December 01, 2015

HONDA

What's the Best Subcompact SUV? The Honda HR-V is one of the most well-rounded of the bunch," Bruzek said, "but it has a few big nit-picking issues keeping it from being the easy winner. What's the Best Subcompact SUV? | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | cars.com » Page:5

Which Subcompact SUV Gets the Best Mileage? Good news: Fuel-economy leaders in the subcompact SUV class are knocking on the door of a combined 30 mpg with all-wheel drive; four of the seven SUVs tested are EPA-rated an identical 29 mpg combined, with a fifth rated 28 mpg combined. Our models with all-wheel drive included the Honda HR-V, Nissan Juke, Subaru XV Crosstrek, Mazda CX-3 and Jeep Renegade; the Fiat 500X and Chevrolet Trax both had front-wheel drive (remember: a requirement for this Challenge was that they have all-wheel drive available, not necessarily present). Which Subcompact SUV Gets the Best Mileage? | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | cars.com » Page:12

Subcompact SUV Challenge: Which is best? In a city known for its youth and outdoors spirit, there couldn't be a more fitting place to test competitors in the most surprising new segment in the auto industry - subcompact SUVs. Cars, USA TODAY and PBS' MotorWeek came to judge seven of the best. Subaru emerged the winner of the Subcompact SUV Challenge with its 2015 XV Crosstrek. It beat out the 2016 Fiat 500X, 2016 Honda HR-V, 2016 Mazda CX-3, 2015 Jeep Renegade, 2015 Nissan Juke and 2016 Chevrolet Trax. Subcompact SUV Challenge: Which is best? | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | usatoday.com » Page:14

Honda Tests Deeper Waters With the Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Clarity We human beings are using fossil fuels at an astounding rate. While we're going to continue to find more, we will eventually run out. This leads to many companies thinking about what the future will be and how they will play a part in it. Honda was the first company to produce a fuel cell vehicle on any appreciable scale, and it recently announced that it is bringing an updated version of it to market in 2016. Honda Tests Deeper Waters With the Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Clarity | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | cheatsheet.com » Page:17

ACURA

2016 Acura RDX AWD First Test Review Despite fierce competition from a crowded field of sub-$45,000 luxury crossovers, the 2016 Acura RDX has little to worry about. Sharing a platform with the Honda CR-V, the 2015 Motor Trend SUV of the Year, the RDX has plenty of space for four and a nearly flat floor for rear- seat passengers. The rear seatbacks don't recline, but there's plenty of headroom, and the front seat backs are soft-a good detail in case all four passengers are tall. 2016 Acura RDX AWD First Test Review | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | motortrend.com » Page:19

RDX vs. CR-V: 5 Reasons To Splurge On The Acura And 5 More To Go Honda It's time for a new crossover, and you're loyal to Honda and Acura. Would the 2016 Acura RDX or the 2016 Honda CR-V be a better fit? After spending months driving the Motor Trend long-term 2015 CR-V, I recently drove the refreshed 2016 RDX, a two-row crossover that's built on the same platform as the SUV of the Year-winning Honda. RDX vs. CR-V: 5 Reasons To Splurge On The Acura And 5 More To Go Honda | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | motortrend.com » Page:21

RACING

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 1 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Dennis targets Sauber as second Honda team Ron Dennis has earmarked Sauber as a potential future second team for Honda, according to sources close to McLaren. Dennis has now made it clear that Honda could not supply Red Bull in 2016 because the time scale made it impossible for the Japanese manufacturer to make enough parts. However, there is increasing pressure from Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone for Honda to work with another team from 2017 onwards, and Sauber presents an obvious opportunity - not least because McLaren would not regard the Swiss team as a direct rival. Dennis targets Sauber as second Honda team | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | motorsport.com » Page:24

Fernando Alonso vows to race for McLaren-Honda in 2016 Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso and McLaren tearm chairman Ron Dennis denied on Sunday that Alonso is considering a sabbatical in 2016 if it looks like he'll be in another uncompetitive car. Dennis lit the fuse on Saturday at Abu Dhabi, but 24 hours later blamed the media for blowing one of his comments out of proportion. Fernando Alonso vows to race for McLaren-Honda in 2016 | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | autoweek.com » Page:25

This Acura TLX-GT Race Car Has the Guts to Brawl with Ferraris The Pirelli World Challenge is a sprint series-standing-start races with no pit stops. Competitors in six classes bash around courses like Mid-Ohio and the Long Beach Grand Prix circuit. Wisconsinite Peter Cunningham has won 77 races in Hondas and Acuras of almost every ilk, so we asked him to bring his newest ride out to play on our private airport course, the Motown Mile. The car's a 600-hp weapon modified beyond recognition beneath the family sedan's familiar skin. This Acura TLX-GT Race Car Has the Guts to Brawl with Ferraris | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | roadandtrack.com » Page:27

BUSINESS

As auto sales sizzle, hot SUVs and pickups in short supply Auto industry authorities expect monthly sales figures, slated to be released Tuesday, will show record-setting sales despite an increasingly common issue: not enough vehicles being produced. Honda has the same supply-and-demand problem. When it comes to the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot SUVs, "We can't get enough of them," says John Mendel, executive vice president in charge of sales for American Honda. As auto sales sizzle, hot SUVs and pickups in short supply | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | usatoday.com » Page:29

2014-16 Acura RLX Steering Wheel Issue A moaning or rubbing noise can be heard from the car's rear when driving straight and making side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel. This is due to lack of lubrication in the precision all-wheel-steering rear toe control actuators. Vehicles affected by service bulletin: 2014 Acura, RLX 2015 Acura RLX, 2016 Acura RLX, (VINs JHK4C1 … GC000001 - JHK4C1 … GC000408). 2014-16 Acura RLX Steering Wheel Issue | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | cars.com » Page:31

Honda UK Prices Go Up Across Entire Range Honda UK has announced a 2,3% average price spike for its entire car range, coming into effect on December 1, for the HR-V, and from January 4, for the Civic 5d and Tourer, CR-V and Jazz. The Japanese manufacturer wanted to stress the fact that the UK market has changed substantially in the past 24 months and that since January 2014, prices haven't gone up for Honda products as they have for their rivals - with one competitor increasing prices by 3% in the last 12 months alone. Honda UK Prices Go Up Across Entire Range | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | carscoops.com » Page:32

Fox and News Corp. join Obama climate pledge The 73 companies that signed the American Business Act on Climate Pledge have operations in all 50 states and represent $4.2 trillion in annual revenue, the White House said Tuesday. It said the additional businesses - which also includes the likes of Honda, Amazon, MGM Resorts and coal mining giant Rio Tinto - make for a total of 154 companies joining the pledge to fight climate change since the summer. Fox and News Corp. join Obama climate pledge | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | washingtonexaminer.com » Page:33

MARKETING

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 2 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Honda Hosts #OpenTheCheer Twitter Instant-Win Contest For Holiday Sales Event Honda is adding a giveaway to its annual "Happy Honda Days" end-of-year integrated campaign in 2015, allowing folks who retweet its messaging a chance to instantly win Amazon gift cards or Apple Watches. Players can retweet once a day and will also be entered in a drawing to award a 2016 Accord Touring model. Honda Hosts #OpenTheCheer Twitter Instant-Win Contest For Holiday Sales Event | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | marketingland.com Page:34 »

Honda taps Twitter's Instant Win feature for its end-of-year marketing Honda wants Twitter users to #OpenTheCheer with retweets to win instant prizes as well as the chance to win a new car. The campaign is part of the automaker's "Happy Honda Days" end-of-year marketing effort. Honda taps Twitter's Instant Win feature for its end-of-year marketing | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | marketingdive.com » Page:35

Honda Does Twitter Giveaway Of Accord Honda is doing a Twitter giveaway of a car in a promotion that includes daily gifts to participants, an extension of its year-end sell-down campaign. The #OpentheCheer program, which makes Honda the automaker to do a Twitter car giveaway, dangles the 2016 Accord Touring and uses Twitter's new Instant Win feature. Honda Does Twitter Giveaway Of Accord | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | mediapost.com » Page:36

INDUSTRY

Ford to book $600M 4Q cost for new UAW contract; says deal consistent with financial guidance Ford Motor Co. will book a $600 million charge in the fourth quarter for signing bonuses paid to union workers under a new four-year contract. Ford will be paying an average of $60 per hour in wages and benefits by the end of the agreement. Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said that will close Ford's wage gap with General Motors Co. But Shanks said Ford will still be paying $8 to $10 more per hour than foreign competitors like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. pay their U.S. workers. Ford to book $600M 4Q cost for new UAW contract; says deal consistent with financial guidance | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | Page:37 usnews.com »

Ford invests $1.3B, adds 2,000 jobs at Kentucky plant Ford will spend $1.3 billion and add 2,000 jobs at its Kentucky Truck plant in Louisville to make the next-generation 2017 Super Duty pickup. The size of the investment reflects the decision to switch future generations of vehicles to aluminum bodies from steel in a bid to shed weight and improve fuel economy on some of the automaker's largest vehicles. Ford invests $1.3B, adds 2,000 jobs at Kentucky plant | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | freep.com » Page:39

Nissan Considers Raising Stake in Renault to at Least 25% Nissan Motor Co. is considering raising its stake in partner Renault SA to at least 25% from 15% currently to counter the prospect of greater French government influence, a person with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday. The government is Renault's biggest shareholder, and is set to double its voting rights in April under a recently passed French law. After the law comes into effect, the government's 19.7% stake would translate into 32.8% voting rights in Renault, effectively giving it veto power. Nissan Considers Raising Stake in Renault to at Least 25% | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | wsj.com » Page:41

Volkswagen, DOJ want diesel civil cases heard in Detroit Volkswagen AG and the Justice Department want a U.S. judicial panel to centralize in Detroit hundreds of civil lawsuits alleging the German automaker defrauded consumers and shareholders, according to court filings. Lawsuits have been filed in more than 40 U.S. states. Earlier this month, U.S. regulators also said VW installed "defeat devices" to cheat emission standards in 85,000 larger cars and SUVs. Volkswagen, DOJ want diesel civil cases heard in Detroit | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | reuters.com » Page:42

Report: BMW CEO Sees Point When Updating Diesel Uneconomic BMW's CEO says that at some future point it will no longer make economic sense to keep adapting diesel engines to ever-tougher rules, but he isn't saying when. Report: BMW CEO Sees Point When Updating Diesel Uneconomic | Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 | abcnews.go.com » Page:44

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 3 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Mitsubishi CEO promises an electrified U.S. rebound Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will fortify its fragile U.S. rebound with three electrified crossovers in five years, a bolstered regulatory listening post in Washington, D.C., and a new advanced technology office in Silicon Valley opening in January. CEO Osamu Masuko told Automotive News the Japanese carmaker will channel limited resources into a more compact lineup after closing its only U.S. assembly plant. Mitsubishi CEO promises an electrified U.S. rebound | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | autonews.com » Page:45

