Eight years ago I was looking at the exact same speedometer in a Honda Helix scooter. No joke. The speedo in the Helix and Insight are absolutely one and the same. Now most of you may not know what a Honda Helix actually is. Fair enough. It’s a very large scooter that can go 70 mph, get 70 mpg, and puts you in a near recliner position when on the road. Honda happily made them for 20 years. The Insight? Well multiply the Helixes $5000 cost by five and you pretty much get all that and the most fun to drive hybrid on the road today.

The current Honda Odyssey was last redesigned for the 2005 model year. There are three main trim levels for this seven-passenger minivan: LX, EX and Touring. The well-equipped LX features full power accessories, cruise control, side curtain airbags, stability control and a CD player. The EX adds alloy wheels, eight-passenger seating, power-sliding doors, power driver seat, a six-disc CD changer, in-floor storage with a “lazy Susan” and second-row sunshades.

There’s also the EX-L version that provides leather seating, heated seats and a moonroof. The Touring adds a power tailgate, triple-zone climate control, driver memory seat, AC power outlet, power-adjustable pedals, foglights, parking sensors, a second-row removable center console, run-flat tires and a tire-pressure monitoring system. A rear entertainment system and navigation system are optional on the EX-L and Touring.

A midcycle refresh occurred three years later that brought a restyled front end and new luxury features including Bluetooth connectivity and a back-up camera integrated into the rearview mirror.

For power, the Honda Odyssey relies on a 255-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. One special feature for this V6 on top trim levels is Variable Cylinder Management, or VCM. VCM improves the Odyssey’s fuel efficiency by “shutting off” three of the engine’s six cylinders during cruising and deceleration. When power is needed for acceleration, the engine seamlessly switches back to all six cylinders.

On the road, the Odyssey impresses thanks to its powerful engine and stable handling. Cornering is flat, the steering is direct and acceleration and braking are linear and sure. All of these qualities have made this Honda van a favorite of Edmunds editors, and it has won the Edmunds.com Editors’ Most WantedSM minivan award more times than any other minivan on the market.

2008 Honda Accord continues refinement and adds more power, room, safety, and features-to-cost value. Content and engines determine the model designator, though all have the same roomy, functional cabins, array of safety equipment, and driving characteristics.

For 2008, the Accord is available with a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, two transmissions, and LX and EX trim levels. Further subsets include a new premium package that adds more convenience bits to an LX, and EX-L models that add leather and luxury features. The hybrid model and V6 sedan with manual transmission have been dropped.

The Accord is big on efficiency, be it getting the most power and range from a gallon of gas with the least emissions, making the largest interior available given the exterior space it takes up, or providing the smoothest, quietest ride possible in the lightest weight. Whether moving four people comfortably at 30 mpg or enjoying the long way home, the Accord is up to the task.

The 2008 Honda Accord competes with the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, Saturn Aura, and the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The extra space offered by the 2008 Accord means that shopping list might also now include the Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon and VW Passat. The 2008 Honda Accord is offered in coupe and sedan forms, with three engine choices.

Accord LX sedans are equipped with a 177-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The LX Sedan ($20,360) comes standard with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, power mirrors and door locks, variable intermittent wipers, tilt-and-telescoping steering column and illuminated wheel-mounted controls, folding rear seats, and an MP3/WMA/auxiliary input 160-watt sound system. The LX-P Sedan ($21,360) is an LX with a premium package that adds alloy wheels, a power driver’s seat, power windows, security system, and chrome tailpipe. LX models come with a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission ($800).

The Accord EX Sedan ($23,060), EX Coupe ($23,160), and LX-S Coupe ($21,860) get a higher-revving, 190-hp version of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. They come with five-speed manual or automatic transmission ($800). The EX Sedan is also available with the V6 and automatic ($25,960). The EX-L Coupe ($28,310) is available with the V6 and a choice of five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

EX-L stands for leather on the seats and steering wheel, but the EX-L Sedan ($25,060), EX-L Coupe ($25,160) also get dual-zone automatic climate control, a 270-watt sound system with subwoofer, heated front seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror, compass and outside temperature display. The EX-L V6 Sedan ($28,060) and EX-L V6 Coupe ($28,310) add four-way power adjust for the front passenger seat. Honda’s navigation system is packaged with voice-activation and steering wheel controls, Bluetooth, and XM satellite radio on the EX-L Sedan ($27,260), EX-L V6 Sedan ($30,260), and EX-L V6 Coupe ($30,510).

