Honda Civic 2009 - Review

The design from Honda for this model has been stunning.

There is a definite reason why Honda puts out popular models year after year, and the 2009 Honda Civic is not a surprise to people in the know. A triple threat, the 2009 Honda Civic is in a class by itself in economy, ecology, and value, priced at only $15,505 MSRP. Offering gas mileage of 26 miles per gallon in the city and 34 miles per gallon on the highway, the Honda Civic Sedan is an excellent automobile on more than one level.

With a 1.8 Liter, 16 valve engine that puts out 140 Horsepower, the 2009 Honda Civic can hold it's own with any car in this class. A MacPherson strut front suspension, multi-link rear suspension, and power assisted rack-and-pinion steering allow this Honda to have a smooth and level ride. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on the 2009 Honda Civic, with an automatic transmission optional. The power assisted front disc and rear drum brakes are more than capable than needed for their purpose.

The exterior of the 2009 Honda Civic Sedan looks like a much more expensive automobile, with 15 inch wheels, full wheel covers, an integrated rear window antenna, and sharp design lines. The multi-reflector halogen headlights and 2 speed intermittent windshield wipers are a nice touch.

On the interior, the Honda Civic Sedan has many of the comforts of home, including vanity mirrors. Front and rear beverage holders, power window, and a rear window defroster with a timer a just a few of the features. The fold down rear seatback and tilting and telescopic steering column complete a comfortable driving experience for a 2009 Honda Civic owner.

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Honda obviously spent a considerable amount of time and money developing the safety features on the 2009 Honda Civic, and it shows. Offering 3 point seat belts for all occupants, lower anchors and tethers for children and a driver and passenger front seat belt reminder, the 2009 Honda Civic has all the safety bells and whistles. The dual stage, dual threshold front and side airbags and side curtain airbags will no doubt save many lives. Featuring an anti-lock braking system with electronic brake distribution, side impact door beams and a tire pressure monitoring system the Honda Civic far exceeds most automobiles in this class.

The value of the 2009 Honda Civic Sedan is amazing, consumers usually do not get this quality of vehicle at such an affordable price. As for dependability, take a look around at how many 15 year old Honda cars you still see on the road, and the answer is obvious. I'll see you at the Honda Dealership soon.

Serious title contenders

There has been certainly big surprises on how the big guns such as the Ferrari & McLaren team has perform so far throughout the early season of the F1 campaign. New title contenders has emerged in the name of Jenson Button & Sebastian Vettel. F1 legend Michael Schumacher has reckons that Jenson Button will the favorite to run away with the championship this year

LEADING THE CHARGE BACK TO EUROPE: Sebastian Vettel (left) and Jenson Button have been the race winners so far in 2009 - but that may change in Barcelona. Images: AFP

He's won three of the first four races of the 2009 Formula 1 season in Asia and the Middle East but now Jenson Button will head back to Europe and into the unknown.
The championship-leading Briton has been the quickest and most consistent driver so far but, as McLaren's World champion Lewis Hamilton showed in Bahrain on Sunday, the rest are picking up the pace.
Button's Brawn GP team had an early advantage with a controversial rear diffuser which others first tried in vain to outlaw it but are now busy copying.
By the time the 10 teams gather again in Barcelona for next week's Spanish GP the new world order may have changed again

Brawn has significant new developments coming

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Button, winner in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain and third in China, said: "We've had four races; they've been pretty important to us, especially at the start of the season when people have reliability issues or are making mistakes - but when we get to Europe we don't know where anybody is going to be."
Brawn has significant new developments coming to its battle-scarred car for the Circuit de Catalunya but so have McLaren, Renault, BMW and struggling Ferrari.
With testing banned during the season, the first real evidence of how successful any of them is will come next week during Friday practice.
Button said: "We have an upgrade coming for Barcelona, I just hope it's enough. There's so much change already in the sport and going back to Europe it's going to be even more change

Jenson Button is getting his long overdue reward

."
Brawn and Red Bull, 1-2 winners in China, are a refreshing change after years of domination by Ferrari and McLaren. Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel is a fresh-faced new talent with bags of character and Button is getting his long overdue reward after years of toil among the back markers with now-departed Honda.
Toyota, still without a win since its debut in 2002, is coming more to the fore with first and second on the Bahrain grid. Scratch the surface, however, and the same old rivalries are still very much in play.
Adrian Newey, the design genius behind Red Bull, was Brawn GP owner Ross Brawn's opposite number when they were at McLaren and Ferrari respectively during the Mika Hakkinen/Michael Schumacher era.
HUGE HONDA INVESTMENT
The first stage of the season has in many respects resembled a re-run of the old Newey-Brawn duel but with cars of different colours. Mercedes-powered Brawn is also Honda's successor and owes many of its achievements to Honda's huge investment during the past 18 months.
If Honda is now cheering on the supposed minnows, having pulled out of F1 in November 2008, it's as much as anything because they've kept Toyota off the top.
The car Button will have in Barcelona will be much more of a Brawn than a Honda. Ross Brawn said: "It was such an achievement just to get the car to the first race that there were no developments left, that was it.
"From the time Honda announced it was stopping at the end of November the budget was very limited, the developments weren't coming, but they are coming now so we can get the ball rolling again with improvements." - Reuters

Do it yourself – change the oil of your Honda CR-V

 

You can save some money by doing the oil change yourself. You can follow the steps below one at a time..good luck guys

Prepare Your CR-V for an Oil Change

Step1

Lift your car up using a car jack and place jack stands underneath it. If you don't have jack stands, you can drive your car up onto tire ramps.

