New 2012 Civic Hits Rock Bottom in Consumer Reports Test, Honda Says it Disagrees

Usually new or redesigned models fare better in car reviews than their predecessors. Technology moves on during the lifespan of a model, automakers learn from their mistakes and improve their production methods, while the competition gets better forcing everyone else to improve etc.

However, that’s not the case with the redesigned 2012 Honda Civic LX, or at least that's what Consumer Reports states in its latest test of the Japanese model.

According to Consumer Reports (CR), the highest ranking small sedan for many years and a Top Pick in five of the last 10 years has in its latest iteration dropped too low to even earn a “Recommended” tag!

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Scoopsters Film 2012 Honda CR-V Prototype on the Road

Last time we wrote about the 2012 Honda CR-V, it concerned a prototype, a blogger and four-vehicle accident – not the best of news for the Japanese company. Now, thanks to the Honda-loving crew over at Temple of Vtec and scoopster Brenda Priddy, we have video footage of the next-generation CR-V crossover testing on the road.

The spied 2012 CR-Vs are wearing less camouflage than usual with only the front and parts of the rear end wrapped up in black plastic.

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Honda Teases European 2012 Civic Hatchback with Photos and Video

The ninth generation Civic hatchback for the European market will soon make its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September but Honda has provided us with a sneak peak of the five-door model with photos of a camouflaged prototype and a video explaining the changes under the body.

The Civic hatchback has been designed exclusively for Europe and will continue to be a separate model from the North American four-door sedan and two-door coupe variants with which it shares the same name.

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Video: Honda’s CR-Z Mugen Special Driven by Fifth Gear

A few weeks ago at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Honda unveiled a concept study of the hybrid CR-Z prepared by Mugen’s European division.

The fettled CR-Z retained the regular model’s mechanical hardware including the IMA electric motor and the 1.5-liter gasoline engine, but the upgraded internals and the addition of a supercharger increased its performance by more than 50% over the normal model, to 200+ horsepower and 215 Nm (158.6 lb/ft).

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