Top Ten Cars for Teens

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2012 Honda Fit

2012 Honda Fit

 

Just in time for graduation, Autoguide.com has released their picks for Top Ten Cars for Teens. Honda proudly claims three of those spots!

The Honda Fit ranks highest, mostly for its low base price of $15,325. However, for that attractive price, drivers get a fuel economy rating of 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, and a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder i-VTEC engine, rated at 117-hp. It’s a cute compact car, rated highly by Autoguide.com for safety, reliability and usability.

U.S. News Rankings and Reviews also ranked the Honda Fit number one out of 41 on their list of Affordable Small Cars, giving it a 9.2 (Excellent) safety rating. It was also named Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which can only be earned by receiving highest scores in front, side, rear, and roof strength tests. The 2012 Honda Fit has standard side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, traction control, and brake assist.

The Honda Civic was also a top pick for teen drivers. Always reliable and affordable, the Civic is a perennial favorite. However, with the latest redesign, the most attractive feature might be the number of trims available. With seven models (sedan, coupe, Si sedan, Si coupe, hybrid, high feul-efficiency, and natural gas) and variations in each, the Civic can be a dependable basic car starting at $15,605 or loaded with options to push it up to the $24,000 range.

The Honda Civic sedan earned the highest federal government safety rating of five out of five stars, and the coupe earned a still-impressive four stars. U.S. News Rankings and Reviews gave it a 9.8 (Excellent) safety rating, and the sedan was also named Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 2012 Civic has standard vehicle stability assist, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, side curtain airbags and front airbags.

Also making the Autoguide.com list is the Honda CR-Z hybrid. The coupe starts at $19,695 and has fuel economy ratings of 35 mpg city and 39 mpg highway.  For a bit more fun but a small decrease in mpg, buyers can opt for the sportier manual six-speed transmission. Reviewers have called the CR-Z the best-performing hybrid on the market.

The CR-Z has no rear seat, so parents can be more assured that passenger distractions will be limited. Autoguide awarded the CR-Z a 9.0 (Excellent) safety rating, and it was awarded four out of five starts in federal government tests and is a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. Safety features in the CR-Z include front airbags, front side airbags and side curtain airbags, brake assist, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution and traction control, and hill start assist on models with a manual transmission.

Visit Don Davis Honda to explore our inventory of these and other safe, reliable Honda models for your teen driver and every member of your family!

Still Time to Win a Wheelchair-Accessible 2012 Honda Odyssey

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2012 Honda Odyssey

2012 Honda Odyssey

 

May is National Mobility Awareness Month. Over 18 million people in the United States and Canada have mobility issues. Six million of those are veterans. Mike Savicki, the 2012 spokesperson, is a U.S. veteran Naval aviator, a champion athlete, and a quadriplegic. Mike is speaking out with the help of the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) to raise awareness and expand mobility options for people with disabilities.

Those efforts will culminate in giving away at least three wheelchair accessible vehicles to a caregiver, veteran, or other person with a disability who is faces mobility challenges. One of those vehicles is a 2012 Honda Odyssey van, donated to the cause and customized for mobility by NMEDA members.

There are only four days left to enter and vote. Submit a 2-3 minute video or a picture and an essay of up to 400 words sharing your mobility challenges and why people should vote to help you overcome them. (Read complete rules. All terms and conditions apply.)

Best of luck from Don Davis Honda!

Edmunds.com Best Retained Value Awarded to 2012 Honda Models

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2012 Honda CR-V

2012 Honda CR-V

 

 

Edmunds.com has released their list of 2012 Best Retained Value Award winners, and Don Davis Honda is proud to announce that three Honda models make the list. Even more impressive is that Honda was recognized as the overall highest rated non-luxury brand in terms of retained value. Winners were those vehicles with greatest value for consumers based on estimated residual value after five years, as a percentage of the vehicle True Market Value.

For car buyers, choosing a vehicle with a high retained value can mean more leverage when time to trade in or resell. For those who prefer to lease, strong resale value is an important factor in determining a monthly lease payment.

