Honda Claims Top Pick spots with Consumer Reports

This year, 3 Honda vehicles, the Accord, CR-V and the Odyssey made it to the top of the Consumer Reports list. The 2013 redesign of the Accord helped it score top marks with the magazine while improved reliability gave the Honda Odyssey an opportunity to clinch the Top Pick spot. The super-practical and reliable Honda CR-V floated to the top in the Small SUV category.  Visit Maita Honda today to test drive.  You can see all our new Honda inventory at MaitaHonda.net 

"This year's list has received an overhaul led by Honda's return. After several years marked by some so-so product, its comeback is led by the Accord's redesign and the well-rounded performance and reliability of CR-V and Odyssey," said Rik Paul, Consumer Reports' automotive editor. 

Consumer Reports' Top Picks are the best all-around models in their categories and they must meet CR's stringent criteria in 3 areas: road test, reliability and safety. They must rank at or near the top of their category on overall road test scores. 

Here's what Consumer Reports had to say about the Accord, Odyssey and CR-V:

MIDSIZED SEDAN: Honda Accord ($23,270 to $30,860).  Honda nailed it with this redesign – it's roomy, nice to drive, well equipped and very fuel efficient.    The basic four-cylinder Accord is among our top Rated family sedans. It rides and handles well, has a roomy and well-finished interior, and gets and impressive 30 mpg overall with its unobtrusive CVT. The 3.5-liter V6 is lively and refined, and the six-speed automatic gets a very good 26 mpg overall, which is as good as the tiny Honda Fit. Higher-trim models have advanced safety features seldom found in this category; all models come with a standard back-up camera.  A Plug-in version is available in some states, and has a claimed electric range of 13 miles. Reliability has been average or better for all versions of late. 

MINIVAN: Honda Odyssey This versatile hauler combines clever and generous packaging with responsive handling and a supple ride. Its vigorous 3.5-liter V6 and smooth six-speed automatic returned an excellent 21 mpg overall in our tests. The Odyssey can seat eight with ease, with varying configurations for cargo and passenger needs. Easy access, excellent child-seat accommodations, and abundant cabin storage add to the family-friendly quotient. Among our few gripes is the tediously complicated dual touch-screen infotainment system. In addition, fit and finish and some material selection is not what one would expect at this price point, and AWD isn't available. 

SMALL SUV: Honda CR-V  The CR-V is one of the more sensible and competitively priced small SUVs. Its 185-hp four-cylinder is smooth and responsive, and returned a commendable 23 mpg overall in our tests. For 2015 the Honda gets a mild freshening, including a continuously variable transmission and the availability of some active safety features. Handling is responsive in ordinary driving, but it doesn't shine at the limits, and the steering is a bit vague. Braking is excellent, and while the ride is absorbent and composed, road noise is pronounced. The rear seats are roomy, and lowering them is a breeze. The view back is hurt by small rear windows, but the standard rear-view camera helps. 

Find Out What Type of Brakes Your Car Has and How To Maintain them

Learn how to maintain the brakes on your car and stay safe

 

Find Out What Kind of Brakes You Have

For the past few decades there have been only 2 predominant types of brakes, disc brakes and drum brakes. They work in essentially the same way, and symptoms of a worn system are often identical.

Drum Brakes

Drum brakes predate disc brakes by many years, but they are still a reliable and affordable braking technology. However, because drum brakes do not dissipate heat as well as disc brakes, they are often only found on the rear two wheels of vehicles. Drum brakes essentially consist of two rounded brake shoes housed inside a round drum that spins with the wheels of a vehicle. When the brake pedal is applied, fluid pushes the two brake pads out against the drum where they create friction and slow the vehicle.

Disc Brakes

A car’s disc brakes work much like those of a motorcycle or bicycle. A caliper that houses two brake pads is mounted over a thin disc shaped rotor. The rotor spins with the wheels while the brake caliper remains stationary. When the brake pedal is applied, the two brake pads in the caliper squeeze the rotor to create friction and slow the vehicle. Check out the two diagrams from CarBibles below to see the difference between drum and disc brakes visually.

