Honda OSM concept revealed in the U.K

July 23rd, 2008 by Car and SUV

honda-fq

Honda’s low-emission sportscar study model has been revealed at the British International Motor Show, at ExCeL, London.

The lightweight roadster design study displays one of Honda’s core engineering principles — to design stylish and exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible.

Named the OSM (for Open Study Model), the two-seater joins the confirmed-for-production CR-Z sports hybrid and FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car on the Honda stand at the show.

“We’re trying to show that low emission cars can be attractive,” says Andreas Sittel, Project Leader for OSM. “There is no reason why a car that’s more environmentally friendly can’t look great too — and be sporty and fun to drive.”

The concept for the project was ‘Clean and Dynamic’ — and this direction was followed for both the exterior and interior design, ensuring a joined-up, consistent ‘language’ between the two. One example of this can be seen at the rear of the car, where the body actually extends into the cabin between the seats.

The exterior design is a balance of smooth, rounded curves and sharp lines to provide definition in key areas. The headlights are cleverly integrated into the front end, stretching from the nose to the top of the wheel arches to look more like a part of the original body.

Inside, this uninterrupted, fluid approach is continued, with long sweeping curves extending from both door panels to form a frame for the instrument display. The concept for the dashboard was to avoid creating the traditional block of ‘heavy’ colour and material in front of the driver; in keeping with the clean and lightweight theme. For that reason, the dash is broken into sections, with the most important instruments in direct line-of-sight of the driver.

Key information is displayed in a rounded, enclosed central binnacle, with levels and figures in bright blue on a black background. This matches the trim inside the car, with the seats and door furniture trimmed in a new, gloss-effect blue leather, accompanied by white leather sections, in line with the exterior body colour, a one-off paint called Mystic Pearl.

The driver’s main controls and functions are distributed in an intuitive layout, close at hand on a panel that curves downwards to the right of the driver. A centrally-mounted semi-sequential gear-shift points towards a fun-to-drive transmission, along with paddle shifts either side of the steering wheel. Integrated into the gearshifter itself is a red ignition ‘start’ button, which reinforces the sporty direction of the car.

The Honda OSM was designed by Honda’s R&D facility in Offenbach, Germany. It’s the latest example of the young talent being developed within Honda’s design studios in Europe — following the Honda Small Hybrid Sports Concept (Geneva 2007) and the Accord Tourer Concept (Frankfurt 2007).

At present, the Honda OSM is a design study model, and there are no plans for it to enter production.

1972                The CVCC engine is developed for the Civic — a low-emission petrol engine that meets strict US regulations

1993                Honda wins prestigious World Solar Challenge with the solar-powered Type Dream car

1996                Honda EV Plus electric vehicle — capable of carrying four adults nearly 140miles on a single charge — is presented to the public

1997                We unveil the Civic GX, which runs on natural gas and is available to buy in America. It becomes the world’s cleanest car

1999                Honda launches the Insight — a petrol-electric hybrid car capable of 83mpg on the combined cycle, with emissions of just 80g/km of CO2

2003                Civic IMA hybrid saloon is launched, with CO2 emissions of 116g/km

2006                New Civic Hybrid goes on sale, with fuel economy of 61.4mpg (combined) and emissions of 109g/km

2007                A lightweight hybrid sportscar concept, named CR-Z, is revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show, and a version is confirmed for production

2008                Honda unveils OSM study model at the British International Motor Show.
The hydrogen fuel cell-powered Honda FCX Clarity rolls off the production line in Japan, and leasing of these zero emission vehicles starts in the US

2009                A much more affordable hybrid car from Honda is due to go on sale in the UK in the Spring — making cleaner motoring technology available to more people

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Honda CRV Sport (2008) – Road Test

July 15th, 2008 by Car and SUV

Honda CRV Sport fq

There’s a prevalence of cars with ‘sport’ in their name. While our adult population engages in less and less sport, at least we can have a car that makes us look like we appreciate it (and we can ferry our offspring to their sports in the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ mentality.)

So is this Honda CRV Sport really a sporty option? CRV has been stated by Honda in various global markets to mean ‘Compact Recreational Vehicle’ and ‘Comfortable Runabout Vehicle’. You could easily apply both of those without batting an eyelid, but Sport?

