January 3rd, 2012 by

Filed under: Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Honda

After seeing a handful of spy shots of the next-generation Euro-spec Honda Civic, the North American car is finally starting to show up out roaming the heat-soaked roads of Death Valley. When the new Civic arrives next year, it won't be that much larger than the current car, and the overall shape looks to have stayed the same, though substantial changes to the front and rear fascias are definitely on deck.

Our spies were able to get a peek inside the Civic's cabin, showing that the two-tiered dash theme from the current car will likely be carried over to the new Civic. This means we can expect a digital speedometer on the top shelf with an analog tach below, and while we've never been big fans of this arrangement, it has its adherents among Civic fans.

We're not expecting to see the Civic debut until sometime in 2011, possibly at the Detroit or New York auto shows. For now, check out Honda's latest prototype from all angles in our gallery below.



[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: 2012 Honda Civic prototype holds on to two-tier dash originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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January 2nd, 2012 by

Filed under: Budget, Japan, Recalls, Hatchback, Toyota, Daihatsu

Daihatsu has announced plans to recalling over 500,000 vehicles in Japan due to taillight lenses that can fade over time. The lenses, originally orange, will bleach white with exposure to the sun, leading to a potential safety risk. As a result, Daihatsu is recalling a total of 435,423 Move hatchbacks built between 1995 and 2000, as well as 145,769 Mira models manufactured from 1998 to 2000. Both vehicles fall into Japans micro-car category and are powered by fuel-thrifty .66-liter engines.

The company plans to fix the issue by installing orange bulbs in the vehicles instead of the white ones that came from the factory.

Daihatsu is owned by Toyota, and the company produces a number of small vehicles for the manufacturing giant. While not as crippling as some of the other issues Toyota has had this year, the Daihatsu does add to the 11 million recalled Toyota and Lexus vehicles recalled since fall of last year.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: Toyota's Daihatsu recalls over 500,000 minicars over... fading taillamps? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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January 1st, 2012 by

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Hatchback, Chrysler, Fiat

We've been anxiously awaiting the availability of Fiat's 500 bubble bauble in the States for so long that we're beginning to feel like we're waiting for Godot and that the four-wheeled confection will never actually arrive at all.

But there appears to be hope on the horizon.

Earlier this week, Chrysler hosted hundreds of potential dealers at its Auburn Hills, MI headquarters as it is working to pull together a network, and it's understood that the automaker wants to sell 50,000 units per year through 165 dealers. While we think the Cinquecento is small and cuddly enough to pop out of a few strategically placed vending machines, Fiat will definitely need a cohesive countrywide network to sell its planned full lineup of vehicles. So where are they thinking about planting their flags? Fan site 500Freaks.com thinks they know, as they indicate they've gotten hold of a Chrysler-provided list of the best minicar markets in America.

Predictably, certain states like California and New York have an abundance of cities listed, while some states only have one, and others aren't represented at all. Click on the link below to see if your city of choice is on Chrysler's preliminary list. Appreciate the lead, Mike G!


[Source: 500Freaks]

Cities under consideration for Fiat 500 sales outlets listed? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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