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The Special Edition CR-V, which is based on the entry-level or base model, picks up alloy wheels, reverse parking sensors, roof racks and fog lamps, all for just $1000 more than the standard price.

Available with a five-speed manual transmission from $32,990 or an automatic transmission from $34,990 the Special Edition CR-V is in showrooms from today.

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Honda first competed in the Rally of Canberra, placing 5th overall on Day One but was forced out on Day Two due to technical difficulties.

Honda Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Yasuhide Mizuno said although rallying provided significant challenges for the two-wheel drive Type R against a field dominated by four-wheel drives, Honda was looking forward to finishing off a great year of racing.

“Honda generated a lot of interest with the Civic Type R at the Rally of Canberra as we were competing against the four-wheel drive turbos with our two-wheel drive production car. If everything works out in Coffs Harbour, we would like to continue in the 2009 season and prove that Honda is serious about racing in Australia.”

The Coffs Coast Rally will commence with a ceremonial start in the city centre on Friday 14 November. The stages will take place on 15 and 16 November, with the main service park at BCU Stadium. Further details can be found at www.rally.com.au

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The car is likely to boast similar dimensions to its German counterpart as well as Nissan’s Infiniti FX35.

Little can be inferred about its styling due to the heavy camouflage, however its low roofline and large wheels suggest its design influences are more sporty rather than rugged.

Educated speculation at this point suggests this new model will likely make its public debut in early 2010.

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Ethanol fuel is derived from plants (e.g. corn) and is seen by many as a step in the right direction. However, the benefits of Ethanol fuel are debatable, whilst better for the environment as a fuel, the production cost and the CO2 produced during the production phase can in some cases outweigh the benefits.

The most obvious problem with ethanol fuel is the ‘food Vs fuel’ debate, where food supplies that can go to feeding large populations have been used to produce fuel. Honda, however, has come up with a clever system of using only the inedible stalks and leaves of plants, leaving the edible parts for human consumption.

Honda in association with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) is working to produce ethanol fuel from cellulose and hemicellulose, compounds found in soft biomass such as vegetable waste which includes inedible leaves and stalks of plants such as rice straw. Of course this already raises the question of whether or not this “waste” is better left for decomposition.

Although the realisation of the technology’s full potential is still some time away, the RITE-Honda research is one of the world’s leading organisation in the ethanol field.

Do you believe the use of ethanol fuel provides a reasonable and long term solution to the energy crisis?

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Under its slightly longer body and reworked chassis, the new Odyssey boasts agile recalibrated double wishbone suspension at all four corners.

It will also be available with an optional all-wheel drive system mated to a 2.4-litre four-cylinder i-VTEC engine producing 127kW or 152kW in the flagship Absolute model for the Japanese domestic market.

The interior features a futuristic Star Trek-like console layout with many gadgets to keep the occupants amused including a new multi-positioned camera system that allows drivers to get a bird’s eye view of the vehicle to assist with parking.

It also features a versatile seating layout which can be arranged in a multitude of ways much like the current Honda Jazz.

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This latest example of Honda using pedestrian dummies to proactively research the area of pedestrian injury, says Honda Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Yasuhide Mizuno, will benefit cars imported into Australia as early as next year.

“Honda is committed to producing the best cars and ensuring they are as safe as possible. Honda models sold in Australia will soon be tested using this latest crash test technology making our cars safer than ever,” Mr. Mizuno said.

In 1998, Honda became the first car company in the world to develop a pedestrian crash test dummy that reproduced the human body’s kinematics during vehicle-to-pedestrian collisions. The project identified the parts of the vehicle that caused the most injuries and developed new technologies to reduce such injuries. That same year, Honda applied those technologies to the HR-V.

With the introduction of POLAR III, a more faithful reproduction of lower back and upper legs has been introduced. This enables better evaluation of bone fractures in these areas, in addition to the existing ability to evaluate injuries to knee ligaments and fractures to lower leg bones.

Since research began in 1998, Honda has used its findings to improve the impact of accidents on pedestrians and continues to apply this technology to more of its models.

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Apparently the eventual decision to use the V10 powerplant was highly debated among R&D staff as well as American Honda representatives who questioned the need for the engine.

“Sports is a special category. We said if we’re going to do it, we’re going to go to the extreme.” said Kondo.

Honda expects to sell just 1,000 examples of the NSX per year in the United States where the car will be launched first.

