Tag Archives: Honda

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Honda Takes 2022 Passport Stage Rallying To Prove Off-Road Bona Fides

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Although crossovers and SUVs often sell themselves as rugged and off-roady, we often wonder how much more capable they really are than the cars they’re based on. Honda, though, decided to take a Passport rallying, and to prove the model’s mettle, they did it without improving the drivetrain or suspension.

Driven by Chris Sladek, a suspension test engineered who works at Honda’s Ohio North American Auto Development Center, and Gabriel Nieves, a chassis design engineer, they took the Passport into competition at the Lake Superior Performance Rally last weekend.

Although the Passport featured a few choice modifications, the SUV’s suspension remained stock while the engine and transmission received no performance modifications.

Read Also: 2022 Honda Passport Looks Meaner And More Capable, Gains New TrailSport Edition

For the race, the Passport’s production 3.5-liter V6, its 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, and its all-wheel-drive system were all stock. The naturally aspirated engine makes 280 hp (283 PS/209 kW) and 262 lb-ft (355 Nm) of torque.

“The fact that we didn’t have to make any modifications to the 2022 Honda Passport’s drivetrain or suspension for such punishing terrain and competition speaks volumes to the capability and performance that comes standard in the Passport,” said Sladek.

That said, there were some improvements made with a view to longevity. The transmission got extra cooling help, while a custom-made 1/8-inch aluminum oil pan and differential skid plates helped protect them from the abuse of a rally stage. The brakes, meanwhile, were modified to feature Carbotech XP12 performance brake pads.

The interior was also stripped for competition and a roll cage, fire suppression system, a rally computer, and in-car communication system were added. The driver and co-driver, meanwhile, were kept in place with the help of OMP racing seats with six-point harnesses.

Traction was helped by 7.5×17-inch BRAID Winrace T rally wheels wrapped in Maxxis RAZR M/T or RAZR A/T tires (265/70-R17), depending on event conditions.

In the end, the Passport finished in 22nd out of 42, with a de-beaded tire on the first day holding them back. The team hopes for more in the coming season, though.

“We’re ready to go racing with the rugged 2022 Honda Passport,” said Honda engineer and co-driver Gabriel Nieves. “It’s going to be a great season.”

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Would You Drop $30,000 For A Ultra-Low Mileage 1991 Honda Prelude SI?

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If you own a Honda from the 1990s or early 2000s with reasonably low mileage, now could be the time to sell it, as evidenced by this 1991 Prelude SI that we’ve come across for sale.

While the Prelude may not get quite the attention that other Hondas of the day do, it is well regarded among the Japanese brand’s aficionados.

Being a 1991 model, this Prelude is a third-generation model that Honda produced from 1987 to 1991. It features pop-up headlights and, although at the time it was available with four-wheel steering, there’s no mention in the listing if this Prelude has it.

Watch Also: World’s Most Perfectly Preserved Honda Prelude Type SH Will Travel You Back In Time

This example is powered by a high-revving 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder pumping out 135 hp. Sure, that’s not much by modern standards, but the Prelude is very light and is a joy to take through the corners.

This particular Honda Prelude Si is finished in white, has 13,025 miles (20,961 km) on the clock, and has been “meticulously maintained” while covered in a climate-controlled garage, according to the listing. The seller adds that the car has never been driven in the rain and is equipped with every power option, including power windows, locks, and mirrors. The aluminum wheels are also wrapped in tires with 90 per cent of their tread left.

If the Prelude has your attention, you can make an offer on eBay where it’s listed with a ‘Buy it now’ price of $30,000.

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Can The Honda e Electric Supermini Handle The Moose Test?

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In order the pass the moose test, a vehicle’s entry speed must be 77 km/h (47.8 mph) or higher, and recently, a lot of new cars have struggled to stay between the cones.

One of the latest rides to have been subjected to the test was the Honda e. The electric supermini was put through its paces in the range-topping variant, which has 152 HP (154 PS / 113 kW) and 232 lb-ft (315 Nm) of torque, can sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h).

Watch Also: What Is It Like To Drive The 2020 Honda e Electric Supermini?

So, how did it do? According to Km77, the highest entry speed was 75 km/h (46.6 mph), so technically, it has failed the test, despite the low center of gravity provided by the positioning of the battery under the floor and the fact that it came with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. The Spanish outlet claimed that a higher entrance speed was not possible and ended its evaluation with the slalom test, which the zero-emission subcompact hatchback tackled with no problems whatsoever.

The Honda e’s result is comparable to other, more powerful and upmarket cars, like the Audi A7 executive sedan, which is much bigger and heavier. It is also identical to the current mega hatch king, the 415 HP and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) Mercedes-AMG A45 S, which passed the test at 75 km/h (46.6 mph) as well. Other rides that performed similarly were the 301 HP BMW M235i Gran Coupe, the regular Mercedes-Benz CLA and, surprisingly, the new generation Suzuki Jimny, to name but a few.