Safety equipment is standard, with six airbags, including two-stage front airbags, dual-chamber front side airbags, side curtain airbags; active front head restraints, electronic stability control, antilock brakes, and tire pressure monitors

Honda Civic, originally born in 1972, has evolved with decades of innovations that have placed it at the pinnacle of perfection. It is a truly global car, driven in more than 160 countries. The car is the ultimate combination of styling, luxury and technology that has to be experienced.

The current Civic is the best yet. It is the most powerful and the most fuel-efficient, and comes in a wide range of models, from the 197-horsepower Civic Si to the Civic Hybrid. It is also the most radically designed Civic to date, inside and out.

The current Honda Civic, which was introduced for the 2006 model year, is available in two body styles: coupe and four-door sedan. Both styles share four trim levels: a base DX, EX, LX and Si. The DX, EX and LX are powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 140 hp. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, and a five-speed automatic is optional. All trims get a broad range of safety features, such as anti-lock brakes, front-seat side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags.

Those accustomed to the Honda Civic’s conservative tradition will be surprised to find a dramatic-looking interior that features a new two-tier dashboard layout. A digital speedometer sits on top of the dash, while the tachometer is the lone instrument gauge behind the steering wheel. In terms of premium features, the DX is pretty limited, and you’ll have to jump up to the EX and LX trims to get air-conditioning and powered accessories. The EX and LX also add upgraded stereo systems and sportier 16-inch wheels.

Always known for its reliability, the Honda Civic has also earned a reputation for performance and fuel economy. Honda’s VTEC technology first appeared in the fifth-generation Civic, which was sold from 1992-’95. The Civic VX featured a fuel-efficient 92-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder with VTEC-E.

More powerful was the 128-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder VTEC engine found in the Civic Si and EX sedan trims. First sold only in hatchback and sedan body styles, the fifth-gen Civic got two coupe trims in 1993, the DX and EX. The lower CX and DX trims each had a 70-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine.

The Civic is a great value within its class. The car has great styling, high quality, smooth ride, sweet power-train, super mileage and excellent quality. The Honda Civic has one of the best safety packages in the class, with standard anti-lock brakes, side air bags and side curtain air bags.

The new Civic 1.8V will additionally sport features such as leather seats, front fog lamps and turn indicators integrated into outside rear-view mirrors. The new variant is also offered in two new colours, Mystic Violet and Carbon Bronze Pearl. The price range is Rs. 11.51 lakh for 1.8V MT and Rs. 12.21 lakh for 1.8V AT.

Complementing S2000’s racy powerplant is the car’s excellent handling, a mix of good grip, impressive balance, and minimal body lean. The only complaint regarding S2000’s handling is in the car’s steering, which has been changed to provide increased feedback, according to Honda. Although still blessed with meaty weighting, a quick ratio, and excellent turn-in response, the system nonetheless remains a tad numb, hampering efforts to precisely gauge corner-entry speeds and thereby reducing driver confidence at the limits. Although not terribly obvious in street driving, this issue becomes more evident on a racetrack. In our brief test laps at Road America, we found the car getting greasier than we expected in a few corners, the result of being fooled into carrying a bit more speed than we should have.
Such quibbles aside, S2000 is a joy to drive quickly, thrilling drivers with overall handling that rivals or tops sports cars costing considerably more.

The car’s interior although snug inside, the cabin is well thought out and comfortable. Redesigned door panels and center console further embellish what was already a surprisingly rich interior for the car’s low starting price. The seats are comfortable and well suited to performance driving, with good back support and generous side bolstering. Although they’re manually adjusted and the steering column neither tilts nor telescopes, it’s easy to set up an effective driving position.

The 2.2L engine, with a higher compression ratio, produces the same amount of horsepower as the old 2.0L, but the power peaks at a slightly lower rpm. The torque figure has also increased slightly, and is available lower in the rev range, although the car still needs to be revved hard to get any acceleration out of it. Consequently, the redline has also come down by a few hundred rpm. A revised 6-speed manual transmission provides lower gear ratios on gears one through five, and a higher sixth speed gear for highway cruising. The compact transmission features a direct shift linkage with class-leading feel and short throws. A Torsen limited-slip differential smoothly delivers power to the rear wheels, regardless of traction conditions.

