Honda Odyssey One of the Safest Cars on the Road

The other day, I stumbled on an article from the Associated Press that said,  "The chances of a driver dying in a crash in a late-model car or light truck fell by more than a third over three years, and nine car models had zero deaths per million vehicles registered in the U.S. according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety."

In the study, they examined fatalities involving 2011 model year vehicles and looked at how many driver fatalities occurred in a particular model over the course of a year of operation.

One of those nine, zero deaths per million vehicles?  The Honda Odyssey.

For Honda, long lauded for it's impressive safety rating, this is yet another positive note.  But it's important to understand that while safety ratings have been improving across the board over the last 8 years, "the gap between safest and riskiest models remains wide."

Your best bet in buying a safe car?  Go a little bigger.  Mid-size cars, SUVs, and minivans ranked higher than smaller, low-priced vehicle.

To read the whole article, including which models had the highest death rates, go here.

Don't Get Jammed

If you're like me, gridlock is on your top 5 (or 10, if you're pretty zen) list of pet peeves. No one likes wasted minutes sitting in avoidable traffic.  You can listen to your favorite AM radio station (queue the VERY distinct memories of every trip I've ever taken with my dad) OR you could let your car do the navigating. 

That's right! Among Honda's slew of helpful features in 2015 is a little nugget called Honda FM Traffic.  

It's easy to use:

Icons indicate the location of incidents and traffic-flow conditions

Interstates and expressways are color-coded to indicate traffic-flow levels

The information is gathered by NAVTEQ™ from multiple sources, including highway patrol incident reports and transportation departments

The information is refreshed approximately every 90 seconds (that's way faster than "on the 9s") 

Honda engineers argue that information is your best weapon against getting caught in gridlock, and the Honda FM Traffic feature helps you steer clear of slowdowns by keeping you informed of traffic speeds and traffic incidents in your path.  It offers the convenience of traffic information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when you need it. In contrast, radio traffic reports are typically available only during rush hours. Secondly, radio traffic reports are not customized to your particular route—they may provide travel times between key hot-spots, but you’re left calculating what that means for your travel. In contrast, Honda FM Traffic information is available for a wide network of roads in all covered markets and may be used by your compatible device to determine your personalized traffic-optimized route, and arrival time.  Best of all, the traffic information is delivered through FM radio frequencies, so the service is 100-percent free, with zero subscription fees. (Three cheers for FREE!) 

So you're welcome, Honda drivers.  Rush hour just got a lot easier.  

Chain Up!

In this snow-pocalypse of a winter, you may be wondering exactly how to stay smart and safe out on the roads. (Sugar and I usually choose to abstain from sliding around on the ice unless we absolutely HAVE TO.)  

Of course, snow tires are always a good idea... but what if you're planning on venturing into the mountains for a little cold weather fun?  Have you considered tire chains but thought they were over-kill?  

If you're braver than I am and planning on heavy winter driving, our friends at the Department of Motor Vehicles have a few suggestions for you for chaining up this season:   

1.   The same way it is a good idea to test the braking and steering on a snowy or slippery road, you should test putting on the tire chains before you reach the mountain roads where they may be required.

2. Pick an open stretch of street, or a vacant parking lot. Take the chains out of their packaging or case, and untangle all of the links so they are hanging free in a web shape. Place the two separated chains by the tires to which you will apply them. For a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the chains should go on the front tires. For rear-wheel-drive vehicles, the chains should be applied to the rear wheels. Some trucks and extreme conditions may call for tire chains on all wheels, which is fine, but make sure you put the chains on the right tires when you only have two.

3. With the car parked, parking brake engaged, and car in gear, place the chain onto the tire, holding it from the top and ensuring that it is evenly placed over the wheel. Obviously, the bottom part of the chain cannot cover that portion of tire that is touching the road. Just fit the rest of the chain onto the wheel as best you can.

It should be noted that some chains have rings that go on the inside of the wheel, and help guide the chains into place. For these ring-type chains, be sure the open connection is on the bottom of the wheel. Once you place the chains on and the ring is going around the inside of the wheel, you can connect the bottom of the ring. This usually requires you to get right down under the car by the tire. You may need to change position to get the best angle on the connection.

4. Once the chain is evenly and securely on the three-quarters of the wheel that is not touching the road, repeat the process on the other side. When both chains are on, check to make sure the front of the car is clear, and drive forward a few feet. You only need to drive far enough to expose the rest of the wheels that were previously touching the ground. Put the car in gear or in park, engage the parking brake, and get out of the vehicle again. Now you can secure the chains squarely on the remaining wheel surfaces.

