Among the top eight automakers, the formerly Big Three are the bottom three on "green" ratings from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Toyota's No. 1, right? Nope, its Priuses can't pull up its entire fleet. Honda is No. 1; Toyota ties with Hyundai - yep, Hyundai - for No. 2. (To be fair, Hyundai sells no pickups.)
Other details are no shock, like Chrysler just making minimum efforts and GM using its light hybrids more to boost horsepower than anything else.
Showing posts with label Honda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Honda. Show all posts
October 10, 2010
November 17, 2008
Behind many a good GM car is good Toyota engineering
Some late-night GM bailout thoughts after conversations with a friend...
My best friend Kevin, who lives near Columbus, Ohio, offers a few thoughts.
1. Given the partnerships between companies, like GM and Toyota, exactly who would get bailed out?
2. Speaking of that partnership, he notes that dealers selling the Pontiac Vibe actually boast about how many Toyota components it has (as a twin to the Toyota Matrix), as a sales point.
3. Talking to acquaintances of his who have worked for both the General or Ford and now for Honda at its Marysville, Ohio plant, and asking them about the difference between Japan and the Big Three?
He said one guy just shook his head.
Another said, "At Ford, they just talk about quality. At Honda, they do it."
My best friend Kevin, who lives near Columbus, Ohio, offers a few thoughts.
1. Given the partnerships between companies, like GM and Toyota, exactly who would get bailed out?
2. Speaking of that partnership, he notes that dealers selling the Pontiac Vibe actually boast about how many Toyota components it has (as a twin to the Toyota Matrix), as a sales point.
3. Talking to acquaintances of his who have worked for both the General or Ford and now for Honda at its Marysville, Ohio plant, and asking them about the difference between Japan and the Big Three?
He said one guy just shook his head.
Another said, "At Ford, they just talk about quality. At Honda, they do it."
August 27, 2008
All Honda needs now is …
A better hybrid than a Prius. By waiting late to get into the truck game, and staying with a more economical model, and staying away from larger SUVs, Honda has managed to avoid following Toyota halfway down the Big Three’s path of sagging sales.
That said, Honda’s hybrid lineup is puny compared to Toyota’s. On Accord vs. Camry, Honda went even more than Toyota did for horsepower. On hybrid-specific vehicles, the Insight was a flop for being underpowered, poorly designed for American markets, and not living up to billing. (I test-drove one for a week and could never hit Honda’s fuel economy estimates.)
That said, Honda has announced plans to launch a Prius competitor next year.
And, going one better than Toyota, Honda plans to have a diesel version of the 2009 Accord. With U.S. clean diesel standards, even with rising diesel prices, this is a great option, and will in fact be about as clean as a Prius on emissions.
That said, I’d like to see Honda make the ultimate marriage and launch a diesel-driven hybrid.
That said, Honda’s hybrid lineup is puny compared to Toyota’s. On Accord vs. Camry, Honda went even more than Toyota did for horsepower. On hybrid-specific vehicles, the Insight was a flop for being underpowered, poorly designed for American markets, and not living up to billing. (I test-drove one for a week and could never hit Honda’s fuel economy estimates.)
That said, Honda has announced plans to launch a Prius competitor next year.
And, going one better than Toyota, Honda plans to have a diesel version of the 2009 Accord. With U.S. clean diesel standards, even with rising diesel prices, this is a great option, and will in fact be about as clean as a Prius on emissions.
That said, I’d like to see Honda make the ultimate marriage and launch a diesel-driven hybrid.
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