Category: 2014

New Toyota Tacoma Recalled for Engine Flaw

Toyota announced that it is recalling the 2013-2014 Toyota Tacoma for a serious engine problem. According to this article, “According to a bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those vehicles may suffer from an engine flaw that could cause the Tacoma to stall in traffic — or worse.” It’s a small number of […]

Toyota announced that it is recalling the 2013-2014 Toyota Tacoma for a serious engine problem.

According to this article, “According to a bulletin from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of those vehicles may suffer from an engine flaw that could cause the Tacoma to stall in traffic — or worse.”

It’s a small number of vehicles affected by the recall built in couple months, less than 4,000 vehicles, but is a safety concern.

“The problem stems from improperly built valve springs in the Tacoma’s engine. Over time, wear and tear may cause the springs to break, and if that happens while a vehicle is being driven, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of an accident.”

Honda Ridgeline Best Truck for Winter Driving

When we think of safe vehicles for driving in winter conditions (you know, snow, ice, cold rain, etc.), our minds often go to trucks. They are big, they are safe (and also good at pulling smaller cars out of ditch), but not all trucks are created equal when it comes to driving in winter weather. […]

When we think of safe vehicles for driving in winter conditions (you know, snow, ice, cold rain, etc.), our minds often go to trucks. They are big, they are safe (and also good at pulling smaller cars out of ditch), but not all trucks are created equal when it comes to driving in winter weather.

In fact, this writer for Torquenews.com declared that the “Honda Ridgeline Outperforms Chevy, Dodge 4×4 in winter driving conditions.”

According to this writer, “I followed one for a few miles on Monday and was amazed by its obvious exceptional handling as well as skid and slip-free starting and stopping. Both, without the benefit of snow cables or chains…Honda’s success in superior off-road, snow and muddy condition ride and handling comes via the Ridgeline’s exclusive (VTM-4) Variable Torque Management 4 wheel drive system and lock control. No one else in the industry has it. The aforementioned allows the driver by the push of a button to lock the rear differential for up to 18 mph in forward or reverse. No one else in the industry offers this system as a standard feature on a light truck. Stuck in the snow, bogged in the mud, Ridgeline will work its way out of the hole.”

That’s some pretty high praise from a reliable source: the Honda Ridgeline outperforms other trucks in winter driving. And here in the Pacific Northwest we’ve already had our fair share of winter conditions with temperatures in the teens and snow throughout the region.

There won’t be any new Honda Ridgelines for two years, so if you want to check out the 2014 Honda Ridgeline for your winter driving needs, stop by Apple Valley Honda, Sims Honda, or Northwest Honda dealership before they are all gone!

2014 Honda Ridgeline is Versatile, Functional Truck

The Honda Ridgeline broke the truck mold when it hit the market in 2005… and the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is no different as one of the most flexible trucks on the market. According to this article, “As with previous models, the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is equipped with one of the most versatile truck beds available. […]

The Honda Ridgeline broke the truck mold when it hit the market in 2005… and the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is no different as one of the most flexible trucks on the market.

According to this article, “As with previous models, the 2014 Honda Ridgeline is equipped with one of the most versatile truck beds available. The sloped sides of the bed are still present and help the Ridgeline to stand out among its competitors. Consumers are also sure to appreciate that the dual-action tailgate is also present in the new model. The class-exclusive tailgate not only swings down like typical tailgates, but it also swings open like a door, making it easier to access the truck bed and lockable in-bed trunk—another one-of-a-kind feature found in the back of the Ridgeline.”

With a 3.5 liter V6 engine and 250 hp and the ability to tow 5,000 pounds, the 2014 Honda Ridgeline exceeds the towing capacity of competitors, including the 2014 Toyota Tacoma.

Stop by Apple Valley Honda, Northwest Honda, or Sims Honda dealership to take the 2014 Honda Ridgeline for a test drive!

Website Uses 2014 Honda Accord PHEV to Show How to Optimize Gas Mileage

In the news we here a lot of complaints, and even law suits, when cars’ gas mileage doesn’t match up to the one on the sticker. The title of this article, “2014 Honda Accord PHEV Has Impressive Real World Fuel Economy Statistics,” supports the fact that it does in fact get its reported 50 mpg […]

In the news we here a lot of complaints, and even law suits, when cars’ gas mileage doesn’t match up to the one on the sticker. The title of this article, “2014 Honda Accord PHEV Has Impressive Real World Fuel Economy Statistics,” supports the fact that it does in fact get its reported 50 mpg city/45 mpg highway.

This is encouraging because there have been recent incidences of car manufacturer fudging their fuel efficiency numbers, which is one of the major problems the article sites as the EPA designates the a vehicle’s gas mileage.

The second problem was probably the most entertaining to read about because I live in the Seattle-area and know this to be true: “The second problem is that, for the most part, drivers have no idea what they’re doing. Sad, but true, perhaps they don’t properly maintain their vehicles, they overload them, or they drive too fast. You might have bought the latest and best-fuel-economy vehicle, such as the award-winning 2014 Honda Accord PHEV, but if you can’t drive it responsibly, you’ll never see fuel economynumbers anywhere near those on the EPA window sticker.”

