Faceoff: 2009 Ford Flex v. 2009 Honda Pilot

How does the 2009 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year stack up against the segment leader?

With its mix of haute couture style and funky functionality, the new Ford Flex beat out the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and the Subaru Forester to take the 2009 Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s Utility Vehicle of the Year award.

Second place: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD

Congrats to Ford. Well done. No doubt the Flex makes a big styling statement compared to Ford's previous crossover attempts -- the bland 2005 Freestyle and slightly less bland '08 Taurus X. But when it comes to good ol' fashioned value -- what should be a high priority for buyers in this class -- how does Ford's latest crossover hold up against what some consider the established leader in its segment, the also new for '09 Honda Pilot.

Another new Ford product based off the first-generation Volvo S80 chassis, the stylish six- or seven-passenger Flex crossover is in theory a replacement for the long-gone Ford Freestar/Windstar minivan.

Pricing starts at $35,499 for a seven-passenger front-wheel drive Flex SEL. Our tester was a fully loaded Limited with part-time all-wheel drive. With an overly large sunroof ($1,700), towing package ($500), navigation system ($2,500), DVD player ($1,200) and $500 for the Mini Cooper-mimicking white roof, the finally tally came to $49,399 -- $521 less than the similarly equipped Pilot.

Style and room

Beyond the Flex's hip-to-be-square design, the main interior benefits over the eight-passenger Pilot are second-row legroom and overall headroom. Being 277 mm longer than the Honda, there's 148 mm more room for the two second-row occupants to stretch their legs out. Moving to the top-of-the-line Flex Limited deletes the middle second-row seating position found in lesser models, turning it into a three-row, six-seater. At least those second-row captain's chairs are heated.

In terms of style -- like the contrast in the two vehicles' exterior designs -- the Flex's interior is like the Vegas strip compared to the subdued cabin of the Pilot. There's enough fake chrome, aluminum and wood that a Lincoln badge wouldn't look out of place on the rump of the Ford.

The highway is its home

Performance isn't really a priority in this class, which is a good thing. Both crossovers are powered by 3.5-litre V6s. The Flex's mill has a bit more horsepower than the Pilot (262 to 250), yet less torque (248 to 253 lb.-ft.) Both weigh in with around 2,100 kg, and consume in the neighbourhood of 13.0L/100 km in the city, and 9.0L on the highway. And both have the ability to tow around 2,000 kg. So its no surprise the pair of these quasi-minivans are equal in the run up to 100 km/h, in the nine-second range.

On paper, the Ford's six-speed, automatic transmission (versus only five in the Honda) should give an advantage. But it's been tuned for soft shifts at the expense of responsiveness. And "soft" is also the adjective here when it comes to how the Flex responds as a driver's car -- both on and off the road.

The Flex is happiest cruising in a straight line on the highway, delivering a comfortable and quiet ride. But when the road turns twisty, the Ford feels like the limo it's trying to be -- it is too slow and reluctant in taking commands from the helm. And where that extra length helps interior room and ride comfort, the Flex simply can't go where the shorter Honda (with its shorter overhangs) can travel once the pavement runs out.

Has form trumped function?


If you're smitten by the 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD's unique looks, only need room for six, and never intend to travel off the beaten path, go with the Flex. But we think there's another large crossover that's an even better value...

Buy this car if ... you want a minivan that looks like a Mini Cooper; you want limo-like rear legroom; you have to spend all day cruising highways.

Don't buy this car if ... you want a responsive and agile utility vehicle; you want to go into the woods; you need eight seats.

First place: 2009 Honda Pilot Touring


If style isn't at the top of your large crossover priority list, Honda's stodgy looking yet practical second-generation Pilot not only offers one more seat than the Flex, it's also a better drive both on and off the pavement.

The offspring of a luxury crossover father (Acura MDX) and a minivan mother (Honda Odyssey), Honda's first generation Pilot was born in the summer of 2002 as a 2003 model. Six years later, Honda hasn't drastically altered the Pilot's split minivan SUV DNA for its new '09 model.

