Japan Commericial for the 2014 Honda FIT

2014 (2015 for us in North America) Honda Fit won't get 'stop-start' fuel-saving technology in North-America

For all the wrong reasons...

We've already written about the new 2015 Honda Fit hybrid, but the regular gasoline Fit is also interesting. It has an idle-stop, or stop-start system that turns off the engine when the car is stopped, and restarts it whenever the driver steps off the brakes. This technology has proven its worth for saving fuel in city driving over the years, yet Honda has decided not to bring it to North-America. That's right, the rest of the world gets the fuel saving technology, but not North-Americans.

Why? Well, that's the sad part. I don't believe that Honda has very good reasons for making Americans burn more fuel... They told Automotive News that the extra split second it takes for the engine to re-start (it's very quick, usually by the time you move your foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal, it's done) is somehow too much for drivers to accept.

Nobuhiko Shishido, a lead powertrain engineer for the new Fit, said that in the United States, where speed and power rule, stop-start systems mean small cars will be left in the dust.
They "will lose at stoplights to V-6s," Shishido said at a recent Fit preview.

Really? I think if you're buying a Fit, you probably care more about fuel economy than about racing against Mustangs at red lights...

There also is a marketing problem because the EPA's fuel economy testing cycle doesn't give extra credit to stop-start systems. So even though their real-world performance is better than their official mpg rating, they are a hard sell.

That's just a marketing problem. It shouldn't matter more than giving a better, more economical and environmentally-friendly product to your customers! Honda could even make ads with this, saying: "It might not show up on the MPG sticker, but our new Fit saves you more gas than the equivalent car from the competition."

And stop-start has other idiosyncrasies. For example, the air conditioner compressor turns off during the stop phase. While the system continues to blow cool air, it's not quite as cool as full-blown air conditioning.

That could easily be solved by having a way to turn off the stop-start system on very, very hot days. The rest of the time, it shouldn't matter much if you have a few seconds of slightly warmer air...
Honda, we really like what you've done with the new Fit and Fit hybrid. It's an innovative, frugal car with a lot of interior space. But please, bring stop-start over to North-America and be a leader. Other carmakers will probably follow suit and also bring stop-start over, saving everybody a lot of gas.

Source;
http://www.treehugger.com/cars/2014-honda-fit-wont-get-stop-start-fuel-saving-technology-north-america.html

CEO calls redesigned Fit Honda's comeback car

Takanobu Ito at the Fit’s launch: “This is the most important model. I have high expectations for demand.”

TOKYO -- Launching the third-generation Fit last week, Honda Motor CEO Takanobu Ito made his lofty expectations clear, calling the redesigned subcompact a key player in the company's comeback plan.

"This is the most important model," he said, citing improved fuel economy, a longer body and more interior room. "I have high expectations for demand."

High, indeed: He predicted the Fit family eventually will supplant the Civic sedan as Honda's No. 1 nameplate. It's now No. 4, behind the Civic, CR-V and Accord. Globally, Ito predicted, sales of the Fit hatchback and its variants will reach 1.5 million by 2016.

He declined to give a sales target for North America. But he said the market holds the biggest growth potential for the Fit hatchback and its spinoffs, which are expected to include a crossover and sedan.

An assembly plant is being built in Mexico with annual capacity for 200,000 vehicles. It opens next spring, and the bulk of that output is expected to be Fit family vehicles for the United States. Honda sold 49,346 Fits in the United States in 2012.

Japan is the Fit's biggest market. Last year, Honda sold 209,000 in its home market.

Firsts for Honda

The redesigned Fit, which went on sale in Japan last week and should hit U.S. showrooms around mid-2014, is key to Ito's efforts to jolt the company back into growth mode on the strength of new technology, more efficient product planning and fresher design.

