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Honda HR-V could spawn Acura variant

We've been saying it for months now, but the compact CUV is the next big thing. Everyone, and we mean everyone, is at least considering getting in on the action, if they aren't already actively designing or selling, and that's true whether they're a premium or mainstream automaker. That, of course, includes Acura, whose parent company, Honda, has a compact CUV of its own coming to market very, very soon. With the arrival of the Fit-based HR-V, that begs the question of whether the near-premium marque will join this burgeoning segment. The idea of building a car below the company's entry level CUV, the RDX, is an appealing one to Honda Executive Vice President John Mendel, who called it "potentially the only place you could go," and would occupy the "white space" the company is looking to fill. While we might chuckle about the idea of a luxurious, Fit-based CUV, it's fair to say it could do well for Acura. It could certainly provide a foil to the very hot selling Buick Encore, and may even capture some sales from the luxuriously outfitted Jeep Renegade Limited/Fiat 500X Lounge. It remains to be seen, though, if Acura could build an HR-V capable of tangling with the new entries from Lexus, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

Honda renews trademark for Acura CDX compact crossover

Honda recently renewed its U.S. trademark for the name "CDX," which the Japanese carmaker first applied for in 2015. Back then, observers expected the name to apply to an Acura version of the Honda HR-V, and they were right — but no one expected the CDX would go on sale only in China, in 2016. For the past two years, the U.S. auto media has speculated on whether the CDX will ever make it here. "(We) have our R&D guys looking into the possibility," group VP of Acura U.S. Jon Ikeda told Wards Auto last April about the CDX. However, he went on to note that it's not as simple as just shipping it over due to regulation differences between China and the United States. The trademark application doesn't mean a green light, but it shows Honda's at least leaving the door open to the prospect. The Chinese-market CDX is a Honda HR-V after a wardrobe change. The only engine option is the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from the Civic, CR-V, and Accord, with 179 horsepower and 177 pound-feet (our HR-V uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 141 hp and 127 lb-ft). The only transmission offered is an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Drivetrains can be had in front- or all-wheel drive. We wonder how much longer Honda can sit on the sidelines. The CDX doubled Acura's sales in China in one year. Acura sells more crossovers than sedans in the United States, and in the past two years that the CDX has been on sale in China, the compact crossover segment here has got more crowded and more popular. The Cadillac XT4 is imminent, and we could see the new Lexus UX compact crossover at the Geneva Motor Show. Really, an American-market Acura CDX can't come soon enough. Related Video: News Source: Bozi Tatarevic via Autoevolution Auto News Government/Legal Rumormill Acura Honda Crossover Luxury honda hr-v

Japanese earthquakes send ripples through auto industry

The earthquakes since April 14 in Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu are having aftershocks on the US auto industry, particularly for Toyota. The company shut down most of its factories in the country due to parts shortages, and the plants will be closed at least through April 23. "Decisions regarding recommencement of operation at plants in Japan will be made on the basis of availability of parts," the company said in a statement. According to Automotive News, Toyota's closed factories include a vast range of popular models in the US, including the Toyota Prius, Mirai, RAV4, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Lexus ES, LS, IS, GS, RC, NX, RX, GX, and LX. The company's only sites in Japan that are still open build Hino trucks, Daihatsu models, and the Toyota Century limo. Toyota isn't yet sure whether these shutdowns could lead to vehicle shortages in the US. "As you can imagine, we are still reviewing the situation and working to learn more," company spokesperson Aaron Fowles told Autoblog. "While we know that production will be suspended in stages at most of our vehicle assembly facilities in Japan between April 18th and the 23rd, we do not know if they will continue production suspensions. Also, any effects to our inventory and/or sales have yet to be determined." He expects the automaker to know more in the coming days. Many of the affected Toyota plants aren't even in Kumamoto Prefecture, but major suppliers have factories in the region. For example, Aisin Seiki and Renesas Electronics both had to shutdown operations at plants in the area, according to Automotive News. Toyota isn't the only automaker affected. Nissan experienced a brief slowdown but was back to work on Monday, and Honda has suspended a motorcycle plant in the region until Friday. Mitsubishi had to close a production line due to the parts shortage, according to The Japan Times, but it didn't affect US models. "A supplier to our Mizushima plant has been impacted but they only supply an engine part for our mini car line. That line has been temporarily shut down due to that situation," spokesperson Alex Fedorak told Autoblog. "That same plant builds the Lancer and i-MiEv and there has been no impact to that line and production continues uninterrupted." Two major quakes hit Kumamoto Prefecture around Kumamoto city in the past week. The first on April 14 measured 6.4 magnitude, and a second on April 16 measured 7.3.