2012 Honda Odyssey on 2040-cars

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Car and Driver lists 10Best for 2013, same as it ever was

Forgive us for having the distinct feeling of déjà vu, but it certainly feels like we've been here before. By that we are referring Car and Driver and the announcement of its annual 10Best vehicles for 2013. To be sure, it's an impressive selection of cars that combine heart-pounding performance and frugal sensibilities, but it also represents something of a broken record on the part of C/D. We're not so sure that's a flaw, though, as the resulting list is tough to argue with.
Vehicles like the Ford Mustang, Porsche Boxster, and BMW 3 Series have maintained their high-horsepower spots on this list for several years now. Even on the more practical and nimble end, the Honda Accord, Honda Fit and Mazda Miata have not budged. These continued spots are even in light of redesigns for some vehicles such as the Accord, Boxster and 3 Series.
In fact, the only newcomer to the 10Best list this year are the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ twins, which knocked out the Cadillac CTS-V. We think it would have been a huge misstep to have excluded the FR-S/BRZ, even in light of the supercharged Caddy's lamentable departure from 10Best.

2024 Honda Prologue name announced, and an Acura EV follows

Honda is revealing a couple of little nuggets of information about its future EVs today, shedding more light on the partnership between it and GM on electric vehicle technology. The big news is that Honda’s first new EV made in this partnership will be called Prologue, and it will be an SUV produced for the 2024 model year. HondaÂ’s “Prologue” logo is revealed with this news, and a few additional details about the car itself are, too. On the obvious front, Honda says the Prologue will ride on GMÂ’s global EV platform and use GMÂ’s Ultium battery technology. The company is also promising “versatility and driving range on par with our current lineup of rugged SUVs.” “Our first volume Honda BEV will begin our transition to electrification, and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading to our zero-emission future,” says Dave Gardner, executive VP of American Honda. “The Prologue will provide our customers with a battery-electric SUV with the excellent functionality and packaging theyÂ’ve come to expect from Honda.” ItÂ’s not just Honda that will join in on the fun, though. An electric Acura SUV was also announced today. Just like the Honda, it will use GMÂ’s electric vehicle platform. A model year for the Acura wasn't promised, but Honda claimed it would be revealed “in the 2024 calendar year.” Any details beyond what you see here are being kept under wraps by Honda. WeÂ’re told to expect more “specific details” to be released over the coming months. Basically, expect a slow drip of information about the Prologue leading up to a full reveal where Honda finally shares all there is to know about the SUV. Looking even further into the future, Honda promises EVs based on an in-house-developed EV platform sometime in the second half of this decade. For now, itÂ’s calling this future platform “e:Architecture.” Ultimately, Honda promises that 100% of its auto sales in North America will be fully electric by 2040. The 2024 Prologue is the brandÂ’s first step toward this ambitious goal. Related video:

Honda HR-V Prototype looks awfully familiar

Is there anything quite so exciting as seeing a brand-new vehicle for the very first time? Part of the allure of auto shows is the chance to see new ideas, just before they're fully baked and ready for public consumption. "Prototypes" you might say, of production models that are just around the corner. Or, in the case of the Honda HR-V, already down the block a ways.
Here in Paris, Honda has unveiled its HR-V Prototype, a nearly production-ready version of a "new SUV for Europe." Before we take umbrage with that SUV designation - as far as we can tell the Fit-based crossover isn't much of a mudder - we should address the fact that at this year's New York Auto Show in April, Honda handed over just a few images and specs of the actually production-read HR-V for the US. Presumably this is a "prototype" for Europe, where the NYC car is US-specific, but we're still scratching our heads a bit.
No matter! Here in France, Honda tells us that the utile little hatch will be available powered by both a 1.5-liter gasoline engine (the one American customers will see), and a 1.6-liter diesel unit, both wearing the company's Earth Dreams Technology label and presumably running cleaner and more frugally than ever. In Europe, a standard six-speed manual will come with both mills, while the 1.5-liter will offer the option of a continuously variable transmission.