Lear Takes Step Into Autonomous-Vehicle Systems With Deal Lear Corp. is moving into autonomous-vehicle systems with the acquisition of a small Michigan software company, the latest maneuver the auto supplier has taken to expand from making traditional car parts to making bets on technology that could disrupt the car business. Lear, known best as an automotive seat maker, said Monday it acquired Troy, Mich.-based Arada Systems, which specializes in vehicle-to- vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. Financial details of the cash purchase weren't disclosed. Lear Takes Step Into Autonomous-Vehicle Systems With Deal | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | wsj.com » Page:48

Google Has an Idea That Could Let Self-Driving Cars Talk to Pedestrians Google's self-driving cars have already driven more than one million miles. But the company has yet to show how the vehicles might signal complex actions to other drivers and pedestrians. Now, a recently granted patent may provide some additional insight. A patented concept or technology is by no means a guarantee of production. But it doe indicate the ideas are something the company may be thinking about as self-driving cars come closer to everyday reality. Google Has an Idea That Could Let Self-Driving Cars Talk to Pedestrians | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | time.com » Page:49

COMPETITORS

REVIEW: 2016 Audi S8 Plus - Audi creates a 605-horsepower fountain of youth To keep up appearances, it's necessary to step into a luxury car equally capable of flexing its muscles. Hence, the popularity of the performance luxury sedan. With the new S8 Plus, Audi plays this card expertly. Apart from the wild, V-12-powered Mercedes-AMG S65 (which costs more than a Maybach) and outlandish brands like Bentley, none of the established luxury sedans has broken the 600- horsepower barrier. REVIEW: 2016 Audi S8 Plus - Audi creates a 605-horsepower fountain of youth | Monday, Nov. 30, 2015 | nydailynews.com » Page:50

What's the Best Subcompact SUV?

The subcompact SUV category is nearly a brand-new car segment. More than half of the entries have been on sale for less than a year. We discovered while testing this group that it's really a collection of compromises. While they offer more space than subcompact cars and better fuel economy than compact SUVs, there are other tradeoffs as well, as you'll read below. Still, all of these automakers have high hopes for this segment, and several of them have the sales to back up those hopes.

The contenders:

2016 Chevrolet Trax (new for 2015)

2016 Fiat 500X (all-new)

2016 Honda HR-V (all-new)

2015 Jeep Renegade (all-new)

2016 Mazda CX-3 (all-new)

2015 Nissan Juke

2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek

To compete, the automakers needed to provide us with an SUV that has all-wheel drive as an option (whether they wanted the competitor to have that was up to them); it could not be more than $27,000, including the destination fee. The automakers provided all the SUVs except for the CX-3; Mazda did not have one available, so we secured one through a broker.

We put the SUVs through a week's worth of testing in and around Boulder, Colo.:

We drove them on a 204-mile real-world mileage course that started in Boulder, headed into the Rocky Mountains and Estes Park, Colo., and down through Loveland, before driving south to Denver and then returning to Boulder.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 5 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP We had our judges drive them back-to-back-to-back on the same pavement to evaluate ride, handling, comfort, acceleration and more.

We brought in an in-market couple to test the SUVs for their utility, ride and more.

From all of that testing, we found our winner. Our judges were:

Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief for Cars.com

Joe Bruzek, road test editor for Cars.com

Jennifer Geiger, assistant managing editor for Cars.com

Brian Robinson, producer for PBS' "MotorWeek"

Chris Woodyard, auto writer for USA Today

Joel and Christine Kruppa, our in-market shoppers. Joel, 31, is a mechanic and his wife, Christine, 30, is looking to replace her Honda Civic with one of these subcompact SUVs. She's an office manager, and they live in Lakewood, Colo.

The scoring broke down this way:

75 percent from the judges' scoring

15 percent from our family shoppers

10 percent from the mileage drive

What the Judges Said

7. 2016 Chevrolet Trax, 566 points

The Verdict: "The Trax seems unrefined compared to the rest of the group," Woodyard said, "not quite ready for prime time. Still, the storage was the best in the group."

What They Liked

The vroom-vroom: "The turbocharged engine was one of the gutsiest in the group," Bruzek said, in a comment that was echoed by several judges. "I felt powerwise, it accelerated pretty well," Joel said.

The room, room: "Chevrolet wasted no space in the Trax's cabin," Geiger said. "Despite its tiny dimensions, it's loaded with handy nooks and crannies for stashing small items." Robinson liked the "nice, big, flat load floor," and Bragman said, "it doesn't feel cramped at all."

The tech: Several judges applauded the built-in Wi-Fi hot spot, "a big bonus for families with tablet-addicted kids," Geiger said. "I like that I can unlock my car from my phone," Joel said.

Its soft ride: "It isolates the cabin from rough roads," Bruzek said, and Bragman agreed: "It's quiet and smooth on just about any surface."

What They Didn't

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 6 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Poor interior quality: "I would say it feels quite cheap," Joel said. "It feels like a rental car, and this is the LTZ [top trim]." "The interior has unconvincing imitation leather, cheap-looking fake metal trim and so much hard plastic that the cabin practically echoes," Geiger said. "The interior looks and feels 10 years behind every other vehicle here," Robinson said.

Rough power: "The Trax's powertrain polish is a problem," Geiger said. "It shakes at idle, groans up to speed and clunks into gear." The "engine felt coarse," Woodyard said. "Engine noise is especially egregious," Robinson said.

Missing features: "The only USB port is in a dash cubby," Bragman said, "with no external gap for a cord." "There's no navigation or sunroof," Woodyard added. "It lacks advanced safety features," Bruzek said.

6. 2015 Nissan Juke, 632 points

The Verdict: "Love it or hate it, and I've always done more of the latter, you have to give the Juke its props," Robinson said. "It was way ahead of the game, basically starting this whole fun-sized crossover craze."

What They Liked

Moveslike dagger: "It's got sports-car moves, and the steering feel is outstanding," Bragman said. "Once that turbo spools up, hang on: Acceleration is fierce." It has "plenty of zip," Geiger said, and Bruzek liked its "hot-rod acceleration for this class," and "sports-car handling with its all-wheel drive." "It's a CVT [continuously variable transmission] that feels like it has gears," Joel said. "It legitimately feels like a traditional transmission. Even in Normal mode, there isn't that buzzing that the Honda has. So much better."

Visibility: "The surround-view camera system is one of the most useful safety features I've ever used, taking the anxiety out of parking maneuvers," Geiger said.

Unique styling: "The Juke looks like nothing else on the road, and I celebrate its weirdness," Geiger said. "Its animated, frog-face styling turns heads." "Still fun, still quirky," Robinson said. "Even with all of the competitors that have entered the segment, the Juke still stands out."

What They Didn't

Unique styling: "It's so, so ugly. Not even like 'pug-dog' ugly, it's just hideous," Bragman shuddered. "Do we need to say it?" Woodyard asked. "It hurts the eyes."

It's tiny: "There should be a sign on the Juke's cargo area that says, 'Warning: Just for show,' " Geiger said. There's "so little interior space that it's hard to really consider it an SUV," Robinson said. "This should be a two-seat roadster, not a four-door hatchback," Bragman said. "If you need to carry anything other than two small kittens in the backseat, look elsewhere," Geiger added.

Sound and fury: "NOISY," Robinson yelled. "Whether it's the engine, wind noise or tire noise, there is a full-on aural assault upon your ears happening at all times." Bruzek was troubled by its "rough ride."

Interior quality: "The materials are mixed bag of nice and weird," Bragman said, and others agreed. "The Juke's designers were probably aiming for sporty with the cabin, but it's far from it," Geiger said. "The honeycomb-pattern sport seats hit the mark, but the glossy-red plastic paneling is garishly off-base."

5. 2015 Jeep Renegade, 651 points

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 7 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP The Verdict: "The Renegade charms with its rugged good looks, high-quality cabin and seamless multimedia system," Geiger said, "but its unrefined powertrain and trucklike handling are disappointing."

What They Liked

SUV, baby! "The Renegade has fantastic styling," Bragman said. "It's the only vehicle here that looks and feels like a proper SUV." Bruzek liked the "distinctly Jeep styling and design Easter eggs" hidden both in the SUV's cabin and exterior. "It's more rugged than luxurious," Joel said. "It's very Jeep."

Riding high: "The tall ride height and squared-off roofline provide class-beating headroom and a commanding view of the road," Geiger said. Bruzek also liked that it has "power seating at this price range," which most of the competitors didn't.

Four-wheel-drive: The higher step-in means the Renegade has "legit off-road potential," Robinson said, while Woodyard noted that it comes with "Mud, Sand and Snow settings," very helpful on the Colorado roads that we tested on.

What They Didn't

Poor powertrain: "It feels much slower than the mechanically similar Fiat," Bragman said, "and acceleration is a struggle." "The nine-speed automatic: Sigh," Geiger added. "Fiat's Sport mode seems to get through the gears quicker," Joel said. "The Jeep lags and doesn't want to downshift, so I have to give it more throttle. That's worrisome because we have steep hills in our neighborhood." And despite that performance, "fuel economy is poor," Bruzek pointed out.

Hard to stop: "The brake pedal should work when you press it," Geiger said. "Not in the case of the Jeep, where the pedal has an unsettling dead zone when first depressed."

Heavy cheese: "All the gimmicky Jeep brand reminders throughout the interior are definitely trying too hard to convince you that this is a real Jeep," Robinson said. Woodyard agreed, saying the Renegade "tries too hard with the 'Since 1941' emblems and other Jeep logos everywhere."

4. 2016 Mazda CX-3, 677 points

The Verdict: "The CX-3 kind of plays out exactly how you'd expect here," Robinson said. "It's very fun to drive and has a very nice interior, but it has so little space inside that if you're looking for a useful crossover to do practical things - and not a fun toy - it's not the best choice."

What They Liked

Stunning, inside and out: The CX-3 has "the most stylish exterior," Woodyard said, and several judges agreed. "The interior clearly outclasses the others," Bruzek said, and Geiger added, "Mazda nailed the sporty vibe with a curvy, chiseled exterior and an understated, smartly designed interior."

Zoom-Zoom, indeed: "Amazing to drive," Bruzek enthused, and Robinson agreed: "Far and away the most fun to drive here." "The CX-3 was at home in the Colorado mountains, taking corners crisply and confidently," Geiger said. "It has plenty of power and an excellent transmission," Bragman added.

Clear views: "For how small it is on the outside," Christine said, "I'm surprised by how good the visibility is." Bruzek liked the "big-ticket features, including a blind spot warning system, for the money."