5. Next, tighten the chains by using a closer link on the chains. Now you are ready to drive, but only for a little bit. After you have driven 50 to 100 feet, you must get out and re-tighten the chains, which will likely have some slack from evening out across the tires.

Don't be alarmed by the bumpy ride. After all, you are driving with chains on your tires. For your practice run with the tire chains, you will likely be on a dry road, so limit the driving, but this is a good chance to get to know how they feel and how the car rides with the chains on.

Of course, we won't leave you stuck with chains on all the time, so let's review how to remove them: 

Taking the chains off is much easier, once you have disconnected the inside rings or chains. This once again requires you to get right down to the lower inside of the wheel. (You may want to invest in some snow pants for all this snowy work!) However, once the inside ring or chain is disconnected, you can't simply pull the chains off! The chains will not disconnect on the bottom, where the tire is resting on the ground.

Simply lay the chains to the side of the tires as flat as possible, making sure that they are not still around the wheel or axle of the vehicle. Then you will drive forward a few feet, enough to get the car's tires clear from the chains. When putting the chains back in a bag or packaging, try to make sure they are not tangled together, and make sure they are dry.

You're ready to tackle the snow! And whether you chain up or stay in town, remember to drive safely this season! 

Don't Mind Us...

...we're just winning more awards!

The Honda CR-V has won Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year for 2015.

The CR-V claims the title with a long list of vehicle enhancements for 2015, including its improved fuel economy and uncompromising driving dynamics, thanks to the inclusion of Honda's Earth Dreams Technology™ power train, the launch of an all-new Touring trim, the debut of Honda Sensing™ safety and driver assistive technologies, and the CR-V's excellent value for money paradigm.

Motor Trend editor-in-chief Ed Loh, said, "The 2015 Honda CR-V impressed our judges with its extensive list of delightful design and thoughtful engineering improvements. Our editors were especially impressed by Honda's responsive and efficient continuously-variable transmission and sophisticated safety systems – particularly the smart and seamlessly integrated Lane Keeping Assist system. Efficient, practical, and a joy to drive; the 2015 Honda CR-V does virtually everything well."

"It is an honor to receive such a prestigious award from the expert staff at Motor Trend," said Jeff Conrad, SVP & General Manager of Honda Division, American Honda Motor Co, Inc. "Our engineers, planners, and dealers work hard to deliver class leading products to our customers, and it's extremely rewarding to be recognized for that hard work. This award from Motor Trend reaffirms for us that we're meeting that goal."

Priced from $23,320, the CR-V is offered with:

• Honda Earth Dreams Technology™ 
• 185-horsepower, 2.4-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine
• CVT (continuously variable transmission)
• either front- or all-wheel drive
• EPA-estimated 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway/ 29 mpg combined for front-wheel-drive models, and 26/33/28-mpg for all-wheel drive (best-in-class fuel economy!)

The 2015 CR-V is expected to receive a Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and its official safety ratings will be released later this year. The 2015 CR-V is manufactured exclusively for the North American market at Honda plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico using domestic and globally sourced parts.

The recognition from Motor Trend validates the sales success of the Honda CR-V, which sold more than 300,000 units last year, and is on track to do the same in 2014. CR-V's strong sales performance has been a consistent triumph for the Honda brand since the vehicle's introduction, leading CR-V to become the best-selling SUV in the industry over the past decade.

Okay, now that we're done apple-polishing, go take your own test drive of the CR-V at Ken Garff Honda of Orem.  We'll even let you start with a virtual test drive here.

Test Driving the 2015 Honda Accord Sport | Matt Rutherford

Christmas came early for me this year. Well, not really, but earlier this month, I did feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Despite what you might expect, this was a bitter-sweet experience. Let me explain what happened.

I have been driving an older car. When I say old, I definitely don't mean vintage. That usually means something worth keeping. No, this is an old, beat up, 98 Toyota. Don't get me wrong. It's been a great car and has been reliable for several years. However, it is getting a little long in the tooth and, well, it would be nice to drive something newer. Alas, I can't afford a newer vehicle right now. We just bought a new family vehicle. I need to hold on to my commuter car for a while longer.

Well, a few months ago, my wife won a contest. I didn't even know she had entered the competition, so her winning was a pleasant surprise. She won a week long test drive from Ken Garff Honda, in Orem. Well, knowing our family van was getting old, we figured we would test drive a new Honda Odyssey, giving our family something nice to ride for a few days.

