Honda Accord Revised for the European Market, will Debut at Geneva Show

Honda today announced a mild makeover for its European market Accord sedan and Tourer models, which are basically the same cars as the North American Acura TSX. For the new model year, the Accord receives some styling tweaks along with a revised 4-pot diesel and improved ride and handling.

On the outside, only a trained eye will notice the redesigned front grille with additional chrome elements, the headlights with clear finish indicators and the new front bumper. Other changes include the red finish for the reversing light, the addition of a decorative chrome strip above the license plate and the introduction of three new colors - Alabaster Silver, Graphite Luster.

Inside, new seat materials and door linings improve the ambiance, while Honda also added a metal-look finish trim on the steering wheel, gear level, hand brake, door inlays and the dashboard. The Type S models get exclusive textile-leather seats finished in dark grey, black head lining and red footwell lighting (blue for the rest of the range).

On the technical side, engineers worked their magic on the 150HP 2.2-liter i-DTEC 4-cylinder diesel engine, reducing internal frictional losses for improved fuel economy and emissions. No consumption figures have been released, but the automaker states that the sedan with 6-speed manual gearbox registered a 9 g/km drop in CO2 emissions, while the automatic an 11 g/km decrease. Aerodynamic underbody aids, low friction wheel bearings and reduced rolling resistance tires further improve the Accord’s economy.

To improve handling, the Japanese firm's engineers worked with their German and British counterparts to refine the damper setup.

Additionally, the cabin has been made quieter, thanks to better noise insulation combined with a thicker rear window glass, while the range-topping Accords can be specified with Active Cornering Lights and High-Beam Support System. The latter detects oncoming traffic (or the tail lamps of a vehicle in front) and automatically reverts from high-beam to normal setting, allowing for more relaxed night-time driving.

The revised Accord will receive its public debut at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show and go on sale across Europe in April.

By Csaba Daradics

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Honda Recalling 2010MY Accord and CR-V Models in the States for Engine Stalling Problems

Honda has issued a new recall for certain 4-cylinder Accords and CR-Vs from the 2010 model year to check a potential failure with the engine wiring harness connector, as it may cause intermittent spark firing or the engine to stall.

"The wire harness coupler could have been damaged during vehicle assembly, which can lead to engine stalling over time," the Japanese automaker said in a statement, adding that it identified this problem through warranty repairs, and that no related accidents or injuries have been reported to date.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects 2,277 vehicles in the States.

Under the recall, the firm's dealers will inspect and replace the ignition wiring harness connector free of charge. Notification to customers is expected to begin in early February, 2011.

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Honda Germany Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Special Edition Models

Honda has launched a new series of special edition models in Germany to celebrated the company's 50th anniversary in Europe. The first Honda store in Germany opened in 1961 in the city of Hamburg. The lineup of special edition models includes the CR-Z hybrid sport hatch, the Civic, the CR-V, the Accord and the Jazz, all of which feature additional standard equipment such as larger alloy wheels and upgraded audio systems (depending on the model) without a price increase. More details on the 50th Anniversary specials can be found on Honda's German website.

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Honda Dealer Memo Says 4-Cylinder CrossTour and 2012 CR-V on their Way Along with New Civic

The Honda fan-boys over at the Temple of VTEC claim to have intercepted an internal memo with details on the firm's upcoming models, which was sent out today to dealers. The email reportedly states that Honda will be releasing a lower-priced based version of the Accord CrossTour equipped with a 4-cylinder engine, with sales to start in "mid-summer". We'll remind you that that CrossTour is currently offered exclusively with a 275HP 3.5-liter V6 and available four-wheel drive.

The website notes the memo also mentions the 2012 Civic, which will arrive in "late April" (this has already been officially confirmed by Honda that will show a pre-production study at the Detroit Show next week), as well as the 2012 CR-V and the Pilot SUV, without, however, getting into any more details.

Source: Temple of VTEC

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NHTSA Investigating Honda Accord Hybrid for Uncontrollable Acceleration

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] has opened up a preliminary investigation to review a claim from an owner of a 2005MY Honda Accord Hybrid who said that in 2005, she was involved in an accident after the car lost braking power subsequent to crossing over rumble strips, then accelerated uncontrollably.

According to the report, the car crashed into oncoming traffic and killed her passenger. The driver of the vehicle alleges the crash left her disabled while the occupants of two other vehicles were also injured.

The safety agency added that the petition identified 22 other complaints involving Honda Accord and Civic hybrids that the driver felt represented similar incidents where the braking performance was inadequate under conditions of braking while driving over uneven road surfaces.

The NHTSA said it will investigate the case and decided whether or not to issue a recall for the affected Honda Accords. Scroll down to read the full report from the safety agency.

NHTSA Release

A defect petition letter was received by the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) requesting a formal investigation and recall of MY 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid vehicles for a possible safety defect related to braking performance. The petitioner (with assistance from another consumer due to her injuries) filed a complaint with ODI under Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) 10329383.

In the complaint the petitioner described being involved in a crash on July 23, 2005 while driving a subject vehicle. Summarily, the complaint alleges while traversing rumble strips along side of the highway and simultaneously attempting to the brake, the brakes were ineffective and the vehicle began to accelerate uncontrollably.

This began a chain of events where the vehicle eventually crossed over into traffic flowing in the opposite direction. The end result was the death of her passenger and injuries to the occupants of two other vehicles. The petitioner also alleges the crash left her disabled.

Subsequent to the incident on July 23, 2005, the petitioner did a search of ODI's complaint database and identified 22 additional complaints involving other Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles that the petitioner felt represented similar incidents where the braking performance was inadequate under conditions of braking while driving over uneven road surfaces. ODI will evaluate the petition for a grant of deny decision.

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Acura to Debut Refreshed 2011 TSX sedan at LA Auto Show

Among the world premieres listed on the Los Angeles Auto Show's official website, is the 2011 Acura TSX sedan (known as the Honda Accord in Europe and Japan). Even though Honda has already confirmed its own debuts that include an all-new electric vehicle concept and a new plug-in hybrid platform, we've yet to receive official word on Acura's plans.

However, we'll remind you that at this year's NY Show in April, Acura lifted the wraps off the TSX Sport Wagon, which will be offered in the States as a 2011MY. Given that the latest generation of the four-door model has only been on the market since 2008, our guess is that the changes on the 2011MY sedan will be limited to select new styling elements that appeared on the Sports Wagon such as the revised front grille and redesigned bumpers.

In any case, we'll keep you posted on any new info and / or pictures that come by our way.

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