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Dealership Employee Filmed Swearing About Customer, Making Him Wait An Hour To Get Car Back

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Getting your oil changed is usually pretty simple, but it turned into a nightmare for one customer who took their car to Northside Honda in San Antonio.

In a Facebook post noticed by The Drive, Gabriel Rendon said he took his car in for an oil change and dealership employees also recommend he change is brake and transmission fluid as well as get a new battery.

Rendon allegedly told them he just wanted the oil change and would bring the car back in a couple of weeks to have the rest of the work done. However, the dealership reportedly ignored this and did everything. As a result, they allegedly  asked for $480 instead of the typical $30 or $40 for an oil change.

Also Watch: Dashcam Shows Dealership Employee Learning To Drive Stick On Customer’s Focus RS

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Posted by Northside Honda on Wednesday, April 1, 2020

This, unsurprisingly, led to an argument which was settled when everyone agreed to reinstall the old battery and call it a day. While that’s a reasonable compromise for a bad situation, it appears at least one dealership employee held a grudge.

As you can see in the dashcam video, they drove Rendon’s car back to the service department where the driver had a quick discussion with another employee. During this, one of them says “We gotta let this mother*cker sit an hour, because the guy’s a f*cking a**hole.”

Rendon says that’s exactly what happened as they waited for nearly an hour to get his car back. That’s far longer than it should take to swap out a battery and the lengthy delay prompted Rendon to check the dashcam and discover the dealership purposely punished him for their mistake.

Needless to say, customers should never be treated like that and it’s disappointing that at least two people knew what was happening and neither did anything about it. Now, the dealership is paying the price as the story is getting plenty of attention.

Note: Video contains NSFW language

So went to Honda today to get my oil change and while I was there, they let me know that they recommend I change my transmission and brake fluid and that I needed a new battery.  I told them I had just come in for a oil change and said I would come back in a couple weeks to get the rest done. Well turns out they ended up doing everything and wanted me to pay $480. I told them that I specifically said to only do the oil and after arguing for a while they ended up deciding to take the new battery back and put my old one back in. So they took my car to the back and I ended up waiting for almost an hour for them to put my old battery back and wondered why it took an hour to put my battery back. Well, this is why. I decided to review my dash cam footage and this is what I captured. By the way this was at Northside Honda on San Pedro and 410

Posted by Gabriel Rendon on Saturday, August 22, 2020

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1988 Pulse Autocycle Is An Aircraft-Shaped, Honda Goldwing-Powered Oddity

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Is it a plane or is it a car? Well, none actually – it’s the Pulse Autocycle, of which around 360 units were made between 1984 and 1990.

The brainchild of aircraft engineer Jim Bede, the Pulse Autocycle (originally known as the Litestar) was a cross between a motorcycle and a car – hence the ‘autocycle’ in the name. That’s a very simplistic way of describing it, obviously, because one also needs to consider the very unusual design of the vehicle which took heavy inspiration from airplanes, particularly fighter jets.

Actually, the fiberglass shell that protected the two passengers placed in tandem was reminiscent of the Bede BD-5 small aircraft, another of Jim Bede’s creations.

See Also: PAL-V Liberty Pioneer Edition Flying Car Will Set You Back $599,000

One cannot overlook the fact that the Autocycle had wings too, although those were not used for flying but rather to connect the vehicle with the 8-inch side wheels that helped it maintain balance at rest or while turning. Despite technically having four wheels, it was classified as a three-wheeled motorcycle in most states because a maximum of three wheels would touch the ground at any given time. It was also referred to as a Ground Cruising Recreational Vehicle (GCRV).

If you’re excited by the prospect of owning an airplane-like design that is actually a motorcycle with helper wheels and a steering wheel, there is one you can buy right now. Available on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $27,800, this 1988 Pulse Autocycle features a Honda Goldwing 1,200cc four-cylinder boxer engine making 94 horsepower and a fully rebuilt black and red diamond stitched leather interior.

According to the listing, it has 11,071 miles (17,817 km) on the odometer and comes with a fully documented history, two keys, and the factory tow bar. The seller also says the Autocycle has been serviced recently with a new timing belt, as well as new front, rear and outrigger tires.

Standard equipment includes a sliding plexiglass canopy, five-speed manual transmission, air conditioning, front dash blower, AM/FM/cassette radio, power retracting headlamp, and a power windshield wiper.

Accurate specifications of the Pulse Autocycle are quite hard to find, but thanks to the low weight of around 1,000 lbs (453 kg) and the 0.193 drag coefficient, the unusual vehicle is said to do 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in under 7 seconds and reach a 130 mph (209 km/h) top speed when equipped with the Honda-built 1,100cc and 1,200cc engines.

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Photo copyright 2020 Ian Peebles

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