Checkered Blog by Checkered Flag is the automotive play place in Hampton Roads Virginia

Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency: Honda Odyssey

Some of my fondest childhood memories took place in a minivan. My family would spend hours in our minivan traveling to different places. Of course back then gas cost less, so it was easy to load up the minivan for weekend road trips. Times have since changed, but when I realized that today's Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency was the Honda Odyssey, a bit of nostalgia set in.

The Odyssey has come a long way from the minivans I grew up with. It's a stylish and comfortable 8-passenger hauler that provides modern day conveniences. Car and Driver chose the Odyssey as its pick for Best Van in their "5Best" Trucks list.

Vernon Belford, a sales and leasing consultant at Checkered Flag Honda, ventured outside in this 90 degree weather wearing a very nice (and I'm sure also very hot) suit to show me the Odyssey.   Four trim levels are available: base LX (starting at $25,860), EX, EX-L, and the top of the line Touring. All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with 5-speed automatic transmission. Vernon says the Odyssey isn't the typical van because it rides more like a car.

The EX-L and Touring engines include Variable Cylinder Management (VCM). This is the same fuel saving system that's found on another Honda Unsung Hero we've featured before, the Pilot. Just to refresh your memory, the VCM manages fuel consumption by allowing the V6 engine to automatically deactivate and reactivate cylinders depending on what it needs. It lets the vehicle run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders, which means better fuel economy. The Odyssey gets 23 highway miles, and 16 city. On its 21 gallon tank, you can get over 480 highway miles.

Seating for 8 is the obvious highlight on the Odyssey. Vernon demonstrated the different ways you can utilize the 2nd row "magic seat." It allows for either 3 passenger bench seating, or can be removed for extra cargo/storage space. The Odyssey has a whopping 15 beverage holders! Standard features include: dual-zone air conditioning (tri-zone automatic climate control on EX, EX-L and Touring); tilt and telescope steering wheel; power windows and door locks; and keyless entry.

A number of available options would come in handy for a family that's always on the go. The Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System with voice recognition and 8-inch screen, and the Honda DVD Entertainment System are a few that standout. Check out the full list here.

As one would expect in a family-geared vehicle, the Odyssey comes with loads of safety features. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA); anti-lock brakes with brake assist; Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure; active front seat head restraints; and daytime running lights all come standard. Also, dual-threshold driver's and front passenger's SRS airbags; front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Protection Detection System (OPDS); and three-row side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor are included to protect every Odyssey occupant.

See the very family-friendly Odyssey at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 East Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.

Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency: Honda Pilot

Some of the wittiest commercials I've seen have been for the Honda Pilot. If you haven't seen them, I suggest a visit to the Honda website. You'll get a good chuckle or two. The one titled "Ballooning" had me rolling the first time I saw it. So...you're probably wondering, the Pilot is a mid-size SUV, and those three letters typically don't associate with great mpg. Well it comes as a welcome surprise (to me too), but the Pilot does meet the criteria as an Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency.

The 2009 model is the second edition of the Pilot (it debuted summer of '02). Carl Dyson, a sales representative at Checkered Flag Honda, says the newer version brings more features, more power, and better fuel economy. Out of all the Unsung Heroes we've featured so far, the Pilot sticks out as one of the larger vehicles on the list. Carl says that although gas prices have caused many drivers to sway away from larger SUV's, smaller vehicles don't fit all lifestyles. That's where the  Pilot comes in as a great alternative.

Four trim styles are offered: base LX (starting at $27,595), EX, EX-L, and top-of-the-line Touring. The Pilot comes equipped with a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine producing 250 horsepower. All models are available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system is a key feature on the Pilot and it's designed to help improve fuel efficiency, without giving up the abilities of a powerful engine. Carl explains that the VCM manages fuel consumption and allows the V6 engine to automatically deactivate and reactivate cylinders depending on what it needs. With VCM the Pilot is able to run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders. You can get the V6 power when accelerating or climbing, but you also have the efficiency of a smaller engine for everyday cruising. The 2WD is rated at 17/23 mpg city/highway, and 16/22 for the 4WD. The Pilot's 20 gallon tank can get around 460 highway miles.

The Pilot offers 3 rows of seating for 8 passengers, which makes it perfect for families. It's outfitted with a ton of family-friendly features too such as: 60/40 split flat-folding seats for optimized cargo space; beverage holders in all 3 rows (12 total!); 12-volt power outlets (in the front, 2nd-row, and cargo areas); flip up rear glass hatch; and standard integrated tow hitch. An AM/FM/CD Audio System with 7 speakers and subwoofer is also standard. If you need more to keep the family entertained and happy, the Honda DVD Rear Entertainment System is an option on the Pilot EX-L and Pilot Touring.