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 8 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Tech: "I liked the option of using the touch-screen, the central controller or the steering-wheel controls for most inputs," Robinson said. "The multimedia system is just right," Geiger said, "with a decent-sized screen, easy menu structure and clear placement high on the dash."

What They Didn't

No room-room: "The lack of interior space is borderline offensive to anyone who actually believes that an SUV should have some modicum of practicality," Robinson said. "It's very cramped in back, almost unusable for adults," Bragman said. "The center console intrudes into my legroom," Joel said. "I feel trapped by it." There's "not as much storage" as in its competitors, Woodyard said, and several judges agreed.

The battle for the center: "The central controller and volume knob are virtually impossible to get to unless you have the armrest out of the way," Robinson said, and Woodyard noted that the same armrest makes getting to the cupholder difficult as well.

Child-seat problems: "Families who need to install a rear-facing car seat should take the CX-3 off their list," Geiger said. "A lack of legroom made installation very difficult."

Value proposition: "I don't like constantly being reminded every time I drive it that I could have paid much less for a Mazda3 hatchback," Robinson said, "and gotten more space inside, a better ride and had enough money leftover to buy multiple sets of snow tires for the winter."

3. 2016 Honda HR-V, 687 points

The Verdict: "The Honda HR-V is one of the most well-rounded of the bunch," Bruzek said, "but it has a few big nit-picking issues keeping it from being the easy winner."

What They Liked

Space, the final frontier: "Cavernous cargo area," Bragman noted, and "by far the most practical when it comes to doing actual crossoverlike tasks, such as being able to haul things," Robinson added. "The HR-V has a low cargo load-in height," Bruzek said, "with a wide cargo opening." "The easy-to-fold flat backseat opens up a lot more room in a snap," Geiger said.

Drives well: "It feels responsive in Sport mode," Bragman said. "It handles well, feels light and tossable."

Family help: "The easy-to-access Latch anchors and ample legroom ease car-seat installation," Geiger said.

And ...: Geiger called out its "class-leading fuel economy," while Robinson noted that "visibility is excellent all-around."

What They Didn't

No knobs, no likey: "Bring back the knobs, Honda," Geiger warned. "The multimedia system is a pain to use," Bruzek agreed, and Joel said, "I already think it's weird that there's nothing to grab for the volume. I didn't think it would be awkward just looking at the car, but in use, it's awkward."

Noisy, gutless engine: "The overtaxed four-cylinder/CVT combination complained loudly and constantly during each of my drives," Geiger said. "The noise is excessive," Robinson said, "and it fails to deliver much power while it's making all of that racket." Bruzek found the HR-V to be "pokey and unresponsive," and Christine said "my Civic has better pickup."

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 9 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Interior quirks: "The USB and power plugs are awkwardly located under the center console," Bragman pointed out, while Woodyard objected to the "hard plastic on the dash."

2. 2016 Fiat 500X, 701 points

The Verdict: "The 500X is a total surprise," Bragman said. "It's fun to drive, fun to look at, and aside from a few quirks like weird automatic window stitches, it's just plain fun to be in. Here's hoping that Fiat's historically poor reliability doesn't sink this fresh, funky newcomer."

What They Liked

Appearance, inside and out: "Style, style, style," Bruzek raved. It "brings a smile to my face when I see it," Robinson said. "I'm pleasantly surprised," Christine said. "You think of Fiat as a little wacky from their commercials, but this is very nice."

It's fun to drive: "Handling, braking, acceleration, ride: All are top-notch," Bragman said. "Pop the 500X into Sport mode for a much-needed kick in the pants," Geiger added. "It feels planted on the road," Woodyard added. "It's very carlike, while still having a hint of practical SUV-ish cargo space," Robinson said.

Multimedia system: "It's high on the dash for great visibility," Geiger said, "and it features a responsive touch-screen with a simple menu structure and clear knobs for tuning and volume." Bruzek declared the system the "most intuitive" of the group.

What They Didn't

The transmission: "FCA's [Fiat Chrysler Automobiles] beleaguered nine-speed automatic strikes again" Geiger said. "Its shifts often feel unpredictable and awkward." Robinson called it a "noisy, fumbling powertrain," and Bruzek bemoaned a "cheap switch gear that feels like it's going to fall off."

Lack of storage: "The lack of true SUV space inside turns that smile upside down," Robinson said. Several other judges agreed.

Poor seat quality: "The seats fell flat, literally," Geiger said. "Their excessive hardness and flatness got old fast." Woodyard missed getting a powered driver's seat, and Joel added, "The backseat feels hard, like I'm sitting on a wooden bench."

Poor ride quality: "It's a rough ride for unrewarding handling," Bruzek noted, while Geiger added, "It feels like you're driving over a washboard on even the smallest of bumps."

Two-wheel drive? "No all-wheel drive at this price seems to be a competitive disadvantage," Bragman said.

1. 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek, 731 points

The Verdict: The XV Crosstrek was the Kruppas' favorite SUV as well as the overall winner. The multimedia system "is simple," Christine said. "Some of the others have too many buttons, and I can't deal with that while driving." "It's pretty nice to drive," Joel added. "It feels bigger, softer and a little more plush than the others."

What They Liked

Value proposition: "The XV Crosstrek is the value leader of the group, including both impressive safety features and ample creature comforts for a low price," Geiger said. Bruzek liked all the

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 10 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP "high-tech safety features for the money," including the EyeSight crash-avoidance system, and Christine liked "that you can get heated seats with cloth upholstery."

Big brother: "It's limolike compared with the others," Bruzek said, and Woodyard said it "feels like the grownup in the group." "The cargo area is among the most useful in the group," Geiger said. "It's a large space featuring a handful of cargo hooks and an easy-clean rubber mat lining the cargo floor." Bragman said simply: "It's roomy, in front and back."

Visibility: "It has excellent visibility, thanks to the low beltline," Bragman said, and several judges agreed. Bruzek liked the "tall windows and ride height."

Ride quality: "One of the quietest rides here," Robinson said, and Bragman noted that "it soaks up bumps with ease."

What They Didn't

Slow powertrain: "It's painfully slow," Bragman said, "especially on hills." "The transmission has a lag in it," Woodyard observed, and Joel said "it's definitely not one of the faster cars, but it's also not ungodly slow." And once you hit highway speeds, it can become "uneasy," Bruzek noted.

Noisy CVT: "Quiet, it is not," Geiger said. "The CVT drone is a problem, and the high levels of road and wind noise are intrusive." Robinson disagreed, sort of. "The level of CVT-induced engine noise has been tamed, but the amount of it is still bothersome."

Tech quirks: Both Bragman and Joel found the EyeSight system intrusive while driving. For Geiger, while the multimedia system is better than it used to be, "it still trails many in the class with its sometimes finicky touch-sensitive panels." Robinson said that it's "not as intuitive as most."

Dullsville: Bruzek bemoaned the XV Crosstrek's "uninteresting interior," and Geiger said that while "it may have a ground clearance and all-wheel-drive system that's ready to go anywhere, its exterior styling is ready for the shopping mall. Snore."

Click here to view the video.

Which Subcompact SUV Gets the Best Mileage?

Good news: Fuel-economy leaders in the subcompact SUV class are knocking on the door of a combined 30 mpg with all-wheel drive; four of the seven SUVs tested are EPA-rated an identical 29 mpg combined, with a fifth rated 28 mpg combined. Despite those similar combined ratings, there was an appreciable spread among the competitors in our mileage test, and the leader took the top spot decisively.

The Subcompact SUV Challenge

Our models with all-wheel drive included the Honda HR-V, Nissan Juke, Subaru XV Crosstrek, Mazda CX-3 and Jeep Renegade; the Fiat 500X and Chevrolet Trax both had front-wheel drive (remember: a requirement for this Challenge was that they have all-wheel drive available, not necessarily present). We drove these small SUVs more than 200 miles in and around the Denver area, through Colorado's mountains and surrounding highways, encountering an altitude difference of 3,600 feet from the lowest point (4,401 feet) to highest point (8,007 feet), according to Racelogic VBOX GPS data. Speeds averaged a brisk 55 mph overall, though the winding mountain roads saw a much slower 40 mph average.

The wide range of engine, transmission and drivetrain technology in these small SUVs makes them drive very differently from each other; a welcome surprise for an economical-type segment where they can often all drive, and look, alike. Under-the-hood technology featured turbocharged engines, nine-speed automatic transmissions, continuously variable automatic transmissions, selectable all-wheel-drive systems and various sporty or economical driving modes.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 12 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP The Juke's selectable all-wheel-drive system went through our mileage drive in two-wheel-drive mode, while the Jeep was driven in its automatic all-wheel-drive setting; the other all-wheel-drive systems aren't configurable. EPA testing of cars with various driving and economy modes varies depending whether the vehicle defaults to a certain driving mode, so we played it even across the board and drove all the SUVs in their default driving mode, or Normal, where applicable. Editors were thankful for that when it came to some contenders, such as the Honda HR-V; it was already struggling in the mile-high altitudes when it was in its most responsive Sport mode, and it would likely have been even more of a slug with the Econ button pressed.

The sluggish HR-V was also the most efficient of our contenders by a long shot, hitting 35.3 mpg easily, and beating the next-best Juke's 33.9 mpg and XV Crosstrek's 33.4 mpg. Our fuel- economy results came from averaging our own fill-up calculations with each SUV's trip-computer readings.

The top three vary greatly in engine type with the HR-V using a 141-horsepower, 1.8-liter inline- four-cylinder; the XV Crosstrek using a 148-hp, 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder; and the Juke using a 188-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder. It's interesting that the most efficient contenders, despite similar EPA ratings, both have CVTs. Bemoaned by many editors and the family for odd driving characteristics, the SUVs with CVTs sure delivered on their promise of improved fuel economy.

Subcompact SUV Challenge: Which is best?

In a city known for its youth and outdoors spirit, there couldn't be a more fitting place to test competitors in the most surprising new segment in the auto industry - subcompact SUVs.

Cars.com, USA TODAY and PBS' MotorWeek came to judge seven of the best. Subaru emerged the winner of the Subcompact SUV Challenge with its 2015 XV Crosstrek. It beat out the 2016 Fiat 500X, 2016 Honda HR-V, 2016 Mazda CX-3, 2015 Jeep Renegade, 2015 Nissan Juke and 2016 Chevrolet Trax.

The judges said the Crosstrek feels like a finely crafted, sophisticated car despite its relatively small size. "It's limo-like compared to the others," said Joe Bruzek, a Cars.com road test editor.

The cars were driven hundreds of miles over three days, including a 204-mile journey to score gas mileage over varied terrain. The cars took a winding course through the Rockies and drove down straightways through pastures and fields. On the last day, they were turned over to a young Colorado couple who are in the market for cars like these.

