The recall was announced today and will include the 2008 and 2009 model with 45,000 vehicles in total, the models in the list are the Odyssey EX-L and Touring vans. Owners of the affected vehicles will begin to receive notification from March 13, which does seem a little too long to wait for those who are now worried their support rods on their tailgate could fail.

The risk could be serious because if the tailgate does come down on someone’s head it could cause an injury, without these struts taking the weight of the tailgate they are very heavy and will fall with a great amount of force.

According to a recent article there have been two incidents where injuries have occurred, thankfully both were not serious. Honda reports that this is a manufacturing flaw where gas can leak from the struts, so you are advised to be careful if you have reason to believe you have an Odyssey minivan that could be affected by this recall.

Once Honda put the recall into effect owners can check out recalls.honda.com or call (800) 999-1009 and select option 4. If your vehicle has been identified as a faulty model then all you need to do is visit your local Honda garage to get the problem fixed for free. The Odyssey has been involved in two recalls in the past couple of years one in 2010 and another in 2011, the former was for a braking issue (see video below) and the second for windshield wiper issues.

As for the ATVs the list of VIN models can be seen in an article here, which is the two-wheeled drive 2012 Honda FourTrax Rancher. There have been four incidents involving the weld failures on the suspension arm, there have not been any serious injuries expect for a sprained wrist. It’s good news to hear this but we cannot help but fear something worse could happen if action was not taken; you are advised to visit this website or call (866) 784-1870.

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The new Honda Civic is the ninth in the series which has been manufactured since 1972. It will begin shipping in January 2012 and is being manufactured at the company’s Swindon plant in the UK. Honest John says the top of the range version of the vehicle, the 2.2 litre i-DTEC EX GT, which features the highest specifications will set you back £26,595 while the basic model costs £16,495.

There are three engines available altogether, the 2.2 litre i-DTEC diesel and the 1.4 and 1.8 litre i-VTEC petrol engines, as well as four trim levels; EX GT, EX, ES and SE. All come equipped with six-speed manual transmission as standard with a five-speed automatic option available for the 1.8 litre petrol model. They will also all feature a fuel-saving ECON driving mode. Even the basic SE models will come already equipped with USB/AUX connectivity, automatic air-conditioning and alloy wheels.

As you would expect, as the trims increase in specs so too does the price. The ES models begin at £18,995 and get automatic window wipers and lights, optional sat nav, dual-zone air conditioning, reversing camera, speed limiter and cruise control all as standard. A premium sound system, heated leather seats and sat nav are added as standard to the EX models, which begin at £21,745 and the top model, the EX GT, gets additional tinted windows, bigger alloy wheels, a panoramic roof, bi-xenon lights, rear and front parking sensors and keyless entry and start functionality for £24,495. A collision mitigating brake system and adaptive cruise control can also be specified for an extra £1,900.

What do you think of the new Honda Civic? Will you be getting one in January?

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We say this because India is still an emerging market, and small cars are what most drivers in the country will be aiming to purchase – due to the fact of low-wage levels. The Tata Nano is currently the world’s cheapest car, but it is very basic in terms of technology and features. However, Honda has looked closely at what the Indian driver wants, and has developed the Brio with this in mind.

According to Daily.Bhaskar, the Honda Brio will cost Rs 3.95 lakh – Rs 5.1 lakh depending on which model you choose: there are five in all. You will see by some of these images on the official Honda India website that the small Brio is practical for driving on those busy roads. What has surprised us is just how much space the interior has when compared to some rival cars of the same size.

The entry-level model comes with a 1.2-liter engine, offering 88hp, but it’s not all about speed. What we seem to love the most is the simple styling, small turning circle, and how five adults can fit in – as long as they are not all over 6-foot. Those passengers will fall in love right way with the cockpit, as it features an asymmetrical design with a chrome and silver finish.

Where the Brio excels is behind the scenes, as more than 80 percent of materials used for the vehicle have been sourced locally – which helps to keep costs down.