The redesigned Fit claims a number of Honda firsts:
•  It's the first vehicle showcasing what Honda calls Exciting H design, which is sleeker and has more creases.
• Its hybrid variant is the first using Honda's new one-motor, dual-clutch gasoline-electric drivetrain. That replaces an underpowered one-motor system that delivered what many critics called lackluster fuel economy in previous hybrids such as the Insight.
• The U.S. version will be the first Fit manufactured in North America.

Efficiency imperative

Fuel efficiency will be a big selling point.

The hybrid, which teams a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, delivers about 86 mpg under Japan's testing regime, which can't be translated directly to U.S. figures. That's a 35 percent improvement over the hybrid version of the current Fit sold in Japan.

The gasoline engines also achieve big gains thanks to Honda's new Earth Dreams engine lineup.

The 1.3-liter Atkinson cycle engine, teamed with either a continuously variable transmission or a five-speed manual, gets about 61 mpg -- roughly a 35 percent improvement. The 1.5-liter direct-injection engine, with either a CVT or six-speed stick shift, gets about 51 mpg, or an increase of about 16 percent.

The redesigned Fit is 2 inches longer than the current model, 155.7 inches, and the wheelbase was lengthened by 1.2 inches.

This allowed for an additional 3 inches between the front and rear seats and a wider cabin, with 1.4 inches of additional shoulder space in the front.


Source:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130909/OEM03/309099972/ceo-calls-redesigned-fit-hondas-comeback-car#

Road & Track: Behold the 2014 Honda Fit

by Zack Bowman of www.roadandtrack.com

The third-generation Honda Fit was an outright champion. The little five-door ran about on our roads for nearly six years with little change and still managed to remain competitive in the face of fresh hardware like the Chevrolet Sonic and Ford Fiesta. Now Honda has unveiled the fourth-generation 2014 Fit in Japan.

If you thought the previous model looked funky, strap yourself in for a new stroll into Weirdsville. Honda calls the design language, and I’m not joking here, “EXCITING H DESIGN!!!” Expect to see it show up on other models in the near future, exclamation points and all.

The big news here is the 2014 Fit Hybrid, which boasts an Atkinson-cycle 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, high-output electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As with before, the motor gets stuffed between the engine and transmission, but the addition of a lithium-ion battery pack helps shove fuel economy up to 36.4 km/l. That shakes out to around 85.6 mpg, though it’s worth noting that the figure isn’t derived using the US fuel economy cycle. Still, Honda says the new Fit Hybrid is more efficient than any other hybrid on sale in Japan right now, Prius included.

Don’t fancy a hybrid? Buyers who opt for 13G trim can look forward to a 1.3-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine married to a CVT good for 26 km/l, or around 61 mpg. What will we see in North America? Good money is on the driveline found in the 15X and RS trims. That’s a direct-injection 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and either a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. Honda says there’s around 10 percent more power on hand from the four-cylinder, which means you can expect to command around 130 horsepower. There’s no word on fuel economy from that combination, though.

Stay tuned for market-specific details.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/go/first-looks/go-first-looks-behold-the-2014-honda-fit

Leaked catalog shows the Mugen tuned 2014 Honda Jazz (Fit)

by  Nithyanandh K of www.indianautos.blog.com

Images of the 2014 Honda Jazz (2014 Honda Fit) have started appearing on the internet and in Honda’s dossiers . The next gen hatchback is slated to go on sale in Japan this September.

Here is some good news for the Honda enthusiasts! The catalog of the 2014 Honda Jazz Mugen performance version has been leaked on to the internet. Mugen does the performance cars for Honda, in other words, think of them as the AMG of Honda if you may.

The Jazz Mugen is available in two variants – RS (orange car) and S (white car). Both the variants come with accentuated and aggressively styled bumpers with front splitters, a full body kit, diffuser, centrally mounted exhaust tip, vents on the rear bumper, roof mounted spoiler and 17″ multispoke alloy wheels.

Understandably the RS version has a slightly more racier body kit compared to the S version. There is also a chrome cladding below the rear windshield in the RS.

