Honda 'Personal-Neo Urban Transport' Concept Demonstrates Potential

For Ultra-compact City-focused Vehicle
Small car maximizes style and amenities

The Honda Personal-Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT) design study model demonstrates a futuristic concept for an ultra-compact and sophisticated city coupe, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Conceived around a small "footprint" for maximum convenience in tight urban settings, the packaging concept integrates a center driving position configuration and a rear powertrain layout. The exterior styling leverages crisp angles with dynamic flowing lines that originate from the front of the vehicle and span outward toward the rear. The end result is a sleek and aggressive exterior that also allows for a spacious and open interior with excellent visibility.

"A new generation is discovering the benefits of living in urban centers that provide convenient access to business, entertainment and social opportunities," said Dave Marek, director of advanced design for Honda R&D Americas, Inc. "The Personal-Neo Urban Transport concept explores the packaging and design potential for a vehicle conceived exclusively around the city lifestyle."

The exterior styling is intended to capture a future direction for premium sophistication while balancing the need for maximum interior space and an aerodynamic appearance. The interior layout, in conjunction with the rear powertrain design, contributes prominently to the exterior's overall shape.

The layout of the interior space, with its center driving position flanked by two rear seats, provides generous legroom for all occupants, roughly the equivalent of a mid-sized sedan in a vehicle that has an exterior footprint similar to a micro car. Interior functionality is increased by rear seating areas that fold up and out of the way to increase storage capacity. The windshield serves as a heads-up display for the navigation system and the back-up camera.

The modular rear engine bay, depicted on the exterior by blue composite material, is designed to accommodate a wide variety of potential propulsion technologies including a conventional small displacement internal combustion engine, a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain, or a battery-electric powertrain.

"The objective of the exterior and interior designers was to explore the potential for a new type of small-segment-category vehicle that overcomes many of the objections for existing micro-car designs," said Marek. "While the Honda P-NUT concept introduces function-oriented concepts, it also shows that small cars don't have to compromise on style or amenities."

The Advanced Design Studio of Honda R&D Americas, Inc. in Los Angeles developed the P-NUT design study model. Honda R&D Americas began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 33 years to include all aspects of new vehicle research, design and development. Recent Honda-brand efforts include trend-setting products such as the Pilot, Ridgeline, Element, Civic Coupe and Civic Si Coupe.

Specifications
Size class: Ultra-compact
Layout: Rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Passengers: 3
Length: 3,400 mm
Width: 1,750 mm
Height: 1,439 mm
Powertrain: Internal-combustion engine, hybrid-electric or battery-electric

The 2009 Honda Fit ranks 1 out of 35

The 2009 Honda Fit ranks 1 out of 35 Affordable Small Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 25 published reviews and test drives of the Honda Fit, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Redesigned for 2009, the larger, sportier Fit still has quality and utility that few subcompacts can match. Although it's an expensive car compared to other subcompact cars and hatchbacks, the Fit is a good value over time. It's even the 2009 U.S. News Best Car for the Money in the subcompact class.

Following its first ride on North American roads, the Honda Fit quickly became an auto industry darling for its fun driving dynamics, fuel efficiency and unique cargo and seating modes. It's been one of Car and Driver's "Top 10 Urban Vehicles" for 2008, and a "10Best" for both 2008 and 2009. It was also the recipient of Popular Mechanics' Automotive Excellence Award for 2007. Just two years later Honda has introduced a new and improved Fit that's once again captivated the automotive press with its personality and spaciousness. In addition to a 10Best recognition, the Fit is a nominee for 2009 North American Car of the Year, is a Consumer Guide Best Buy, and was selected as one of Automobile Magazine's All-Stars for 2009.

Even the car's perceived shortcomings -- a hefty price tag considering its size and class and no stability control option for the base trim -- do not prevent the overwhelming majority from labeling the Fit one of the best small car or hatchback options. But if you consider the absence of stability control a deal-breaker, keep the VW Rabbit with its impressive cargo space and standard electronic stabilization program on your shortlist of hatchbacks. The Rabbit's MSRP can be somewhat high, however, and its EPA numbers are lower than many subcompacts. Value-conscious shoppers looking to avoid frequent fill-ups should check out the Toyota Yaris.