As the top-line Pilot model (base front-drive models start at $36,820) the part-time all-wheel-drive $49,920 Touring comes only one way -- loaded. In addition to the typical "power everything," and leather this 'n that, highlights include a navigation system with French and English voice recognition, de rigueur rear DVD system (with headphones), a power tailgate, and a trailer hitch and harness, heavy-duty radiator, oil cooler and limited slip differential for towing.

Forget length -- it's the width that counts


If not offering as much second-row rear legroom as the Flex, the Pilot offers more shoulder and hip room. Its extra width means three can sit relatively comfortably in both back rows. Plus there's a bit more cargo room out back: 589 litres versus 566 L in the Ford.

With acres of black plastic, there's not as much interior bling as in the Ford. But in the spirit of Apple's original mint-and-white iMacs, the Pilot Touring's driver's instrumentation features a floating needle design with a white background.

Unfortunately -- and typical of many U.S.-designed Hondas -- its centre control stack is ridiculously festooned with too many buttons of the same shape and size.

A family hauler with all the right moves, both on- and off-road


A buttoned-down chassis and solid body structure make the new Pilot a much more rewarding car to drive than the softly tuned and loose-feeling Flex. Without the wallowing found in the Ford, the Honda feels almost European its suspension tuning -- firm, but not too harsh. Steering with more feel and cornering with less lateral roll are quickly noticed. In back-to-back corners, the Pilot feels more planted due to its 36 mm wider front- and 26 mm wider rear-wheel tracks.

But what really separates the Pilot from the Flex is its outstanding off-road capabilities. Features normally found on vehicles with Land Rover badges -- like hill-start assist (which sends maximum torque to the rear wheels at speeds up to 30 km/h), four-wheel-lock, and shorter front and rear overhangs -- means this Honda isn't afraid to get its shiny alloys dirty.

Is this the best value in large crossovers?


OK, the Pilot's no Jeep Wrangler when it comes to tackling serious off-road terrain. For instance, there's no low transmission range. But at speeds up to 30 km/h, a push of a button directs maximum torque to the rear wheels (up to 70-per cent depending on the amount of tire slip), which can also help out in deep snow.

Knowing these limitations, the 2009 Honda Pilot Touring is still a nice compromise between the refined driving qualities of a crossover and the rugged off-road capabilities of an SUV. All around, the new Honda is an impressive effort. Impressive enough, in this shootout to beat this year's Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Buy this car if ... you want plenty of room for eight passengers and their gear; you want a large crossover that's not afraid of a twisty road; you want to go further off-road than your gravel laneway.

Don't buy this car if ... you favour good looks over function.

Not bad, the worst thing they say about the Pilot is the style and that is completely subjective!


Source;
http://en.autos.sympatico.msn.ca/cross_over_special/article.aspx?cp-documentID=18178497

Edmunds; 2010 Honda Insight EX Full Test

The Insight Goes Mainstream

By Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing
Date posted: 01-11-2009

Let's address the elephant in the room first, shall we? Many who have seen early photographs of the 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid have dismissed it as nothing more than a carbon copy of a Toyota Prius.

These people would be wrong.

What "these people" are forgetting is what was said about the current Toyota Prius when it first debuted in the fall of 2003. "It looks like a four-door Honda CRX," they whined.

Honda Copied...Honda
Much of this finger-pointing stems from the nearly horizontal rear glass of the 2010 Honda Insight with its vertical, peekaboo rear window for enhanced rearward visibility.

The vertical glass panel allows the Insight to fully exploit the widely recognized aerodynamic principles of Wunibald Kamm, who discovered that if one abruptly chopped the tail end off a teardrop, the most streamlined of shapes, most of the low-drag goodness would remain. A Kamm back, they call it.

Yes, the Toyota Prius has this very arrangement. But so did the 2000-'06 Honda Insight and the 1988-'91 Honda CRX before it. That the 2010 Insight looks this way is no accident, because Yasunari Seki, chief engineer for the 2010 Honda Insight, made his name at Honda while working on the CRX HF.

