With a 19 percent surge in sales so far this year, automotive giant Honda Motor Company has been one of the few automotive manufacturers to resist the effects of slumping sales and higher gasoline prices. The Japanese automaker announced today they will be cutting Pilot sport utility vehicle production by 10,000 units this year and will shift Ridgeline pickup truck production from Alliston, Ontario to their plant in Lincoln, Alabama.
Has the boss approached you yet this morning about the missing cover sheet on your TPS reports? Did you see the memo about Truckblog.TV and Apple iTunes within those reports? Just in case you haven't yet, check out the TPS report here, which lists information about our free podcast on iTunes. Click the subscribe button within iTunes and help support Truckblog. Positive feedback and comments are appreciated too! As Bill Lumberg from "Office Space" says, "If you could make sure you do that from now on, that would be grrrreeeat....and i'll make sure you get another copy of that memo, Mmmmkay?".
There's also another memo about reading the top blogs from last week but that can come second, after subscribing to our podcast. Educate below.
Edmunds Inside Line placed three popular small-sized sport utility vehicles, the 2009 Honda Pilot, 2008 Mazda CX-9 and 2008 Toyota Highlander, through several road tests to see which SUV came out on top. The results are pretty surprising with the 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring coming out on top. Click here to check out their lengthy review and video of the test.
Remember the scene in "Office Space" where Peter Gibbons had just got off from work at his apartment, grabs a beer and sits on his couch, then turns on the television? If you don't, his good-ole neighbor, Lawrence, then decides to scream at him through their apartment complex wall to notify Peter of the breast exam infomercial on channel 9. Well, your mission today is to check out our recent episode on Truckblog.TV, as well as read our blogs from last week. Knowledge is power!
ACI (Agri-Cover, Inc.) manufacturer of the Access®, Lorado™, LiteRider® and Vanish™ Roll-Up Covers, now offers a new Access® Roll-Up Cover installation for 06-08 Honda Ridgeline trucks. The installation is a new and improved design and allows for the Access® Roll-Up Cover to install quickly and easily. Removal of the interior wall panels of the Honda Ridgeline truck bed is not necessary and no drilling is involved. Installation can be completed on average of 30-45 minutes.
Griffin Technology, maker of all things iPod, announced WindowSeat, Griffin's windshield mount for iPhone. With Apple's recent announcement of mapping service to iPhone, WindowSeat puts your device at eye level on your car's windshield with street maps, directions and more, safely in view and within reach. WindowSeat's mounting bracket holds your iPhone securely, while its corner-release tab lets you easily remove your device when you arrive at your destination, leaving WindowSeat locked in position for the next time you use it.
By combining high-sensitivity GPS technology with the wireless data capabilities of the cellular telephone system, GPS Snitch provides real-time location tracking over the internet. GPS Snitch is completely self-contained, requires no installation, and is small enough to be hidden within any car, truck, motorcycle, ATV or snowmobile.
With gas prices exceeding $3.65 per gallon on average, filling up could cost upwards of $50, $60, $70 or more. Goodwrench offers consumers helpful tips to improve vehicle fuel economy and help drivers get every possible mile out each drop of gasoline. One of the simplest ways of doing this is with proper vehicle maintenance and sensible driving techniques.
Andrew Posner of TreeHugger.com says that the price for a gallon of gas is selling for around $3.00 per gallon in New Jersey, a price that is lower than the nations average of $3.51. Why, you ask? Here's your answer. "New Jersey has the nation’s third-lowest gasoline tax, at 14.5 cents a gallon, and it hasn’t gone up in almost two decades".
Just in case that "PC Load Letter" error is getting you down this morning, we have composed a list of last week's top blogs to make you happy again. Especially the 2010 Ford F-150 4.4 Liter Diesel pictures! Check out the full list below.
“Go Ahead Punk… Make My Day!”… Imagine this familiar voice sounding out from under the hood of your ride; or you pull up in front of your girlfriend’s house and announce your arrival with “I Got You Babe”, or you are out on your boat and you press a button on your FX-550 and – all around you can hear the theme song from “Jaws”. With Horntones the possibilities are endless.