There is also a really great infographic that illustrates exactly how the way a driver drives affects the gas mileage they get out of their car. Check it and slow down! :)

2014 Honda Civic HF Edges Out Toyota Corolla LE Eco

The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are big-time sellers in the United States. Buyers go after the Civics and Corollas when they need a compact car with great gas mileage. With several different models of the Civic and Corolla, this article does a side by side comparison of the 2014 Honda Civic HF and the […]

The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are big-time sellers in the United States. Buyers go after the Civics and Corollas when they need a compact car with great gas mileage.

With several different models of the Civic and Corolla, this article does a side by side comparison of the 2014 Honda Civic HF and the Toyota Corolla LE Eco because they are the most fuel efficient gasoline engines (best gas mileage excepting the respective hybrid models).

It was an interesting side by side comparison, but here’s the gist: with basically the same gas mileage, horsepower, and size, there were really only two objective and definite differences safety and transmission.

“he Toyota Corolla achieved a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, but the Civic beats it with a Top Safety Pick +. The new “+” rating from the IIHS addresses how a car reacts to a “small overlap” front crash, for example, when an oncoming car veers out of its lane and hits another car head-on, but with only a 25 percent overlap. It’s difficult to manage all that energy with such a small crash area, but the Civic managed a “Good” rating, while the Corolla only achieved a “Marginal” score.”

The 2014 Honda Civic has a standard five-speed transmission versus the Toyota Corolla’s two-speed CVT, “and that would be a deciding factor in choosing between the two.” The two-speed CVT makes the driving “experience even more foreign by maintaining engine speed, giving you the sensation that no matter how aggressively you step on the throttle, the engine isn’t spooling up the way you think it should.”

Stop by Apple Valley Honda, Sims Honda, or Northwest Honda dealership to take the 2014 Honda Civic HF (or any other Civic) out for a test drive!

Honda Teases the Future at Tokyo Auto Show

The Tokyo Auto Show, as one might imagine, is one of the most prestigious auto shows in the world. Honda reserved the most floor space to unveil 18 production models and a few other concept cars. All are wow-worthy. While there is much to review with the production models and the concept cars, including the […]

The Tokyo Auto Show, as one might imagine, is one of the most prestigious auto shows in the world. Honda reserved the most floor space to unveil 18 production models and a few other concept cars. All are wow-worthy.

While there is much to review with the production models and the concept cars, including the much-buzzed-about NSX, we won’t review all of it, but we thought this quote summed up nicely the current vehicles Honda is producing and the vehicles yet-to-come: ““I would like our customers around the world to feel the strong spirit of Honda. Please keep your expectations high for these two sports models. Now, future cars cannot simply be fast and cool. They also must not show any compromise in the area of environmental concerns,” said Takanobu Ito, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. president, chief executive officer and representative director.”

And not just the sport models. Honda also had on display its insanely successful and popular (on all accounts) 2014 Honda Accord series (gasoline, hybrid, hybrid plug-in, etc.).

Certainly the astounding-looking NSX and S660 concept vehicles got lots of buzz, but another one that got a lot of attention was the urban SUV, Vezel (which will go by a different name when it hits the U.S.)

According this article, “Another must-see at the show is the world premiere of the N-WGN, the fourth model of the N Series of mini-vehicles, as well as the world premiere of the planned production model of the second-generation Global Compact Series, which is based on the Urban SUV Concept that was unveiled at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in January.

“We believe that this new model will serve as a basic car for the future of mini-vehicles, N-WGN. The N-WGN is a mini-vehicle that balances everything at a high level, including spaciousness, safety and driving performance that go beyond those of conventional mini-vehicles and far exceed customer expectations,” said Sho Minekawa, Honda Motor Co. Ltd. senior managing officer and chief operating officer for regional sales operations.”

Undoubtedly the Tokyo Auto show is stirring up a lot of excitement in Honda and about Honda. We just can’t wait!

2014 Honda Insight is Most Affordable Hybrid

Honda announced the price for the 2014 Honda Insight and even with a slight bump in the price, it is still the most affordable hybrid on the market. The 2014 Honda Insight Hybrid will have a start base price of $18,725. “People assume that hybrid cars are much more expensive than gasoline powered cars, but […]

Honda announced the price for the 2014 Honda Insight and even with a slight bump in the price, it is still the most affordable hybrid on the market.

The 2014 Honda Insight Hybrid will have a start base price of $18,725.

“People assume that hybrid cars are much more expensive than gasoline powered cars, but they’re not, especially the Honda Insight,” said Tod McLaughlin of Apple Valley Honda in Wenatchee. “Not only is it affordable to purchase, but also much more affordable to maintain and repair than people think. If you want incredible gas mileage and an eco-friendly car that is also affordable.”

According to this article, “Fuel economy remains the same at city/highway/combined mpg ratings of 41/44/42, and what’s under the hood consists of an economy focused hybrid drivetrain melding a 1.3-liter i-VTEC gasoline 4-cylinder engine and a 10-kilowatt electric motor.”

Stop by Apple Valley Honda, Sims Honda, or Northwest Honda to find out what a fantastic deal the 2014 Honda Insight is!