2014 Honda Accord Ex-l on 2040-cars

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Subcompact Crossover Comparo Roundtable | Autoblog Podcast #599

This week, we've got a special episode of the Autoblog Podcast, wherein you'll hear the extended version of the roundtable discussion from our Subcompact Crossover Comparison. In it, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski, Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale. After extensive testing (and filming) in Northern Michigan, our editors break down what they liked and loathed about the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Jeep Renegade and Kia Soul. Grab a cup of coffee with us, and enjoy. Autoblog Podcast #599 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:    

2017 Honda Civic Coupe spotted for the first time

Rumors about the next-generation Honda Civic have been coming fast and furious in recent weeks. The speculation suggests the future model will use a new 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and some European body styles will come across the Atlantic. There's even the potential for an overhaul of the CR-Z on the same platform. Now, we've got a glimpse at what the next Civic looks like in coupe and sedan form. Our spies believe that under all that black diaper is the 2017 Civic Coupe, but it's hard to discern any details. With an open section on top it's even difficult to get a good idea of the roofline, though some of the photos suggest a fastback-style rear. The examples concealed in white are believed to be the future Civic Sedan, and one of them is exposed enough to get a good idea of its shape. In profile the look is reminiscent of the current Accord, which is good, if conservative. Seeing the two versions together provides few hints about the coupe's styling, other than a shared wheelbase between both cars. The apparent door handle cutout on the driver's side of the coupe is likely a camouflage trick to hide any information about the length or shape of the doors. One recent rumor suggests that the next-gen Civic's styling could be fully unveiled towards the end of 2015. Until then, click through the gallery of spy shots, and let us know in Comments what you think of this design direction. Related Video:

10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.