Check out the YouTube video inside! Install article and full review, coming soon.
Edmunds Inside Line, published their test drive review of the 2009 Honda Pilot, which boasts a 250-hp V6 with the variable displacement management and a 5 speed transmission, that when combined, achieves an average of 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 miles per gallon on the highway. As Executive Editor, Michael Jordan, stated "...the 2009 Honda Pilot relentlessly improving space-efficiency, utility, fuel economy and performance". To read their full review, click here.
A hitch with the towing electrical connection built INSIDE the receiver? It's an innovation that would have others asking, "Why didn't I think of that?!" Valley, a towing industry leader for more than 60 years, did. New Integrated Trailer Wiring(tm) hitches from Valley are inventive and stylish. Advancements in manufacturing technology have allowed the towing electrical connection to be moved INSIDE the cross tube of the receiver, eliminating the need for unsightly brackets or to drape the harness outside the vehicle where it can be damaged by weather and road debris.
In an article by The Detroit News, more and more automakers are jumping on the fuel economy bandwagon, and are beginning to convert over to diesel fueled engines as a new standard. "Although they are more costly to produce, diesel engines get about 25 percent better mileage than traditional gas-powered engines" stated Jim Hossack of AutoPacific Inc. However, "The rising cost of fuel will play a role in their growth in the U.S. market". So is converting to diesel technology really worth the money? Let us know your thoughts by using our comments system.
With the economy currently unstable, prices of metals have been rising, and thieves are beginning to target your vehicles exhaust, going for the catalytic converters which hold three expensive metals.
Is this for real? Unfortunately, it is. You are looking at a one-of-a-kind, Honda Civic Tractor, customized by the guy featured in these photos. I'm sure when he cruises into town or across a field, all of the girls "think his tractor's sexy" (for all of you Kenny Chesney fans). The custom Honda Civic Tractor appears to also be amphibious, although I doubt it would hold up in any mud bogging. Either way, it grabbed some Beerblog status this week. More pictures inside.
A prototype of the next-generation Honda Pilot is being unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, American Honda Motor Company, Inc., announced today. The prototype conveys design features of the more boldly-styled 2009 Pilot, set to debut in spring 2008, which emphasizes authentic SUV styling, clever and more accommodating interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience.
Although some may not consider it a pickup truck (I personally do not), the 2008 Honda Ridgeline is classified as one, and it's currently redefining the pickup "standard" in the industry, with enhanced features such as a 8.5 cubic-foot In-Bed Trunk™, smooth and responsive four-wheel independent suspension, standard safety equipment that includes side-curtain airbags and a Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) system. Read on for more information.
The 2008 Ford Harley-Davidson™ F-150 – the most powerful factory F-Series truck ever – races onto streets this fall to help the famed motorcycle maker and automaker kick off their 105 th anniversary celebrations. The new, limited-edition truck is the third supercharged Ford Harley-Davidson™ F-150, following the best-selling 2002 and 2003 models that were part of more than 60,000 of the specialty trucks sold since 1999 Read on for more information.
Just when you think you've seen it all, there's always something out there that will leave you in even more astonishment. Well, yesterday was that day, and it was horrid enough where I thought instantly, "beerblog status". While on my adventure to a local San Diego beach, I happened to park near a very customized vehicle that seemed to have been inspired by MTV's hit ghetto fab automotive customization show, "Pimp My Ride". So custom, they even took the time to match their rims to the overall paint scheme. The vehicle? A 1990 Honda Accord... groovy baby, yeah! Click "Full Story" to view pictures of this sweet ride.
"Toyota Motor Corp. lost some ground to the competition in an annual vehicle value survey released today. Honda Motor Co. held onto its overall ranking as the best full-line automaker, while General Motors Corp., which won in four segments, was the only domestic automaker with any top-ranked vehicles," The Detroit News reported.
"California filed suit against the world's largest carmakers on Wednesday, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have cost the state millions of dollars. The lawsuit names Ford, General Motors, Toyota and the North American units of DaimlerChrysler, Honda and Nissan," MSNBC reported today.