To me, a sport specification should be figure-hugging seats, stiffer suspension and more power. But in the CRV you get a sunroof, comfortable leather seats with fold-down armrests and 8-way electronic adjustment, rain-sensing wipers and xenon headlamps — hardly sporting options. In fact, it’s the same five-speed automatic gearbox, 2.4-litre 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC engine, 125kW, 218Nm, wheels, suspension, brakes and steering as the other CRV models. The Sport doesn’t even get the manual gearbox that the CRV and CRV Plus get! Taking liberties with naming, I think!

It does have enough pep to overtake in sensible places on the highway. The ride is compliant, and grip is excellent from the four-wheel drive system. As you would expect, it comes with a range of driver aids including vehicle stability assist (VSA), ABS, emergency brake assist and electronic brake force distribution.

Visibility forwards is excellent as the CRV sits higher than a car; visibility on the rear quarters is blocked a bit, but the mirrors are large and reversing sensors warn you of obstacles.

Honda’s instrumentation layout is clear and easy to read. Between the rev counter and speedometer is a large LCD that shows instantaneous fuel consumption, average fuel consumption, distance to empty and the number of kilometres travelled — more useful than other cars that make you scroll through screens to see this information.

Having the instantaneous fuel consumption there encourages you to limit use of your right foot. I managed to keep the CRV’s fuel consumption at just below 10l/100km range during my time with it, which matches the quoted ADR figure.

The boot has an interesting shelf that splits it in two and is useful for storing lighter items on while keeping heavy items separate in the lower half of the boot area. Because the rear seats also recline and slide forwards and backwards, the boot blind accommodates this by clipping to the headrests. The sliding seats move far enough forwards to liberate a significant amount of extra boot space if the rear seats aren’t needed.

This abundance of storage is mirrored in the front, with a central binnacle capable of holding over 20 CDs — good for the entertainment, which comes courtesy of a six-CD in-dash player, reasonably proficient speakers, and an auxiliary in for an MP3 player. An iPod input is an option. Audio controls and the cruise control are integrated into the steering wheel, which is one of the weak points in the car — it’s far too thin.

I also can’t quite understand why, when Honda has done such a great job on the leather seats, that the dashboard plastics have been totally overlooked.  They’re hard and feel a bit cheap.

Honda’s advertising campaign for the CRV says that evolution didn’t spend hundreds of millions of years perfecting the square. I wonder whether the new CRV is a bit too curvy. The CRV isn’t particularly ugly, but it does have an unusually curved rear three-quarter window that doesn’t follow the roof line, and I found it difficult to take any more than a few photos before I’d exhausted the interesting bits. I think I like the previous version’s looks (the facelifted generation-two) a bit more.

Dynamically, it’s not a sports car, but it is a family-friendly vehicle with a dash of versatility; a car that is at home ferrying dirty children back from soccer practise as it is going shopping, threading through city streets, or going on a long journey. Sensible fuel economy, ample space and good visibility will endear it to many.

Price: from $43,500

What we like

  • Easy to drive
  • Comfortable
  • Practical

What we don’t like

  • Dashboard plastics are very hard
  • Steering wheel is too thin

Specifications

PERFORMANCE

On Demand Real Timeâ„¢ 4WD system

2.4 litre, 16 valve DOHC i-VTEC engine with power of 125kW @ 5800rpm and torque of 218Nm @ 4200rpm

i-VTEC (Intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift, Electronic Control) performance and economy enhancing technology

Drive-by-Wire (DBW) electronic throttle control

Emissions fall within LEV II and Euro 4 international standards

91-octane fuel. 58 litre tank capacity

5-speed automatic transmission with Gear Logic Control

296mm front ventilated brake discs and 305mm rear solid brake discs

MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link double-wishbone rear suspension with front and rear stabiliser bars

17″ alloy wheels, 17 x 6.5JJ with 225/65 R17 tyres. Full size alloy spare wheel underfloor Speed-sensitive hydraulic power-assisted rack and pinion steering

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Driver and passenger front Dual stage i-SRS airbags, side front airbags with passenger side OPDS and full length side-curtain airbags

Active headrests for front seats, height adjustable headrests for all five seating positions Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution)

Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) collision compatibility body design with G-force Control (G-Con)

Side intrusion beams and impact absorbing bumpers

3-point ELR seatbelts (front & rear). Pretensioners, load limiters and height adjustable anchor points for front seatbelts

ISOFIX child seat attachment points (2), child seat tether points (3) and Automatic Locking Reel (ALR) seatbelts (3)