Sure enough, Crosstrek also scored big with the couple, Christine and Joel Kruppa. "It's comfortable," said Christine, a 30-year-old office manager who tried out the cars with husband Joel, 31, a professional bicycle mechanic. "Overall quality is good."

All in all, the field of vehicles came across as especially strong considering many are new names to the auto market. The word that echoed among the judges was value. After the addition of varying levels of extras, from sunroofs to navigation systems and heated seats, all of the vehicles priced in at about $25,000 to $27,000, which is significantly less than larger SUVs. The Crosstrek, for instance, came in with a fully-loaded sticker price of $25,440.

Not bad for a segment that, until a couple of years ago, barely existed. Yet it's easy to see why it caught on: Millennials demand cars that are easy to navigate in the city, that sip gas and yet are roomy enough to tote everything from bikes to surfboards to hoverboards.

Automakers answered by putting boxy bodies atop chassis they had originally intended for some of their smallest cars in the U.S. market. So, for instance, Honda's HR-V is now built in the same Mexican factory as the brand's smallest car, the Fit. They share the same chassis.

While Subaru Crosstrek topped the list, it wasn't without its faults. "It's painfully slow," said Aaron Bragman, Detroit bureau chief for Cars.com, with a noisy CVT, what many automakers are using in place of automatic transmissions these days.

Still, even with its faults, the Subaru finished nearly 200 points ahead of the last-place finisher, the Chevy Trax.

While the Trax was lauded for its ample storage space, gutsy engine and built-in Wi-Fi, Joel Kruppa probably said it best when he commented on the lack of refinement. "It feels like a rental car," he said.

The SUVs were rated for interior quality, comfort, ability to easily handle child-safety seats, in- cabin storage, tech and entertainment, handling, acceleration, ride noise and overall value.

How they ranked, out of 1,000 points:

1. 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek

731 points

Strengths: Value, ride, visibility and cargo space.

Weaknesses: Weak engine and noisy CVT.

2. 2016 Fiat 500X

701 points

Strengths: High on style, fun to drive and good entertainment system.

Weaknesses: Uncomfortable seats, rough ride, balky transmission.

3. 2016 Honda HR-V

687 points

Strengths: Space, handling, car-seat installation and fuel economy.

Weaknesses: Weak engine, no knobs on entertainment system.

4. 2016 Mazda CX-3

677 points

Strengths: Sharp looks, plenty of power, nice visibility.

Weaknesses: Not enough interior space, difficult child-seat installation.

5. 2015 Jeep Renegade

651 points

Strengths: Looks and performs like a true SUV, high ride height.

6. 2015 Nissan Juke

632 points

Strengths: Styling (if you love it) and strong engine.

Weaknesses: Styling (if you hate it) and small interior.

7. Chevrolet Trax

566 points

Strengths: Strong engine and lots of room.

Weaknesses: Poor interior quality.

Honda Tests Deeper Waters With the Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Clarity

We human beings are using fossil fuels at an astounding rate. While we're going to continue to find more, we will eventually run out. This leads to many companies thinking about what the future will be and how they will play a part in it. Electric Vehicles (EVs) are one path forward, but until energy generation becomes efficient enough that we can manage it on a local scale, we're going to be relying on the grid to power our vehicles (and vice versa). Another path that has been explored is a technology that allows electricity to be generated onboard the vehicle itself. To do this, companies are going to make use of fuel cells; Honda was the first company to produce a fuel cell vehicle on any appreciable scale, and it recently announced that it is bringing an updated version of it to market in 2016.

The second generation of the Honda FCX Clarity was one of first Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) to be mass-produced for consumers. It was produced between 2008 and 2014 with roughly 50 units available only for lease in U.S. It cost $600 per month to lease, which was the only option, and was limited to markets that had access to a hydrogen fueling station - namely California.

The hydrogen gas is introduced into a fuel cell to produce electricity, which then powered a 100 kilowatt (kW) electric motor, which is equivalent to 130 horsepower. This was a dedicated electric vehicle by design, meaning there is no way for the hydrogen to directly propel the car. The range was approximately 230 miles, and the vehicle had a combined fuel economy rating of 59 miles/ kilogram of hydrogen (which is roughly equivalent to one gallon of gasoline).

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Honda unveiled the replacement for the FCX Clarity with the new Honda Clarity. The fuel cell has been significantly upgraded for this new model, and is 33% more compact and with 60% greater power density than the previous unit. Due to its smaller size, roughly the size of a V6 engine, the fuel cell was able to fit under the hood and did not need to take up space in the passenger cabin, as was the case on the FCX Clarity, making the cabin of the car more spacious. Refueling times will remain similar (3-5 minutes) and Honda is aiming for a range of more than 300 miles per tank of hydrogen. Regarding the style of the car:

The interior strives to achieve a refined and harmonious experience using rich materials and intuitive, streamlined controls. Additional features include the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver assistive technologies, support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED exterior lighting

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 17 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP and 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The Clarity Fuel Cell will be available in black, white, and signature red exterior paint schemes.

Fuel cells allow for hydrogen gas (H2) to be combined with oxygen gas (O2) to produce water and electricity. There are three main parts to a fuel cell: an anode, an electrolyte layer, and a cathode. The anode is a catalyst that causes hydrogen gas to breakdown into positively charged hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons (e-). The H+ ions travel through the electrolyte layer while the electrons travel via a circuit to the cathode. Once the ions reach the cathode, they combine with oxygen to form water, which is the only waste product of the fuel cell. Since fuel cells are often made of extremely rare and expensive materials, they tend to be used in environments where physical space is limited but budgets are not (think space shuttles). Still, Honda seems to think it can make this work; according to John Mendel, Executive Vice President for American Honda:

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are a zero emissions technology that Honda believes in, and has worked to advance for more than 20 years. Vehicles like the Clarity Fuel Cell are potential game changers because they offer an uncompromising, zero emissions customer experience, with utility, range and refueling times on par with today's gasoline-powered cars.

Honda (and Toyota, as well) did a very good job taking a relatively unknown technology and packaging it in a car that could appeal to consumers. Pricing information was not released, but Honda provided a link for anyone that is interested in learning more about how to become a Clarity customer when it is released in 2016. If the Toyota Mirai is any indication, the Clarity could run about $50,000-$60,000 off the lot. Initially, the car will only be available in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Sacramento; Honda has plans for future expansion, both in California and other parts of the U.S., but they will be dependent upon availability of hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

Due to the fact that hydrogen exists in in a gaseous state at atmospheric conditions, there are different challenges to overcome for fueling. Not only does the hydrogen need to be purified (often liberated from methane or water), but it needs to be compressed to provide sufficient energy density in the tank to allow for a usable range. This makes the fueling stations much more expensive than gasoline or diesel stations.

Honda has joined an industry group H2USA which has a mission to expand hydrogen fueling across the United States, both through researching new technologies and installing new fueling sites. Additionally, Honda pledged $13.4 million in 2014 to expand the hydrogen fueling infrastructure throughout California. This is all leading toward Honda's goal to reduce company- wide CO2 emissions by 50% by 2050.

2016 Acura RDX AWD First Test Review

Quick and Subtle

Despite fierce competition from a crowded field of sub-$45,000 luxury crossovers, the 2016 Acura RDX has little to worry about. That's because the refreshed RDX boasts a killer combination of surprisingly potent acceleration, decent fuel economy, and a reasonably large interior. More exciting shapes exist in the $35,000-$45,000 class of five-passenger luxury crossovers, but for all its faults, the RDX is a car you're not likely to grow out of as quickly as some others.

In a class of turbo-fours, Acura offers a naturally aspirated V-6. The sportier first-generation RDX was powered by a turbo-four as far back as the 2007 model year, but the more mainstream second-gen model eschewed that inefficient choice for a 3.5-liter V-6 that's now good for 279 hp at 6,200 rpm and 252 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. At wide-open throttle, the V-6 lets out a strong exhaust note but otherwise keeps to the background. In a market with 570-hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo S CUVs, the RDX's specs aren't impressive, except they're unmatched at this price point by almost everything.

At the track, our all-wheel-drive tester hit 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, with 45-65 mph passing acceleration taking just 3.1 seconds. Perhaps the RDX's closest competitor is the comparison- test-winning Lexus NX, which we've tested in all-wheel-drive NX 200t F Sport form hitting 60 in 7.0 seconds and 45-65 in 3.7 seconds. The BMW X3, which carries a starting price of about $4,000 more than the RDX, was second in that comparison; it managed a 6.0-second 0-60 sprint in all- wheel-drive form with a 240-hp turbo-four, with 45-65 in 3.3 seconds. Around the figure-eight course, the RDX finished in 27.7 seconds at 0.63 g (average), compared to a Lexus NX 200t F Sport's 27.2 seconds at 0.65 g (average). About the RDX on the track, testing director Kim Reynolds commented that "pitch and roll are reasonably controlled, and it brakes with a good sense of pedal feel into the corner."

The AWD-only 2016 X1 might be a better BMW alternative to the RDX in terms of price, but even that reimagined and enlarged German crossover (or the Lexus NX) can't quite reach the Acura in terms of interior space. Sharing a platform with the Honda CR-V, the 2015 Motor Trend SUV of the Year, the RDX has plenty of space for four and a nearly flat floor for rear-seat passengers. The rear seatbacks don't recline, but there's plenty of headroom, and the front seat backs are soft-

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 19 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP a good detail in case all four passengers are tall. SAE-rated cargo space is also plentiful, at 26.1 cubic feet behind the second-row seats and 61.3 cubic feet behind the first row.

The 2016 RDX rides well, striking a good balance between feeling everything on the road and nothing at all. It's competent but not fun on a winding road, with the six-speed automatic's S mode speeding up responses when necessary and the paddle shifters useful for those who occasionally engine brake. It's moderately quiet inside, too. For a relatively spacious crossover that hits 60 in just over 6 seconds, the 2016 RDX offers decent fuel economy. EPA efficiency is rated at 19-20/28-29 mpg city/highway (with FWD and AWD); the 2016 Lexus NX 200t does a bit better in the city but lags a little on the highway with a 22/27-28-mpg rating. If the pricier X3 is on your list, that crossover is rated at 21/28 mpg, and the AWD-only X1 will be rated 22/32 mpg. The Real MPG numbers tell a different story, suggesting that the RDX might gain some ground in the real world. Our AWD 2016 RDX tester earned a Real MPG rating of 21.5/30.2 mpg. The less powerful 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport AWD earned 21.5/27.7 mpg, though a non-F Sport model may have been slightly more efficient on the highway.