Unfortunately, our old family van died and had to be abandoned in Wyoming (long story). We purchased a new van before my wife even had a chance to test drive anything from Ken Garff. So, when it was her turn, my wife gave her week long test drive to me.

I felt pretty lucky, getting the prize to a contest I initially didn't even know existed. We contacted the dealership and made arrangements for me to pick up the vehicle of my choice. Being a Honda fan who was sad to give up his last Accord a few years ago, I chose an Accord for my test drive. We went to pick it up, signed an insurance document, and away we went. The staff at Ken Garff were friendly and helpful and the entire process was pretty painless.

But you want to hear more about the car itself, right? That's why you are here. All I can say is, "Wow." I was blown away. The car I got was a brand new, 2015 Honda Accord Sport, fully loaded. The vehicle only had 21 miles on it when I sat in the driver's seat. I don't think I've ever driven such a new car before. 

So, let me just say that there are many things to like about the Accord, but I can't speak much of what goes under the hood. Sadly, auto mechanics are not my strong point. I am a therapist, not a car person, so when I review a car, I can speak of the mechanics in only general terms. My main focus in this review will be the user interface.

First off, I loved having the Bluetooth connectivity. I could play music and take phone calls through the car's interface, and it was a breeze to set up. There is a nice, large (yet unobtrusive) display in the center of the dash that showed me the song playing and who was calling. I could also see how many bars my phone had and even see how low my phone battery was. Nice.

Of course, that display was also where the backup camera displayed what might be behind me, including indicators to let me know my anticipated path, based on the turn of steering wheel. It also was the main display for just about every electronic setting the car had. It was intuitive to use and I am serious when I say that the display was unobtrusive, though. I didn't feel like it was distracting me from the road. On the contrary, having my music, phone calls and so forth in one place made it easier to focus on what I needed to focus on, driving. And though there is not much to say about it, I liked having the thumb controls for volume, cruise control, phone calls, and changing the display, right on the steering wheel.

Other nice features of the user interface: lots of storage up front, USB plug for electronic devices, easy to adjust the seats. There are a couple of other features to mention, both having to do with fuel economy. First, the "Econ" or energy saver mode button. As I had it explained to me, the button takes away some of the energy used by the car, specifically with the AC and the engine. I did not notice much of a difference, but apparently, this little button can make a big difference in energy consumption.

The second thing about the interface that needs mentioning is related. There is a little indicator, near the speedometer. This is just a bar that goes left to right. The farther to the right it is, the better your gas mileage. When you are speeding up, the bar goes to the left, and you know that your gas mileage is dropping. Wow. That small indicator changed how I drove. It was very rewarding to keep the  mileage as high as possible, with smooth, rather than abrupt acceleration and coasting when possible. In other words, I was trained to drive more economically.

"But how did it drive?" I hear you asking. Well, I was certainly spoiled for a week. Turns were smooth, even on roundabouts. The suspension is tight, to where I barely felt bumps in the road. The car had a lot of power and accelerated without hesitation. Oh, it was nice. I did need to check myself, because it would have been easy to speed in that thing. I didn't, but boy, was it tempting.

I drove it to and from work. Most of the time, my driving was on city roads, which afforded little opportunity to go very fast. I also got some construction zone driving in there, making a bumpy road pretty smooth. But one day a week, I drive up to the Salt Lake area, so I got to try some freeway speeds. Boy, did this car deliver. It did not hesitate to get up to *cough* the speed limit and I felt very safe the entire way to work and back.

Ok, some final words. I drove this beautiful piece of machinery for 149 miles and had a good experience. I actually was a little offended that the starlings (dang birds) that harass my wife's and my cars ended up pooping on this Accord. 

But that did not ruin my overall experience (of course, not!). Neither did the shiny plastic facing on the passenger side, above the glove compartment. In bright sunlight, this would shine in my eyes. I know, a minor quibble, but honestly, that was about all I could find to complain about.

All in all, it was a bittersweet week, because I knew I would be returning the car at the end of the week. And during the week, I had to endure several admiring looks from strangers, and explain to coworkers that I just had the car on loan. Such sacrifices. And yes, the return to my old clunker was difficult, as well, but all of it was worth the sacrifice.

