the “K24″. It’s actually the exact engine that Honda uses in the current Acura TSX, which makes due with 201 horsepower. That means the new Si will likely see a power in the 200 to 210 horsepower range. That doesn’t seem like all that much boost, but torque numbers are expected to be as high as 170 pound feet. Now we’re talking.

Still, I think a lot more than engine power needed to be addressed  on the current Si, so let’s hope Honda spent some time on improving driving dynamics in the new Si as well.

[Temple of VTEC]

Honda had introduced it’s Civic concept and it is very significant for us Canadians because the current Civic is the best selling car in Canada.

While it technically is a concept, it’s safe to say that most of the styling cues will stick around for the production version. When you’ve got the best selling car in Canada, and let’s face it, most of the world, you don’t want to mess too much with a good thing. Those LED lights and gunmetal alloys likely won’t make it to production, but you never know.

The grille and headlights are apparently carried over from the current generation Civic, while new tail lights and a redesigned trunk lid can be found out back. Overall it’s an evolutionary look, not revolutionary. Still, it’s an attractive design.

The Civic coupe concept takes styling cues from its big brother, the Accord Coupe.

Since these are concepts there is no info on powertrains, but Honda did mention that the Si will indeed return along with a natural gas version. So far there’s no mention of the return of the Civic Hybrid.

Hit the jump to see a rear shot of the Civic sedan and the Coupe.

[Honda]

Look out Honda CR-Z, the Hyundai Veloster is hot on your tail!

The Veloster was officially unveiled in Detroit today, and I must admit, it looks damned good! The design keeps Hyundai’s attractive design nature of late going with a an aggressive front  facia, a swoopy side profile and a wide sporty stance from the rear completed with two tailpipes in the centre.

The Veloster also features a unique third door on the driver’s side for added versatility and easy ingress. It worked for the Mini Clubman, so Hyundai is betting it will work for them too.

Power comes from a 1.6 litre 4 cylinder which produces 138 horsepower and 122 pound feet of torque mated through either a six speed manual or a six speed dual clutch automatic. No 0-100 times available yet, but the Veloster’s 5.8L/ 100 kms highway rating easily beats the Honda CR-Z. And Hyundai was able to do it without hybrid technology. Although we must remember that, traditionally, hybrids get better mileage in the city than on the highway.

No interior shots are available yet, but Hyundai says the Veloster will come with astandard multi-function seven-inch touch-screen display with Pandora internet radio, Gracenote music display, video playback, video game console connectivity. So, I guess you can play video games.

Check out more pics of the Veloster after the jump.

[Hyundai]

Most manufacturers usually make special editions or anniversary editions of models to keep them looking fresh before the mid-cycle refresh or a complete redesign. They usually entail special paint jobs, unique alloy wheels, no charge spoilers etc.

Honda has just announced a special edition of the CR-Z. This is a bit strange considering the CR-Z is brand new and really is not in any sort of need of a refresh (at least not physically). But we’ll ignore that fact for now because the real reason Honda is introducing a special version of the CR-Z is because it won the coveted Japanese Car of the Year award.

So then Honda went and gave it the typical additional perks such as the “Pearl Dipusafaiaburu” paint job you see in the pic above and exclusive 16 inch alloys. That’s all fine and good but what the picture doesn’t show is Honda’s decision to put a sticker on the rear window that says “Japan Car of the Year”. How tacky is that?

Go ahead and be proud of your accolade, Honda, by all means. Especially since they are few and far between here in North America these days. But don’t get all douchy about it and start bragging. You don’t wanna turn into certain other car companies that brag just to get publicity.

As you might have guessed, this special CR-Z edition is, thankfully, just for the Japanese market.

[Honda]

This is interesting. According to USA today, the 2011 Honda Civic gets different crash test ratings for both males and females.

The National Highway Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) recently created new crash test standards, which means all cars were re-tested. The new standards include a “pole test” which simulates a side crash into a 10 foot pole at around 30 km/h.

The NHTSA is famous for its 5 star ranking system.

During the pole test the NHTSA used a female crash test dummy and a male crash test dummy. The female dummy did well as it resulted in a 4 star rating. But then they strapped the male dummy in for the test and it only got a 2 star rating!

What?

The NHTSA didn’t offer up any explanation. Is it because males are bigger than females? I don’t get it.

In addition, this is in stark contrast to the 2010 Civic’s overall rating of 5 stars. But thanks to this latest test, under the new standards, the Civic gets a mere 3 star rating overall.

In any event, if you are female and you are reading this you may want to reconsider buying your boyfriend that Civic Si for Christmas. It might just kill him.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to one since apparently it will protect you more than your boyfriend. Just don’t drive him anywhere in it.

[USA Today]

When Honda announced it would be reviving a successor to the CRX, many CRX fans pretty much wet their pants. It had been decades since the hot hatch was around and the only thing that Honda made since the CRX that was even close was the Civic SI hatch.

However excitement turned to dismay and disappointment when Honda announced that the CRX replacement, the CR-Z, would be a hybrid. Honda marketed it as being the best of both worlds matching performance and efficiency in perfect harmony, but it seems most of the world (except for Japan) disagreed as sales for the CR-Z have been quite disappointing.

Well apparently in order to fix that, Honda is giving CRX fans what they should’ve gotten in the first place: a true CRX successor. If Autocar is to be believed, Honda will either replace the hybrid technology all together in favour of a regular gas engine, or at the very least make a gas only version optional.

No word yet on engine or power details, but this is very welcomed news. One of the many things the original CRX did well was achieve excellent performance with good efficiency – without the help of hybrid technology (which adds weight).

Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Autocar]

Honda has just announced that it will discontinue the Element with no plans in the near future to revive it or create a successor.

When the Element came onto the scene back in 2002, it was definitely a bold statement in terms of design. Most hail it as the one that started the whole box on wheels craze that has now afflicted Nissan, Scion and Kia.

Honda cites poor sales as the reason for the Element’s demise. Oddly enough, in a press release, Honda stated that customers straight up preferred the CR-V to the Element due to its refinement and its less controversial shape. Usually automakers don’t admit to cannibalism within the lineup because it makes their product planning department look stupid.

The Element went through very minor refreshes over the years, not least of which was the introduction of the SC (pictured above) which I personally believe is the best looking Element. But of course, best looking is all relative. It’s still not a very attractive design.

In any event, I suppose that means there will now be some killer deals on Elements, so if you’re the outdoorsy type that needs lots of room, it may be well worth your while to check one out before it dies for good.

[Honda]