Perhaps the most important RDX number is the base price: $36,210. For that you get a truly drivable crossover with standard LED headlights, a rearview camera, a power liftgate, heated front seats, a power moonroof, HVAC vents for rear-seat passengers, and that 279-hp V-6. Our tester was completely loaded at $44,360 (including destination) with $1,500 AWD, an ELS 10-speaker sound system, navigation, upgraded 18-inch wheels, heated and cooled front seats, foglights, rain-sensing wipers, and parking sensors. Most buyers will be satisfied by the RDX's options list, though not available at any price are features including a panoramic sunroof, a multicamera parking system, a power tilt and telescoping steering column, and power-folding side-view mirrors (at least not on the U.S. model).

Acura's suite of active safety tech, called AcuraWatch Plus, is also offered on every trim, and we'd recommend considering the $1,300 package. The technologies can nudge you back into your lane on a multilane highway and even slow down if an obstacle is detected. The adaptive cruise control can be useful, as well, but won't work below around 20 mph. Even so, it's thanks in part to AcuraWatch Plus that the 2016 RDX is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+. In NHTSA testing, the 2016 RDX is rated an overall five stars (out of a possible five)-the Lexus NX matches the Acura in both ratings.

Inside, Acura's two-screen layout allows the driver to view two pieces of info simultaneously-for example, navigation on top and audio info on the smaller screen below. Issues remain with the smaller audio screen not showing enough song-title text, but I prefer this two-screen layout to being forced to split up one infotainment screen into tiny rectangles. Interior quality is solid but price-appropriate-there's nothing special inside that will lead anyone to think this is a $50,000 luxury crossover. The RDX excels more at oxymoron-like "functional luxury" instead of a strong emotional pull. Outside, the story is the same. Styling is restrained and premium but won't inspire double takes on the street. One cool detail for RDX owners: Unless the RDX is side by side with the larger three-row MDX, it's easy to confuse one with the other.

The 2016 RDX won't speak to everyone, but it offers enough interior space, power, and features to please most buyers. Those who don't respect the Acura badge, who want something sportier, or who seek a more visually stimulating daily driver have options in this price range. We'd just suggest to drivers who choose another similarly priced crossover to move over when they see a quicker RDX in their rearview mirror.

RDX vs. CR-V: 5 Reasons To Splurge On The Acura And 5 More To Go Honda

For Honda/Acura Loyalists, The Decision Isn't Clear Cut

It's time for a new crossover, and you're loyal to Honda and Acura. Would the 2016 Acura RDX or the 2016 Honda CR-V be a better fit? After spending months driving the Motor Trend long-term 2015 CR-V, I recently drove the refreshed 2016 RDX, a two-row crossover that's built on the same platform as the SUV of the Year-winning Honda (read the review HERE). They're not officially direct competitors-the RDX battles with premium options such as the Lexus NX, BMW X1, and Lincoln MKC-but in the real world, those who want a Honda or Acura may just find the CR-V and RDX as the finalists in a search for a new crossover. The two vehicles share a few features and a similarly useful interior, but there are plenty of differences, too.

If the idea of driving a car without a premium badge on the front grille doesn't instantly turn you off, here are five reasons to choose the CR-V. And if taking the step up to the Acura causes only a slight pause, we've got five ways to justify the RDX over the less expensive CR-V.

Why go RDX? Power!

The 2016 Acura RDX boasts a 279-hp, 3.5-liter V-6. Considering the 2015 Honda CR-V is powered by a 185-hp, 2.4-liter I-4, the difference is-of course-immediately noticeable. I appreciate the sound the engine makes at wide-open throttle, not to mention the Acura's Motor Trend-tested 6.2-second 0-60 time. For an all-wheel-drive luxury SUV starting in the mid- to high-$30,000 range, that's decently quick even before considering the 8.5-second time of our long-term all- wheel-drive CR-V.

Although the European-spec CR-V offers paddle shifters, only the Acura makes them available in the U.S. Most buyers won't use them, but I find them useful for those occasions I want to use engine braking-they're easier than the CR-V's low gear on the shift stalk.

Why go RDX? Standard LEDs

Every 2016 RDX comes standard with LED headlights, which can make a big difference in nighttime forward visibility. The feature (or HIDs) is an extra cost on many of the RDX's competitors and isn't available at all on the U.S.-spec CR-V, which offers projector-beam halogens

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 21 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP on the top Touring trim. HID and LED headlights are the type of upgrade you might pass off as unnecessary until you've experienced them for yourself, after which point the luxury might cause you to second guess from behind the wheel whether halogen-equipped vehicles have their lights on at all.

Why go RDX? For the power (seats)

If you often shuttle family and friends around town, the RDX's standard power front passenger seats will come in handy. A four-way seat is standard on the base model, but most RDXs will get the upgraded eight-way power seat. On the CR-V, the seat is passenger powered, though on both crossovers you'll find an easy-to-use lever in the cargo area to fold down the second-row seats in a 60/40 split.

Also cool: The RDX's side-view mirrors tilt down when in reverse.

Why go RDX? For the knob and TPMS graphic

Some of Honda's more recently introduced cars sacrifice a traditional volume knob to maximize screen size and allow for a volume slider. After months of driving the long-term CR-V, I don't personally miss having one thanks to the steering wheel controls, but it's a different story for the front passenger. The RDX makes turning up the volume simpler here with a knob placed high on the center stack.

Also helpful is the tire-pressure-monitoring graphic in the instrument cluster display, which shows the psi of each tire.

Why go RDX? A fuel economy surprise

The real-world difference in fuel economy on a 279-hp Acura versus a 185-hp Honda might not be as severe as you think. The 2016 CR-V EPA ratings are down a little from 2015, with the AWD model at 25/31 mpg city/highway compared to the AWD 2016 Acura RDX's 19/28 mpg or the AWD 2015 CR-V's 26/33 mpg. The Real MPG numbers, however, tell a different story. Our AWD RDX tester hit 21.5/30.2 mpg in Real MPG compared to our long-term AWD 2015 CR-V's 23.0/28.8 mpg. We've got one word of caution about those Acura numbers, though: The more lead-footed drivers won't get close to the RDX's EPA or Real MPG fuel economy numbers, instead making the most of that V-6.

Why go CR-V? The most obvious reason of all

The Honda CR-V is thousands cheaper than the Acura RDX. Some buyers, though, can afford a $40,000 car but would still rather not spend that much on an instantly depreciating asset.* The popular CR-V is a good choice for cheaper consumers who are OK with a less premium and less powerful vehicle that's still well-rounded.

The CR-V and RDX both have respectable IntelliChoice five-year retained values of just over 50 percent.

Why go CR-V? Smooth driving

Don't fear CVTs! If nearly all of your driving is on heavily trafficked highways and city streets instead of fun-to-drive winding roads, consider the everyday smoothness of CVTs. The more sensitive drivers will feel the RDX's six-speed automatic subtly changing gears, not something you'll feel with the four-cylinder CR-V's CVT.

Why go CR-V? A reclining reason

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 22 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Although the rear seats of both crossovers are easy to fold down, only the CR-V's seat backs can recline, potentially making trips for second-row passengers more comfortable if they remember the seat is flexible. Regardless, the Honda and Acura have highly usable interiors with soft front seat backs and a nearly flat floor for folks in the second row.

Why go CR-V? Watch it

One of the features I'll miss the most on the long-term CR-V is the incredibly helpful Honda LaneWatch system. Using a camera mounted under the passenger side-view mirror, the car's central display shows what the backward-facing camera is seeing whenever you turn on the right turn signal. As with most crossovers these days, there are lots of blind spots in the Honda and Acura, but the LaneWatch system makes it a little easier to change lanes-and yes, you can turn off the technology.

Why go CR-V? Active safety tech

I wish the CR-V's active safety tech were offered on more trims than the Touring, but I still appreciate the technology. In the CR-V I've driven for months, as well as in the 2016 RDX, the more useful bits of active safety tech include a lane keeping assist system that can nudge you back into your lane if you veer out of it and a front collision warning system that can apply the brakes if an obstacle is detected. Both crossovers earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. In NHTSA testing, the 2016 RDX has a five-star overall safety rating (out of a possible five stars), and the 2015 CR-V is good for four stars; the 2016 CR-V hasn't yet been overall safety rated.

So tell us, how important to you is a luxury badge and more power? Would you go with the Acura's higher status on the automotive food chain and its extra features or stick with the Honda and pocket the extra cash?

Dennis targets Sauber as second Honda team

Ron Dennis has earmarked Sauber as a potential future second team for Honda, according to sources close to McLaren.

Dennis has now made it clear that Honda could not supply Red Bull in 2016 because the time scale made it impossible for the Japanese manufacturer to make enough parts.

However, there is increasing pressure from Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone for Honda to work with another team from 2017 onwards, and Sauber presents an obvious opportunity - not least because McLaren would not regard the Swiss team as a direct rival.

Team boss Monisha Kaltenborn insisted that there was only a general discussion about Sauber's engine situation at the recent F1 Commission, but she admitted that longer term, options were open.

"There was a lot of engine talk going on in the meeting when we were all in there," she told Motorsport.com. "And in that context we were discussing an option like that, and more looking at the past and what had happened.

"In the context of that we also had a talk about what our engine situation is, and we said we are currently bound, but you should always keep all options open. It was embedded in a bigger public talk about engine suppliers having to supply more teams.

"We have a long lasting relationship with Ferrari, it's a good relationship. But no one knows what's going to be in two, three, or four years."

Intriguingly Kaltenborn admitted that she had talked in the past to former Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi about the possibility of the team getting a Honda supply.

"There was once an idea that we were thinking of maybe having Honda. We were not approached by Honda, put it like this, but it was because of Kamui Kobayashi who came and asked us. Don't ask me if it was last year or the year before, but this was the context of that talk."

Fernando Alonso vows to race for McLaren-Honda in 2016

Sabbatical talk at Abu Dhabi apparently blown out of proportion

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso and McLaren tearm chairman Ron Dennis denied on Sunday that Alonso is considering a sabbatical in 2016 if it looks like he'll be in another uncompetitive car.

Dennis lit the fuse on Saturday at Abu Dhabi, but 24 hours later blamed the media for blowing one of his comments out of proportion.

"I was talking to a reporter and all I said is that I was open and everything can be discussed," Dennis is quoted by the Spanish newspaper Marca. "I also immediately clarified that Fernando and Jenson (Button) will be in the car in 2016, which many (media) colleagues forgot to add."

Curiously, Alonso had not categorically ruled out the sabbatical idea shortly after Dennis made the comments, but he was also downplaying such talk on Sunday.

"I will be racing (in 2016) -- 100 percent," Alonso said. "I think if I had to choose a sabbatical year, I would choose this one (2015)."

Clearly, however, Abu Dhabi was yet another frustrating race for the past world champion, particularly when he was being lapped by his Ferrari successor, Sebastian Vettel. Alonso went on to finish 17th -- two laps back of winner Nico Rosberg.