Standard safety equipment includes: Advanced Compatibility Engineering Body Structure; Dual-Stage, Dual Threshold Front Airbags (SRS); Front Side Airbags with Passenger-Side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); Three-Row Side Curtain Airbags with Rollover Sensor; Tire Pressure Monitoring System and more. Also a rearview mirror with rearview camera display is a highlight on the EX-L. For extra child passenger protection, the Pilot boasts four Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) positions. That's more than any other SUV in the segment.

To check out the Pilot in person, visit the Checkered Flag Honda sales team at  6541 East Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.

Checkered Flag Honda's Famous Faces

Did you see The Virginian Pilot today? Well, if not grab a copy. For weeks now, we here at the Checkered Blog have had fuel efficiency on our minds, especially with our Unsung Heroes series. It seems that the Pilot does too, and guess what...in article today they featured members of the Checkered Flag Honda sales team! Check out the pictures below. Cheers to Checkered Flag Honda new car sales manager Paul Sudo and salesman John Hall! You guys look great. Visit these famous faces at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 East Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk or call (757) 490-1111.

Meet Checkered Flag Honda Customer Alma Rojas

This friendly mom and her very energetic 2 ½ year old toddler, Lorenzo, were playing in the kids zone at Checkered Flag Honda today, while her 2005 Accord was being serviced. Bringing in her car for maintenance was just one of the many things Alma has on her to-do-list before traveling to Puerto Rico to visit family. While Lorenzo kept busy with all the fun toys, Alma spent a few minutes chatting with the Checkered Blog.

CF: Where do you live in Hampton Roads?
Alma: Portsmouth. We come to Checkered Flag because the space is cozy, and this kids zone area is good for my son. There are toys and it is closed off, so he can scream as loud as he wants without bothering anyone (smiles).

CF: Aside from keeping up with Lorenzo, what else do you like to do?
Alma: I do a lot of reading, and a spend a lot of time at church. I love to go shopping! (Laughs) Unfortunately, I can not always do that.

CF: Where is your favorite place to eat?
Alma: Atlas Oyster in Pensacola, Florida. That was the best food I have ever had in my life. Around here...oh, Volcano Sushi. Their Bento Box is such a great deal. Anyone who has been there will know what I am talking about.

CF: What is in your MP3 player or CD player right now?
Alma: (Laughs) Oh, gosh. I have a 6-Disc changer. Hmm, I have Hill Song, Israel and New Breed...Joyce Meyer is number 4, and then Reliant K and Sarah Groves are 5 and 6.

CF: What is the latest movie you have seen?
Alma: Prince Caspian and I loved it. I loved Narnia too.

CF: What pets do you have?
Alma: No pets. My son keeps me busy enough and taking care of a pet would be like having another kid (laughs). Maybe, we will get a goldfish because that is low maintenance.

CF: What is the one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
Alma: I was once in a band called Bachata Mambo. Bachata is a genre of music from the Dominican Republic. I sang.

CF: What is one invention you could not live without?
Alma: I am not going to say the microwave (laughs). But actually, it is probably the microwave. It is just so convenient. And can you imagine, without it Hot Pockets would take like 25 minutes in the oven!

CF: What is the best thing about being a Checkered Flag customer?
Alma: Customer service. From as soon as you walk in someone always greets you. The people at the counter are very nice, and they are flexible in working with you. Also there was one time, and I will not ever forget this...it was raining hard outside, and a Checkered Flag employee walked me and my son out to our car with an umbrella. The service is just really wonderful. You do not get that anywhere else.

Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency:

For the past two days, CheckeredChick and I have been "partying", but now it is time to continue on with our Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency series. I dropped by Checkered Flag Honda today and spent a few minutes talking with salesperson Dennis Anderson Sr. about our Unsung Hero for today, the Honda Accord.

Dennis has a long standing history with Checkered Flag. He has been with the company for 22 years! He is also a proud owner of a Honda Accord, and who better to speak with about a vehicle than someone who knows it personally. Dennis says the Accord for his family was a very a good buy.

Dennis is not alone in his sentiments about the Accord. Car and River named the 2008 Accord on its 10Best for the year list (the Accord has made an appearance on that list a record 22 times). It has also received Best Family Sedan from Motor Week and Sedan of the Year from Road and Travel Magazine. Just on the way to work this morning, I encountered three different Accords.

So what is it about the Accord that makes it so special? Dennis says that it is just one "super car". He says customers like the luxury feel of the Accord, but like the price even more. Starting price is $20,360.

The Accord has been around for decades now. The new 2008 redesign made it bigger than previous model years and has improved engine performance, but still manages great fuel efficiency. The four-cylinder Accord garners 31 highway miles, and 21 in the city. You can get close to 560 highway miles per tank with the Accord (the tank size is 18 gallons).

