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The head of R&D at Honda, Kotaro Shige, is quite the dynamic man. He is by no means, the stoic suit, people who have worked for large corporations might expect. An integral part of the Honda team since the late '70s, he has, in fact, been referred to as Honda's 'Rock-Star Exec' and 'the Jimmy Page of Japan's auto industry', by Motor Trend magazine.

While you might think Motor Trend was just being complimentary to Shige, there's actually quite a bit of truth to the comparisons. For example, in his teens Shige played in a band…

The all new Honda Civic is back with its two-door Civic Si sports variant.

Unveiled at the 2011 New York International Auto Show, this high-performance Si borrows a muscle-car trick to boost its performance. Si implements a 2.4-liter four cylinder engine, which one could call a "2.4 a big block" as the hot rodders would say.

It's similar to what General Motors did over 45 years ago when it placed a full-sized car engine into its mid-size Pontiac Tempest. This began the GTO and 1960's muscle-car movement.

Civic Si produces 201 horsepower, making it the most…

In the first annual report, Edmunds.com guarantees consumers that Honda automobiles retain their value better than any other vehicles in the non-luxury division. Further proving the Big H's worth, Edmunds named the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, and Honda Odyssey  leaders within their respective segments.

According to Edmunds, Honda retains over 50 percent of its value. That's even higher than Honda's two leading competitors! In attempting to clarify Honda's actual and alleged value, Danny Zhou, Senior Analyst at Edmunds.com said, "A lot of consumers just see it [Honda] as a value-oriented brand that…

According to the IIHS, the all new Honda Odyssey is the safest van on the road.

The 2011 Honda Odyssey has earn the highest possible safety ratings from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and it is the only van to ever do so. No other minivan this year that has received the "Top Safety Pick" award from the IIHS and an "Overall Vehicle Score" of five stars from NHTSA.

In order to be dubbed a Top Safety Pick, the automobile must earn the highest score of 'Good' in all…

Think we're talking about cars? Think again. What we're referring to is Honda's dedication to developing and testing devices aimed at helping people who suffer from a lack of mobility walk easier and for longer distances.

The first walking assist device developed by Honda is designed to aid people with severely weakened leg muscles, who are still able walk. Officially coined, Stride Management Assist, it's fitted with a motor that helps lift each leg at the thigh as it moves forward and backward. Honda's goal is to help users lengthen their stride and make it…

Oh, how we at Barber Honda - 4500 Wible Rd. Bakersfield, CA 93313 - sometime envy the Brits. Yet again, they're about to be given a hip new car with only 500 units built. It's called the Honda Civic TI Limited-Edition.

Encouraged by this season's Honda Racing British Touring Car challenger, the new Civic TI will feature a Premium White Pearl exterior accented by contrasting matte black wheels and a 'GP' body kit complete primarily in Crystal Black. The sporty body kit, includes: the front spoiler, the rear spoiler (in white to give the body a sleek look), side…

Honda has incredibly high standards for green motoring. Maybe you've heard some ad or read a press release hinting at the company's less-than-impressed view of electric vehicles (EVs). If you have, the phrase "near-future technology" used in connection with plug-in vehicles should be at least vaguely familiar. Basically, Honda believes the eventual goal of green motoring is a selection of mass produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, such as its very own FCX Clarity, which is the world's first production fuel cell vehicle available to lease in the U.S. and Japan since 2008.

On the other hand…

Are you a stickler for safety, that's passes by minivans because they aren't know as being...well...the safest of vehicles? It's time to look again, this time at the 2011 Honda Odyssey. Having earned an overall five-star score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) for all three crash tests, test category, and overall, it's certain to meet even the most discerning Moms' and Dads' sense of…

Annually, J.D. Power and Associates ask people who have purchased a new-model vehicle a few questions, following 90-days of ownership. Officially called the Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, the investigation assesses participants' satisfaction with about 100 vehicle features (i.e., riding and handling and comfort and convenience). At the end, the APEAL study reveals, which features people find most appealing about their new vehicles. It is a great honor for automakers to earn a place in the study. In 2010, the Honda Fit was dubbed winner of the Subcompact Car category.

The fun and fuel sipping Fit…