In addition to Honda winning in the overall category, the 2012 Honda Civic won the Sedan category for its “wide variety of powertrains, comfortable and composed ride, good fuel economy and spacious interior.” The 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid took home the honors in the Hybrid category for many of the same reasons.

Edmunds.com perennial favorite got an even more appealing redesign for the 2012 model year, so it’s no surprise that the 2012 Honda CR-V won the SUV $25,000-$35,000 category. Due to its “room for passengers and cargo, high fuel economy, user-friendly controls, ample tech and family-friendly features, and nimble handling”, the CR-V continues its strong presence in the crossover market.

The top honors in the Van category went to the 2012 Honda Odyssey, thanks in part to its “agile handling, fuel-efficient V6, quiet cabin, configurable second-row seat, top safety scores, and easy-to-fold third-row seat.”

For more information on these 2012 award winners or any other new or certified pre-owned Honda, visit Don Davis Honda at our website, or stop by in person for a test drive!

Honda, IBM, and PG&E Pioneer Smart Charge Project

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American Honda Motor Co. has teamed up with IBM and the Pacific Gas and Electric Company on a project that will create communication between electric vehicles (EVs) and the power grid.  The initiative of this project is to combat the concern of possible power outages as the number of EVs in America continues to rise.

The Honda Fit EV will utilize a telecommunication application, often used for navigation, to send charge requests to the power grid once it is plugged into a charge post.  IBM’s Electric Vehicle Enablement Platform will process that information and use it to create an optimal charge schedule.  The vehicle will then be able to charge to the needed level while factoring in current grid restraints.

“One of Honda’s main objectives is to work to advance technologies that can address society’s environmental and energy concerns through both alternative powertrain technologies, like our 2013 Honda Fit EV battery electric vehicle, and through groundbreaking research initiatives similar to the Smart Charge project that we are collaborating on with IBM and PG&E,” said the vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda, Steven Center. “It is our hope that these technologies and infrastructure will pave the way for EVs of the future to be synched to local electric grids to intuitively and seamlessly manage charging experiences.”

With the number of electric vehicles on the road expected to be at 2.9 million by 2017, the technology that Honda is pioneering, in association with IBM and PG&E, is crucial in maintaining power grids.  For more information on Honda’s Smart Charge Project, visit http://hondanews.com/channels/honda-automobiles/releases/ibm-honda-and-pg-e-enable-smarter-charging-for-electric-vehicles.

Honda & Zipcar Team Up to Offer the Latest in Fuel Efficiency

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Honda has teamed up with Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, to form a powerful team to promote sustainable travel.  Honda is a Zipcar preferred vehicle manufacturer focusing on hybrid/electric vehicles.  Zipcar members will enjoy the latest in Honda fuel economy technology.

2012 Honda Insight Hybrid

2012 Honda Insight Hybrid

New vehicles that will be made available to Zipcar members because of the special agreement include availability of the Honda Insight hybrid, the all-new CR-V compact SUV, and the introduction of Fit EV battery electric vehicles will join the force in the fall.  The brand new Accord Sedan Plug-In model (PHEV) will also be available at select Zipcar locations in the beginning of 2013.

“The future of mobility is being shaped by economic forces, evolving technology and global trends, from increased urbanization to concerns about climate change to how the newest generation of drivers thinks about transportation,” said Scott Griffith, chairman and CEO of Zipcar. “This win-win partnership with Honda adds to Zipcar’s array of smart and sustainable transportation options and by introducing Zipsters to Honda’s newest hybrid and electric vehicles we can help increase overall awareness of these exciting new technologies.”

The 2013 Fit EV is estimated to get 123 city-mile per charge (76 mile range) and recharge its battery in three hours on a 240-volt circuit.  The 2013 Honda Accord Sedan PHEV) will utilize a two-motor hybrid system for three driving modes: electric, gas-electric, and direct drive.

Honda Adds Two More Kelley Blue Book Awards to Name

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Honda was honored with the Best Value Brand and Most Trust Brand categories in the 2012 Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards.  Both awards were given to Honda during the New York International Auto Show.