"He must really hate me. I don't know what his problem is," Vettel fumed on the radio.

Another in-race radio transmission, meanwhile, captured Alonso in the process of wanting to retire the car, even though it was undamaged. Alonso was also penalized by the stewards for an early crash involving Pastor Maldonado.

"I don't know if Pastor didn't buy him the right drinks at the last party or something," Vettel joked.

Alonso, who finished just 17th in the standings with fewest number of points (11) since his 2001 rookie year, then drew the curtain on his abysmal 2015 season by lashing out at the FIA for lacking sense in applying the penalty and about the state of the series in general.

This Acura TLX-GT Race Car Has the Guts to Brawl with Ferraris

The Pirelli World Challenge is a sprint series-standing-start races with no pit stops. Competitors in six classes bash around courses like Mid-Ohio and the Long Beach Grand Prix circuit. It's designed to produce the kind of chaos you love to see in racing, with combatants in steroid-laden street cars. The GT class is the fastest of the field and includes machines like the Ferrari 458, Mercedes SLS, and Porsche 911. Oh, and this Acura TLX-GT.

Don't laugh. Wisconsinite Peter Cunningham has won 77 races in Hondas and Acuras of almost every ilk, so we asked him to bring his newest ride out to play on our private airport course, the Motown Mile. The car's a 600-hp weapon modified beyond recognition beneath the family sedan's familiar skin.

The number of parts this TLX-GT shares with its streetgoing kin can be counted on one hand-a few badges, the engine block and heads, the unibody passenger cell, and not much else. Pop the hood and all you see is a tangle of silver pipes and radiators diving back toward the firewall. That's where the turbo V-6 lives, tucked so far back, it's hidden beneath the windshield.

The World Challenge TLX-GT is race-car madness, a rolling sculpture of speed engineering. Gotta love it. To see just how far it's removed from its roadgoing counterpart, we paired it against a stock TLX at the Mile.

The Details

Engineers at Honda's California race shop spun the engine 90 degrees.

The engine's location moves everything rearward, including the driver's seat. It's almost a foot farther back than in the street car, and the seat cushion feels like it's on the floor. Don't expect to be able to see over the dash, let alone the fenders.

A pair of turbos and beefier internals help dish out "around 600" hp, but the all-wheel-drive system is what gives the TLX an edge. The 2015 rules allowed Acura to put power to all four corners because the configuration is available from the factory-not that the TLX-GT's AWD hardware is like anything on the lot at your local Acura dealership.

Xtrac adapted an off-road-racing, paddle-shifted transmission and center differential for the Acura. Price? Roughly three times that of a base TLX, or $110,000.

With more then double the horsepower, some 700 pounds less weight, and stickier tires, take a guess where the Acura TLX-GT shines against the street car. Here's a hint: everywhere.

As auto sales sizzle, hot SUVs and pickups in short supply

Auto industry authorities expect monthly sales figures, slated to be released Tuesday, will show record-setting sales despite an increasingly common issue: not enough vehicles being produced.

"The demand is just insatiable right now for SUVs," says Erich Merkle, sales analyst for Ford Motor, where supplies are tight on the Explorer, Edge and Lincoln MKX. "That's what's hot, and it's showing up in the sales."

Honda has the same supply-and-demand problem. When it comes to the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot SUVs, "We can't get enough of them," says John Mendel, executive vice president in charge of sales for American Honda.

Even Volkswagen, dogged by a scandal over its diesel emissions, has a few models in tight supply.

Overall, dealers had a 24-day supply of smaller trucks in October on their lots, the most recent month in which supply data were available. That's down five days from the year before, Edmunds.com reports. The supply of compact crossovers was 44 days on average, down three days from the year before.

The industry average in October was a 62-day supply.

Subaru, known for its rugged, smaller crossovers, has the shortest supply on dealer lots - only 19 days' worth of cars. It says that if it had all the vehicles it will offer for sale through the end of this year on dealers' lots, they would have already been snapped up by buyers.

"We'd love to make more," says Michael McHale, spokesman for Subaru, which has tripled sales since 2008 and is expanding factories. "We plan to make more."

The shortages are a reflection of blistering new-car sales. November's tally is likely to mark the highest sales total for the month since 2001, says Kelley Blue Book. A month before the new year, 2015's new-car sales are on track to set a record of 17.4 million. Edmunds.com says 1.3 million new cars will have hit the road. Sales growth is propelled by low interest rates, low unemployment and lots of jalopies on the road that are finally getting replaced.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 29 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Most brands are seeing spot shortages. Even as Toyota advertises its new version of the Tacoma pickup, it has less than a 10-day supply, says Bill Fay, head of the Toyota division.

In turn, factories are doing what they can to move away from more slow-selling models. "We've done a nice job of shifting our mix to build more light trucks," Fay says.

2014-16 Acura RLX Steering Wheel Issue

Vehicles affected by service bulletin:

2014 Acura RLX

2015 Acura RLX

2016 Acura RLX (VINs JHK4C1 … GC000001 - JHK4C1 … GC000408)

The problem: A moaning or rubbing noise can be heard from the car's rear when driving straight and making side-to-side turning movements with the steering wheel. This is due to lack of lubrication in the precision all-wheel-steering rear toe control actuators.

Corrective action: Dealers will replace the rear toe control actuators and perform a four-wheel alignment.

Warranty info: This repair is being done under the new-vehicle warranty.

What owners should do: Call your local dealer with your vehicle's identification number to determine if it's involved in this service bulletin. You can also call Acura at 800-382-2238 or NHTSA at 888-327-4236. Reference TSB No. 13-041.

Need to find a dealer for service? Go to Cars.com Service & Repair to find a local dealer.

Editor's note: This is only one of dozens of service bulletins issued each month by automakers. Please check your automaker's website to see if your vehicle has any service bulletins pending.

Honda UK Prices Go Up Across Entire Range

Honda UK has announced a 2,3% average price spike for its entire car range, coming into effect on December 1, for the HR-V, and from January 4, for the Civic 5d and Tourer, CR-V and Jazz.

The Japanese manufacturer wanted to stress the fact that the UK market has changed substantially in the past 24 months and that since January 2014, prices haven't gone up for Honda products as they have for their rivals - with one competitor increasing prices by 3% in the last 12 months alone.

On average, a 2.3% increase shouldn't deter any customers from purchasing some of the UK's most popular Honda models, like the Jazz, Civic and of course the CR-V.

According to Philip Crossman, Honda UK Managing Director, the Japanese company wanted to "ensure industry price competitiveness." "To achieve this we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our product pricing over the last three years to understand where Honda sits in comparison to our main competitors and have determined that we need to raise prices accordingly," argued the Honda exec.

Prices for the SE and EX-spec Jazz will rise by 2.3% while the entry-level version will cost as much as it does now, specifically £13,495. The Civic hatchback and Tourer versions will also feature a similar price hike (2.3%), which is understandable considering how the Civic hasn't gotten any more expensive since January 2014. On top of that, the facelifted model even saw a price decrease of up to £1,500 across the range. Now, however, the 1.4 S i-VTEC entry-level version will cost £16,470.

The popular CR-V already experienced a slight price bump at the start of 2015 when the facelifted version arrived, yet will still cost more by an average of 1.9% starting with January 2016. The cost for a 2.0 S i-VTEC 2WD model will be £22,770.

As for the smaller HR-V, its prices will rise by 4.4% on average, which means that in order to buy a 1.5 i-VTEC S model, you'll have to spend at least £18,495.

Fox and News Corp. join Obama climate pledge

President Obama is enlisting conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch in his fight to combat climate change, with companies News Corporation and 21st Century Fox signing onto a White House pledge to cut emissions and support the president's push for a global climate deal in Paris.

Tuesday's announcement by the White House nearly doubles the number of businesses to sign the climate pledge since July, making News Corp. and Fox, of which Murdoch is the co-chairman, the latest to do so.

The 73 companies that signed the American Business Act on Climate Pledge have operations in all 50 states and represent $4.2 trillion in annual revenue, the White House said Tuesday.

It said the additional businesses - which also includes the likes of Honda, Amazon, MGM Resorts and coal mining giant Rio Tinto - make for a total of 154 companies joining the pledge to fight climate change since the summer. In doing so, the businesses also pledge to support Obama's goal of securing an international deal to cut global emissions with the United Nations this month in Paris.

Honda Hosts #OpenTheCheer Twitter Instant-Win Contest For Holiday Sales Event

Honda is adding a giveaway to its annual "Happy Honda Days" end-of-year integrated campaign in 2015, allowing folks who retweet its messaging a chance to instantly win Amazon gift cards or Apple Watches. Players can retweet once a day and will also be entered in a drawing to award a 2016 Accord Touring model.

The Santa Monica-based RPA agency worked with Honda on the effort, with Brand New School and Instagram artist Jessie Bearden each contributing to different video elements. Twitter says the recently introduced Instant-Win Cards are currently only available to certain advertisers on a case- by-case basis.

Besides giving people a chance to win, Honda is incentivizing them by donating $1 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (@PBTF) for every retweet, up to $100,000. The instant-win element of Honda's larger effort began today with a tweet from Honda's corporate site, and it will continue through December 29. At the time of this writing, the original tweet from Honda had 770 retweets.

The opening video continues the theme explored in Honda's television ads, in which a giant hand opens doors on a wooden toy house. Within those doors, viewers see vignettes featuring people taking part in holiday activities in their Honda vehicles.

In the Twitter version, the door opens to reveal a wrapped gift, which rotates and unwraps itself while festive music plays. It concludes with a question mark - driving curiosity about what someone might win - and explains the retweeting and charitable aspects of the effort.

"For Happy Honda Days this year, we want consumers to feel the joy and wonder that's especially unique to Honda," said Susie Rossick, Assistant Vice President at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Our goal for this campaign is to tap into the anticipation of giving and opening gifts during the holidays, and Twitter's Instant Win feature allows us to surprise our fans and auto shoppers while helping give to a great cause."

When someone retweets as requested, they'll receive a response from Honda that includes a short video, one of several that begin with the door-opening sequence. For those who don't win, there are a few different clever videos that break the news gently and encourage them with a reminder that they're still entered into the grand prize drawing.

Click here to view the video.

Honda taps Twitter's Instant Win feature for its end-of-year marketing

Dive Brief:

• Honda turned to Twitter for its "Happy Honda Days" end-of-year marketing with an "Instant Win" contest based on the #OpenTheCheer hashtag. • The Instant Win prizes for retweets are Amazon gift cards and Apple Watches, with a grand prize drawing for a 2016 Honda Accord. • The campaign was created by RPA and includes video elements from Brand New School and Instagram artist Jessie Bearden.

