Recent talks of Chrysler merging with General Motors comes as no surprise as Chrysler continues to struggle.  Chrysler vehicles dominated the list of poor performance vehicles of 2008.  Seven of the top ten worst performing cars of 2008 according to Forbes, are Chrysler made.  With numerous recalls and poor resale values, experts see no sign of Chrysler making improvements anytime soon.  Their current lack of financial resources makes it nearly impossible to recover.

For Honda it is an entirely different story, Honda accounts for four of the top ten spots in Forbes’ list of best performing cars.  Compiling the lists of 2008 best-and worst-performing cars, five factors were considered.  The number of recalls to date; reliability ratings from Consumer Reports, depreciation in the form of Automotive Leasing Guide’s; safety from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test ratings; and fuel economy.

Honda’s continuous efforts on being the leader in fuel economy has made it possible for them to seal four of the top ten spots in this years list.  The Honda Accord earned the highest Insurance Highway Safety crash test rating you can receive.  The Accord’s reliability is high and there are no recalls on the Accord so far this year.  Leading the way for the Honda class was the CR-V, receiving a Consumer Reports Predicted Reliability Score of Excellent, and a 5 star resale value.  Here is a complete list of Honda vehicles that made Forbes’ Best-Performing Cars and where they ranked.

2.Honda CR-V
3.Honda Civic
6.Honda Accord
10.Acura TSX

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While the big three continue to sweat the possibility of bankruptcy, in southeast Indiana more then 1,000 U.S. workers are excited about the opening of Honda’s newest assembly plant.

A brand new Honda Civic was rolled out beside Indiana’s governor and Honda’s president, has a crowd cheers, a reminder sets in that the U.S. auto industry extends beyond Detroit.  Greensburg, Indiana is pleased to have landed high-paying jobs in an industry where other automakers are depending on billions of dollars in rescue plans.  The rise of the new Honda plant in Greensburg has also been credited for the increase in home rentals in the area.

Many believe that sales will pick up even more in the spring when this plant is set to introduce an additional 900 jobs.  According to 2007 figures compiled by the Center for Automotive Research, foreign automakers like Honda account for over 113,000 jobs in the United States, reiterating the statement that Honda truly is “American Built”.

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The Honda Accord has lined its status as one of the best-selling family sedans in America.  The Accord’s popularity has helped land it the first ever Yahoo! Autos Excelerator Award.

This award is designed to recognize the number one car on Yahoo Autos.  Criteria for the award consist of user interest, intent and satisfaction.  The results are calculated by search queries, leads submitted, ratings and reviews by Yahoo users.

The Accord’s fresh style sets it apart from others in the mid-size category.  The Accord Sedan is also larger then its rivals, including the Toyota Camry.  With an engine that not only boasts power, but outstanding fuel economy the Accord Sedan has a commanding presence like no other car in its class.  With standard safety features that include electronic stability control, six airbags and anti-lock brakes, it is no surprise that Yahoo users has crowned the Accord the first ever Yahoo! Autos Excelerator Award winner.

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The auto industry is vastly changing.  In a time of economic crisis that has seen high gas prices and falling homes values, the auto industry seems to be reshaping.  This poses good news for Honda, which is rated one of the top automakers in fuel economy and overall value.  For other automakers, it represents even more problems.

According to CNBC,“It’s getting hard to find a car to lease these days.  Chrysler’s financial arm recently pulled out of car leasing business, and Ford Motor Credit, GMAC and many large banks also have announced pullbacks.”  Automotive News is reporting that “General Motors is postponing all of its spending on product development in 2009 and 2010, a move that could delay the introduction of key vehicles.”  This comes as no surprise for automakers who have built their name on SUV and truck sales.  According to CNBC, “Residual values of trucks and SUVS coming off leases, has fallen as much as 20% the last few months, forcing these automakers to ditch the idea of leasing vehicles.”  GMAC has gone as far as publicly announcing that they will not finance anyone under a 700 credit score on new vehicles.

