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Every few months, our blog features the subject of Honda’s “What Makes a Honda is Who Makes a Honda” video series. This series focuses on the faces behind the scenes that illustrate Honda’s mantra of “The Power of Dreams.” The latest video features Naoki “Nick” Segimoto, who leads the advanced information technology R&D team at the Honda Silicon Valley Lab. While attending college at the University of Tokyo, Segimoto studied automotive engineering, although he was more interested in internet technology development. In 2005, he joined Honda and now enjoys the best of both worlds. Sugimoto admired Honda’s culture and dedication to innovation long before he joined the company. In fact, he named his son after company founder! As the Senior Program Director of Honda Silicon Valley, he is a liaison between two industries he is deeply passionate about: technology and automotive. Currently, he’s working on driver-assistance technologies like the ones we see in many Honda vehicles today such as Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™. "A lot of change is happening in the technology and automotive industries, and going forward it is more important now than ever for Honda to work with innovators of all types to remain competitive," said Sugimoto. Watch the full video below! "Leader of Honda Silicon Valley Lab Featured in "Who Makes a Honda" Video." Honda Media Newsroom. N.p., 31 Aug. 2016. Web. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hondanews.com%2Freleases%2Fleader-of-honda-silicon-valley-lab-featured-in-who-makes-a-honda-video>.

Watch out, soccer moms! The Honda Odyssey has once again proved it is the coolest minivan around, with a little help from the engineers at Bisimoto. They managed to tune our beloved Honda Odyssey to produce 1,029 horsepower. And no, that is not a typo! This minivan produces more horsepower than a Ferrari F12. So make sure you let your kids know the next time they ask you to drop them off around the corner. Unfortunately, this souped-up minivan is not available at Clinton Honda. It actually headed to the auction block at Mecum’s Monterey Auction during Monterey Car Week. However, our selection of New 2016 Honda Odyssey Vehicles may not be the Bisimoto Beast, but it’s still the baddest minivan on the block! Schedule your test drive today. Elliott, Andrew. "Someone Will Spend Stupid Money On This 1,000-HP Honda Minivan." CarBuzz. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Aug. 2016. < http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2016/8/13/Someone-Will-Spend-Stupid-Money-On-This-1-000-HP-Honda-Minivan-7734984/ >.

Just in time for back to school, Honda has announced that the 2017 Honda Fit will go on sale starting today! While we don’t have this model on location just yet, we expect it soon, and want to fill our customers in on all the details before their test drive! The Honda Fit, which is celebrating its ten year anniversary, came on the scene in 2006 as a versatile five-door subcompact hatchback. The third-generation Honda Fit is both functional and fun, with exciting features like class-leading passenger volume, Magic Seat®, LED brakelights, Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®, and of course the Earth Dreams™ Technology 1.5L Four-Cylinder Engine that offers 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque. Stop by Clinton Honda to learn more before the 2017 Honda Fit arrives! "Versatile and Fun 2017 Honda Fit Goes On Sale – Marks Its 10th Year in America as It Continues to Rack Up Awards and Recognition." Honda Newsroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Aug. 2016. < http://hondanews.com/releases/versatile-and-fun-2017-honda-fit-goes-on-sale-marks-its-10th-year-in-america-as-it-continues-to-rack-up-awards-and-recognition >.

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline has only been around for a little over a month, but it is already transforming the truck world. While it has all the utility and capability that a truck should have, it also offers style and convenience that other trucks simply can’t. Peter Valdes-Dapena, an automotive writer for CNN recently reviewed the Ridgeline, admitting that he is not, by definition, a truck person, and never pictured himself owning one. But once he got behind the wheel of the Ridgeline, that changed very quickly. Dapena noted that the Ridgeline offered a smooth and responsive ride, free of shakes and wobbles that you’d normally find in other trucks. He marveled at the storage space; while most trucks simply offer a truck bed to haphazardly store your belongings in, the Ridgeline has a lockable watertight trunk built in the floor of the bed, so you can safely and securely store your belongings. As far as price, Dapena concludes, “The Ridgeline is a completely different, better-equipped and a more flexible, livable vehicle than a base-level . For people who might not ordinarily considering buying a truck, I think I have found your truck.” Check out the video above and then schedule a test drive at Clinton Honda! Then There Was the New Honda Ridgeline. "My Favorite Truck Is a Honda." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2016. < http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/01/autos/honda-ridgeline-review/ >.

