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Honda airbags are being stolen

The latest hot target for car thieves might just be the airbag mounted inside your steering wheel. And late-model Honda and Acura vehicles are a particularly hot target right now, for reasons not well understood. USA Today reports that criminals across the country are stealing airbags out of relatively new Honda models for apparent resale online or to black market repair shops. It's a trend that has caught the attention of law enforcement agencies in cities like Miami, New York City and Washington D.C. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that around 50,000 airbags are stolen each year. In Miami-Dade County, thieves stole 875 airbags in 2017, up from just 13 in 2013, according to police records obtained by USA Today. In the Virginia suburbs outside Washington D.C., thieves recently smashed the windows of 10 Hondas at an apartment complex to steal the airbags. Second Lt. Jonathan Bryant told the local Fox affiliate that stolen Honda airbags often end up in chop shops and can command between $300 and $500 each. A quick search of eBay listings for Honda steering wheel airbags turns up results being sold for as high as $700, though most are listing for hundreds less than that. New replacement versions purchased from dealerships approach $1,000. Many dishonest repair shops install the stolen airbags as new and charge the owner or their insurer full price for the replacement, a version of insurance fraud. Last year, police in Coral Springs, Fla. published an alert on the neighborhood social networking site Nextdoor urging residents who own a Honda or Acura to park in a garage or well-lit area, "or if you have another vehicle, pull it as close to your driver's side door as possible," they wrote. "We have seen an increase in airbag thefts, primarily in Acura and Honda models," the posting added. "The suspect(s) often disarm the alarm by cutting the battery, punch the driver side door lock or smash the window. It is believed these criminals take approx. 5-10 minutes to steal the airbag." One theory for the apparent rise in airbag thefts is that a spate of airbag recalls in recent years — including the ongoing recall of nearly 50 million potentially explosive Takata airbag inflators that left suppliers scrambling to make new parts — may have boosted demand for replacements. Most of the vehicles involved are late-model Honda Civics and Accords, but it's not clear exactly why Honda is being targeted.

Honda trademarks 'CDX' nameplate

Less than two weeks ago, we discussed the possibility of an Acura-badged version of the sure-to-be popular Honda HR-V. Now, Acura has gone ahead and registered a new trademark that fits in perfectly with its two other crossovers, the RDX and MDX. Our friends at Auto Guide report the company has reserved the name "CDX" with the US Patent and Trademark Office, with the trademark covering "automobiles and their structural parts." While it's true that these kinds of trademarks are filed regularly, the timing in this case is indicative of something more than simply covering bases. After all, it seems very, very unlikely that we'd have comments from Acura on a premium version of the HR-V on February 5 and a trademark filing for a name that fits the brand's CUV nomenclature less than two weeks later, only for it to not go ahead and build an actual vehicle. Adding to that logic is the simple fact that the compact CUV market, both on the premium and mainstream level, is arguably the hottest in the auto industry right now, and it seems like a virtual guarantee that we'll see an HR-V wearing the Acura CDX name in the not-so-distant future. Should that come to pass, look for the CDX to challenge the near-premium Buick Encore, as well as a potential compact CUV from Infiniti. Featured Gallery 2016 Honda HR-V View 25 Photos News Source: Auto GuideImage Credit: Honda Government/Legal Acura Honda Crossover Economy Cars Luxury trademark honda hr-v

Acura launches ad spots for Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Acura and Jerry Seinfeld are expanding their partnership as season three of the comedian's web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, prepares to debut. Seinfeld has paired with director Barry Sonnenfeld to create a series of ads for the luxury brand showcasing the new Acura RLX and MDX.
There are eight spots, written by Seinfeld and directed by Sonnenfeld, that seemingly mock advertisements of the 1960s, with a deep-voiced, smooth-talking host highlighting the cars in question. It's all very folksy, Leave it to Beaver style humor. We'd be lying, though, if we said we weren't reminded a bit too forcefully of Dodge's successful range of Will Ferrell ads when watching the eight Acura spots.
"My idea for Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee was to show this certain aspect of the stand-up comedy world in a way that comedy fans would enjoy experiencing as if they were there," said Seinfeld. "There is absolutely no doubt that without Acura's support I would not have been able to continue beyond the initial experiment. And now Acura has enabled me to extend the concept by creating ads that fit the comedy tone of the show."