Kondo has also confirmed the NSX will carry a higher price tag than the GT-R in the US, however the GT-R retails for just over $70,000 there.

It is highly doubtful the NSX will be sold in Australia with early reports suggesting it will only be available in markets which include the Acura brand.

Source: Automotive News

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While you won’t be breaking any speed records, the 1.5 litre, four-cylinder, SOHC engine provides just enough oomph, whilst manageability is at a premium with light steering that doesn’t compromise stability.  There is nothing laboured about this jazzy number, gear changes are smooth and accurate and the highly responsive steering makes parking a breeze.  Despite its miniature frame the Jazz sticks to the road providing peace of mind on both sealed and unsealed surfaces.

The attempt at reducing driver distraction stuck out for me, starting with the design of the dash and instruments.  Commonly used controls, such as those for the ventilation system, are close to the driver and are both large and simple to use.  The cruise control is easy to use, just a matter of two button pushes and the LCD stereo display is easy to read (including the added bonus of song and album information) but isn’t overly bright which comes in handy for night driving.

Positioning on the steering wheel of the audio, info and cruise control buttons means you aren’t accidentally pushing buttons when trying to steer.  The stereo throws out great sound and also has an auxiliary connection to rig up your iPod or MP3 player. If I had to fault it, I’d say the dash is a tad ‘plastic’, which I feel does cheapen the car, but in terms of layout and design, still scores high points.

The instrument display isn’t crowded with too much information which is a big plus for me.  It is a “back to basics” layout comprising three large red dials – tachometer, speedo and fuel gauge. I especially like the size of the fuel gauge, so you are always reminded of exactly how much is left in the tank. A small LCD screen in the middle of the dials allows you to flick through other information such as fuel consumption and trip time.

The Honda Jazz is yet another one of those ‘beeping’ cars, must be aimed at the American market, which becomes a little annoying at times. It beeps when the door is open, if seatbelts aren’t on, if the key is left in when the driver’s door is open and if the headlights are left on, still it may help prevent a flat battery I guess.

The futuristic design of the car looks great on the road and is also functional, the front pillars have been bought forward, adding an extra panel of window just at the back of the side mirrors. The extra glass gives a much more spacious feel, detracting from the compact nature of the Jazz. Large side mirrors add to visibility, but the depth of the side pillars do make a quick blind spot check a little challenging.

I’ll be honest; I have had my small car issues in the past and never dreamed of attempting a family weekend away in such a class of car.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by the Jazz.  It has more space than first meets the eye; I was able to fit a pram and luggage (or a good load of shopping) in the boot.  The boot is also at a great height for lifting a pram or similarly heavy items in and out.

Two child seats easily fit in the back seat and the Jazz is equipped with three full child seat anchors across the rear roof.  However, the anchor straps do cut across the rear window, reducing visibility and carrying space. When a toddler is in a child seat, it puts them right at the door handle level, but the tried and tested child lock averts any disasters.  The rear seats also have space to stash extra bags underneath which I found very handy.

Legroom for the front seat passenger is limited though, there is no hope of opening the glove box without amputating the passenger’s knees and I also found myself punching the passenger in the leg when changing into first or second gear.  But space issues are always going to be there in a small car, it is after all a small car!

I missed the central console but loved the many (ten in total) cup holders, most notably the one on the right hand side of the steering wheel which means no looking down to find your coffee while driving. If kids aren’t involved and the cargo space is what you are after, the back seats fold down to create more space to fit anything from a surf board to more luggage.

The cargo space jumps to 848 litres with the seats folded as opposed to 337 litres with them in place.  Honda has come up with a ‘magic’ seat system which means the seats literally fold down in one easy action, no yanking, pulling or digging out the instruction manual required.

In the current climate of high petrol prices, economy is also a big plus for this little number.  The highest I saw the consumption climb was 6.3 L/100km in peak hour traffic with it dropping to 5.9L/100km on the open road.  Although filling up for the first time had the line of Friday evening petrol station goers behind me seeing red until I figured out you push the fuel door to open it, so don’t go searching for the release lever.  The fuel door does lock with the central locking.

The ride is quite comfortable, the only issue I had with the seats themselves was that the headrests adjust too easily and can be knocked out of position with the slightest touch.

Although safety is a priority with side curtain airbags, seatbelt indicators for all passengers and super bright brake lights, it isunfortunate that the engine/automatic gearbox combination that Honda Australia has chosen precludes the inclusion of Electronic Stability Control(ESC).