Dive Insight:

Honda wants Twitter users to #OpenTheCheer with retweets to win instant prizes as well as the chance to win a new car. The campaign is part of the automaker's "Happy Honda Days" end-of- year marketing effort.

Susie Rossick, assistant vice president at American Honda Motor Co., told Marketing Land, "For Happy Honda Days this year, we want consumers to feel the joy and wonder that's especially unique to Honda. Our goal for this campaign is to tap into the anticipation of giving and opening gifts during the holidays, and Twitter's Instant Win feature allows us to surprise our fans and auto shoppers while helping give to a great cause."

The campaign began Cyber Monday and runs through Dec. 29, and as part of the promotion Honda is donating $1 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation for every retweet, up to $100,000.

Click here to view the video.

Honda Does Twitter Giveaway Of Accord

Honda is doing a Twitter giveaway of a car in a promotion that includes daily gifts to participants, an extension of its year-end sell-down campaign. The #OpentheCheer program, which makes Honda the automaker to do a Twitter car giveaway, dangles the 2016 Accord Touring and uses Twitter's new Instant Win feature.

Honda says the program, via RPA, will kick off with a tweet that includes a teaser video encouraging people to retweet for a chance to instantly win a gift. For every retweet, Honda will give $1 to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Once the user retweets the daily tweet, they immediately receive an automated reply letting them know if they have won or not, by virtue of a video vignette illustrating the results. If a player doesn't win, he or she gets a stop-motion clip encouraging them to try again.

"Our goal for this campaign is to tap into the anticipation of giving and opening gifts during the holidays and Twitter's Instant Win feature allows us to surprise our fans while helping to find a cure for children's brain tumors," said Susie Rossick, assistant VP at American Honda, in a statement.

All retweets are entered for a chance to win a 2016 Accord Touring, and the winner will be randomly selected at the end of the sweepstakes, which ends on Dec. 29. Instant win prizes include gift cards and digital smartwatches.

The automaker's Happy Honda Days campaign includes five TV spots. Each of the intricate spots were melded from three layers - live action (people/vehicles), miniature sets, and matte paintings - bringing the magical world inside the Happy Honda Days house to life. The social media campaign includes similar video vignettes driving attention to the promotion.

Honda unveiled the 2016 Accord last summer in a first-ever Silicon Valley unveiling for the automaker, an effort to promote the vehicle's tech sophistication in the connected-car sphere. The car, which Honda said is its most high-tech vehicle, has both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Ford to book $600M 4Q cost for new UAW contract; says deal consistent with financial guidance

Ford Motor Co. will book a $600 million charge in the fourth quarter for signing bonuses paid to union workers under a new four-year contract.

But the company said Monday that the deal with the United Auto Workers limits labor cost increases to 1.5 percent per year and is consistent with its full-year financial guidance. Ford is forecasting a pretax profit of between $8.5 billion and $9.5 billion this year.

The new contract gives raises to all of Ford's 53,000 U.S. hourly workers and eliminates a two-tier wage system at its plants over eight years.

Ford also agreed to $9 billion in U.S. factory investments and said the deal would add or secure 8,500 U.S. factory jobs. Most workers will get an $8,500 signing bonus and $1,500 in early profit sharing.

But the agreement will save the company money by allowing more flexible work schedules and lifting a cap on the number of employees making entry-level wages.

Ford also will be allowed to use "significantly more" temporary workers during summer vacations and busy times like new product introductions, according to Bill Dirksen, Ford's vice president of labor relations. Dirksen wouldn't say how many temporary workers Ford currently has.

Ford CEO Mark Fields said the contract also gives the company flexibility to move production to lower-wage countries like Mexico.

"We're not restricted from sourcing products anywhere in the Ford world for sale in North America," Fields told analysts and media during a conference call.

Ford's hourly workers approved the agreement by a 51-percent margin on Nov. 20 after months of bargaining. Fields said contract votes are almost always close, so he wasn't worried about the narrow margin.

"At the end of the day, we have a contract that works for our employees and allows our UAW workers to continue to share in the success of the company," he said.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 37 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Ford will be paying an average of $60 per hour in wages and benefits by the end of the agreement. Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said that will close Ford's wage gap with General Motors Co. and narrow the gap with Fiat Chrysler, which has a higher percentage of entry-level workers.

But Shanks said Ford will still be paying $8 to $10 more per hour than foreign competitors like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. pay their U.S. workers.

Ford invests $1.3B, adds 2,000 jobs at Kentucky plant

Ford will spend $1.3 billion and add 2,000 jobs at its Kentucky Truck plant in Louisville to make the next-generation 2017 Super Duty pickup.

The size of the investment reflects the decision to switch future generations of vehicles to aluminum bodies from steel in a bid to shed weight and improve fuel economy on some of the automaker's largest vehicles.

The $1.3 billion was promised as part of the 2011 labor agreement. In addition, the recently negotiated 2015 contract calls for another $600 million investment for the next generation of the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator which are also made at Kentucky Truck and which are also expected to get aluminum bodies.

The plant news was to be announced by Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of The Americas, at an event Tuesday morning at the Kentucky plant that employs almost 4,400 people.

Ford is hiring now and expects to have all the positions filled by the second quarter of 2016. Applicants must apply in person at the Kentucky Career Center in downtown Louisville.

The 2,000 positions are part of the 8,500 jobs announced as part of the new four-year Ford-UAW contract that was ratified Nov. 20.

The all-new 2017 F-Series Super Duty pickup was unveiled in September at the State Fair of Texas and, like the smaller F-150, switches to an aluminum body. It is set to launch in the fall of 2016 with a choice of diesel and gasoline engines.

Ford took a risk when it converted the F-150 to aluminum. It required taking two assembly plants down for months which dented sales in the final quarter of 2014 and well into this year as inventories of the new model slowly built up.

Converting the Super Duty lineup will not require downtime beyond next year's normal summer shutdown at the Kentucky Truck plant, according to spokesman Mike Levine. That is because Ford will have completed its new body shop by the first quarter of 2017 to allow assembly of the next-generation model to start while the outgoing model is being phased out.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 39 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP In addition to the new body shop, the plant is receiving other upgrades and new tooling. The automaker has also filed zoning requests to expand the manufacturing base of the plant that produces F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickups and chassis cabs, as well as the Expedition and Navigator.

With the new Super Duty, "we expect to continue growing our truck leadership," Hinrichs said in a statement in advance of the event.

The $1.3 billion investment follows the $80 million invested in 2014 to meet growing customer demand for the Super Duty trucks and $129 million to support Lincoln MKC production at the nearby Louisville Assembly Plant.

"Adding new jobs and more investment at Kentucky Truck Plant not only secures a solid foundation for our UAW members, but also strengthens the communities in which they live, work and play," said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president, National Ford Department.

Settles led Ford negotiations for a new UAW contract which passed by a slim 51% on Nov. 20. The 9,000 members of Local 862 at both Louisville assembly plants voted 65% against the contract.

Ford began manufacturing vehicles in Kentucky in 1913 with 11 employees. Kentucky Truck Plant opened in 1969.

"This tremendous investment and commitment to new job creation reconfirms the strength of a more than century-long relationship between Kentucky and Ford Motor Company," said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. "We wholeheartedly appreciate Ford's continued confidence in the commonwealth's work force and pro-business environment, and we look forward to expanding our relationship in the future."

There are five models in the Super Duty lineup: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum.

Ford has 43% of the heavy-duty truck segment and 64% of the chassis cab market. And, like the F-150, these trucks haul in big profits for the automaker.

Ford hiring in Kentucky

Ford is adding 2,000 jobs at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville. The company is hiring now and expects to have all the positions filled by the second quarter of 2016. Applicants must apply in person at the Kentucky Career Center in downtown Louisville.

Nissan Considers Raising Stake in Renault to at Least 25%

Nissan Motor Co. is considering raising its stake in partner Renault SA to at least 25% from 15% currently to counter the prospect of greater French government influence, a person with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday. The government is Renault's biggest shareholder, and is set to double its voting rights in April under a recently passed French law. After the law comes into effect, the government's 19.7% stake would translate into 32.8% voting rights in Renault, effectively giving it veto power.

To read more, please click on the "Go to clip" link located at the top of the page.

Volkswagen, DOJ want diesel civil cases heard in Detroit

Volkswagen AG and the Justice Department want a U.S. judicial panel to centralize in Detroit hundreds of civil lawsuits alleging the German automaker defrauded consumers and shareholders, according to court filings.

The U.S. Multi-District Litigation panel will hold a hearing Dec. 3 in New Orleans to determine if and where to consolidate more than 350 lawsuits that stem from the automaker's admission in September that it installed illegal software in nearly 500,000 vehicles to circumvent U.S. diesel emission tests.

Lawsuits have been filed in more than 40 U.S. states. Earlier this month, U.S. regulators also said VW installed "defeat devices" to cheat emission standards in 85,000 larger cars and SUVs.

The judicial panel routinely consolidates major civil litigation in order to speed cases and avoid duplication of efforts. Consolidating cases allows for joint document requests and witness depositions.

Volkswagen wants the judicial panel to create two tracks of cases: one for suits filed by owners of diesel vehicles and another for five securities lawsuits filed by pension funds and others who invested in VW by purchasing American Depositary Receipts that trade over the counter.

One securities lawsuit says U.S. investors lost "hundreds of millions of dollars" as the value of ADRs declined by 33 percent after the scandal became public. For instance, the Arkansas State Highway Employees Retirement System -- one pension fund suing VW -- says it lost $1.7 million on VW investments.

In a Nov. 24 court filing, VW lawyer Robert Giuffra said the automaker wants the cases heard by Chief U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen in Detroit.

But VW said if the panel thinks that is "too burdensome" for one judge to hear both types of cases, than the securities cases should be assigned to U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady in Alexandria, Virginia.

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 42 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP Separately, the Justice Department, which is conducting a criminal investigation into VW's diesel emission cheating, also wants the civil cases heard in Detroit, noting government testing labs are in nearby Ann Arbor and VW has engineering offices in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

The Justice Department filed new documents under seal with the panel last week, outlining additional undisclosed reasons why the case should be heard in Detroit.

Many lawyers suing VW want the cases heard in central California, noting the state's Air Resources Board is also investigating VW diesel problems, along with the government regulators in Washington D.C.

Report: BMW CEO Sees Point When Updating Diesel Uneconomic

BMW's CEO says that at some future point it will no longer make economic sense to keep adapting diesel engines to ever-tougher rules, but he isn't saying when.

Harald Krueger was quoted Tuesday as telling German daily Handelsblatt that the European Union's fuel consumption and emission targets for 2020 and beyond can only be achieved with diesel.