The powertrain details of the new Jazz Mugen is unknown but expect the RS version to be a bit more powerful than the S. Apart from the beefy power outputs, the Mugen versions will also feature a sporty suspension setup with stiffer dampers.

The Honda Jazz Mugen is expected to be released a few months after the world premiere of the regular Jazz.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/08/2014-honda-jazz-fit-mugen-90193

2015 Honda Fit Hybrid: Don't expect it in the US

by James Tate of www.msn.com

Honda’s near-future plans include a redesign of its subcompact Fit hatchback. Slated to debut next summer as a 2015 model, the new Fit has a more aggressive design and will run a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine from Honda’s "Earth Dreams" powertrain.

But the intriguing question remains: Will Honda finally give us the Fit Hybrid?

On sale in Europe and Japan since 2010, the next-generation Fit Hybrid sports some interesting technologies. Instead of the Integrated Motor Assist system seen in other Honda hybrids, a cheaper hybrid solution that can't power the car on electricity alone, the 2015 Fit will use Honda’s new Sport Hybrid i-DCD system.

Sport Hybrid i-DCD installs a single electric motor inside a new 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is paired with a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle gas engine. Lighter and more efficient lithium-ion batteries replace the nickel metal-hydride units, while the continuously variable transmission is also gone.

With a fully electric compressor and an electric servo brake system improving electric regenerative efficiency, Honda claims that the 2015 Fit Hybrid returns 35-percent higher fuel economy than that of the Integrated Motor Assist hybrids. Testing in Japan returned an impressive estimated 86 mpg.

Honda is also promising an upgraded interior experience for the Fit, which has been an area of complaints in the past. Honda hopes that its efforts in revamping the Fit is can boost sales: Despite critical acclaim, the Fit ranks fifth in subcompact sales so far in 2013, and the segment is becoming more crowded every year.

All of that having been said, the current Fit Hybrid isn’t offered in the United States, and we don’t expect this new one to be, either. Why, you ask? Well, the price of the hybrid powertrain pushes the economy-focused Fit into a range where everyone looking at a Fit will simply opt for the already-economical conventional-engine models. It seems much more logical for Honda to fit the new hybrid system in its CRZ, Insight and Civic Hybrid, the last of which is priced considerably closer to its gas-powered versions.

The Civic Hybrid, for example, costs $25,150, or more than $5,300 on top of a base Civic LX. While that price includes many features that are optional on lower-grade Civics, only 2 percent of Civic buyers take the hybrid. We can't imagine the Fit Hybrid selling for much less, and at that price, you're talking about a regular Civic for thousands less or the much larger Accord for the same price. For Honda, the cost of certifying the car -- even after it's assembled at Honda's new plant in Mexico, versus Japan -- may not be worth it.

America may yet see a version of the i-DCD system, though; current reports suggest a whole new subcompact sedan and crossover based on the Fit platform being offered to U.S. consumers. Both the new sedan and crossover would feature the new hybrid system, and they could arrive for sale in the United States as soon as early 2014.

Source;
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/blogs/post--2015-honda-fit-hybrid-dont-expect-it-in-the-us

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz Production Version Slideshow

Honda wagers on new Fit hybrid variants for United States (and Canada)

by Hans Greimel of www.autonews.com

TAKASU, Japan -- Honda Motor Co. plans to bring hybrid variants of its Fit subcompact to the United States with the car's redesign, as the Japanese automaker wagers that its new hybrid drivetrain will challenge Toyota Motor Corp.'s dominance in the field.

The third generation of the Fit hatchback, one of Honda's best-selling global nameplates, will hit U.S. showrooms by next summer and will go on sale in Japan in September. The U.S. version also will be the first Fit manufactured in North America.

Key to the revamp, which introduces Honda's new design language with a new interior and boldly creased sheet metal, is a newly developed one-motor gasoline-electric drivetrain.

