The Civic Sedan and Civic Si Coupe concepts are the stars of Honda's Detroit Auto Show stand. The two concept models are essentially pre-production studies of the actual ninth-generation Civic that will be introduced to the North American market this Spring. Bear in mind that the Detroit show Civics do not preview the upcoming three- and five-door hatchback models for the European market.
On the outside, Honda's designers opted for a more evolutionary styling rather than a radical step in design, blending the current model's shape with styling details from some of the firm's latest models such as the CR-Z hybrid and the North American Accord.
The two concept models do not appear to feature an interior or a powertrain. However, Honda said that the 2012 Civic range will continue to include a sporty "Si" performance version, as well as hybrid and natural-gas variants. If you follow the jump, you can check out our live gallery of photos and HD videos of the two cars from the Detroit Show.
As far as hooning goes, one would think that a simple burnout should get you in the least amount of trouble. However, the owner of this Honda Civic almost lost his car while dazzling the crowd [...], as after about 40 seconds the tires suddenly burst into flames.
So, what have we learned today? Well, first of all, avoid overdoing the burnout if your car is tied to a block of concrete. Also, always keep a fire extinguisher at hand, because it turns out that putting out flames with some refreshments isn’t very effective. Who would of thought it? Watch the video after the jump.
Japanese tuner Noblesse has been steadily releasing numerous aftermarket bits and pieces for the new CR-Z ever since Honda launched its hybrid sport hatch . Among other parts, the company has developed a ground aero-kit with front and rear bumper aprons, side skirts, a rear diffuser and a large roof wing. These can be complemented by a lightweight carbon fiber hood, underbody aero parts, larger alloy wheels and a sport exhaust system. You can check out photos of Noblesse's Honda CR-Z offerings along with a video of a test car doing a circuit round right after the jump.
What is claimed to be the new 2012 Honda Civic Sedan was caught almost naked with very few body parts masked, hot weather testing in the Dubai by Car Magazine Middle East. Having eliminated the possibility that this may be a local version of the Fit/Jazz-based City small sedan, the next step is to see if this is a brand new edition of the Civic saloon or a facelifted model.
And here's where it gets confusing. Although at a first glance it appears that the car seen here is a 2012MY (or 2011MY) facelift with a Honda Insight-esque front and reworked rear end, a closer inspection at the video reveals a slightly different window line (see the rear quarter windows) and unique doors. That said, we're not entirely sure if it's a new model or a heavily redesigned version of the current Civic.
The website also provides a glimpse of the interior which features a newly styled cockpit with an almost old-school-BMW-like driver orientated dashboard design.
Check out the video below and scroll further down to share your thoughts in the comments section.
Here are some amusing TV ads from Honda's creative Australian division. The spots were made to show off how practical, roomy and versatile the Honda Jazz is (known as the Fit in North America and Japan). So if you want to learn the answer to questions such as "How much Massive can you pack in a Honda Jazz?" and "How much Rap can you pack in a Jazz?", and don't mind watching 'iron boy' here in very tight speedos, hit the jump to check out the videos.
The big news here is that, along with the usual suspension, brake and aero upgrades, famed Japanese tuner HKS, is also readying a supercharger kit for the CR-Z hybrid sport hatch. And while the company didn't publish any performance numbers, it did release a video of a supercharged CR-Z testing on the dyno, but with a twist. If you scroll down on the Youtube description, there is a footnote concerning the F1-like sound of the prepped-up CR-Z that reads:
"GT Supercharger Kit for CR-Z is under development. This is a shortened video of dyno setting of the kit.* Caution) Since it is shortened, it sounds like F1. The actual GT Supercharger Kit does not sound like this." Feel free to comment after the jump...
In Europe, Honda's CR-Z hybrid hot hatch isn't the only eco-friendly sports car available to buyers of average means. One of the most recent arrivals in the category is Peugeot's striking RCZ sports coupe that is offered with a frugal 2.0-liter diesel engine.
Two cars, two different approaches on the same topic. But which one is better? To answer this question, British magazine Auto Express took both sports cars and tested them to see which one comes on top in typical everyday use.
If you read between the lines - or in this case, the tester's words, the RCZ is a better car picking up the title in fuel economy, performance, interior styling and quality, as well as exterior looks. But -there's always a but, isn't there?- the entry-level RCZ Diesel costs £5,251 [about US$7,900 or €6,500] more than the basic CR-Z, which ultimately makes the comparison unjust.
Video and some quick facts we gathered on both cars after the jump.
HONDA CR-Z: The CR-Z comes with a 1.5-liter petrol engine coupled to a small electric motor producing a combined output of 124-horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 174Nm / 128 lb-ft of peak torque from 1,000 to 1,500 rpm.
With the 6-speed manual, Honda UK claims that the CR-Z in basic 'S' trim sprints to 62mph (100km/h) in 9.9 seconds [10.1 seconds for the better equipped GT model] and tops out at 124mph (199 km/h).
According to the manufacturer, the hybrid sports car, which tips the scales at 1,198 kg / 2,641 lbs, returns a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg UK [5.0lt/100km or 47.0mpg US] with CO2 emissions of 117g/km.
Auto Express said that in a mixture of conditions as well as some hot laps on the test track, the CR-Z's trip computer recorded an average of 39.5 mpg UK [7.1 lt/100km or 32.9 mpg US].
In the UK, the CR-Z is offered in three trim levels - S, Sport and GT, with prices set at £16,999, £17,999 and £19,999 respectively.
PEUGEOT RCZ:Along with the 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engines producing 156HP and 200HP, the RCZ is also offered with a 2.0-liter turbo diesel hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox.
It delivers 163-horsepower at 3,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 340Nm / 251 lb ft at 2,000 rpm and returns a combined fuel consumption of 53.2 mpg UK (5.3 lt /100km or 44.3 mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 139 g/km.
In AE's test, the RCZ returned an average of 41.4mpg UK [6.8lt/100km or 34.5mpg US].
Weighing in at 1,474 kg / 3,250 lbs, the diesel-powered RCZ goes from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in 8.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 137mph (220km/h).
The Peugeot RCZ 2.0 HDi is available in two grades, Sport and GT, with OTR pricing set at £22,250 and £24,550 respectively.
On the outside, Honda's designers opted for a more evolutionary styling rather than a radical step in design, blending the current model's shape with styling details from some of the firm's latest models such as the CR-Z hybrid and the North American Accord. 