And that's just what the 2010 Honda Insight is, more or less: a hybrid version of the late Honda CRX HF, but with four doors, room for five passengers, up-to-date safety features and modern conveniences.

With respect to the 2010 Honda Insight, Honda is guilty of copying no one but itself.

The Honda Hybrid Approach
The trouble with hybrids is that they don't seem to pencil out. We've compared many to their non-hybrid counterparts, but the cost to buy one is never offset by the fuel savings realized.

Of course, the reasons to purchase a hybrid extend beyond saving money at the gas pump, and that's why Toyota Prius owners are likely to be well-heeled early adopters more interested in the philosophical benefits of going green than the financial ones.

But Honda wants the 2010 Insight to be affordable enough for almost anyone. And it wants the Insight to be the kind of hybrid that provides measureable benefits without introducing day-to-day eccentricities. To these ends, Honda has not developed an all-new hybrid system with dual electric motors and a complex series-parallel arrangement, like a Prius.

Instead, Honda has stuck to an approach that has worked for its hybrid cars before: Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), a simple system consisting of an efficient gasoline engine, a conventional continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a thin, brushless electric motor sandwiched between the two. The battery pack is of the tried-and-true nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) variety.

Official pricing is not due until we get closer to the new Insight's release date of April 22, 2009 (yes, that's Earth Day). But the base LX model's price is expected to come in well under $18,000. We figure that this fully optioned 2010 Honda Insight EX-Navi (EX with navigation) should cost less than $22,500 — at least $5,000 below a comparable Prius.

Output Specifics
The engine in this case is a 1.3-liter inline-4 derived from the Honda Civic Hybrid. Changes for the Insight application include two spark plugs per cylinder and reduced internal friction.

The VTEC variable valve-timing system is also less elaborate. Instead of three VTEC modes, there are but two: a standard cam profile for everyday running and a zero-profile round cam that prevents any valves from opening and creating pumping losses when the Insight runs in full-electric mode.

By itself, this engine makes 88 horsepower and 88 pound-feet of torque. But it seldom runs alone. The IMA electric motor provides up to 13 hp and 58 lb-ft of torque. It's a smaller setup than the 20-hp electric motor found in the Civic Hybrid, because the Insight weighs some 150 pounds less than a Civic. Our test Insight registers 2,736 pounds on our scales.

All told, the combination is good for 98 hp at 5,800 rpm and 123 lb-ft of torque from 1,000-1,500 rpm. On our test track, this produces a run to 60 mph from a standstill in 10.9 seconds (10.5 with seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and does the quarter-mile in 17.9 seconds at 77.9 mph. That's a dead heat with the 2009 Fit Sport we recently tested and a trouncing of the 2009 Civic Hybrid by 2 seconds.

That MPG Thing
Mileagewise, the 2010 Honda Insight is expected to be EPA rated at 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway. By comparison, a Honda Fit Sport is rated at 27 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. The Civic Hybrid is rated at 40 mpg and 45 mpg, respectively.

Some might complain that the 1991 Honda CRX HF, a non-hybrid, was rated at 40 mpg city and 47 mpg highway (in 2008 terms). What have we gained? Well, how about safety, room for five and a host of power accessories, for starters? Lest you forget the 1991 CRX HF was a stripped two-seater that carried 800 fewer pounds.

We couldn't measure fuel economy on our customary test loops at home, but we devised a 197-mile substitute in Arizona. This suburban loop had more rural two-lanes in it than our usual Orange County course, but we're still impressed by the 51.5-mpg result our 2010 Honda Insight EX achieved.

Suspension Fitness
The 2010 Honda Insight borrows heavily from the strut-based Honda Fit, and in fact the entire chassis and suspension from the firewall forward is pure Fit. The spring and damper calibrations are specifically optimized for the Insight, of course, but the geometry and many of the hard parts are identical.