Following the success of the tenth-generation 2016 Honda Civic Sedan and Coupe, we have been patiently awaiting the announcement for the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback. While this model has been incredibly popular in Europe, we have yet to see it in the United States. All that is about to change, as Honda has finally announced that the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback will be arriving in North America this fall! The Civic Hatchback will offer our customers near Annandale, Clinton, Somerville, NJ; and Easton, PA European styling and the versatility of five doors, along with powerful Honda performance, boasting a 1.5L Turbo Engine that generates 174 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. The interior provides sophisticated features and premium touches. Although it is packed with features, it is still incredibly roomy, with class-leading volume/cargo capacity and best rear seat legroom. As for available features, the Honda Sensing™ driver-assistive safety technology suite will also be available, as well as Power Driver and Front-Passenger Seats, Heated Front Seats and Side Mirrors, Remote Engine Start, and Honda Display Audio with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™. Keep up with the Clinton Honda blog and you can be the first to know about the arrival of the exciting model! "All-New 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Arrives This Fall in North America." Honda Newsroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2016. < http://hondanews.com/releases/all-new-2017-honda-civic-hatchback-arrives-this-fall-in-north-america >.

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline has only been around for a little over a month, but it is already transforming the truck world. While it has all the utility and capability that a truck should have, it also offers style and convenience that other trucks simply can’t. Peter Valdes-Dapena, an automotive writer for CNN recently reviewed the Ridgeline, admitting that he is not, by definition, a truck person, and never pictured himself owning one. But once he got behind the wheel of the Ridgeline, that changed very quickly. Dapena noted that the Ridgeline offered a smooth and responsive ride, free of shakes and wobbles that you’d normally find in other trucks. He marveled at the storage space; while most trucks simply offer a truck bed to haphazardly store your belongings in, the Ridgeline has a lockable watertight trunk built in the floor of the bed, so you can safely and securely store your belongings. As far as price, Dapena concludes, “The Ridgeline is a completely different, better-equipped and a more flexible, livable vehicle than a base-level . For people who might not ordinarily considering buying a truck, I think I have found your truck.” Check out the video above and then schedule a test drive at Clinton Honda! Then There Was the New Honda Ridgeline. "My Favorite Truck Is a Honda." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 08 Aug. 2016. < http://money.cnn.com/2016/08/01/autos/honda-ridgeline-review/ >.

On the Honda Dream Track, the 2016 Honda Civic Coupe is proving that anything can happen. Honda asked fans what they wanted to see on the Dream Track, and they got what they wanted! In the two spots below, we saw the Civic Coupe take on a giant dinosaur piñata stuffed with glitter and play a giant game of pinball. Check out the videos above then stop by 1511 US Highway 22 East, Clinton, NJ 08801 to test drive the 2016 Honda Civic Coupe at Clinton Honda. We may not have the Dream Track, but once you get behind the wheel of this exciting vehicle, every road is a dream track!

There has been a lot of commotion on the internet recently between competing car brands attempting to prove their truck bed’s durability. Honda has sat back and watched the truck wars long enough, and they have finally entered the ring to prove once and for all that the 2017 Honda Ridgeline is the toughest truck on the market. To do this, the team at Honda decided to drop 60 rough-cut landscaping blocks from a loader onto the bed of the Ridgeline. Each block weighed about 14-16 pounds, totaling approximately 830 total pounds unloaded onto the truck bed. Aside from some minor scratches, the Ridgeline emerged from the experiment virtually unscathed. The thick, black composite bed hides damage very well which is crucial for the wear and tear most truck users experience, plus the in-bed truck survived without any damage. Unfortunately, there will be no rock drop experiments at Clinton Honda, but we invite you to test drive the 2017 Honda Ridgeline to experience this truck’s durability and strength for yourself. Call us today.