While the United States is not expected to get the hybrid version of the standard Fit five-door, hybrid versions of a Fit-based small crossover and sedan are planned for the United States. Those vehicles are expected to arrive as early as next year.

The new hybrid system, dubbed Sport Hybrid Intelligent-Dual Clutch Drive, greatly boosts fuel economy over the current integrated motor assist system. Honda has been using the outgoing integrated motor assist system for years in such cars as the Insight.

The new Fit is a Honda milestone for several reasons. It showcases Honda's attempt to rejuvenate its styling. And the car is the first product of a revamped global product development strategy that aims to better tailor vehicles to local markets and regional manufacturing abilities.

Finally, the hybrid version pumps up Honda's competiveness in the small hybrid segment. Cars such as the Insight and CR-Z hybrids have failed to gain traction in the United States, even while rival offerings such as Toyota's Prius C successfully carved out a niche. Sales of the Prius C subcompact climbed 27 percent to 20,575 units through June.

Going local
The U.S. version of the standard Fit and its crossover variant will be sourced from Honda's new assembly plant in Celaya, Mexico. That factory goes online in spring 2014. Honda expects the plant to produce 200,000 Fits and Fit crossovers for the North America annually.

Globally, the gasoline-powered Fit will be offered with a 1.3-liter port-injection or 1.5-liter direct-injection version of Honda's new Earth Dreams engine, combined with the company's new Earth Dreams continuously variable transmission. The United States is expected to get only the bigger powerplant. Both engines will be offered with a manual transmission in some markets.

The hybrid gets a 1.5-liter, Atkinson-cycle engine with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. Electric power comes from a 22-kilowatt electric motor and lithium ion battery.

The gasoline-powered Fit sold just 25,541 units in the first six months of 2013, up 5 percent from the year before.

And Honda's U.S. hybrids tallied a paltry 9,011 units sold through June, down from 10,712 vehicles in the same period of 2012.

Targeting Toyota
The new hybrid Fit hatchback achieves fuel economy of 36.4 kilometers per liter, or 86 mpg, under Japan's testing regime. That marks a 30 percent improvement over the hybrid version of the current Fit, which sells big in Japan but never made it to North America.

Those fuel economy figures don't translate directly into U.S. EPA ratings because the testing cycle differs in Japan.

But the Fit's Japanese rating edges the 35.4 kilometers per liter, or 83 mpg, rating for the Prius C here. The Prius C, known as the Aqua in Japan, was this country's second-best selling car for the first half of 2013, trailing only the standard Toyota Prius hatchback.

The new Fit has not yet received an EPA fuel economy rating. But fuel savings from Honda's new small-hybrid system are big enough to warrant its U.S. introduction, Jiro Yamaguchi, managing officer in charge of global vehicle development, said at a recent test drive event for the Fit five-door at Honda's Hokkaido proving ground in northern Japan.

"I was not that confident with the previous model, but this model would absolutely sell well in America," Yamaguchi said.

Launch timing has not been decided. But Yamaguchi said hybrid variants likely will be introduced around the time that the standard gasoline version goes on the market, by next summer.

Hybrid, take 2
U.S. pricing hasn't been announced. But Honda reckons the premium charged for the hybrid has to be within a 10 percent increase over the standard gasoline-powered version, Yamaguchi said.

Unlike Honda's integrated motor assist hybrid system, in which the motor only assists the engine, the new hybrid drivetrain allows extensive quiet driving in electric-only mode, like an electric vehicle.

The hybrid Fit can drive for 1.9 miles at speeds up to 31 mph in electric-only mode. The engine kicks in for blended driving when the car reaches a certain speed or the driver punches the gas for a burst of acceleration. For highway cruising, the electric motor shuts off to let the engine work.

While popular in Japan, Honda's integrated motor assist hybrid system was derided in the United States for being too underpowered and not delivering significant-enough fuel economy gains. Honda's new hybrid blueprint boosts power and efficiency.

