Time for Different Honda Models to Come to U.S.

jimbeemer · 04-16-2005, 11:06 PM

Now that gas has been steady well above $2 a gallon I bet American buyers would be eager to buy some of the other models Honda sells elsewhere but does not bring here. Many folks would forgo a little performance for much better economy. Examples are: the 3-door and 5-door Civics with 1.4 liter engine and getting 52.3 mpg highway, the HR-V (small SUV) with 1.6 liter and getting 37.2 mpg, and the Jazz 5-door getting 60.1 mpg. These are all currently sold in the UK. See them on the Web at: http://www.honda.co.uk/

james · 04-17-2005, 06:02 AM

I don't know about forfeiting performance. I don't want to myself

And I don't know how the performance of those models compares with ones sold in the US. Certainly judging by what I see here, Europeans drive every bit as fast and aggressively as Americans

I think the real issue in fuel economy is size, not performance. It's lugging around an extra ton or two of sheet metal that's the killer, not dropping your 0-60 time by a couple of seconds

stoner · 04-17-2005, 09:55 AM

...and don't forget the Civic diesel, like I have

The new Civic range released next year will include a Honda designed and built diesel engine, unlike the Isuzu unit that it currently uses (which is still good).

Remember that the mpg figures that you quoted are in imperial gallons.

Check out other European manufacturers like Citreon, Peugeot and Vauxhall - all of which produce ecomomical small cars.

Jackmpg · 04-17-2005, 10:06 AM

Was driving a local road here in Venice FL and saw a car I hadn't seen before. Looked a little like an Insight. It kinda went past me like a streak, got a glimpse of a Civic emblem as it shot past. Gotta go to the dealer and get a look at this one. Hybrid? Probly no such luck. Jack

jimbeemer · 04-17-2005, 12:09 PM

Stoner,

You are right -- I forgot about your bigger Imperial gallon. It seems like it would be a small step for Honda to bring the high mileage version Civics produced in UK to the U.S. After all, Honda does already import the 2-liter Si version here from UK -- it just gets poor mpg since it is performance oriented at the expense of economy.

Jimbeemer