Maintaining Your Car’s Brakes

Fortunately, drum and disc brake systems should go many thousands of miles without any trouble. Keep an eye on brake fluid and inspect your brake pads every 12,000 miles or so. If the pads are less than 1/8 inch thick consider replacing them. Otherwise, just keep an eye out for unusual behavior that could indicate a problem.

A Worn Disc Rotor

Detecting a Problem With Your Brakes

The importance of your brakes cannot be overstated, if you experience these symptoms have your brakes inspected.

•  Strange sounds when braking
• Your car “pulls” to the left or right when driving
• Vibrations when applying the brakes
• A “mushy” or inconsistent brake pedal
• Noticeable grooves in the rotors
• Strange smells

Have Maita Honda Inspect Your Car’s Brakes

Hopefully you aren’t experiencing any of these warning signs of brake problems, but if you are, do something about it as soon as possible. Brake problems don’t fix themselves, and letting these problems persist could lead to an accident. Let the mechanics you trust at Maita diagnose your brake troubles and drive safely.

Honda Engineers Are Dedicated to Keeping You Safe in a 2015 Honda Fit

The 2015 Honda Fit is an IIHS “Top Pick”

Crash test ratings are something of a bittersweet subject; we don’t want to be reminded of the dangers associated with driving, but we do want to know how safe the cars we drive are. The reality is that even if you are the safest driver in the world, you can’t control other drivers who may not be, especially with all the distractions that are commonplace in our modern lives. Because of this, Honda takes crash test ratings very seriously, and you should too.

The Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Small Overlap Frontal Test

The Small Overlap Test

Because a frontal crash is the most dangerous type, the IIHS conducts several frontal crash tests. In 2012 they introduced the small overlap frontal test to drive further improvements in car safety. This test replicates a frontal collision where the front corner of a vehicle makes contact with another vehicle or object. Because car occupants are move forwards and to the side in a crash of this nature it is a very dangerous crash and challenging for automakers to excel at. When the IIHS conducts this test, the vehicles travel at 40 miles per hour towards a 5 foot tall rigid barrier, only 25% of the total width of the vehicle strikes the barrier. You can learn more about how the Insurance institute for Highway Safety conducts these tests here.

Testing the 2015 Honda Fit Against the Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test

The 215 Honda Fit Crash Test

Initially Honda engineers were disappointed when the 2015 Fit received a substandard grade on the IIHS small overlap frontal test. Honda engineers prepared the 2015 Fit for this test specifically to meet Honda’s rigorous safety expectations. However, even with these preparations, a steel bumper designed to absorb impact broke loose during the crash test allowing too much crash energy to be absorbed by the driver’s side of the vehicle. This was simply unacceptable for Honda

Improving the 2015 Honda Fit’s Crash test Rating

Honda did something unusual when it received a “marginal” rating on the small front overlap test. Even though the 2015 Fits were due to hit showrooms right away, Honda went into overdrive and re-engineered the front bumper of the 2015 Fit. When Honda asked the IIHS to re-test the 2015 Fit, the score improved to “acceptable.” While that might not sound like the most encouraging rating, it brought the 2015 Fit’s overall safety rating up to a “Top Pick” by the IIHS. A “Top Safety Pick” overall title is the second highest rating that the IIHS awards, pretty spectacular for such a small vehicle.

Feel Safe in a 2015 Honda Fit from Fisher Honda

When making car purchase decisions many buyers consider safety, and small cars are often looked at with skepticism. Despite a tiny footprint, the 2015 Honda Fit has proven itself to be an incredibly safe vehicle. Check out our inventory of 2015 Honda Fit’s and drive away with the space and safety of a large vehicle, while enjoying the sport feel and fun of a small hatchback.