Honda Pilot is 'Ready to Rock at Costco'

http://automobiles.honda.com/pilot/exterior-photos.aspxaption

A hundred years ago, before my Honda conversion, I drove a Chevy Corsica. Who can believe it? I'm pretty sure I just picked Rosie because she was cost-effective and red. (Two very important car-buying criteria!) Nevertheless, Rosie introduced me, the hard way admittedly, to my first Honda Pilot. We were playing dirty game of "broadside" in the middle of an intersection, but I distinctly remember that once I got over the initial shock of it all--I imprinted that Pilot on my memory for good. Now, this was all back somewhere around 2003, and the Pilot has come a long way since then, but I still remember thinking I wouldn't mind having a ride like that.

Fast-forward to today. Chevrolet doesn't even make a Corsica anymore, but Honda's still cranking out the ever-popular Pilot. Why? Well, for now let's chalk it up to superior craftsmanship and the old Honda staying power.

The 2015 Pilot, in fact, is still a little bit of bedrock in its field. According to Kelly Blue Book, "Its tidy exterior proportions make it easy to maneuver through cramped parking lots and rush-hour traffic, yet with seating for up to eight passengers, it can hold as many people as most full-size SUVs. Add in Honda's reputation for reliability and strong resale, and the Pilot begins to look like a sure bet." And while it's not the sportiest ride on the road, according to Edmunds, "...the Pilot still has several solid basic qualities that should serve a family well.

The main one is space. There's plenty of room on the inside, and even the third-row seats can accommodate adults, making this large crossover a true eight-passenger vehicle. There's also an upside to the Pilot's boxy shape: It allows for a more usefully shaped cargo bay for bulky items and ultimately makes life more convenient. Just drop those rear seats and you're ready to rock at Costco."

While I cringe a little at the word boxy, the Pilot knows what it is: A safe, solid, family-friendly ride. I mean, really, you had me at, "ready to rock at Costco..." Sigh.   So whenever you're ready to move up from a sedan, and need a little extra space for soccer balls and snacks for the kids... but you're not ready for mom jeans and a perm just yet... head on over to Ken Garff Honda of Orem their inventory. They've got Pilots and staff ready to impress.
   

High Time for Hybrid

I left Sugar (my faithful '03 Honda Accord) at home this summer and took a road trip with a friend to Southern Utah.  Sugar and I had made all the big trips over the last few years, and I thought it was someone else's turn to drive.  My friend had just traded his 1997 Honda Accord for a 2003 Nissan Maxima (traitor!!), and I was eager to try it out.

Admittedly, it was cushy: The leather seats.  The miles of leg room. Very. Cushy.

But you know what else it was?  A big ol', irresponsible gas hog.

On every other trip we'd taken south, we'd gas up my girl Sugar once on the way out of town and once on the way home. Splitting gas costs was a breeze.

On the other hand, Big Bertha (as I lovingly named her) drank like a fish.  Every time we stopped for gas, my friend would mutter a few choice words and begrudgingly fill the tank.  In fact, every 50 miles or so, he'd say, "Will you look at that? My Honda had so much better gas mileage! Stupid !*@$%#."  It was a very colorful drive.  (I think he might be having a little buyer's remorse.)

For as long as I we've been friends, the only trade he'd ever talked about was a hybrid.  So when he finally sold his trusty Accord,  the purchase of Big Bertha was a bit of a shock. In fact, when I asked about it, he got cranky... so I'm guessing he considered a hybrid before making a different purchase.

The Maxima he's driving now ballparks at about 21-28 mpg, depending on whether it's in town or on the open road.  The Honda Accord Hybrid runs at a very attractive 45-50 mpg.  And the new Honda Hybrids are plenty deluxe.

So let's take a quick look at just three of the Hybrid Accord's fantastic features:

1. Honda LaneWatch: LaneWatch is an ingenious safety feature that comes standard on all Hybrid Accords.  It's a tiny camera, mounted on the passenger-side mirror that automatically activates when you signal right.  Its live video feed gives you four times more viewing power than using the mirror alone.
2. Earth Dreams Technology Engine: According to Honda, the 2.0-liter, 16-valve, i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine and the electric motor are fed by a lithium-ion battery pack.  They're all channeled through an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT) for a combination of efficiency and performance like never before.  Roughly translated:  The new Hybrid Accord drives more like the Accord you already know and love than ever before!
3. HondaLink:  If you're like me, your car is more than just a driving machine.  It's your home-away-from-home and you need to be connected.  HondaLink is an application-based platform that connects you to your music, podcasts, and vehicle services, news and more!  This is serious (and safe!) connectivity. 

Are you hooked yet?  If you need to explore the Hybrid a little more, click HERE for the full tour.  And when you're ready, pop on over to Ken Garff Honda of Orem to take a little test drive. Any of our friendly staff will help you choose the right car for you.