Step2

Pop the hood and take off the oil filler cap and remove the dipstick. These components are near the middle, on either side of the engine. The dipstick has a yellow, circular handle.

Step3

Gather a 17mm wrench and an end cap filter wrench, along with an oil drip pan, new oil filter, washer and cleaning cloths. Most Honda models use a typical banded filter wrench, but a CR-V has tight quarters near the oil plug, so you need an end cap wrench.

Step4

Slide under your Honda CR-V and locate the oil filter and oil plug. The plug is on the bottom of the engine, with the filter being on the bottom front or to the side.

Change the Oil

Step1

Use the 17mm wrench and loosen the drain plug. You can manually remove the drain plug with your hands, once the bolt is loose. Let the oil drain out into the oil pan for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Step2

Clean off excess oil and replace the drain plug, once the oil's drained. Move over to the oil filter and using the end cap oil filter wrench, remove the oil filter. Dump the old oil into the drip pan, and place the filter into a plastic bag for disposal.

Step3

Inspect the threads and check that the rubber gasket isn't stuck to the engine block. If it's stuck, pull it off. Coat the gasket with a bit of oil and replace the oil filter.

Step4

Refill the oil filler hole under the hood of your Honda CR-V. Use oil with a viscosity of 5W-30 or 10W-30, with 5W being good for cold temperatures and 10W being good for hot temperatures. Replace the dipstick, and start the car for about a minute. This helps build oil pressure and gives you an accurate oil reading.

Step5

Turn off your CR-V and check the dipstick. If it isn't at the full line, add a little more oil. Remove your car from the lifts and close the hood.

Button wins the Bahrain GP to make it 3 titles

 

Jenson Button has extended his lead in the drivers title race with his third title of the year

Jenson Button consolidated his lead in this year's title race with a masterful triumph for Brawn GP in Sunday's closely contested and supremely tactical Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old, who won in Australia and Malaysia and finished third in last weekend's rain-soaked race in China, came home 7.2 seconds ahead of German Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, the victor in China.

A delighted Button, who had set off from fourth on the grid, said: "Phew! That was a tough race, not at all easy. The team did a brilliant job. We haven't had the pace here that we showed we had at the first two races so it was important in other ways.

"For me, the first pit stop was very important and luckily I made it work thanks to getting into third place at the end of the first lap. From there on, it was tough, but it was really enjoyable. A more satisfying win than any other because it proves we are here to stay now."

Vettel said: "This is a good point for the team. I was very surprised when Lewis (Hamilton) came up beside me on the first lap and later on I just did not have the tyres to attack and do any better."

Italian Jarno Trulli, who started from pole for Toyota, finished third ahead of defending world champion Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren Mercedes and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Brawn.

In sixth was Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who finally claimed points for Ferrari, so ending their hugely-disappointing start to this season and avoiding the ignominy of recording their worst start in history.

New Honda Chief for Malaysia

 

A new chief has been appointed for Malaysia to stir the company during these tough economic crisis

HONDA Malaysia Sdn Bhd has announced the appointment of Toru Takahashi as managing director and chief executive officer of the company with immediate effect.
Takahashi, 55, previously a manager in the automobile department, overseas operations at Honda Motor Co Ltd in Japan, will succeed Atsushi Fujimoto, 46, who will assume the post of managing director of Honda Automobile Thailand Co Ltd.

Honda Forza-X

Check out this scooter from Honda

Diverse scooter market has enjoyed a dazzling array of new models over the last few years, with ever-more attractive new arrivals designed to appeal to a broader spectrum of riding styles, tastes and needs.

From simple and economical basic modes of transportation to high-tech sports scooters and larger, more luxurious commuting machines that compete with motorcycles in utility and performance, scooters have gained wide acceptance as viable alternatives to the glut of cars that now clog Australia’s crowded urban centres.

Of special interest over the last few years is the fact that scooters have not only won a following among young people, they have also attracted significant attention among more affluent working people who have been gratified to discover the exceptional range of comfort and styles available at the higher end of the price and displacement scale, not to mention the superb convenience and ease of use that the 250cc class of scooters have to offer.

Features

• Compact, High-Powered 250cc 4-Stroke Single-Cylinder Engine
• Large Fuel Tank
• Responsive Motorcycle-Class Suspension System
• Advanced Combined Disc Brake System
• The World’s First Honda Smart Card Key System for Motorcycles

Toyota Prius competing with Honda Insight

TOKYO, April 15 - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.t> expects pre-sale orders for the new Prius hybrid to reach 40,000 units in Japan by the time it goes on sale in mid-May, a newspaper reported on Wednesday, a pace that would see it easily overtake Honda Motor's <7267.t> rival Insight model.