The 2009 Fit is now slightly larger and has sacrificed some of the last generation's fuel efficiency to improve its all-around driving experience. The windshield has been moved forward by 4.7 inches to add to improve visibility and add to the sense of spaciousness. Rear passengers are treated to 1.6 extra inches of rear legroom. The engine's 9 horsepower increase and variable valve timing provides more pep out the gate, while a stiffer chassis facilitates tauter handling. Despite all the recent changes, the 2009 Fit still comes in two trims, the base model and the Fit Sport.

Price comparison: Honda main dealer vs. Supermarkets

2006 55 Reg Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Sport with 35,537 miles, for £8,499.
Whereas the best deal we could find on Honda’s website was this:
2006 06 Civic Sport 2.2 i-CTDi Sport, with 29,890 miles, for £ 9,995


Most people think main dealers are expensive. But, in the current market you have to look at every car on a case-by-case basis.

Most people only shop for cars to test drive on a classified website of cars for sale. This leads them to first of all find the kind of cars they are interested in.

As an example, we have been looking for a two and half to three year old Honda Civic diesel (i-CTDi ) in Sport trim.

Then, because of the nature of classified website listings most people start to compare price and mileage. The car with the lowest combination of both is often assumed to be the best value car – because it is the cheapest.

Used Car Expert set out to see if that’s true…
So first stop, of course, was the Used Car Expert price guide, which revealed that average mileage is about 25,000, that a fair price is £10,500, the low price is £10,992 and the best price we can expect is £8,911.

Looking on the major classified websites, within a 60 mile radius of home, we were instantly struck by this little beauty from one of the big supermarkets:

So what's the catch? That's a £1,496 saving for two cars that look pretty much the same.

Well there are potentially 3 catches with this car:

1. The mileage
The cheaper car has 5,500 miles more on the clock and is a thumping 10,000 miles above average for diesel Honda Civics.

2. The service and repair costs
The service interval for the 2.2 diesel Civic is every 12,500 miles or every year, whichever is the sooner.

So both cars should have their first two services and will need another one at some point in the coming year.

The main dealer car has a complete service history, and is prepared to Honda’s used approved programme, which should mean it will be 12 months until you have to pay for a service. At £247 for a service, this is good news.

With the cheaper car, that bill could be just a couple of months away.

Plus, the cheaper car will be at the end of its manufacturer warranty. The dealer selling the cheaper car will offer you a warranty, which is from the AA, but it will cost at least another £250. Whereas the main dealer car comes with extended 12 months warranty included in the price.

3. The preparation, especially the recalls
As you can see in our ‘behind the scenes’ features, a used approved Honda is prepared to ‘as new’ standard; having every imperfection repaired.

If the cheaper car has any interior damage or a couple of body work dents (such as trolley dents in the doors) then each one will cost at least £50 to put right and bring the car up to the equivalent standard of the main dealer car.

The car will also be serviced (if required) so that breakdown is less likely and you will get roadside assistance worth another £100.

Then there are the safety recalls…

Some Honda Civics built between 13/09/2005 and 12/10/2007 are subject to a recall, where the car will have its handbrake assembly replaced for free. This is because it has been identified that if the handbrake is applied with the release button depressed, there is a small risk that the handbrake may not latch sufficiently to hold the vehicle securely on a slope.

Any car sold by a main dealer will have had all such recalls completed. Cars bought from independents may not.*

Conclusion
The main dealer car is not £1,496 more expensive than the supermarket car.

If you take the servicing savings, warranty, roadside cover and bodywork repairs into account, it is less than £899.

For a car that has done 5,000 miles less, is less likely to break down, has had its safety recalls, won’t cost a penny in repairs for the year ahead (there is a full manufacturer backed warranty), I think, even though it is more money, in the long-run, it’s the better value deal.

2006 55 Reg Honda Civic 2.2 i-CTDi Sport with 35,537 miles, for £8,499.