Child-proof rear door locks

Engine immobiliser, security alarm and remote central locking on all doors with visual answer back. Interior master door lock switch

Exterior

Body colour bumpers and door handles, with black mud guards

Power adjustable and retractable body coloured heated door mirrors with integrated side turn indicator

Rear lifting tailgate with window wiper (intermittent with reverse gear synchronisation)

Privacy glass for rear side, quarter and back windows

Variable intermittent windscreen wipers with automatic rain sensor

Xenon High Intensity Discharge headlights (HID) for low beam, halogen high beam, auto on/off

Front fog lamps

Four sensor reversing proximity warning system

COMFORT

Leather trimmed tilt and reach adjustable 3-spoke steering wheel, leather trimmed gear shift lever

8-way electric seat adjustment with power lumbar support (driver) and 4-way manual seat adjustment (passenger), ergonomically designed, 2-stage heating

Independent digital climate controlled air conditioning for driver and front seat passenger Cruise control, with controls integrated into the steering wheel and illuminated

Electric glass sunroof with tilt /slide function and integrated sliding shade, with one-touch open/close function and anti-trap sensor

Front and rear seat folding armrests

Centre console with twin cupholder, storage compartments and storage for 24 CDs

INTERIOR

Power windows with driver’s auto up/down and anti-trap, driver’s door mounted central locking and rear window lock/unlock switches

Leather upholstery with metal-effect trim

Driver and passenger vanity mirrors, front map reading light, ambient interior light, glove box light and accessory 12 volt sockets (3)

Rear seat with 40:20:40 upper split, 60:40 lower split and long object pass-through, sliding and folding

Spring dampened handgrabs, one with fold down coathook in rear

Sunglass storage box with ‘conversation’ mirror in front headlining

Multi-information Trip Computer with outside temperature display and fuel usage information

‘Double Deck’ rear cargo organiser and Tonneau Cover

AUDIO

Integrated in-dash 30W x 4 stereo tuner with 6 disc CD changer and 6 speakers, MP3/WMA compatible and speed sensitive volume adjustment (SVC)

Auxiliary audio input jack in centre console (suitable for a portable music player)

Remote audio system controls integrated into the steering wheel and illuminated

Every new Honda comes with a body and mechanical warranty and 24 hr road-side assistance.

DIMENSIONS & Clearances

Length (mm) 4519

Width (mm, inc. door mirrors) 1820

Height (mm) 1679

Wheelbase (mm) 2620

Track — Front /Rear (mm) 1565/1565

Weights (kg) (Plus models add 14kg): manual 1557

Ground clearance — unladen (mm) 185

Ground clearance — fully laden (mm) 140

Approach angle (degrees) 28.0

Departure angle (degrees) 23.2

Ramp-over angle (degrees) 18.0

Auto / Sport Auto 1587 / 1617

Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock 2.96

Turning circle (metres) 11.0

Luggage capacity to window line — rear seats up (litres) 443

Luggage capacity to roof line — rear seats folded (litres) 2064

Towing capacity — maximum warrantable (kg) 1500

Words and photos Darren Cottingham

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Honda Civic 2.0S Sport (2008) – Road Test

July 11th, 2008 by Car and SUV

Honda Civic 2-0S Sport fq

The Honda Civic came into being during the fuel crisis of the early 1970s. It was a small, frugal car that enjoyed instant success in many countries around the world including the US and Australia. Over time though, the Civic has come to be viewed as a bit of a ‘Nanna’s’ car.

With the new Civic it seems Honda is diverging away from the bland vanilla flavour of the previous Civic styling and trying to attract a younger audience. Sure there were some hot Type-R versions of the older models that were bought by young people, but the fact that the base models were such a great combination of comfort, efficiency, driveability and reliability meant that the Civic was really only appreciated by the blue rinse set.

The car we drove was the new Honda Civic Sport 2.0S which came with leather, paddle shift auto (SportShift) and optional Bluetooth connectivity.

The new Civic looks very fresh and futuristic. The sharper styling is definitely a leap forward from the previous shape being more distinctive and recognisable. The front and rear ends look great and appeal to a much wider audience.

The waistline seems high from the outside but once inside there is plenty of light in the cabin and it feels very airy and bright but also very safe. Interestingly the A pillar is very large and incorporates a small, non-opening window; something Nanna might recognise from the 60s – 70s as a ‘quarter vent’.