The rear suspension isn't a direct carryover, but the twist-beam rear axle is the same. The resulting gap between the rear wheels afforded by this layout is filled here with the Power Control Unit (PCU) and a 100.8-volt battery pack with a 5.75 amp-hour capacity. These components are slim enough that a temporary spare tire can perch atop them and still leave 15.9 cubic feet of space behind the seats — a bit more than a Prius.

Every Honda 2010 Insight rolls on 175/65R15 low-rolling-resistance tires. EX models like this one wear them on cast-aluminum wheels. The brakes are ventilated discs in front and drums in back, with additional drag coming from the IMA, which feeds electrons into the system backward to generate electricity when slowing.

On the road, the 2010 Honda Insight feels more nimble and put together than other hybrids. Some hybrid brake systems feel clumsy because of the regenerative system that's overlaid, but this is not the case here. The fuel-saving electric-assist power steering doesn't feel as precise as that of the Fit when you're going straight down the road, but it responds well and the effort is just right while cornering. In short, the Insight goes where it's pointed, feels secure and doesn't display the compromises we've noticed in previous hybrids.

At the track, our EX stops smartly from 60 mph in 125 feet. Its 0.79g performance on the skid pad is respectable for an economy car on skinny tires. But the slalom performance of 59.3 mph required our test-driver to conquer a bit of oversteer with the stability control turned off — something worth noting because the Insight LX does not have stability control.

Looking Inward
To enhance fuel economy, the Insight features a comprehensive Eco-Assist driver coaching system. A Civic-style two-tiered instrument layout is used, and the background of the high-mounted digital speedometer changes from blue to green to indicate how efficiently we're driving.

An Eco-Guide page in the multi-information display grows leaves to indicate our performance over a trip and frames a bar graph that encourages gentle use of throttle and brakes. When the Insight's key is removed, an eco score lingers to indicate how we've done over the life of the car.
They've managed to turn the 2010 Honda Insight into a rolling fuel-economy video game, but without making it distracting.

An "ECON" mode button (green, of course) makes it easier to score higher and improve fuel economy. Engaging it desensitizes the throttle pedal, re-optimizes the CVT and IMA control programs for thrift, increases the time that the air-conditioning compressor is disengaged and makes the cruise control less aggressive in sustaining speed. In short, the Insight becomes more sluggish.

The Insight's overall dash design is nodular and busy, but the major controls are close at hand and the fit and finish is good. We find the front seats roomy and comfortable. And, unlike in the Toyota Prius, the steering wheel telescopes and the driver seat adjusts for height, so our tallest tester settled in with no trouble.

The same cannot be said for the backseat. Those approaching 6 feet in height will feel the roof and wish for more legroom. The Insight's 100.4-inch wheelbase needs an additional inch or two. This, above all, reminds us that the Insight is indeed a compact car. It will not make a good eco-taxi.

Final Insights
Power windows and mirrors are standard equipment for every Insight, as are automatic climate control and an MP3 jack. Must-have techie features like shift paddles, Bluetooth and an integrated iPod and USB connection are standard on EX models.

So even though the Insight is a compact hybrid that gets very good fuel economy, the equipment list won't make you feel cheated. And there's nothing weird about it; the Insight drives like a regular Honda.

All told, the 2010 Honda Insight hits much more than it misses. And the pricing makes it a compelling choice that just may pencil out. So what if some people insist it looks like a Prius?
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, and the manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
2010 Honda Insight Buzz Station

Source;
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=139246?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..5.*#2

Ward’s Announces 2009 10 Best Engines Winners

By Ward’s StaffWardsAuto.com, Dec 5, 2008 12:54 PM

SOUTHFIELD, MI – Amid plummeting vehicle sales, thousands of job losses, an economy officially in recession and pleas for federal assistance, a handful of auto makers have cause to celebrate.

Ward’s Automotive Group announces its 2009 10 Best Engines list, which reflects the diversity of powertrains that will play a role in reshaping America’s automotive landscape.