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The company is set to release their FCX Clarity, which is a hydrogen powered vehicle, and in the buildup to its release it seems they have opened up this station in order to spark the manufacture of more similar service stations. The Swindon station will be run by industrial gas experts BOC, a partner of Honda’s, who also are responsible for building the station.

The refueling station, which is now fully-operational on a commercial scale, will be accessible to users of hydrogen-powered vehicles and those who are developing them. It will provide the two most common hydrogen power systems filling pressures, 700 bar and 350 bar. It is situated on the M4, halfway between Swansea and London. It uses technology that is easily mimicked so a network of similar stations can be established eventually. This way they can spread across the country so as to offer a more common service for more hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles.

According to ExpertReviews, Honda’s Thomas Brachmann claims that ‘Hydrogen fuel cell technology is the ultimate transport solution,’ adding that they meet environmental demands from customers at the same time as providing the performance and range that is expected. Honda’s hopes are that this scheme can provide a blueprint for future plans to build stations for these types of vehicles.

What are your thoughts on low carbon vehicles?

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An article on The Wall Street Journal is reporting the Japanese car maker will recall the cars globally to fix the problems with its Fit, CR-V, and CR-Z compact hybrid lines. Following the previous recalls last month the company has also received a bad Consumer Reports review for its 2012 Civic.

The company has said the latest recalls will set Honda back to the tune of $17 million in Japan, and is now recalling a further 936,000 cars from its Fit, City and CR-V ranges to fix a faulty master switch for the electric windows. Honda have said a design fault can allow the power switches to overheat that has resulted in two members of the public reporting light burns after touching them.

This latest recall affects models in the US, Europe, Japan, China, and countries in Africa and Asia. There were also nine other reports of affected vehicles catching fire in Japan and China because of the overheating switches.

Honda have also announced it is to recall around 26,000 CR-Z hybrid models in the US, Canada, Japan, and other regions due to defective programming of electronic control units for motors used by the model. Shares in the Japanese car maker fell by 4.7 percent after the news was announced to the world, which was a trend seen by other car manufacturers from the region.

The last couple of years have seen a lot of car recalls especially ones affecting Japanese car makers, who in the past have had the deserved reputation of being reliable and safe vehicles. Honda will be contacting owners of the vehicles involved and no accidents have been reported so far.

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LA Times says that Consumer Reports has given their verdict, and they do not expect this to top the charts as one of the best selling cars – they simply do not like the new version. This disapproving review will be a huge blow to the new Civic, as a huge percentage of drivers take their advice before buying a new vehicle. Sales could be affected, but not just by this review.

The likes of Honda and Toyota are oblivious to the fact that Hyundai is breathing down their necks; you only have to look at the new 2012 Veloster to understand just what we mean. The South Korean carmaker used to produce boring cars, but maybe with a little inspiration from Samsung they now produce vehicles with style and passion – so why is Honda still playing it safe?

Consumer Reports will no longer endorse the Civic due to the fact that the score was just too low. The rating used to be 78, but has now dropped to 61, that’s a 17 points drop. To rub salt in the wounds, they rated it only above the redesigned Volkswagen Jetta, which as we know is a very disappointing car. There are a number of reasons why the score is so low, two of which are poor interior quality and a rough ride.

Honda is a little like Apple, well vice versa really, as they have their loyalists and will keep coming back. However, the Civic has always been about the average driver, one thing that the new model seems to have forgotten about. Car and Driver concurs with what Consumer Reports have said, as they are not impressed with the new model either. They said that Honda is now playing it safe with the design, as to not shock drivers with anything too radical. We do find it funny how they just went conservative on every aspect of the design – we just do not know what the 2012 Civic’s target audience will be now?

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Topping the list are Japanese and Korean brands, with the Honda coming in at number 1. Their most reliable model was the 98–06 HR-V and the worst was the 99-02 Accord. Second was Toyota, the 02-07 Corolla was their best model, and the 00-07 MRZ the worst. Toyota owned Lexus came in third out of 35, with 05 to date IS being the better of their range and the worst is the 00-03 RX.