Cloaked with distinctive and dynamic exterior styling, the 2007 Honda CR-V debuts with a wide assortment of new technology and standard comfort and convenience features. The sophisticated interior design delivers near-luxury style along with improved refinement. The highly acclaimed Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and rear view camera is available on the CR-V for the first time.
"As Japanese competitor Toyota Motor Corp. prepares to launch the Tundra, possibly its most credible entry to date in the U.S. fullsize pickup segment, an American Honda Motor Co. Inc. official says his company has no plans to counter it," Wards Auto reports.
"Seven sport utility vehicles earned the government’s highest ratings in providing protection in front-end and side crashes. The 2006 models of the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Tucson, Mercedes Benz ML-class, Nissan Murano and Subaru B9 Tribeca received five stars in frontal and side impact crash tests for both the driver’s and passenger's side," MSNBC reports.
According to AutoWeek, "Honda Motor Co. needs more light-truck derivatives, a senior executive says. Koichi Kondo, CEO of Honda North America Inc., said more models are necessary to take advantage of Honda's manufacturing skills and participate in the expanding crossover segment. But he insisted that Honda will not build a traditional pickup."
Honda cleans house at the North American International Auto Show by winning the 2006 Car of the Year award for the Civic and 2006 Truck of the Year award with the Ridgeline. To be eligible for the award the vehicles must be new or "substantially changed" from previous models. The Ridgeline was followed by the Nissan's Xterra in second place and Ford's Explorer bringing up third.
Japanese automakers are picking up steam when it comes to pickup truck production. Nissan, Toyota, and Honda are all going after the "big three". So it's no surprise to us that PRIMEDIA's Motor Trend magazine yesterday announced the Honda Ridgeline as the 2006 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. "The Honda Ridgeline has taken the traditional understanding of a truck and completely redefined every aspect. The Ridgeline is filled with innovation and clever solutions to everyday issues. As Honda's first foray into truck models in the U.S., the Ridgeline showcases a vehicle built on intelligent technology and impressive durability." This award should no doubt boost lagging sales for the Ridgeline in the U.S. On a related note, the 2006 Car of the Year award also went to Honda for their Civic, and the 2006 Sport/Utility of the Year went to the Nissan Xterra this past October.
AutoWeek says, "If Charles Baer has his way, Honda will have a souped-up Ridgeline pickup on U.S. roads soon. Baer, 29, is responsible for the exterior design of the Ridgeline Street Sport concept shown at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show last week. His colleague, Kimberly Marte, designed the interior. Both designers work at Honda's design center in Torrance, Calif. The jet black pickup is 4 inches wider than the current model and sports 22-inch wheels. Functional aluminum side exhaust pipes give it a street-savvy look." If customer feedback to this SEMA vehicle is positive, Honda may crank these out.
According to the Detroit Free Press, "Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. are scaling back North American production of their newest pickup trucks after falling short of sales goals.
Nissan built 7,991 Titan pickups at its Canton, Miss., plant last month, 11% fewer than in September and 14% below August's production rate. Honda last week said it will make 3,000 fewer Ridgeline pickups than planned at its Alliston, Ontario, factory in the first quarter of 2006."
Honda Motor Company is cutting production of the Honda Ridgeline next quarter by 3,000 units in Canada, according to Bloomberg. "...inventory has risen to more than 100 days, while it can not meet demand for the redesigned Civic compact, said Executive Vice President Satoshi Aoki yesterday in Tokyo."
The Detroit Free Press today wrote, "Ford will raise the ante in pickup versatility by offering three trunks in the bed of its Explorer Sport Trac when it goes on sale next year as a 2007 model. Honda briefly shook up the truck world earlier this year, when its midsize Ridgeline pickup debuted with a spacious lockable trunk under its cargo bed. Ridgeline sales got off to a slow start, but Ford hopes the new Sport Trac's larger size and optional V8 engine will draw buyers. Ford sells about 60,000 Sport Tracs a year."
Honda could build a V8 engine as its next mass-produced powertrain beyond the V6, its biggest engine so far, Chief Executive President Takeo Fukui said, adding that a decision would be made in about three years.