However, Honda is working with the engineers in Japan to bring this vital safety feature to the Australian version of the Jazz as soon as possible.

All in all, this is a great little car for your money. A compromise on space brings fantastic fuel economy and an easy, user-friendly car that is hard to fault.

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Pricing:

• Honda Jazz GLi $15,990 (M) / $17,990 (A)
• Honda Jazz VTi $19,170 (M) / $21,490 (A)
• Honda Jazz VTi-S $21,590 (M) / $23,920 (A)

Specifications:

• Engine: 1497cc SOHC four cylinder (16 valve)
• Power: 88kW @ 6600rpm
• Torque: 145Nm @ 4800rpm
• Transmission: Five speed manual
• Brakes: Four-wheel discs with ABS
• Driven Wheels: Front
• Fuel Type: 91RON petrol
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 42 litres
• Fuel Consumption: 6.4 litres per 100km (Combined)
• CO2 Emissions: 151g/km
• Safety: Front, Side & Curtain Airbags
• EuroNCAP Rating: Four stars
• Service Interval: 6-month/10,000km
• Spare Wheel: Full size alloy
• Turning Circle: 9.8 metres
• Towing Capacity: 1000kg (Braked)
• Warranty: 3-year/100,000km
• Weight: 1090kg (Tare)
• Wheels: Alloy 16 x 6.0-inch

Road Test the Rivals:

• Holden Barina (from $14,490)
• Hyundai Getz (from $13,990)
• FIAT Punto (from $19,990)
• Ford Fiesta (from $15,990)
• KIA Cerato (from $16,840)
• Mazda 2 (from $16,500)
• Mitsubishi Colt (from $15,990)
• Suzuki Swift (from $15,990)
• Toyota Yaris (from $14,990)
• Volkswagen Polo (from $19,990)

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The Thai built offering features a 1.5 litre i-VTEC four-cylinder engine producing 88kW and is said to promote a relaxing interior feel whilst placing an emphasis on driving smoothness - watch out Civic!

Meanwhile over at the Ford stable, the new Fiesta hatch will take centre stage as the “Kinetic” designed three and five door models make their debut down under.

The German designed and developed Fiesta is powered by a 1.6 litre DOHC Duratec four-cylinder engine which Ford says is good for 6.1 litres per 100km combined average (when fitted with a manual transmission). For the budget savvy, Fiesta also comes with a 1.4 litre power plant with dedicated automatic in a similar vein to Nissan’s current Micra.

The new Jazz and Fiesta are among 40 new production models and concept designs being unveiled when the Australian International Motor Show opens at Sydney’s Darling Harbour on October 9. CarAdvice will of course be in attendance to bring you complete coverage.

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The 2.4 litre EURO4 compliant DOHC i-VTEC engine produces peak power of 133kW and 222Nm, while boasting fuel economy of 8.8 litres per 100km.

With an equally impressive CO2 emissions level of just 209 g/km, the Accord outstrips many medium cars in the economy stakes and even rivals some small cars.

“The Accord offers the highest level of refinement in the large car segment and represents outstanding value for money. Both variants offer excellent fuel economy, which means less money being spent at the petrol pump.”

Since the release of the 8th generation Accord, it has acquired over seven percent of the market to become Australia’s most popular four-cylinder large car in the private sector.

Safety features include dual front and side airbags, ABS brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Vehicle Stability Assist, active front head restraints and front seatbelt pre-tensioners as standard.

Creature comforts are equally generous, with steering wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, dual-zone climate control, power windows and mirrors, security alarm, audio system with six-stack CD player and six speakers with MP3 compatibility as well as 16 inch alloy wheels.

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As far as we can gather, there are no major internal changes, merely cosmetic changes to the front and rear lights, with the addition of a more aggressive bumper and updated alloy wheel.

It sure does seems as though Honda is more focused on its new range of hybrid cars.

One other Honda hybrid car expected at Honda’s Paris stand is the CR-Z sports concept car. The car which we are determined will become the new CR-X. It will also be the first mass produced hybrid sports car from the Japanese company.

Honda intends to start a revolution with the CR-Z, by offering a small petrol-electric hybrid sports cars. The CR-Z, a sporty 2+2, takes many ideas from the CR-X cult-car, most notably it will utilise a split level glass rear window, a feature Honda has used in over three decades in the CR-X.

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