Other brands in the top ten are as follows: Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru, Kia and Nissan. You can see that no German or French vehicle features in the top ten at all. What worries us the most is how the more expensive vehicles such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes only come in at 21st, 24th and 27th respectively?

For ten years in a row Land Rover has come in last, which is very worrying indeed. How can a car manufacture keep producing unreliable cars year after year? This brand has one of the highest repair bills as well; it’s as if they have a whole business dedicated to repairing poorly built vehicles. This is not the case with all models though, I have two friends who have not had any issue with theirs, and one of them has owned theirs for over 3 years now.

The brands that fail the most are from Europe, which we do not understand, as they range from the cheapest to most expensive. Skoda and Smart came out on top, but these were still at 11th and 12th in that order. According to Chas Hallett, the editor-in-chief for What Car, he is amazed at the difference when it comes to reliability with European and Far Eastern carmakers. We urge you to read and study this survey, as it will help you make a decision as to what car you should purchase next. If we are to go by this report, then you should either choose Honda, Toyota or Lexus.

What car do you have, do you have any horror stories to tell?

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What we mean by this is in the way of losing 1,000 RPM when compared to a late 90s model. This seems to be a familiar story with a number of their models now – it’s as if the pressure from the Kia and Hyundai is now starting to get to them. There are even suggestions that Honda has lost that sparkle and now produce cars that are plan and boring.

The biggest downfall with the new Civic Si Coupe, as explained by Motor Trend, is the fact that it is no longer powered by that awesome K20 2.0-liter four engine, it has the more conservative K24 2.4-liter instead. You may wonder what we mean by this as the latter has more power, but it is all about those high-revs, which has always been a character of the Civic.

The look of the car will not let you down, as there is enough design flare to keep any young driver happy. However, it is not until you actually sit in the thing and start driving that things go downhill. The interior itself is very nice and so is the handling, but it is those seats that let it down – an uncomfortable driver is not a happy driver. The reason for this is it changes how you drive the car, as you need to be confidant from the start. If you plan to use the car for long journeys, then be prepared for a few back pains.

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These are the first photos of the car, and now you will be able to see what sort of design flares the tuner has gone for. Autoblog reports that the Mugen Honda CR-Z will have a supercharged 1.5-liter engine along with an electric motor for some extra power. Together they will help produce 197 horsepower, which when you consider how light it is, the car will go like stink.

Mugen has done all the calculations and believes that their latest creation will have as much acceleration as the Civic Type R. We have yet to see any proof of this, as it is currently a concept car. It is hoped that if the car gets a good enough reaction at Goodwood, then we could see a production version.

So we know that the Mugen Honda CR-Z would be able to handle itself around a track, but what about every day driving? Well, it is expected to achieve 50mpg in eco mode and 30mph plus when you start using some of that power from the supercharger.

Do you think that the Mugen Honda CR-Z will be well received?

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Although you will have to payout for the initial setup, there is no monthly fee – so just one payment up front then. The 2011 Silverline DUO Integration Kit needs you to download the Livio app and then install it to your iOS device and then keep it in your vehicle all the time you are in it to enjoy the huge amount of radio stations at your disposal.

You need to make certain that you have iOS 4.2.2 or higher in order for Livio app Version 2.2. to work correctly. The good news is the app is free, the bad is that the Silverline DUO will cost you $189.99 – although you might be lucky to spot a deal here and there. The new device is compatible with certain Acura, BMW, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mini, Nissan, Scion and Toyota vehicles.

What makes this device even better is how you will get information displayed where your CD text normally appears. What we like about this is how it will stop all those arguments in the car when you are trying to guess who is singing a certain song on the radio. This has happened many times to most of us, and what is even more annoying is the fact that the DJ does not even tell us. For more details on the new device and app visit DICE Electronics. Apple could offer a other solution when you are not in your car though, as we reported that the iPhone 5 could come with an FM radio built in – although do not expect many radio stations.

Can you justify spending around $190 for access to more then 45,000 radio stations?

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