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Honda begins Micro Commuter testing

Autocar is reporting that Honda is about to start testing prototypes of its Micro Commuter, a petite EV that'll do adorable battle with the Renault Twizy if it reaches production.
Honda first showed the Micro Commuter, a so called super-urban vehicle, in November. Like the Renault, it features a 1+1 setup, meaning there's a central seat up front and a small backseat behind it. Honda has designed the tandem runabout for versatility, featuring a body that can be adapted for everything from child hauling to elderly passengers.
A rear-mounted electric motor draws power from a 15-kilowatt, lithium-ion battery, granting it a top speed of 50 miles per hour. With 37 miles of range, the Micro Commuter could be a neat urban solution. That said, these were figures that were announced in November, so we wouldn't be surprised to see them change as Honda gathers data from its new prototype testing program.

Check out the Honda Civic hatchback's shapely rear end

The 10-generation Honda Civic is excellent in all but two areas – performance and utility. The upcoming Si and Type R will satisfy any performance qualms, while Honda will up the utility with its first US-market hatchback in over a decade. Here it is. These images, obtained by the folks at the CivicX forums, are our best look at the hatchback's shapely rear end. Honda kept true to the look of the Civic hatchback prototype shown in Geneva, ditching the twin center-exit exhaust pipes. We're hoping Honda revisits the design on a future Si hatchback, but keeps a similar rear bumper design. The large, black plastic inserts that house the rear reflectors are a more aggressive look than either the Civic coupe or sedan, but aren't flashy or overdone. Weirdly, the rear window reminds us of the Accord CrossTour's back glass, only not ugly. There's a healthy spoiler at the top of the window, along with a similarly sized unit connecting the two taillights. Again, this is mostly like the concept shown in Geneva. What's curious is the date that these images were captured. See, the Civic in the image above is boarding the vehicle carrier M/V Orion Highway. And if we Google the ship, we can see it left Southampton on July 29, stopped in Baltimore – home of an expansive vehicle processing center – on August 8. That means the new Civic Hatch is in the US already. Get excited, Civic fans. Related Video:

Remembering the glory days of the Honda Civic Si

In addition to watching host John Davis slowly age over his decades on the show, MotorWeek's Retro Review series on YouTube allows us to look back on some of the favorite models of yesteryear to see their evolution toward present day. Take the 1989 Honda Civic Si for example, which is newly featured. The name is still on the market, and the current model boasts 205 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque from its 2.4-liter four-cylinder. However, the current Si is being left behind in power by other performance compacts like the latest Volkswagen GTI, Subaru WRX and Ford Focus ST. Back in 1989, the Civic Si was still something of an upstart in the hot hatch ranks and definitely had something to prove. Remember, this was a about decade before the tuner boom of the late '90s gave these Hondas massive popularity. Though, the writing was on the wall for eventual success, based on the MotorWeek review. The show called it "stylish" and was attracted to vehicle's sharp handing, even with no power steering. Like today, power was lacking compared to major competitors like he VW GTI, but Honda's 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 108 hp and 100 lb-ft still received some praise. As always, it's fascinating to see how these now beloved models stack up when looking back. The high-performance Civic might be due for another surge in popularity too, if the forthcoming Type R from Europe ever makes to the US. News Source: MotorWeek via YouTube Honda Hatchback Performance Classics Videos honda civic si