"They tried the low-cost, lower-fuel economy strategy and they feel like it was a failure outside of Japan," said Kurt Sanger, an auto analyst with Deutsche Securities Japan. "The question is whether they can do it at a decent profit level, and the first generation of this technology is never really about that."

U.S. sales of the Honda Fit
*Through June

Exciting H
The new Fit also is the first car to showcase Honda's new design language, dubbed Exciting H Design. President Takanobu Ito promoted Toshinobu Minami as global exterior design chief and Yoshinori Asahi as his interior counterpart in late 2011 with orders to jazz up Honda's ho-hum looks.

Outside, the car gets a more aggressive stance than today's egg-shaped Fit. Side panels are dramatically creased and the tail is more tapered for a sleeker look.

The LED taillights wrap around the rear hatch in a double parentheses pattern that increases visibility while creating a more distinct nighttime signature. The grille gets what Minami calls the "solid wing face." The headlights meld into the grille for a shallow V-shaped sweep across the nose.

"We wanted a more emotional contrast in the design," Minami said. "The character line captures the contrast of a round shape being pierced. The back end is sportier, the hood more pronounced. The interior isn't plasticky at all."

Honda did not disclose exact dimensions of the next Fit. But it the overall length and wheelbase grow slightly less than an inch, while the height and width remain the same. The next generation also sheds weight, but engineers wouldn't say how much.

Civic lessons
But the greatest leaps from the current car occur inside.

Still stinging from scathing reviews of the redesigned Civic's plasticky interior, interior design chief Asahi set out to upgrade the feel on the Fit with better materials, a simplified layout and a striking new high-tech center stack.

When the car is turned off, the center stack interface appears as an inanimate sheet of black glass. But it lights to life when the car is engaged, presenting electrostatic-control buttons for everything from heating and cooling to navigation and audio.

The large touch screen, which sprawls down the console, works on the same principle as a smartphone, Asahi said.

Asahi said he wanted to tone down the interior so it was less busy and more upscale. Stylists agonized over the leather grain paneling, a more refined small-print motif for the upholstery, silver-colored trim and the switch from cheaper circular swivel nozzles on the air vents to higher grade horizontal ones.
Looming in their memories: Lessons from the Civic.

"We aren't going to take the attitude, 'This is our cost, so make an interior that matches it,'" Asahi said. "My job is set high targets and achieve them with low-cost technologies. If you don't do this, design quality deteriorates. I think that was the problem with Civic."

Ranking the subcompacts

Subcompact leaders
U.S. sales through June
Nameplate
Nissan Versa	63,761
Kia Soul	63,031
Chevrolet Sonic	44,905
Ford Fiesta	38,164
Hyundai Accent	29,459
Honda Fit	25,541
Source: Automotive News Data Center

Source;
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130718/OEM04/130719845/honda-wagers-on-new-fit-hybrid-variants-for-united-states#

2014 Honda Fit confirmed for September launch

Model will likely be unveiled shortly

Honda has quietly announced the 2014 Fit will be launched in Japan in September.

The company didn't have much to say about the model, but a recent brochure leak revealed the car will have Insight-inspired styling with an aggressive front bumper, angular headlights and a distinctive grille. The Fit will also have upward sweeping character lines, a ventilated rear bumper and Volvo-like taillights.

The car's cabin will be significantly improved with higher quality materials and an improved design. Rear passengers will also benefit from an extra 65mm of legroom.

Little else is known about the model, but it is expected to be offered with Earth Dream engines as well as a hybrid powertrain.

The JDM-spec Fit will be built alongside the Freed minivan at the company's Yorii Plant in Japan. US-spec models will be made Mexico alongside the production version of the Urban SUV concept.

Source;
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113070959946/2014-honda-fit-confirmed-for-september-launch

New images of the 2014 Honda Jazz/Fit leak out

The 2014 Honda Jazz (called as the Honda Fit in some markets) is the next global small car that you and I are waiting for. As Honda is inching closer to the world premiere of the new car, we stumbled upon a few more leaked images of the new Jazz’s interior.

We have brought you enough number of renderings and leaked images of the car’s exterior which subscribes to an entirely new design philosophy compared to earlier generations. From these leaked shots, its proven that the shift holds true in case of the interior as well.

As you can see from these images reportedly leaked by the same Japanese magazine carrying the earlier set of images, the design and layout have nothing in common with the current car. Smooth and curvy cabin elements have made way for squarish components. However the overall design can be recognized and connected to bigger Honda cars like the new Civic and Accord.

The 2014 Honda Jazz will be a bigger car with a longer wheelbase but the overall length is expected to not exceed four meters.

Caranddriverbrasil.uol.com.br reports that the wheelbase has extended by 8cm while the rear legroom has been enhanced by 6.5cm. Interior packaging is reportedly exceeding efficiency levels witnessed previously.

As far as India is concerned, the new car would offer a diesel engine alongside the 1.2-liter i-VTEC petrol engine. The 1.5 litre i-DTEC diesel motor that debuted in the Amaze has a rich chance of powering the new Jazz when it comes to India next year, while a 1.6-liter version of this oil burner would find a place in the Europe-bound variants.

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/07/2014-honda-jazz-fit-interior-leaked-85515

Production Ready 2014 Honda FIT/JAZZ Press Promo Leaked?

by Shrawan Raja of www.indianautosblog.com

The third generation model Honda Jazz (sold as the Honda Fit in some countries) will bow in the Japanese market in the final quarter of this calender year. From early 2014, it will set off on its world tour to pick up the chase from where the current model retires.

Thanks to these scans of leaked press shots, your patience may not be put to the test until the year end. While we can’t vouch for the authenticity of these leaks, we expect the incoming model to look quite similar to the one seen here. In fact it is reported that these images come straight from Honda’s press desk.

At the tape, the 2014 Honda Jazz is 3,960mm long, about 60mm longer than the current car. The wheelbase is 8cm longer to stretch an already spacious cabin. The boot volume would enlarge to 400 liters. With every passing attempt, Honda has set the bar higher in interior packaging efficiency. Honda’s “Magic Seats” technology that diversifies seating combinations (in 180 ways to be exact) is not going to miss out either.

Under the hood, for Indian and European markets, Honda’s recently launched Earth Dreams diesel engine comes into play. For Europe the 1.6-liter i-DTEC will fill the engine bay while for India, the well-localized 1.5-liter variation would come in as the trump card.

The car will get 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter engines in other markets. The former, used on the Brio and Amaze, should complete the engine range here. According to another media report, Honda engineers have designed a three cylinder petrol engine that can take the redesigned Jazz 35.4 kilometers for one liter of fuel. The availability of this engine maybe restricted to certain parts of the world.

Sub-4m, 1.5L diesel, 400 liter boot, better than ever before fuel efficiency and the pride of owning a Honda..is Maruti sensing the start of a headache?

Source;
http://indianautosblog.com/2013/06/2014-honda-jazz-84489

MagX Rendering of Next Honda FIT/Jazz

Here's another speculative rendition of what the next Honda FIT/Jazz may look like, this one from Mag-X.

Source;
http://www.jp-cardesigncorner.blogspot.ca/2013/06/scoop-new-honda-fit-jazz.html

Temple of Vtec Member danielgr finds 2013/14/15 Honda Plans/Rumours

Great find Danielgr!

Here the main infos by order of arrival:

2013
- 20th/21st June : Accord Hybrid, which they call Accord, and Hybrid (not the PHEV already selling in the US). Expected JC08 rating 30km/L, i.e. about that of the standard Prius.

- September: Fit is coming, expected to deliver 36km/L, which would put it right ahead of Toyota's Aqua (aka Prius C)'s 35.4km/L, made it the most efficient car in Japan. They also claim length has increased by 60mm outside, up to 80mm inside.

