Honda

* 2009 Honda Civic LX-S check drive and review
* 2009 Honda Civic LX-S photo gallery

CIVIC: (photo) The front fascia has been redesigned and the taillights now have clear turn-signal lenses with amber bulbs. A new DX-VP model (sedan only) adds air conditioning and a CD player to the base-model DX for an extra $750. The LX-S adds alloy wheels, “sport-trimmed” seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, trunk spoiler and a chrome exhaust-pipe tip for an extra $600 over the mid-line LX. New standard equipment for various Civic models includes a three-spoke steering wheel (all models), electronic stability control (EX-L, Hybrid), USB audio jack (EX, EX-L, Si, Hybrid), fog lights (Si), and new alloy wheels (EX, EX-L, Si). The optional navigation process now includes Bluetooth phone connectivity, and Hybrid models can be had with an optional ($1,200) leather package similar to the seven introduced on the 2008 Civic EX-L.

CR-V: two new paint colors have been added.

CR-Z: Honda has confirmed that a sporty hybrid automobile is in the pipeline, though no production timeline has been announced. The new automobile will be patterned after the CR-Z concept shown at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show.

FCX CLARITY: Leasing for the hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered FCX Clarity started in summer 2008; actress Jamie Lee Curtis took delivery of the second customer automobile.

ELEMENT: The boxy crossover will get updated styling for 2009.

FIT: (photo) Just two years after introducing the Fit to the US market, Honda has a new version for 2009. Though the elderly Fit’s trick rear seats and center-mounted fuel tank remain, the new Fit gets radically improved styling, an updated engine, and an obtainable GPS-linked navigation method.

* 2009 Honda Fit check drive and review
* 2009 Honda Fit photo gallery

ODYSSEY: No significant changes.

INSIGHT (2010): Honda’s new small hybrid now has a name, and it’s a familiar one. The new Insight is a five-passenger, five-door hatchback that looks (in concept form, at least) like a cross between a Civic and a Toyota Prius. Honda will show the Insight Concept at the 2008 Paris Auto Show, and the production automobile will go on sale in the spring of 2009. Honda says the Insight will be “the most affordable hybrid vehicle to date.” (The rumor mill says pricing will start around $18,500, about 5 grand below a 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid.) Honda designs to sell around 200,000 Insights, half of those in North the united states.

* 2009 Honda Pilot check drive
* 2009 Honda Pilot photo gallery

PILOT: Honda’s large crossover gets a complete redesign for 2009, with Element-inspired exterior styling, improved accommodations for 8 and a roomier interior.

S2000: No changes.

RIDGELINE: Honda’s pickup gets updated front, rear and interior styling, slightly more power for its 3.5 liter engine, revised transmission gear ratios, and a host of new features including optional Bluetooth phone compatibility and a backup camera.

i-DTEC DIESEL: Honda’s new 2.2 liter tidy diesel engine — which reportedly will meet 50-state emissions requirements without the want for BLUETEC-style urea injection — is expected to debut in a Honda vehicle for 2009 or 2010, though which automobile that will be remains a mystery. Best guess: the Accord or the CR-V.

RUMORED: