Honda Element SC concept
A new concept vehicle takes the Element out of its element and previews changes planned for all 2007 versions of Honda's boxy compact SUV.
The Element SC prototype, unveiled at the 2006 New York International Auto Show, includes additional safety and convenience features that will appear on all '07 Elements this fall. At the same time, it's a thinly disguised rendition of a new, street-smart addition to the Element lineup.
When Honda launched the five-passenger Element for the 2003 model year, it pitched it as a sort of dorm room on wheels--a space in which young owners could both sleep and park a muddy mountain bike. Contrasting-color fenders and hose-out-ready rubber flooring were key features.
The SC prototype looks and acts more street-smart. Its suspension is stiffened and lowered 3 inches and it wears custom 21-inch wheels and a monochrome aero body kit. The cabin is metrosexual cool, with an LED-backlit dashboard, piano-black trim--and a carpeted floor. "The Element SC prototype is the city-dwelling, style-conscious brother of the original Element," said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda.
The prototype's tricked-out appearance will be toned down for the production SC. But the show model does introduce some features new for all Elements this fall. These include the vehicle's first curtain side airbags, which will be standard, and shoulder belts that are mounted in the front seatbacks rather than on the ceiling so they won't hinder rear-seat entry and exit. It also includes the front side airbags that will be standard on all '07 elements, not just the top-line model, and the retuned engine that will boost all '07s to 166 horsepower, an increase of 10.
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2006 Honda Civic GX
Honda announced it would begin selling a natural-gas powered Civic in New York and California in the fall of 2006. Currently sold in other states, the Honda Civic GX burns natural gas instead of gasoline. According to Honda, the GX produces near zero emissions, is eligible for significant tax credits, and can be refueled at home.
GX is powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 115 horsepower. It mates to a 5-speed automatic transmission and has EPA ratings of 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. GX has a range of roughly 250 miles on each tank of fuel.
The GX can be refueled at a natural-gas refueling station or at home, when owners purchase a home refueling appliance called Phill. Manufactured by Fuelmaker corporation, the home refueling device can be mounted to a garage wall and allows owners to refuel GX overnight, directly from the homeowner's existing natural gas supply line. Honda claims that when fueled at home, the GX is 50% less expensive to operate than a gasoline-powered model.
GX qualifies for up to $4000 in federal tax credits. Purchasing and installing Phill can net owners an additional $1000. The Civic GX will be built in sedan form only at Honda's Plant in East Liberty, Ohio and goes on sale in most states in May 2006. The 2005 model had a base price of $21,760.
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 2006 New York Auto Show |
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