- October: Arrival of the new Life and new Odyssey (said to become a replacement of both the Odyssey/Elyssion) based on the M-concept shown in China earlier this year. Life is said to lead the 660cc minicars FE ranking at a staggeringly high 33.5 km/L, without using any hybrid tech... Odyssey expected to use both a 2.4L gasoline engine as well as Accord's hybrid powertrain, which would help it lead the segment in FE (they claim 20 km/L, which is what the current gasoline Fit achieves, but on a full-size minivan).

- December, time for the global compact SUV, expected to be rated nearly as high as the Fit hybrid at 34km/L (that's better than a Prius).

2014
- April: new City is coming, not much info on this one, but expect similar stuff to the Fit under the robe.

- May : Stream, which originally wasn't planned for Japan, but recent economic trends have made Honda changed their minds. Said to be available with the brand new ED 1.8L

- June : eSH-AWD Legend

- September : new Beat, 3-cyl turbo with 6MT

- December : it's NSX time.

Source;
http://www.vtec.net/forums/one-message?message_id=1150601

2014 Honda FIT/Jazz Rendered Speculation

Front end looks nice, not sure how close this will be to the actual end result.  We will find out soon enough!

Thanks for the tip Harvey Appleyard!

Next Generation Honda FIT to come with New "City Active Brake System"

Tokyo - In the future, cars will be equipped with features that make the car can brake automatically when a vehicle or other property that prevents the car.

This feature can stop the car in a low speed of about 30 miles per hour even though the driver did not step on the brake pedal. Very practical when motorists amid 'curved' or do not see any other cars.

Automatic brake actually began to develop in 2011, the Volkswagen knows this system as the Volkswagen City Emergency Brake, or Ford's Active City Stopnya in the Ford Focus, Mazda with Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) System in the Mazda6, with Volvo City Safety.

The latest is from Honda. Honda developed the City-Active Brake System. This protection system is one part of the new security system Honda named as "Safety Package '.

"Safety Package" will be adopted at the All New Honda Jazz to be launched in Japan this year.

As with other auto brake feature, City-Active Brake System will notify the driver via visual and audio messages if there is threat of a collision in front. If the driver still does not ngeh to risk it, the car will take over and the system will brake automatically.

Not only automatic braking, City-Active Brake System also has a feature that prevents interference when the car is turned on.

For example, when a car drove at a speed of about 10 miles per hour, when the system was the driver stepped on the pedal too deep because as one stepped on the gas pedal the brake, riders will receive audio and visual warnings. The system also reduces engine power to prevent a speeding car.

Source (used Google Translate);
http://oto.detik.com/read/2013/04/01/141522/2208337/1207/fitur-ini-tengah-ngetren-di-mobil?o991101638

New Honda Jazz/FIT set for November unveil at Tokyo Auto Show

A sporty new Honda Jazz/FIT will be revealed at the Tokyo show in November

Honda has confirmed that the next-generation Jazz will debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November this year, and it will feature a sportier design inspired by the Urban SUV Concept.

The new Jazz - which will be shown as the Japanese-market Fit - is built on a completely new scaleable platform that is also set to underpin a new Juke-rivalling SUV, previewed by the Urban SUV.

Honda UK Managing Director, Dave Hodgetts said: "The Urban SUV Concept really set out a design strategy that we want all our future cars to follow".

"We want it to look sporty but we want the functionality carried over, so Jazz will still have the high seats and practicality," Hodgetts continued.

When it's unveiled in November, the new Jazz will face off against the all-new Nissan Note, which also appeared in Geneva.
Meanwhile, Honda also confirmed that SUVs larger than the CR-V currently don't make sense in Europe and aren't a part of the current product plan.

However, new hybrid systems are under development and the firm is working on a successor to the FCX Clarity hydrogen car, which is expected to be built in the hundreds. The firm sees hydrogen as the future of motoring and is hoping to have a full production model on the roads by 2020.

Source;

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/honda/jazz/63010/new-honda-jazz-set-november-unveil