He added, however, that "the point will come in the future when it will simply be uneconomic to adapt the diesel drive ever further to the demands of increasingly ambitious legislation." Electric power will then play "the decisive role."

Asked what effect the diesel emissions cheating scandal at Volkswagen has had at BMW, Krueger said there has been no impact yet on demand but it's too early to calculate the long-term consequences.

Mitsubishi CEO promises an electrified U.S. rebound

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will fortify its fragile U.S. rebound with three electrified crossovers in five years, a bolstered regulatory listening post in Washington, D.C., and a new advanced technology office in Silicon Valley opening in January.

CEO Osamu Masuko told Automotive News the Japanese carmaker will channel limited resources into a more compact lineup after closing its only U.S. assembly plant.

That likely means no new sedan to succeed the aging Lancer and no dedicated electric vehicle to replace the subcompact i-MiEV, he said.

Instead, Mitsubishi will introduce a new small coupe-styled crossover after the fall of 2017 to slot between the midsize Outlander and the compact Outlander Sport. A redesigned Outlander will arrive sometime after 2017, and the next-generation Outlander Sport will arrive around 2019, Masuko said.

"We are strong in SUVs and four-wheel drives. And that is what we would like to focus on as core models in the U.S. market. We have changed direction," Masuko said. "We are going to allocate more resources to the areas where we are strong in the U.S."

To keep the nameplates fresh until their full-model changes, Mitsubishi will roll out "big minor changes," such as the retooled Outlander Sport and face-lifted Mirage subcompact hatchback unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

Mitsubishi also will launch the Outlander PHEV, the plug-in hybrid version of the nameplate's current generation, in the U.S. in the middle of next year.

The other three coming crossovers will get electrified drivetrains as variants to the standard gasoline versions, Masuko said.

The redesigned Outlander and new crossover will get plug-in hybrid variants, while the Outlander Sport will go all-electric alongside its traditional gasoline model.

The lineup overhaul comes as Mitsubishi positions crossovers, which account for 58 percent of its U.S. volume, as a pillar of its revival plan. Its U.S. sales climbed 25 percent to 80,683 vehicles through October, thanks largely to booming crossover demand.

Refocusing on crossovers will help Mitsubishi prioritize investments and cut costs.

YES

Gasoline, plus When

Small, coupe-styled crossover Plug-in hybrid After fall 2017

Outlander PHEV Plug-in hybrid* Mid-2016

Redesigned Outlander Plug-in hybrid After 2017

Redesigned Outlander Sport EV Around 2019

Sedan version of Mirage N/A Spring 2016

Replacement for aging Lancer

Replacement for discontinued Galant

Replacement for subcompact i-MiEV

Full-size Montero SUV

*No gasoline version Source: CEO Osamu Masuko

The carmaker said in July it will stop manufacturing vehicles at its Normal, Ill., factory as part of global realignment to concentrate production in Japan, Russia and Southeast Asia.

Electrification is a key element of the roadmap. Mitsubishi aims to equip the wave of electrified crossovers with a next-generation lithium ion battery, Masuko said.

In Japan, Mitsubishi will also introduce a minicar -- to serve a strong segment in the domestic market -- with a gasoline drivetrain and an optional electric one. But to maximize r&d resources, Mitsubishi won't pursue another dedicated EV such as the i-MiEV, Masuko said.

Also on hold is a sedan to replace the Lancer or succeed the discontinued Galant. Masuko said there are no plans for such a car because Mitsubishi doesn't have the resources to develop one alone and hasn't been able to find a partner to supply one.

Talks to get a sedan through Renault SA fell through, and Mitsubishi is not in talks with any other automaker, he said.

In terms of passenger cars, the U.S. lineup will continue to lean on the Thailand-made Mirage and its sedan variant.

The latter, expected to be called the G4 for the U.S. market, is expected to arrive stateside next spring. Both those cars will stick to traditional gasoline drivetrains, Masuko said.

Mitsubishi also has no plans for a next-generation full-size Pajero SUV, Masuko said. The Pajero was sold as the Montero in the U.S. until being discontinued there in 2006, and there had been speculation that a redesign would return to the U.S. market.

To keep better tabs on emissions rules and safety regulations, Mitsubishi is dispatching for the first time an official from Japan to serve at its Washington, D.C., regulatory outpost.

The goal is to establish better communications between the head office in Japan and U.S. regulators, which have wielded increasingly weighty influence in recent years.

Mitsubishi also will follow other automakers in setting up an operation in Silicon Valley to monitor the latest developments in autonomous driving and artificial intelligence. That office opens in January and initially will be staffed by two Japanese employees, said Masuko, who visited in May to lay the groundwork.

"The U.S. is a cutting-edge car market," Masuko said. "There is much we can learn from being there. ... I thought it would be good to send a younger generation of employees to learn from them."

Still, Mitsubishi's California plan pales in comparison with investments made by bigger rivals. Toyota Motor Corp., for example, said in November it will spend $1 billion on a new Silicon Valley subsidiary with 200 workers.

"It's a very small office," Masuko conceded. "But we are going to learn the future direction of technology and our business."

Lear Takes Step Into Autonomous-Vehicle Systems With Deal

Lear Corp. is moving into autonomous-vehicle systems with the acquisition of a small Michigan software company, the latest maneuver the auto supplier has taken to expand from making traditional car parts to making bets on technology that could disrupt the car business. Lear, known best as an automotive seat maker, said Monday it acquired Troy, Mich.-based Arada Systems, which specializes in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. Financial details of the cash purchase weren't disclosed.

To read more, please click on the "Go to clip" link located at the top of the page.

Google Has an Idea That Could Let Self-Driving Cars Talk to Pedestrians

Google's self-driving cars may wave a robotic arm at you or a display a stop sign to keep you from crossing the street

Google's self-driving cars have already driven more than one million miles. But the company has yet to show how the vehicles might signal complex actions to other drivers and pedestrians. Now, a recently granted patent may provide some additional insight.

The patent, which was published on Nov. 24 after initially being filed in Sept. 2012, describes a system in which self-driving cars would be able to display messages to pedestrians at areas such as crosswalks. These alerts could include anything from an electronic sign, to lights, audio notifications, or even a robotic hand to provide waving gestures.

The images included in the document provide some idea of what these signals might look like. One sign, for example, shows a pedestrian symbol with a slash through it to indicate that it's not safe to cross the street. Another concept shows a stop sign displayed on the side of the car.

Google acknowledges that the ability to communicate with pedestrians is an area where self- driving cars are lacking compared to standard vehicles. "However, other than signaling devices typical to non-autonomous vehicles, such as turn signals, head lights, high beams, brake lights, reverse lights, and some audible signals (horns, reverse light beepers, etc.), autonomous vehicles lack the capability to directly communicate the vehicle's future behavior," the document states. "Simply stopping a vehicle without these driver-initiated signals may not be sufficiently reassuring to the pedestrian that it is indeed safe to cross."

The patent was granted as Google and other companies begin to reveal more about their plans for the future of autonomous vehicles. Automakers from Tesla to Volvo and Mercedes-Benz have announced ambitious production plans, for instance. And Formula E recently announced that it's working with a company called Kinetik to create the world's first driverless car racing series.

A patented concept or technology is by no means a guarantee of production. But it doe indicate the ideas are something the company may be thinking about as self-driving cars come closer to everyday reality.

REVIEW: 2016 Audi S8 Plus - Audi creates a 605-horsepower fountain of youth

The cult of youth permeates society, and it rages most vigorously in the upper classes. Before chairing that corporate meeting or indulging in a shopping spree, the fashionable (and healthy) thing is to spend an hour at Barry's Boot Camp, or your favorite five-star's exclusive gym.

To keep up appearances, it's necessary to step into a luxury car equally capable of flexing its muscles. Hence, the popularity of the performance luxury sedan. You may just use it to cruise through Soho or up 5th Avenue, with a distant rumble coming from the exhaust. But it's important and good to know you could annihilate virtually any sports car on the open road, right?

With the new S8 Plus, Audi plays this card expertly. Apart from the wild, V-12-powered Mercedes- AMG S65 (which costs more than a Maybach) and outlandish brands like Bentley, none of the established luxury sedans has broken the 600-horsepower barrier. The Audi S8 Plus does just that, with an upgraded version of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that is fitted under the hood of the current S8 and the regular A8. At a full 605-hp, it's more powerful than any BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, and any Mercedes-Benz S-Class, except for the aforementioned S65.

The 520-horsepower S8 remains in production for other markets, but for the U.S., it will be entirely replaced by the S8 Plus. The new engine adds a full 85 horsepower and, while maximum torque is rated at 516 lb-ft, an overboost function kicks in at 70-percent throttle to raise this to a full 553 lb- ft. It is transmitted to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain is rear-biased, of course, so you can always pretend you're going to drift Audi's flagship performance sedan.

It's virtually impossible - and certainly illegal - to experience this engine's full wrath on American roads. That's why we drove it in Germany, where the freeways are largely free from silly speed limits. The run from 0 to 60 miles per hour comes up in less than 4 seconds, and getting up to 130 mph takes all of 13 seconds. Base models charge into an electronic ceiling at 155 mph, but you can specify a "Dynamic Package" that raises top speed to 190 mph. It doesn't even take a long stretch to actually attain this velocity. You see, the 190 mph models are STILL speed governed: Without the electronic nanny, the S8 plus would be capable of a full 205 mph!

Compared to the regular A8, the S8 plus is fitted with a significantly modified chassis and air suspension. It comes with a torque vectoring system for the rear axle, called "sport differential," that forces it into corners like a go-kart. It's still a large luxury sedan, and even in the "dynamic"

Honda | Acura | Racing | Business | Industry | Competitors Honda News Briefing December 01, 2015 50 A SERVICE PROVIDED BY PRIME NEWS GROUP setting of the air suspension, there is noticeable body roll. But the limits are high, and the S8 plus is surprisingly agile on twisty roads. Carbon-ceramic brakes are optional, they bite hard and operate virtually without fade.

At the same time, the S8 plus is a supremely comfortable long-distance cruiser, with a distant rumble of the exhaust that is never obtrusive. Even though it's the oldest car in the segment, the interior can still keep up with the BMW 7 Series and the Mercedes-Benz S-class. Its infotainment system could be quicker, and the ambient lighting could offer more colors, but the passenger compartment looks surprisingly fresh and entirely modern.

Audi has tweaked the styling, of course. The S8 Plus comes with glossy black trim around the windows and front grille, it features a rear spoiler lip, and comes with specific carbon fiber interior trim. It's all designed to set it apart not only from the regular A8, but also from the outgoing S8.

The cult of youth doesn't approve of old-fashioned wood trim - although, if you insist, Audi will still fit your S8 plus with traditional hide and veneer. When you're driving a 605-horsepower Germany sport sedan, anything is possible.