Here at AutoSpies we don't pull punches and we tell it like it is. Some automakers may not like that but sorry. Well, we're not really sorry. Step up your game and we won't have to reveal any dirty little secrets.
With that said, we've been shining a bright spotlight on Honda the past couple of years and its steady decline of automotive mediocrity. There's no doubt that Honda produces some fantastic products, however, if we were charting the brand's trajectory, it would be heading downwards starting more than 24 months ago.
Now it's easy to say that the brand's designs have been...awkward, to say the least. But even publications that have been loyal lovers are starting to realize something's up. From the brand's options -- or lack thereof --, to fit and finish that's not up to par, to a less engaging driving experience, Consumer Reports is giving them a proper shellacking.
Big-time cars like the CR-Z and the Civic, which probably has more accolades than Honda knows to do with, didn't even make CR's coveted "recommended" list.
Hopefully the next-gen CR-V is a ray of hope. I have to admit, I did like the images of the working concept. Now, can the big "H" execute? We shall see...
**In the meantime, check out what Consumer Reports has to say about Honda by clicking "Read Article"Most of these redesigns have better fuel economy than the model they replaced. They also do well in recent, more-stringent crash tests. But there are some common shortcomings:
- Stopping distances are often long.
- Fit and finish is declining. More cheap-looking materials are appearing. (Toyota has been prone to this, too.)
- We’ve been complaining about Honda road noise for years. While it’s improved in some of their recent products (Accord Crosstour, Odyssey), it’s still an annoyance in many of their other cars.
- A long-time hallmark of Honda was that the cars were fun to drive. Even mainstream models had great steering feel and body control—both essential ingredients for driving involvement. That entertainment quality has been disappearing with each redesign. The Insight has sloppy on-limit handling with too much oversteer, despite its stability control.
- Honda is stingy with standard equipment and their options structure (or lack thereof) can make it hard to get what you want. Since Honda doesn’t offer options, you usually wind up paying for other features you might not want. For example, want Bluetooth or an ambient temperature display in a Civic? Hope you don’t mind paying for a sunroof in the EX model. (Honda might be listening: They added equipment like a backup camera to lower levels of the Odyssey and Crosstour for 2012.)
[Source: Consumer Reports]
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