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Refreshed Honda Civic's first commercial is a minor mea culpa

Honda has officially rolled out the first ad for the 2013 Civic. The one-minute spot focuses on a number of clever inventions that improve on old themes, from rocket-powered parachutes to hover bikes and smart window shades, before shifting to the redesigned compact. Set to Santigold's "Disparate Youth," the ad culminates with the phrase, "Things can always be better." This is likely as close as we'll come to hearing Honda say, "we could have done better."
Unveiled at the 2012 LA Auto Show, the 2013 Civic features revised front and rear fascias, nicer cabin materials and an updated suspension just one year after the ninth-generation model debuted. That car received scaling reviews from critics, most notably Consumer Reports, who felt the 2012 Civic was a step backwards for a company known for producing high-quality, economical vehicles. You can check out the full ad for the 2013 Civic below before it debuts during the Rose Bowl.

GM, Ford, Honda winners in 'Car Wars' study as industry growth continues

General Motors' plans to aggressively refresh its product lineup will pay off in the next four years with strong market share and sales, according to an influential report released Tuesday. Ford, Honda, and FCA are all poised to show similar gains as the auto industry is expected to remain healthy through the rest of the decade. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch study, called Car Wars, analyzes automakers' future product plans for the next four model years. By 2020, 88 percent of GM's sales will come from newly launched products, which puts it slightly ahead of Ford's 86-percent estimate. Honda (85 percent) and FCA (84 percent) follow. The industry average is 81 percent. Toyota checks in just below the industry average at 79 percent, with Nissan trailing at 76 percent. Car Wars' premise is: automakers that continually launch new products are in a better position to grow sales and market share, while companies that roll out lightly updated models are vulnerable to shifting consumer tastes. Though Detroit and Honda grade out well in the study, many major automakers are clumped together, which means large market-share swings are less likely in the coming years. Bank of America Merrill Lynch predicts the industry will top out with 20 million sales in 2018 and then taper off, perhaps as much as 30 percent by 2026. Not surprisingly, trucks, sport utility vehicles and crossovers will be the key battlefield in the next few years, Car Wars says. FCA will launch a critical salvo in 2018 with a new Ram 1500, followed by new generations of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra in 2019, and then Ford's F-150 for 2020, according to the study. Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy said the GM trucks could be pulled ahead even earlier to 2018, prompting Ford to respond. "This focus on crossovers and trucks is a great thing for the industry," Murphy said. Cars Wars looks at Korean (76 percent replacement rate) and European companies more vaguely (70 percent), but argues their slower product cadence and lineups with fewer trucks puts them in weaker positions than their competitors through 2020. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Silverado View 11 Photos Image Credit: Chevrolet Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Ford GM Honda Nissan Toyota study FCA

Watch this to get excited about seeing Honda back in F1

Honda engines were the dominant force in Formula One through portions of the '80s and '90s, powering championship-winning teams at Williams and McLaren. It tried to recapture some of that magic in the 2000s but wasn't nearly as successful. For the 2015 F1 season, the Japanese brand is returning to the paddock yet again as a partner with McLaren, and in a new video it's acknowledging all of those past victories while looking forward to the uncertain future.
The video offers yet another chance to hear Honda's mill, and this time it's doing a simulated lap of Suzuka. Unfortunately, it's not entirely a joy to listen to. Like most of the current F1 field, it's a bit droning and just lacks the piercing scream of yesteryear.
With so many years out of the F1 game and completely different engine rules to overcome, the brand is essentially coming back to the sport blind. But any new competitors are a welcome addition to a series that can sometimes get rather staid. Maybe Honda and McLaren can rekindle their old flame to win another championship.