Auto Trends

As we turn yet another page in the history books, we look back at some of the highlights in the Japanese realm of car manufacturing over the past few years:

Acura in Review- Acura cars have not been around for very long, but in their short time of existence they have created a name and customer base that can best be described as loyal. Following the successful ventures of Honda, Acura was developed as a line of luxury Japanese vehicles; which was a first for a Japanese car manufacturer. Acura had to overcome the common American and Canadian beliefs that Japanese vehicles are designed more for economy than luxury. The Acura Legend kicked off this movement in the mid eighties, and changed the Japanese car market forever with its refined classic styling, and impressive performance and handling.

With the introduction of the 1989 Acura NSX (all-aluminum body) super car, Japan took on the markets of Ferrari and Porsche head on with this 276 horsepower sport coupe and emerged in the dust to tell about it. Today, even the mention of the NSX brings tingles down the spines of tuners far and wide. But for many of us average Jane’s and Joe’s; settling for the less expensive Acura Integra will have to do as a close second best.

Complete with a sporty exterior and lively interior the Acura Integra finds balance between economy and performance, with a nice heaping scoop of reliability to top it off. Today however the Integra has been replaced with the all new Acura RSX, with its upscale sophistication, tuned suspension, and swooped engine makes this daily driver a pure pleasure to be behind the wheel of. An even more practical version is the Acura TSX, which incorporates European style, performance, and engineering with the roominess of a sedan.

The Acura MDX SUV forefronts the luxury end of things, while the Acura RDX is considered as more of a tuned crossover compact. The MDX is a mid-duty family hauler designed for those occasional excursions into the wild. With enough power and torque to get you where you need to go, your Acura MDX will not leave you stranded unless you wander into the “extreme” off-road. The Acura RDX, with its turbo-tuned engineering is considered Acura’s answer to the popular BMW X5. Built to cruise the open highways, yet topple a mountain side or two if pushed to the task, the RDX is quite at home in both the city and country. Both make a great choice, as size and functionality will probably be your main deciding factor.

Honda in Review- Back on the line of the old stand-by options we of course have to hold homage to the Honda Accord and Honda Prelude that have managed to stay among the most visible vehicles on the streets today. Popularized by their affordability and reliability, these are staple vehicles for anyone who values practicality before flash. But on the same note, if flash sounds more to your tune, then step into the Honda S2000 and prepare yourself to be thrilled. Set within the class of the Mazda Miata and Porsche Boxster; the S2000 is capable of almost anything with the right combination of performance parts. There is nothing quite like the sound of reaching an 8,200 RPM redline before shifting into second on a straight away!

Off the beaten path the 2007 Honda Element emerges as a rather surprisingly rugged vehicle ready for almost anything. Featuring a scratch resistant interior and water resistant seating and cargo area; the Element is clearly designed for the serious outdoor adventurer who does not have time to worry about the elements damaging their vehicle. Not necessarily meant for the beaten path; but the Element can none-the-less take a beating and still look great! The Honda HR-V (Hybrid Recreational Vehicle) is your vehicle of choice to get you where you need to go by using its real time hydraulically activated 4X4 capability. Unfortunately only shipped in Europe at the moment, the HR-V is a decent overall economy mini SUV.

With the extreme current competition involved with the mini SUV market, it takes something special to really stand out these days, and the Honda CRV just may have what it takes to get the job done. Designed more for street use, the CRV still gives a rather purposeful appearance and offers a roomy interior with a small enough exterior to easily maneuver through any parking garage and alleyway you will come across during your average day to day excursions. The lack of a V-6 version is about the biggest weakness found in the CRV lineup; but when you consider the price of gas, you have to seriously question yourself if that is really a weakness!

Nissan in Review- Popularized by the movie, Fast and the Furious; the Nissan Skyline (GTR) is a rather underrated vehicle on the street for the most part. This car is prepared at the factory for extreme sportive driving, with features such as an adjustable rear wing, underbody diffuser, and a host of other unique performance enhancers parts. The Skyline looks like a steadied Samurai warrior ready to pounce at just about every stop light. Of course the overrated Nissan 350Z is hard to miss these days, as just about every light you will find one revving its engines beside some poor Ford Gremlin, just begging to race. Not that 300 horsepower is anything to smack around, but nor is it anything to necessarily flaunt.

The 2007 Nissan Altima is considered Nissan’s top selling vehicle today, and is by all intense purposes an all around good value. With engines option that vary anywhere from 175 horsepower to 260, and enough safety features to make the daily driver breathe a slight sigh of relief when they slip behind the wheel every morning; the Altima is a rather conservative option for anyone to consider. An even less stylish alternative is the aging Nissan Maxima, but as nothing has changed on this model since 2002, I think I will leave this one where it stands.

Back to the price-conscious slice of the market we find the all new Nissan Versa which is basically your typical hatchback subcompact that you find with every other manufacturer on the streets. Albeit not a huge thrill to drive; just keep telling yourself what great gas mileage you are getting! Nissan of course also realizes the value of the human desire to carry stuff around with them, thus opens the door for a line of trucks, minivans, and SUV’s.

The Nissan Murano is Nissan’s version of the SUV. The Murano is based on the Altima sedan platform and hosts a fair amount of standard features, such as all-wheel drive, ABS brakes, and side air bags. Along the same lines of the Murano is the Nissan Quest, which changes up the exterior with more of a minivan appearance. Besides the appearance, optional rearview TV camera, and run flat tires; the Quest is not that much different from the Murano. Flip a coin and go with it!