The S2000 retains its Boxster-chasing handling, still aided by the same chassis that has an ideal almost-50/50 weight distribution The body and frame are a hybrid monocoque-frame structure that forms a rigid, flex-free platform for the S2000’s double wishbone suspension system, and plays an important role in helping the S2000 achieve its high level of safety protection, given that it’s a convertible. The power steering system is a highly responsive, electrically assisted type. Larger front 215/45 87W and rear 245/40 91W tires are mounted on newly-designed 17-inch alloy wheels, and 11-inch brake discs provide excellent stopping power and brake feel. For 2004, new brake pad material improves the pedal feel and resists fading in high performance driving. An anti-lock braking system is standard.

The interiors of the car he car give a sporty experience. It also gives the driver a pleasurable experience. The City ZX VTEC comes with new leather upholstery. This enhances the overall interior ambiance making it more luxurious. You can feel the opulence of new leather upholstery in City’s spacious interiors. The car is equipped with a state-of-the-art 1 Din MP3 CD player with AM/ FM tuner.

Luxurious dual tone interiors make the car look all the more luxurious. The interior also offers numerous storage features. High efficiency NVH controls and Improved H-type torsion beam rear suspension makes driving and enjoyment. One good feature of Honda City ZX is it’s engine. Honda’s intelligent Dual and Sequential Ignition (i-DSI) engine is the second i-Series engine, next to i-VTEC, that employs compact combustion chambers and two spark plugs per cylinder with individually controlled ignition timing for more rapid and complete combustion.

Other refinements include world-leading friction reduction technology utilizing molybdenum-impregnated piston skirts, a rear-port exhaust system and an oblique-feed catalytic converter. And though the 1497 cc long-stroke engine has two valves per cylinder and only a single overhead camshaft, its output is a respectable 77Bhp at 5000 rpm with 125 Nm of torque peaking at a low 2700 rpm.

When it comes to your safety, Honda leaves no stone unturned. Safety features include New SRS airbags and ABS technology. Also enjoy added safety in the City’s new impact absorbing body structure resulting from G-force control technology.

The City ZX is an ingenious mix of dynamic styling, advanced technology, versatility and economy. Look at it from the front, the back or the side – and it will leave you speechless! The cabin forward design contributes to wider front visibility for safer driving and also allows for easy maneuvering in tight parking spaces.The Honda City ZX is a product of much research and careful thought, this is one car built for superior performance on Indian roads. Honda City ZX comes with a Power Steering. At low speeds, steering is easy, requiring little effort. However, steering is heavier at high speeds, providing a firm and secure grip for safety.

The interiors of the car he car give a sporty experience. It also gives the driver a pleasurable experience. The City ZX VTEC comes with new leather upholstery. This enhances the overall interior ambiance making it more luxurious. You can feel the opulence of new leather upholstery in City’s spacious interiors. The car is equipped with a state-of-the-art 1 Din MP3 CD player with AM/ FM tuner.

Dual tone interiors make the car look all the more luxurious. The interior also offers numerous storage features. High efficiency NVH controls and Improved H-type torsion beam rear suspension makes driving and enjoyment. One good feature of Honda City ZX is it’s engine. Honda’s intelligent Dual and Sequential Ignition (i-DSI) engine is the second i-Series engine, next to i-VTEC, that employs compact combustion chambers and two spark plugs per cylinder with individually controlled ignition timing for more rapid and complete combustion.

Other refinements include friction reduction technology utilizing molybdenum-impregnated piston skirts, a rear-port exhaust system and an oblique-feed catalytic converter. And though the 1497 cc long-stroke engine has two valves per cylinder and only a single overhead camshaft, its output is at 77Bhp at 5000 rpm with 125 Nm of torque peaking at a low 2700 rpm. Safety features include New SRS airbags and ABS technology. Also enjoy added safety in the City’s new impact absorbing body structure resulting from G-force control technology.

The 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid garners solid praise for its fuel-efficient value, sleek, futuristic redesign and fuel-sipping habits. In our rankings, the sedan receives high scores for its conventional exterior style, its high-quality cabin and for its outstanding safety. But there are many reviews who report the Civic Hybrid’s performance is underwhelming — even as a hybrid vehicle, it does not provide as much power on the highway as expected. As a result, the Civic Hybrid’s lowest score on our list is for performance.