Visibility all round is very good except that the sloping bonnet and high dash conspire to limit frontal vision which makes it very difficult to judge where the front of the car is when parking.

The leather seats are very comfortable and have decent support which coupled with the adjustable steering wheel creates a good driving position. The steering wheel itself is beautifully crafted, well-sized, very comfortable and strangely ergonomic while not looking like a chewed dog’s toy. In fact the wheel is reminiscent of the elegant older ‘spoke and rim’ designs used in early Hondas .

The dash is very different from anything else on the market with a central analogue tacho taking the traditional place of the speedo which on the Civic is digital and set up and back from the other instruments. Honda’s goal in this design seems to have been to incorporate the speedo in the line of sight of the driver so he or she wouldn’t need to look down and away from the road. Maybe it’s just me, but having the speedo close to the bottom of the screen made me ignore it, rather than notice it as part of what is happening on the road.

The major controls are easy to use and feel like decent quality items, as do the heating and stereo controls.

While the styling might be quite different compared to older models, the driving experience hasn’t changed all that much. The 2.0 litre i-VTEC engine revs cleanly, produces a decent amount of power and sounds sporty in the upper rev range.

The paddle shift 5-speed auto is smooth but shift times are not ‘Ferrari-fast’. In auto mode the transmission is intuitive enough and selects the right gear in almost every circumstance.

The firm suspension is smooth enough for bumpy roads but taut and well connected to what is happening at the road which gives you confidence that the car will respond cleanly to your inputs.

The longer wheel-base of the new Civic does make for a more comfortable ride and better interior space, but has also pushed the once small Civic more toward a mid-size state. Room in the boot is more than you would expect being quite tall and deep, a definite bonus in a small-mid car like the Civic.

The only annoyance in our car was a distracting noise emanating from the driver’s side air vent on the highway and was something that I couldn’t trace the origin of, and something that the dealer would likely fix if in warranty

The interior is probably the high point for us being very comfortable, airy and generally a very nice place to be. The driving experience is not all that inspiring but is more than competent on the suburban roads that most Civics will probably end up on.

All in all the Honda Civic Sport 2.0S is a nice car that looks a lot better than previous models and will definitely appeal to young and old alike.

Price: from $36,000. The test car was fitted with the optional $450 Bluetooth phone kit

What we like

  • Spacious, airy, comfortable interior
  • Good rear and side visibility
  • Futuristic dash
  • Great styling

What we don’t like

  • Limited front visibility for parking
1.8 litre, 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC engine 2.0 litre, 16 valve DOHC i-VTEC engine
Maximum Power (kW@rpm) 103 @ 6300 114 @ 6200
Maximum Torque (Nm@rpm) 174 @ 4300 188 @ 4200
5-speed manual transmission
5-speed automatic transmission with Gear Logic, Sport mode and +/- paddle operated SportShift.
1.8 litre, 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC engine 2.0 litre, 16 valve DOHC i-VTEC engine
Suspension system MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link Double Wishbone rear suspension with front and rear stabiliser bars MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link Double Wishbone rear suspension with front and rear stabiliser bars
Steering turns to lock (revolutions) 2.7 2.7
Turning circle (metres) 10.6 10.8
Front brakes 282mm ventilated discs 282mm ventilated discs
Rear brakes 260mm solid discs 260mm solid discs
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist)
Wheel size 16 x 6.5JJ 16 x 6.5JJ
Tyre size 205/55 R16 205/55 R16
Compact spare wheel
Wheels 16″ 5-spoke
Alloy wheels		 16″ 10-spoke
Alloy wheels
1.8 litre, 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC engine 2.0 litre, 16 valve DOHC i-VTEC engine
Length (mm) 4540 4540
Width (mm) 1750 1750
Height (mm) 1435 1435
Wheel base (mm) 2700 2700
Track front/rear (mm) 1500/1520 1500/1520
Luggage capacity (litres, VDA) 450 450
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock 2.7 2.7
Turning circle (metres) 10.6 10.8
Weight (kg) 1194 (Man)
1221 (Auto)
1204 (Sport Man)
1231 (Sport Auto)		 1241 (Auto)
1251 (Sport Auto)
Maximum warrantable towing weight (kg) 1200 (Man)
1000 (Auto)		 1000
1.8 litre, 16 valve SOHC i-VTEC engine 2.0 litre, 16 valve DOHC i-VTEC engine
Fuel tank capacity (litres) 50 50
Recommended fuel 91-octane regular unleaded 91-octane regular unleaded
ADR Combined Consumption 6.9L/100km Manual
7.2L/100km Auto		 8.0L/100km Auto
Optimal NZ Drive Test 5.2L/100km Manual
5.64L/100km Auto		 6.1L/100km Auto
EnergyWise Rally ’06 6.23L/100km Manual
6.06L/100km Auto		 6.72L/100km Auto
Fuel Saver Infomation
Make and Model: Honda Civic 1.8 Sedan Manual
Star Rating: 4½ stars out of 6
Yearly Cost : $1,790
Mileage : 6.9 Litres per 100 km Reference: 3600
Note: 2008(a) cost per year based on price per litre of petrol $1.85 and an average distance of 14000 km
Make and Model: Honda Civic 1.8 Sedan Auto
Star Rating: 4½ stars out of 6
Yearly Cost : $1,860
Mileage : 7.2 Litres per 100 km Reference: 3601
Note: 2008(a) cost per year based on price per litre of petrol $1.85 and an average distance of 14000 km
Make and Model: Honda Civic 2.0 Sedan Auto
Star Rating: 4 stars out of 6
Yearly Cost : $2,070
Mileage : 8.0 Litres per 100 km Reference: 3602
Note: 2008(a) cost per year based on price per litre of petrol $1.85 and an average distance of 14000 km