The Accord is available as a midsize coupe or sedan. There are several trims to choose from, ranging from the entry level LX model to the high end EX-L model. The LX model comes equipped with a 2.4-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, Drive-by-Wire™ throttle system; double wishbone front and independent multi-link rear suspension; air conditioning with air-filtration; and illuminated steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls. The EX-L model includes top of the line features like leather trimmed interior; optional navigation system; leather-wrapped steering wheel; heated front seats; passenger's seat with 4-way power adjustment; a dual-zone automatic climate control system; a 270-watt AM/FM/6-disc in-dash premium audio system; XM® Satellite Radio; and HomeLink® remote system.

The list of safety features on the Accord is a long one including: 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System; Driver and Front Passenger Active head restraints; Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure; Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS); Dual-Stage; Dual-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS); Front Side Airbags with Passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and much more. Fore a full list visit here.

It is well known that the Accord is a great car, but its fuel efficiency may not be as well known. If you are interested in finding out more about the Accord, visit Dennis and the Honda sales team at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach call (757) 490-1111. 

Unsung Hero: Honda CR-V

Fuel-efficiency is top of mind for all drivers these days.  Choosing a fuel-efficient vehicle, however, is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Our colleague The D is a case in point. An avid recycler and generally green guy, he is also a soccer parent who needs to haul kids and gear. With The D in mind, our Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency for today is the Honda CR-V, an SUV whose gas mileage stands out in its vehicle class. Couple its fuel-sipping nature with its unceasing Honda quality and there you have it: a hero, unsung and definitely worth singing about.  We stopped at Checkered Flag Honda yesterday to learn more about the CR-V and sales consultant J.R. Staton, pictured here with the vehicle, gave us the scoop.

A signature of the Honda CR-V is the ease in opening its tailgate. You can swing it up with just a nudge of your fingertips. The CR-V comes in three trim levels: LX, EX, and EX-L. The EX and EX-L have a dual-deck cargo shelf that provides storage flexibility and keeps stuff covered. Other storage features include an overhead compartment for stowing things such as sunglasses and dual glove compartments.

The CR-V can seat five people and there are a lot of ways to configure the seats. When the rear seats are folded forward, there is more than 72 cubic feet of cargo space.

Safety features are abundant. Dual-stage, dual threshold front airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags are standard on all models. The passenger-side front airbag has what is called the Occupant Position Detection System to keep it from going off if a small person is sitting there.

As to the gas mileage? The Honda CR-V has an in-line four-cylinder engine.  It gets 27 miles to the gallon highway and 20 in the city. It goes 405 highway miles on a tank of gas (the tank is 15 gallons) and it takes regular gas. (FYI: These numbers are for the two-wheel-drive CRV. It also comes in four-wheel drive and the numbers are almost the same: 26 miles per gallon highway and 20 miles per gallon city.)

Color choices inside and out are a range of hues and textures. There are nine exterior colors, from Taffeta White to Tango Red Pearl and Nighthawk Black Pearl. The interorior comes six cloth and three leather colors.

The Honda CR-V starts at about $22,000. The car-evaluation web site Edmunds.com says this about the vehicle: "The list of merits is a long one. Its interior is intelligently thought out and boasts high-quality materials. Its ride is comfortable and quiet, its handling is nimble and its crash test scores are superlative." Of course, the best opinion is your own, so take a moment to check out this Unsung Hero by stopping in at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 East Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk or call Checkered Flag at (757) 490-1111. 

A Friendly Pickup from Honda: The Ridgeline

With all the talk focused on hybrids and fuel efficiency lately, I got to thinking...Do people still drive pickup trucks? Traditionally Americans love their pickup trucks, but with fuel cost woes running rampant, do people still want them or even need them? I think so.

Although U.S. truck sales have taken a downward turn, for some Americans the pickup truck is still the best choice. The simple fact is a pickup truck allows for versatility in many different situations. With a truck you can easily make a trip to Home Depot for an occasional do-it-yourself home project, or go off-roading on some wilderness adventure, or maybe even use it for work. The possibilities are limitless.

The pickups of today have come a long way. Most offer the capabilities of a truck, but also the comforts of a sedan. Take for instance the Honda Ridgeline, which won Consumer Guide® Automotive’s "Recommended" award in the compact pickup truck category and was recognized as AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2007 All-Star.

The Ridgeline delivers ruggedness and power, but can also serves as a friendly family vehicle. Honda introduced the Ridgeline in 2006 and offers it as a 5-passenger 4-door crew cab. Design-wise the Ridgeline is a bit unusual compared to other pickups in the market. Instead of having a separate cab and bed, the Ridgeline body is unified. Furthering it from the pack, the Ridgeline also includes key features such as a hidden trunk within the cargo bed (works great as an icebox), four-wheel independent suspension, and a dual-action tailgate that drops down or swings out. 