The Civic Hybrid comes only as a four-door sedan. The 2008 model of the Civic Hybrid carries over from 2007 virtually unchanged, save for a tire pressure monitoring system. If you’re in the market for a hybrid vehicle, also consider the Toyota Camry Hybrid or the Toyota Prius. If you’re interested in an affordable small car, consider the gas-engine Honda Civic, or the Honda Fit.

The petrol engine in the Honda Civic Hybrid shuts down completely when the vehicle stops. This is because an idling engine gets zero mpg and creates some of the highest levels of exhaust emissions.

The IMA system provides seamless acceleration on par with the standard Civic’s larger, 1.8-liter gasoline engine. But a new accelerator design requires drivers to put the pedal all the way to the floor to get the vehicle quickly up to speed.

The Civic Hybrid looks almost identical to the conventional gas-powered sedan. Its cab-forward design pushes the passenger compartment as far to the front of the vehicle as possible. The design features bold front-end styling with a steeply raked windshield and sweeping roofline.

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
See Honda Civic Hybrid pictures
Inside, a two-tiered instrument panel employs a digital speedometer, fuel gauge, and IMA readout at the top of the dashboard, right in the driver’s line of sight. The tachometer, which displays engine speed, and other gauges are housed in a lower tier behind the tilting and telescoping steering wheel.

The interior of the Honda Civic Hybrid includes exclusive two-tone seating. Compared to the conventional sedan, trunk space is slightly compromised to accommodate the hybrid system’s battery pack. The batteries also preclude the split-folding rear seat found on other Civics.

The second big trick that hybrids can do is recharge their own batteries. The recharging occurs when you lift off the throttle, when you hit the brakes, or when cruising if the computer determines that the battery needs charging. When you get off the gas in a hybrid, the primary source of deceleration is the electric motor, not the gas engine as in a conventional car. Moreover, the hybrid uses a special electric motor that can also operate as a generator. Send this electric motor electricity, and it will produce power; rotate it using external forces, and it will produce electricity. Using the car’s momentum to spin this motor, therefore, creates electricity, which is sent back to the battery pack. That’s called regenerative braking. Hitting the brakes lightly will cause the electric motor to resist motion further, and in doing so, even more electricity is produced to send to the batteries.

The Civic has a digital display that shows how much electricity you’re sending to the battery or how much you’re using up. Brake moderately hard, and you’ll light up the maximum number of green LEDs. Hit the brake pedal harder, and you’ll activate the conventional brakes, just as you would in any other car. It’s a challenge to send the maximum amount of charge without employing the traditional brakes.

The final benefit of a hybrid is that the gas engine shuts off when you come to a full stop, thereby saving fuel. In the first Civic hybrid, if the air conditioning was on and the econ button was not engaged, the engine wouldn’t shut down. This latest hybrid solves that problem by adding an electric-motor-driven portion to the A/C compressor. So, at a stop, the electric compressor keeps the cabin cool. As soon as you lift your foot off the brake, the gas engine whirs to life again.

The Honda Element offers reasonably peppy around-town response with enough smoothness to make everyday commuting a pleasant enough experience. From behind the wheel, the Element feels just as tall and boxy as it is — although the steering offers positive feedback and the wide stance keeps it stable even in aggressive/evasive maneuvers.

The wide opening provided by the unique clamshell side doors is useful, but opening the rear doors for passengers is not always as convenient as one might think — to open them, the front doors must be opened first, leading to some annoyance for the front occupants as they must always open their doors in order to allow people in or out. If you don’t carry rear passengers often, you likely won’t notice.

There is a notable exception to the Element’s cavalcade of ergonomic excellence: yet another cheesy single/double-din radio. An optional subwoofer is probably the least satisfying answer to the challenge of listening to acoustic referencing only slightly better than Ye Olde Close N Play. In fact, Honda’s budget ICE machines must be keeping after-market radio shops in business.

Honda’s Element is still in its first generation, but was significantly updated in 2007, its fifth year. It’s a bit more stylish and laidback outside, and a little quicker too thanks to a 10-hp increase and a new, more efficient five-speed automatic transmission replacing the previous four-speed auto. It should also be safer than ever, thanks to new safety equipment including standard stability control and optional side curtain airbags.