Words Ben Dillon, photos Darren Cottingham

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Honda Jazz Sport 1.5 VTEC (2007) – Road Test

September 26th, 2007 by Car and SUV

Honda Jazz Sport VTEC 2007 fq

It’s been 5 years since Honda launched the Jazz and it’s remained pretty much at the top of its class, especially in terms of load space and versatility, but with a new model around the corner we thought we should take a last look at the Jazz. We roadtested a Jazz Sport in Blaze Orange.

Blaze Orange is a colour that you don’t lose in a car park. It’s instantly recognisable amongst the whites, silvers, reds and blues of the car world, like Ford’s range of colours on its Falcon. The Jazz Sport is a pumped-up version of the 1.3-litre Jazz and comes with side skirts, sports exhaust tip, mesh lower grille, roof spoiler and front fog lamps and reversing sensors in the bumper. Fifteen-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 185/55 profile tyres set the car off, concealing ventilated disc brakes up front.

It’s the Jazz’s ability to swallow up luggage that belies its dimensions — only 3.85m long and 1.68m wide. The Jazz extends its corners as far as possible without looking like a box, and you’ll appreciate the height that gives a respectable 380 litres of luggage space even with the rear seats up. Fold them forward and the flat floor gives you 1321 litres.

A seven-speed gearbox is something you wouldn’t expect to find in a car in this class, and with all those ratios matched to CVT there’s barely any break in the acceleration. Use the button on the steering wheel to change it to sequential manual, and you can play with the gears using the paddles just behind the steering wheel. The 81kW from the 1.5-litre VTEC engine isn’t brisk (even when highly revved), but is usable enough around town. The Jazz also feels the most accomplished in its class when travelling at motorway speeds, its slightly firmer suspension giving more precise handling and better feel of the road. A Macpherson strut up front and trailing arm with torsion beam, both with anti-roll bars, coupled with a low kerb weight of 1065kg means hurling the Jazz into the corners is fun and reliably consistent.

You sit fairly upright and high up in the Jazz, though it is possible to adjust the seat to a more laid back position. Good visibility all around is like sitting in an MPV and it is complemented by tiny turning circle making manoeuvring simple. An attractive and well-planned cabin features large buttons and dials for the stereo and air conditioning. Stereo controls are duplicated on the leather steering wheel for the in-dash single-CD player. A convenient under-dash parcel shelf is welcome cabin storage.

The Jazz achieved 5.59l/100km in the EnergyWise Rally in 2006, and its quoted fuel consumption on the combined rate is 6.1l/100km. It has a LEV II low emission vehicle rating.

The usual trio of ABS, EBD (electronic brake distribution) and EBA (emergency brake assist) are present, along with driver and passenger front and side airbags, and seatbelt pretensioners.

The Jazz has won plenty of accolades and its easy to see why. It would be an easy car to live with, and one that even after five successful years on the market is still showing the way.

Price: from $24,600

What we like

  • All that space
  • Handling
  • Fuel economy

What we don’t like

  • Showing its age

Words and photos Darren Cottingham

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