Japan's third-biggest auto maker has long said it would not build a V8 engine, often used to power pickup trucks and other bigger vehicles, choosing instead to match its muscle with advanced powertrain technology as it did with the Ridgeline pickup.
According to AutoWeek, the Honda Ridgeline has a price problem. "The innovative V-6 pickup costs about $10,000 more than other compact trucks in the United States. And that is hurting sales, says Koichi Kondo, president of American Honda Motor Co."
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that the 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup has achieved the best rollover resistance rating of any pickup tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Demonstrating the depth of Honda's "Safety for Everyone" commitment, the Ridgeline earned industry-best ratings for both the Static Stability Factor (SSF) and Dynamic Rollover test modes.
–
The Detroit News reports, "When real estate broker Greg Harla set out to buy a pickup, he was torn between the smooth-handling Honda Ridgeline and the Ford F-150 King Ranch with stitched leather seats. It came down to legroom and looks -- and he thought the F-150 offered more of both."
GM started it, Ford copied it, and now Chrysler is going to offer it if GM continues (which they will). We're going to just throw this out there since our PhotoShop guy already took the time to make this graphic (plus we just love starting rumors). Sometime in July Honda will offer an employee discount program. Look for the program early July, to end by August 1st. You heard it here first, peeps.
–
The Detroit News reports, "Since its March debut, Honda Motor Co.'s first pickup for the U.S. market is slow to gain traction. Nissan Motor Co.'s full-size Titan pickup also has fallen short of sales targets in this all-American segment, which accounts for 18 percent of the U.S. light-vehicle market and is proving tough for outsiders to crack."
Automobile.com recently reported that Honda is increasing their Ridgeline pickup truck production to keep up with demand. "Initially, Honda of Canada Manufacturing was to produce 53,000 units for its fiscal year of 2006, divided into 3,000 for Canada, a market which sells far fewer midsize pickup trucks per capita than the U.S., which would take 50,000 in total. Now, the Japanese automaker has increased its daily input of its new Ridgelines, according to a report released by the Specialty Equipment Manufacturing Association, the automaker is on target to produce 80,000 pickup trucks annually."
Bill Griffith at The Bostom Globe reviews the new Honda Ridgeline, "...the exterior styling, resembling a robot cartoon from the front, and slab-sided. Instead of bed rails, the body line slopes downward from the rear door line to the tailgate, a styling cue that reminds one of the Avalanche."
Edmunds.com's Inside Line took a long hard look at Honda's first entry into the full-sized truck market and, as expected from any good media source, they had some good and bad things to say about this 4x4 wanna-be. Say what you want about the Honda Ridgeline and it's over-zealous claims at being a truck, but Honda did their research. Even though a die-hard truck fan will turn up their nose at Honda's attempt at an off-road Accord, of the 3 million pickups sold each year, less than 5% of them saw actual off-road time in any capacity. Honda, the marketing geniuses they are, took that opportunity to introduce their "Not For Off-Road Use" 4x4 to the US market.
–
All of the hoopla surrounding the 2006 Honda Ridgeline pickup truck has focused on the lockable trunk in its bed -- an industry first. But the Ridgeline has other consumer-friendly features that shouldn't be overlooked.
"Toyota Motor Corp. lost some ground to the competition in an annual vehicle value survey released today. Honda Motor Co. held onto its overall ranking as the best full-line automaker, while General Motors Corp., which won in four segments, was the only domestic automaker with any top-ranked vehicles," The Detroit News reported.
"California filed suit against the world's largest carmakers on Wednesday, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have cost the state millions of dollars. The lawsuit names Ford, General Motors, Toyota and the North American units of DaimlerChrysler, Honda and Nissan," MSNBC reported today.
"As Japanese competitor Toyota Motor Corp. prepares to launch the Tundra, possibly its most credible entry to date in the U.S. fullsize pickup segment, an American Honda Motor Co. Inc. official says his company has no plans to counter it," Wards Auto reports.