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, sold around 73,100 units of the current Prius in Japan in 2008.

Local newspapers including the Chunichi and Nikkei reported that Toyota dealers in Japan had received orders for more than 20,000 units of the third-generation Prius. Orders are expected to reach 40,000 units ahead of the car's debut, the Nikkei said, citing an unnamed Toyota official.

A Toyota spokesman declined to confirm the reports.

Toyota is bracing for a head-on price battle with Honda's new Insight hybrid, which overtook the Prius in domestic sales in February, when it went on sale.

Hybrid car sales are expected to get a big boost from new tax and cash incentives announced by the Japanese government. [ID:nT195388]

The new Prius, which has a 1.8 litre engine, is expected to carry a price tag of around 2.05 million yen , cheaper than its predecessor, which starts at 2.33 million yen and is powered by a 1.5 litre engine. [ID:nT333230]

The Insight hybrid, with a 1.3 litre engine, is priced from 1.89 million yen, the first hybrid car to be sold for less than 2 million yen. Toyota is planning to continue selling the existing version of the Prius alongside the fully remodelled version, reportedly for the same price as the Insight.

Toyota has set a global sales target of 400,000 units in 2010 for the new Prius, which has listed mileage in Japan of 38 km per litre, versus 30 km/l for the Insight.

Honda sold some 18,000 Insights in the car's first month on the market, 3.6 times its monthly sales target of 5,000 for the model. (Reporting by Yumiko Nishitani and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Joseph Radford)

New Enhanced Honda Civic Hybrid With Reduced Price of RM129,980

We can all go green and save the environment with the Civic Hybrid. It about time that we Malaysian save mother earth.

Petaling Jaya, 10 February 2009 - Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd today introduced an enhanced version of the one and only hybrid vehicle in Malaysia, the Civic Hybrid with a new and even more attractive price tag!

The new Civic Hybrid will now cost RM129,980, 20% less than the previous pricing, after taking into consideration the tax incentives for hybrid vehicles as announced in the Budget 2009.

With the new price tag, Honda Malaysia targets to sell 300 units of Civic Hybrid this year. Honda Malaysia believes that with the more affordable price tag and enhancements to the already stylish Civic, the Civic Hybrid will receive encouraging response from Malaysians who are environmentally-conscious and appreciate innovation and advanced technology in their choices of vehicles whilst not compromising on design and driving pleasure.

The new Civic Hybrid is now available in 2 new colours: Premium White Pearl and Neutron Blue Metallic.

Since its introduction, the Civic Hybrid has been receiving overwhelming demand globally with accumulative sales of more than 250,000 units.

“With the current global economic uncertainty and rising cost of living, consumers are more sensitive towards the volatility of fuel prices. Besides this, there is also the urgency worldwide to promote advanced environmental technologies that are fuel efficient with lower emissions in order to decelerate climate change. Being a car manufacturer, it is our responsibility to preserve the environment and to leave behind minimal environment footprint.” said Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia.

The hybrid system in the Civic Hybrid draws its power from an engine assisted by an electronic motor which has been made more compact and efficient. It intelligently employs different valve timing through a 3-stage i-VTEC engine and combining it with Honda’s 4th generation IMA system. The new Honda Hybrid system, works cohesively with the 1.3 litre engine to give out more power, better fuel-efficiency and lower emissions without compromising on performance. The Civic Hybrid can give up to 31 km/litre fuel consumption, significantly more than most conventional engine vehicles.

The Civic Hybrid was recently recognized in two awards in Malaysia, namely the Innovation Award of the NST-Maybank “Car Of The Year” 2008 Award and Hybrid Cars category of the Asian Auto — Bosch Fuel Efficiency Awards 2008/2009.

The hybrid is a result of Honda’s “Environmentology” philosophy, which is Honda’s ongoing commitment to create environmentally responsible technology. The results include world-changing advances in fuel economy, low emissions and alternate sources for the future. The Civic Hybrid is built as part of Honda’s commitment to the society and towards a sustainable future through developing green vehicles that are gentle on the environment.

“Notwithstanding its advanced technologies, the Civic Hybrid is amazingly simple to drive and maintain. In fact, you use it just like you would any other car. The drive and maintenance of a Hybrid is similar to any other Honda vehicles. In fact, the Civic Hybrid gives an extra feel good boost to drivers knowing that they are contributing to the protection of the environment”, said Mr. Fujimoto.

Mr. Fujimoto also hinted that Malaysians could look forward to the new face-lifted 8th Gen Civic which will be launched in mid March 2009.

Check out this latest edition of Civic Hybrid at your nearest authorised Honda Dealers today! You can also log on to www.honda.com.my/models/hnr/hybrid.html to find out more about thetechnology behind the Civic Hybrid through an interactive game. For more information, please call Honda Toll Free number at 1-800-88-2020.