So, you need a new car, do you? Have you considered Honda? Not too long ago your choices were the Civic, Accord, or Prelude. Today, Honda has expanded their line up to cover just about every segment going. Let’s take a look at their current line up and see how Honda stacks up against the competition.

Accord – Soon after the Civic entered the North American market, the Accord was introduced. The car has been so well received that it routinely battles with the Toyota Camry for the top spot in the American market. Every few years the Accord receives a complete makeover; today’s Accord is available in three models: coupe, sedan, and hybrid

Civic – When Honda entered the US market in the early 1970s, it was the Civic that led the way. The reason? High fuel economy. At that time, Detroit was primarily building gas guzzling behemoths and the American market was ripe for an affordable and economical compact car. Despite being derided by some – pregnant roller skate was one of the terms given to the Civic – the car proved to be the toehold Honda needed to get established in the North American market. Today’s Civic bears no resemblance to the original and it is available in three models: coupe, sedan, and hybrid.

CR-V – Available in either FWD or 4WD, the CR-V is Honda’s compact SUV with seating for as many as five adults.

Element – The Element defies easy characterization. Some call it a bread box on wheels. Available as a FWD or 4WD vehicle, the Element is targeted to the youth set and is an alternative to Toyota’s Scion brand.

Insight – The first gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the US was the Insight. Five years later it still commands an important part of the Honda line up.

Odyssey – The new benchmark for minivans is the Honda Odyssey. In just a few short years, Honda transformed a Plain Jane people mover into a van with pizzazz. The Odyssey routinely competes with the Toyota Sienna for top honors in the North American market.

Pilot – A 7 passenger SUV, the Pilot is Honda’s first large SUV. Competing against the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Toyota 4Runner, the Pilot has performed well and has gained respect in the tough, competitive American market.

Ridgeline – A four door AWD truck, the Ridgeline goes where no Honda has gone before: off the road. Sure, other Hondas come equipped with AWD or 4WD, but the Ridgeline was built expressly to handle hill as well as highway. The unique five foot long bed has a trunk built into it; certainly the Ridgeline defies easy comparison.

S2000 Roadster – Honda’s race car capabilities are displayed with the S2000 Roadster a two seat coupe that compares favorably with the BMW Z4 Roadster. Ranked as one of the best wanted car by consumers with several leading automobile magazines and web sites including Edmunds.com.

Honda’s top competitor is Toyota and both now have luxury brands from which motorists can purchase more upscale versions of their vehicles. Toyota’s Lexus division and Honda’s Acura division offer to consumers vehicles that go beyond their standard brands. Still, you can’t go wrong if you buy a Honda, an automotive line which continues to expand and grow because of high quality and consumer loyalty.

Copyright 2005 -- Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Auto Parts Warehouse, a wholesaler of fine discounted Honda parts and Honda accessories.

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