The awards are determined by data from Kelley Blue Book’s Brand WatchTM study, which looks at which auto companies are grabbing positive customer attention the best.

Honda KBB Brand Image AwardsIn commenting about Honda’s 2012 Most Trusted Brand award, Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com noted “Without surprising anyone, our inaugural Most Trusted Brand award goes to a name that’s practically synonymous with reliability and dependability.  Honda’s vehicles enjoy a decades-deep reputation as the smart choice in so many of the categories in which it competes.”

Honda has won a Brand Image Award the past five years and the Best Value Brand award is the second consecutive year.  Honda is honored with the awards from one of the leading auto industry information companies.

TERII – The Latest in Honda Security for Vehicles

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Are you worried about your Honda being stolen? Do you think typical car security systems don’t go far enough to stop would-be thieves? Well have no fear Honda owners, TERII is here.

Who’s TERII you ask? TERII is the latest in Honda security technology. TERII is a new anti-theft system that uses biometric recognition and negotiating techniques to protect your vehicle from being stolen. As your Honda anti-theft negotiator, TERII can recognize you by your fingerprint to unlock the vehicle, or prep for a thief. TERII will talk to thieves to negotiate them to steal another car. Watch and learn!

TERII is scheduled to be available on all 2013 Honda EX-L models with the technology package and navigation system.

Major Publications Choose 2012 Honda Fit as Winner of $16,000 Subcompact Shootout

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2012 Honda FitCars.com, USA TODAY, and MotorWeek teamed up to try to determine which affordable subcompact on the market was the best of the best.  They created the $16,000 Subcompact Shootout, a competition between eight subcompacts.  .  All vehicles in the shootout seat at least four, have four doors, get at least 35 mpg highway, and can be purchased for under $16,000.

The cars went through rigorous testing to determine which subcompact trumped the rest.  The needs of an average car-buyer were taken into opinion including gas mileage, practicality, user features, and comfort.  Not surprisingly, the Honda Fit left the competition in the dust, taking the top spot.

“As gas prices and used-car prices continue to rise, a shootout like this acts as a guide for consumers looking to purchase a new subcompact as an alternative to a used vehicle,” said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief of Cars.com. “In addition to confident handling, a solid transmission, great visibility and unmatched practicality, the Honda Fit is just fun to drive and emerged as our clear winner.”

The 2012 Honda Fit is available at Don Davis Honda, come out and test-drive one today!

Honda Insight the Only Hybrid on Kelley Blue Book’s Cheapest-to-Own List

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2012 Honda InsightHybrids are a hot commodity with rising fuel prices but only the 2012 Honda Insight is an affordable hybrid that delivers value to the consumer.  The Insight was recently named to Kelley Blue Book’s Cheapest to Own List.  The list analyzes new vehicles and their total cost of ownership in the first five years.

The Insight joined a list of 16 models of high fuel-economy gas mileage whose MSRPs range from around $12,000 to $17,000.  Kelley Blue Book, leading provider of new and used vehicle information, factored in depreciation, finance, insurance, maintenance, repair and expected fuel costs to create this list that included the Honda Insight.

“When it comes to purchasing an automobile, consumers need to think long term to determine all of the costs associated with owning a vehicle,” said Alec Gutierrez, senior market analyst of automotive insights for Kelley Blue Book.

The 2012 Honda Insight is proud to be included on the list as well as being the only hybrid to make the list.

Honda Really Big Sale Going on Now at Don Davis Honda

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Don Davis Honda has pulled in the inventory and has tons of incentives for drivers to visit during the Honda Really Big Sales Event going on now at the Buffalo Honda dealer! With low financing and affordable leasing options, don’t wait on this sale!

Customers will find 0.9% APR for 24-36 months available on the Accord, Civic, Crosstour, Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline! Drivers interested in leasing a vehicle will love the 2012 Accord available for $199/month for 36 months or the 2012 Civic Hybrid for $239/month for 36 months.

Come into Don Davis Honda today and get these great savings while the Honda Really Big Sales Event lasts!