1998 Honda Accord Ex Sedan 4-door 2.3l on 2040-cars

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Sunday Drive: And now for something completely different

This past week played host to a wide assortment of automotive news, highlighted by our first drive of the 2018 Volvo XC40. The Swedish crossover is targeted at young, successful Millennials, but it offers cool styling, fun dynamics, and all of today's must-have technology, so we think it ought to appeal to a much wider swath of the automotive marketplace. From there we answer the question, "What are hard on the outside and soft on the inside?" as we take a look at the next Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. We expect the German automaker's flagship luxury SUV to remain boxy on the outside, but the interior is going to be soft, supple, and luxurious. And then there's the Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, which starts at starts at $34,290 and boasts 212 total system horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque, 47 miles of electric driving range, and a total range of 340 miles. EPA rates it at 110 MPGe in EV mode, and 44 city/40 highway/42 combined overall. We compare it to other plug-ins like the Chevy Volt and Toyota Prius Prime. And finally we have some more spy photos of the 2019 Ram 1500. It doesn't have a traditional crosshair grille, but it's got plenty of chrome and an attractive upright stance that's sure to tempt future truck buyers looking for some sophistication to go with their work gloves. As always, stay tuned to Autoblog this week to see all the automotive news that's fit to print. 2018 Volvo XC40 First Drive Review | The Masspirational crossover Mercedes-Benz G-Class gets the luxe, high-tech treatment 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid Review | It's what's on the inside that counts 2019 Ram 1500 shows chrome grille and more production parts Green Honda Mercedes-Benz RAM Volvo Technology Truck Crossover SUV Luxury Performance Sedan volvo xc40 sunday drive

Takata airbag victim urges consumers to head to the dealership

A man who lost an eye in a low speed collision due to faulty Takata airbags is urging the owners of cars with recalled parts to take their vehicles into a dealership, before it's too late. The public service announcement comes from ConsumerWatch.com. In a video, the consumer rights website gives factual information about the recall, and adds a personal plea from Corey Burdick. The Florida man lost an eye due to shrapnel from an exploding Takata airbag. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Burdick was traveling just 15 mph in his Honda Civic when he collided with another car. There were no other injuries caused by the crash, except for the loss of Burdick's eye. He filed a lawsuit against Honda and Takata this year. "I lost my eye because of a defective airbag. Take your car in today so this doesn't happen to you," Burdick said. ConsumerWatch.com told Honda and Acura owners not to drive their vehicles until the faulty airbags were replaced. Good advice, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also recently advised owners of 2001-03 Hondas and Acuras to get their airbags replaced immediately. NHTSA says airbag inflators in those vehicles have up to a 50 percent chance of exploding in an accident. But replacing the airbags isn't as easy as simply going into the dealership. Many owners who take their cars in for replacement are finding out that new parts are in short supply as manufacturers grapple with the largest automotive recall in US history. Takata may not have enough replacements until 2019, CNN reported earlier this year. The problem is so pervasive that some brand new cars were found to be sitting on dealer lots with faulty airbags still in place months after the initial recall. Some cars have received replacements that were also faulty and now will require a second trip to the dealer. However, waiting is not an option for many owners. At least 13 people have been killed and over 100 injuries have been blamed on the airbags. Related Video: News Source: consumerwatch.com, Orlando Sentinel, CNN Government/Legal Recalls Acura Honda Driving Ownership Safety consumer airbag Takata airbag recall

Acura NSX bodywork to be sheathed in zirconium e-coat, fewer paint layers

Automakers make halo cars to drum up excitement and show off what they can do, but there's more to it than that. Advanced platforms allow a company's engineers to experiment with all sorts of technologies. And in the case of the upcoming new Acura NSX, that includes new paint processes.
Speaking with Autoline in this video interview, Honda's North American Senior VP Jon Minto talked about an innovative zirconium e-coat which it's applying to the new NSX. Unlike some experimental paints developed for Formula One, however, this coating is not designed to minimize drag or enhance cooling: it's designed to be more environmentally friendly.
It's one of a few measures which Honda is implementing on the NSX before expanding it to more accessible models, along with another process that uses fewer coats to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent. Watch the interview with Autoline host John McElroy right here.