"Seven sport utility vehicles earned the government’s highest ratings in providing protection in front-end and side crashes. The 2006 models of the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Tucson, Mercedes Benz ML-class, Nissan Murano and Subaru B9 Tribeca received five stars in frontal and side impact crash tests for both the driver’s and passenger's side," MSNBC reports.
According to AutoWeek, "Honda Motor Co. needs more light-truck derivatives, a senior executive says. Koichi Kondo, CEO of Honda North America Inc., said more models are necessary to take advantage of Honda's manufacturing skills and participate in the expanding crossover segment. But he insisted that Honda will not build a traditional pickup."
Japanese automakers are picking up steam when it comes to pickup truck production. Nissan, Toyota, and Honda are all going after the "big three". So it's no surprise to us that PRIMEDIA's Motor Trend magazine yesterday announced the Honda Ridgeline as the 2006 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. "The Honda Ridgeline has taken the traditional understanding of a truck and completely redefined every aspect. The Ridgeline is filled with innovation and clever solutions to everyday issues. As Honda's first foray into truck models in the U.S., the Ridgeline showcases a vehicle built on intelligent technology and impressive durability." This award should no doubt boost 
AutoWeek says, "If Charles Baer has his way, Honda will have a souped-up Ridgeline pickup on U.S. roads soon. Baer, 29, is responsible for the exterior design of the Ridgeline Street Sport concept shown at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show last week. His colleague, Kimberly Marte, designed the interior. Both designers work at Honda's design center in Torrance, Calif. The jet black pickup is 4 inches wider than the current model and sports 22-inch wheels. Functional aluminum side exhaust pipes give it a street-savvy look." If customer feedback to this SEMA vehicle is positive, Honda may crank these out.
According to the Detroit Free Press, "Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. are scaling back North American production of their newest pickup trucks after falling short of sales goals.
Honda Motor Company is cutting production of the Honda Ridgeline next quarter by 3,000 units in Canada, according to Bloomberg. "...inventory has risen to more than 100 days, while it can not meet demand for the redesigned Civic compact, said Executive Vice President Satoshi Aoki yesterday in Tokyo."
The Detroit Free Press today wrote, "Ford will raise the ante in pickup versatility by offering three trunks in the bed of its Explorer Sport Trac when it goes on sale next year as a 2007 model. Honda briefly shook up the truck world earlier this year, when its midsize Ridgeline pickup debuted with a spacious lockable trunk under its cargo bed. Ridgeline sales got off to a slow start, but Ford hopes the new Sport Trac's larger size and optional V8 engine will draw buyers. Ford sells about 60,000 Sport Tracs a year."
Honda could build a V8 engine as its next mass-produced powertrain beyond the V6, its biggest engine so far, Chief Executive President Takeo Fukui said, adding that a decision would be made in about three years.
According to AutoWeek, the Honda Ridgeline has a price problem. "The innovative V-6 pickup costs about $10,000 more than other compact trucks in the United States. And that is hurting sales, says Koichi Kondo, president of American Honda Motor Co."
The Detroit News reports, "When real estate broker Greg Harla set out to buy a pickup, he was torn between the smooth-handling Honda Ridgeline and the Ford F-150 King Ranch with stitched leather seats. It came down to legroom and looks -- and he thought the F-150 offered more of both."
GM started it, Ford copied it, and now Chrysler is going to offer it if GM continues (which they will). We're going to just throw this out there since our PhotoShop guy already took the time to make this graphic (plus we just love starting rumors). Sometime in July Honda will offer an employee discount program. Look for the program early July, to end by August 1st. You heard it here first, peeps.
The Detroit News reports, "Since its March debut, Honda Motor Co.'s first pickup for the U.S. market is slow to gain traction. Nissan Motor Co.'s full-size Titan pickup also has fallen short of sales targets in this all-American segment, which accounts for 18 percent of the U.S. light-vehicle market and is proving tough for outsiders to crack."
Bill Griffith at The Bostom Globe reviews the new Honda Ridgeline, "...the exterior styling, resembling a robot cartoon from the front, and slab-sided. Instead of bed rails, the body line slopes downward from the rear door line to the tailgate, a styling cue that reminds one of the Avalanche."