Honda as we know has remained committed to mid size and compact vehicles that offer outstanding fuel economy.  By doing so, they have positioned themselves well ahead of other automakers.   Their ability to change around their factories to meet demands of consumers for fuel efficient vehicles has allowed them to rise to the top of the auto industry in this economic crisis.  Consumers are looking for more flexibility and options in terms of acquiring vehicles. They are looking for low rates and payments, as well as financing over a long period of time. Honda’s flexibility allows them to offer some of the most aggressive lease specials.

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Honda CR-V - Best Crossover by Parents.com

Honda Odyssey - Best Minivan by Parents.com

Honda Accord - Best Family Car by Parents.com

Honda Civic - Best Value by Parents.com

Picture courtesy of Kevin N. Murphy.

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No matter how much these people may rant and rave about “buying only American,” it is near impossible these days to get anything that is even partially made in America. However, that is not necessarily a bad thing! If it were not for foreign-made products, the prices on all of the items in our stores would be exorbitantly high. Not to mention the fact that some of the goods coming from other places in the world are better quality than certain things we make here… A major example would be the automotive industry. But don’t just take my word for it though, there are plenty of surveys out there that will attest to this point.

According to just about every car website out there, Honda and Toyota vehicles are constantly topping the charts for best vehicles in various categories. The following stats are from a few of the more popular automobile search engines.

Kelly Blue Book is probably the most renowned tool for researching the worth and value of a new or used vehicle. If you visit the website KBB.com, you will find that both Honda and Toyota have a solid hold of the top 10 most researched vehicles on the site by securing spots 1-4, 7 and 8 with the Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris respectively.

At Edmunds.com there is a list naming the best used cars on the market right now. Can you guess who two of the winners were? Honda and Toyota, of course. The 2001-2006 Camrys are considered to be the best midsized sedan. In the minivan category, the 2001-2006 Honda Odysseys have taken the gold. The 2001-2006 Toyota Tacomas won in the category of compact trucks. And last, but certainly not least, the winner for used hybrids is the 2004-2006 Toyota Prius. Hondas and Toyotas are built to last, which is why they make great used cars. Also at Edmunds.com, the Honda Civics and Accords take first and fourth place as the most popular vehicles as polled by site members, while the Toyota Prius and Corolla are marked at being the third and eighth most popular cars around.

Another popular car site which ranks Honda and Toyota vehicles top in the lists is Cars.com. According to polls on this site, Toyota has some of the most fuel efficient vehicles in their class with the Yaris, Matrix, Avalon, and Tacoma. The Honda Fit is considered to be the most fuel efficient vehicle in its class as well.

As I said before, these statistics speak for themselves on the reputation and worth of purchasing foreign-made vehicles. Hondas and Toyotas really are built for efficiency and to last for many years with regular maintenance. So the next time you are shopping around for a new or even used car,  maybe you should check out a Honda or a Toyota dealership. It may be an experience that will make you a customer for life…

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The best-selling vehicle in the United States for more than two decades has just lost its crown. With the price of gas around $4 a gallon, many people have gotten away from the gas-hungry vehicles like the Ford F-150, and switched to gas-sippers.

The Honda Civic is now taken over the top spot to become the top seller in the United States. In the month of May, Civic sales increased 33.3%, selling 53,299 units. This dramatic increase in Civic sales is one of the most profound shifts in automotive buying patterns in more than a decade. These record sales clearly demonstrate the trend of moving forward with fuel efficiency being a major concern.

The typical Ford F-150 averages about 15 miles per gallon, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and a Honda Civic averages 29 mpg. Based on driving 15,000 miles a year and paying $4.08 a gallon, the government says, the F-150 owner will pay around $4,100 in gas for the year, while the Civic owner will only pay $2,100.

Not only is the Honda Civic the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., the Honda Accord has also beat out the Ford F-150 in sales. The Honda Accord is the 4th best-selling vehicle in the United States; Accord sales are now up an astounding 37%. With this growing trend, many dealerships can’t seem to get enough of them from the manufacturer to keep up with demand for the vehicles. Despite this shortage, we currently do have Civics and Accords in stock.

Source: SFgate.com

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