The powertrain on the Ridgeline is 247-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 5-speed automatic transmission. It also allows for a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 lbs. Safety features include traction control, anti-skid system, curtain and front side airbags.

Edmunds.com had this to say about the Ridgeline:

"Comfortable seats, plenty of storage cubbies, sound ergonomics, smooth quiet performance and a relatively manageable size make the Honda Ridgeline a viable option as the sole family vehicle."

Check out the Ridgeline in person at Checkered Flag Honda or call (757) 490-1111 for more information.

How Honda Rocks the Environmentalism Movement

Honda just launched a new website highlighting their commitment to the environment.  In honor of this recent development, here are a few things that you may not have known about Honda's history of going green.

The 1975 Civic CVCC was the first vehicle to pass the emissions requirement of the landmark Clean Air Act without using a catalytic converter.

Honda has trademarked its Drive-by-Wire throttle system.  Essentially, high-tech electronics take the place of a physical throttle cable to ensure faster response rates and higher fuel economy.

Honda was the first manufacturer to offer Ultra-Low-Emission Vehicles-rated emission technology (ULEV in tech parlance) on a production vehicle.  Additionally, the 2008 Accord is the first vehicle where both the 4-cylinder model and the V-6 meet the new Partial-Zero-Emission Vehicle (PZEV) standards, which are even more strict.

The FCX Clarity, which we have blogged on before, and which Business Week's Car Connection calls "a  futuristic jellybean," is a ZERO-EMISSION hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.  It will be available for lease to certain Southern California customers this summer.  The general public will have to wait for hydrogen filling stations to develop in their area before getting a chance to lease the FCX.

Finally, click here to meet ASIMO.  He is a robot and not green, per se, but so incredibly cool that you just know that the company behind its creation is capable of amazing things.  Built by Honda scientists and engineers, ASIMO uses such advance technology, he will be conducting the introduction of a special performance of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra next week.

IIHS 2008 Top Safety Picks

People love lists, or at least that is what I am told.  I like lists because they present us with choice, which is usually a good thing, but not an infinite or unmanageable number of choices which can be overwhelming.  Lists organize the chaotic plethora of options that we consumers have today.

Each year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recognizes certain vehicles as TOP SAFETY PICKs and puts out, you guessed it, a list.  To achieve recognition as a TOP SAFETY PICK, vehicles must score good ratings in all three Institute tests (40 mph frontal offset, side impact and rear crash protection/head restraint tests) and offer electronic stability control.  Checkered Flag carries the following 2008 TOP SAFETY PICK award winners...

• Audi A6, Audi A3 and Audi A4
• BMW X3 and BMW X5
• Honda Accord (4-door), Honda Odyssey, Honda Pilot, Honda CR-V and Honda Element
• Hyundai Entourage, Hyundai Sante Fe and Hyundai Veracruz
• Toyota Highlander and Toyota Tundra

Honda Hoping For a Smooth Landing With Redesigned 2009 Pilot

I stopped by Checkered Flag Honda today, overly anxious to hear about the all new redesigned 2009 Honda Pilot.  It's the second generation of the wildly popular 8-passenger crossover SUV, meaning that Honda has taken all the "I like my car but wish it had (fill in blank here)" feedback from customers and incorporated it into the new model-year.  I was only slightly disappointed to learn that the Checkered Flag Honda representatives were going to see the vehicle up close and personal, but not for a couple of weeks.  Checkered Flag is however getting ready to put their order in for the first shipment, which should hit the dealership in early-to-mid June.

The skinny on the new Pilot is this...slightly bigger on the outside (3 inches added to the length and the wheelbase, 1 inch wider and 1 inch taller) and significantly bigger on the inside (over 4 cubic feet more room!).  It will also be available for the first time in 4 trim levels; the basic LX, the better-than-basic EX, the better-than-basic + lots of leather EX-L, and the posh Touring model.  Thankfully, Honda decided to simplify things and put the 3.5L SOHC i-VTECH V-6 that was introduced on the new Accord into all new Pilots while at the same time managing to lower EPA estimates to 17/23 (FWD).  I also hear that the inside is much improved, even on the basic models, with tons of storage and the shifter finally off the dash (pet peeve of mine dating back to hideous 1970s station wagons).  The high-end Touring model is available with Bluetooth, hands-free navigation, iPod adapters, and  an entertainment system.

As I said, Checkered Flag is ordering the first 2009 Pilots this week and anticipates their arrival in June.  If you have questions, or would like additional information, please call Checkered Flag Honda at (757) 490-1111.