Everyone’s favorite small car, the Honda Fit, is the winner of Cars.com, USA Today, MotorWeek’s 2012 $16,000 Subcompact Shootout! The 2012 Honda Fit and six other subcompact cars went head to head in an all out battle to gain the attention and respect from a panel of expert auto writers and a young married couple.

Not every small car in the market made the cut. In order to qualify for the shootout, the car had to seat four, have four doors, an automatic transmission, an EPA rating of 35mpg or more, and a sticker price of less than $16,000. The shootout took the judges on a three-day test through a 200-mile loop in Southern California that combined city with highway driving. At the end, the judges rated each vehicle and attached a score that evaluated the static features (things like looks, comfort, usability, etc.), driving, overall value, and gas mileage.

The Fit was praised for its fun-to-drive feel, practicality, visibility, and powertrain. “A triumph of cargo volume, versatility and execution…From the first moment, the Fit begged to be driven hard,” said Joe Wiesenfelder, Executive Editor at Cars.com. As for the family judges, Erik & Robyn Rose, they stated that “As soon as you sit in it and drive it, you feel at home.” At the end there can only be one ultimate winner: the 2012 Honda Fit.

Howdy Honda, the leading Honda dealer in Austin, is excited to hear that Kelley Blue Book (KBB.com) recently named three different 2012 Honda models to their annual “10 Best Family Cars” list for 2012. In order to make this list, KBB inspect vehicles for features with a family-approved mentality and characteristics such as; comfort, child-friendliness, safety features and strong consumer evaluations. Let’s see who made the list…

The 2012 Hondas named as part of the “10 Best Family Cars” are the 2012 Honda Odyssey, 2012 Honda Civic and 2012 Honda CR-V. Being a part of KBB.com’s list is nothing new for Honda vehicles. Dating back to KBB.com’s Best Family Vehicles inaugural year, 2008, Honda has had nine different vehicles make the list. These include; the Honda Civic, Honda Crosstour, Honda Odyssey and now the Honda CR-V. With more and more comfort, child-friendly, and safety features, we expect Honda to remain on this list for the next few years. 

Michael Accavitti, VP of Marketing Operations for American Honda, praised the recognition from KBB.com stating that, “We are honored to have three members of the Honda lineup recognized as benchmark family cars by Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. To be recognized as providing the kind of safety, features and value required of the modern family machine speaks to the core attributes of every 2012 Honda vehicle.”

2012 Honda CR-V Price: $25,425	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $21,445	2012 Honda Odyssey Price: $35,855	2012 Honda Odyssey Price: $37,855
2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $19,425	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $19,595	2012 Honda CR-V Price: $25,425	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $19,595

Howdy Honda. the leading Honda dealer in Austin, is excited to announce that based on recent testing, Honda ranks best in toxic interior rankings. On top of the Ecology Center’s list of vehicles with the least toxic interiors you will find two Honda models, the Honda Civic and the Honda CR-Z.

Throughout the study, researchers from the Ecology Center looked at more than 200, 2011 and 2012 vehicle models for various chemicals. Who knew that the “new car smell” that everyone has grown to love could actually be bad for you? The Ecology Center found that vehicle interior ratings are making a step in the right direction, but aren’t where they would like them to be.

Consider the fact that the “average American” spends roughly 1.5 hours in their car a day. Then consider the fact that, odds are, your vehicle  contains some capacity of brominated flame retardants, PVC, bromine, chlorine, lead and other heavy metals.  Lastly, consider that by making consistent contact with these toxic chemicals can lead to certain health problems including; development of allergies, birth defects in newborns, liver toxicity and cancer to name a few. Scary.

Research Director at the Ecology Center, Jeff Gearhart stated that, “these chemicals are not regulated, so car buyers have no way of knowing what dangers they face.”

By looking into vehicles that make an effort to reduce interior toxic chemicals, you will not only do yourself and your family a favor, you will reduce the risk of developing any of these health problems. If you are in Austin TX or around the Central Texas area, don’t overlook the Honda Civic and/or Honda CR-Z at Howdy Honda in Austin TX. Give us a call at (512) 443-4300 or check us out online at www.howdyhonda.com.

2012 Honda Civic Hybrid Price: $26,020	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $19,425	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $18,625	2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $19,595
2012 Honda Civic Sdn Price: $21,445	2012 Honda Civic Cpe Price: $24,225	2012 Honda Civic Cpe Price: $21,445	2012 Honda Civic Cpe Price: $19,395