Selected by Ward’s editors, the 2009 list marks the 15th year for the Ward’s 10 Best Engines program, the North American auto industry’s only awards honoring powertrain excellence and considered by many to be the “Oscars” for automotive engines.

The winners for 2008 (engine and tested vehicle):

Audi AG: 2.0L TFSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (A4 Avant)

BMW AG: 3.0L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (135i Coupe)

BMW AG: 3.0L DOHC I-6 Turbodiesel (335d)

Chrysler LLC: 5.7L Hemi OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram/Challenger R/T)

Ford Motor Co.: 2.5L DOHC I-4 HEV (Escape Hybrid)

General Motors Corp.: 3.6L DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe) <- and sedan

Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd.: 4.6L DOHC V-8 (Genesis)

Toyota Motor Corp.: 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

Volkswagen AG: 2.0L SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Jetta TDI)

Honda underscores its longstanding reputation for great engines with the encore performance of its 3.5L SOHC V-6 in the Accord lineup. Merging exceptional performance with reasonable fuel economy, the engine employs advanced cylinder deactivation in the sedan and engaging power delivery in the coupe.

Link;
http://wardsauto.com/home/best_engines_2009_081205/

Honda Positioned Well in Current Market Conditions

With the current state of high gas prices across North America, buyers are switching their buying habits to smaller cars, which makes some manufacturer's more prepared than others. While some manufacturer's are shutting down production and laying off workers (Ford, GM, Dodge....), Honda with it's class leading Honda Civic and Honda FIT are selling in droves, which is having a positive affect for Honda's production. Sure, sales of the Ridgeline, Pilot, and even Odyssey have dipped a bit, but with the surgence of the Civic, Fit, and I will even say CRV, instead of laying off worker's or shutting down plants, Honda is just switching production around and moving workers from one plant to another to keep up with demand.

Honda saving U.S. jobs by switching models

Yuri Kageyama / Associated Press

TOKYO -- Honda will meet growing U.S. demand for small cars while maintaining North American jobs by moving production of two bigger models from Canada to Alabama, Chief Executive Takeo Fukui said Thursday.
Honda Motor Co.'s Pilot sport-utility vehicle and Ridgeline pickup, now rolling off its plant in Alliston, Ontario, will be produced in Lincoln, Ala., allowing the production of the Civic sedan to be raised in Canada, he said.
"Gas prices continue to rise, and the demand for cars with good mileage is growing," Fukui told reporters at a Tokyo hotel. "Efforts are under way to increase the local production of the Civic."

Even the usually booming Japanese automakers are sensing the pinch from a U.S. economic slowdown and soaring material costs, including steel. But the Japanese are holding up better than their American rivals because of their reputation for fuel-efficient offerings.

General Motors' top managers are working on additional restructuring measures to deal with a declining U.S. auto market and an accelerated shift from trucks to more fuel-efficient vehicles, a person familiar with the plan told The Associated Press late Wednesday.

Such a move would come on top of thousands of job cuts at GM over the past three years mainly through buyout and early retirement offers.

Ford said earlier this week that it's planning involuntary layoffs of salaried employees by August as part of a restructuring in the face of slumping sales and record-high gas prices.

Honda's production changes won't create -- or cut -- any jobs in North America. But Fukui noted it will maintain sales momentum.
"And the point is we won't have to reduce employment," he said.

Honda will create American jobs when its plant to build Civics opens in Indiana later this year. That plant, Honda's seventh in North America, is expected to add about 2,000 jobs.
Fukui said Honda's Fit subcompact is another model that is emerging a hit in the U.S., a nation previously known to favor gas-guzzlers.
Still, the overall U.S. auto sales are expected to drop to around 15 million vehicles this year -- down from 17 million as recently as 2005.

For April, General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler all saw double-digit U.S. sales declines compared to last April. But Honda, along with Nissan Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., reported year-on-year gains.

Relatively new auto plants are flexible in production, allowing models to be switched to respond to shifts in demand. At some plants, the same assembly line can produce different models, one after the other.

Source:

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080529/AUTO01/805290438/1148