Testing autonomous vehicles presents some challenges. You want to drive them on the roads we use every day, but you don’t want to risk any car or person in the process. Honda found an innovative new way to safely test their autonomous vehicles. In order to get the full testing experience, they’ve transformed a Naval base into “GoMentum Station,” a five-acre town that was once home to military personnel and their family but has since been abandoned. GoMentum Station allows Honda autonomous vehicles to experience 20 different road types, with buildings and intersections that closely mimic real-world situations. We can’t wait to see these vehicles on the road. Until then, check out our New Honda Vehicles which feature advanced driver-assistance safety technologies that will make you feel like you’re driving an autonomous car! Rosenholtz, Jared. "Honda Uses An Abandoned Ghost Town To Test Autonomous Cars." CarBuzz. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2016. < http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2016/6/3/Honda-Uses-An-Abandoned-Ghost-Town-To-Test-Autonomous-Cars-7733853/ >.

As many of you know, Honda has been a longtime supporter of STEM education, the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. As a company whose mantra is “The Power of Dreams,” they know the future of the automotive industry relies on the young men and women who are studying these subjects right now. Unfortunately, there is a disparaging ratio between men and women who go on to work in the STEM fields; only 26% of STEM field jobs are held by women. In order to increase the interest of young girls in STEM education, Honda recently attended GirlPower!, a convention where young female students can gather and learn more about opportunities in these subjects. Watch the video above to learn more about GirlPower! and Honda’s latest innovation, the UNICUB.

The Honda Civic has always been a popular vehicle in the United States, but the 10th-generation is attracting more attention than ever. After learning that it was named the 2016 North American Car of the Year, Car Buzz decided to test the 2016 Honda Civic to see what the fuss was about. After a week in the new four-door Civic Touring, they were sold. Car Buzz marveled at the redesigned athletic exterior, which includes LED headlights and taillights and a wider, longer, and lower stance. They noted that the cabin was rather spacious and the interior had many well-appointed features, such as the heated front and rear seats and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Car Buzz also mentioned it was “easy to see why” the Civic was an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ 1 with the Honda Sensing Package which includes Collision Mitigation Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System, and Road Departure Mitigation. As far as power, they reported the 1.5 Liter Turbo Four-Cylinder Engine, which produces 174 horsepower, to have a powerful yet smooth delivery. Car Buzz reporter, Michael Hines said it best: “Honda has taken the Civic back to its roots, creating a car that's fun to drive and easy on the eyes. It's also ridiculously safe, fuel-efficient, practical to a fault and pretty damn cheap with an entry level model (the LX six-speed manual) coming in at $18,640. If all that isn't worthy of an award then what the hell is?” Person, and Michael Hines. "We Discovered How The Civic Went From Snooze-Worthy To North American Car Of The Year." CarBuzz. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2016. < http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2016/5/19/We-Discovered-How-The-Civic-Went-From-Snooze-Worthy-To-North-American-Car-Of-The-Year-7733590/ >. Safety matters most, and the 2016 CR-V, Accord, Fit, Odyssey, HR-V and Pilot earned top marks with a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s New Car Assessment Program ( www.safercar.gov). Model tested with standard side airbags (SAB).

Many of you Honda lovers may remember the Honda Prelude, a fun yet affordable coupe modeled loosely after the Accord. To the dismay of many drivers, it was retired back in 2001 when Honda put their efforts towards the SUV market. However, the Prelude might be making a tiny comeback, according to Adam Krentzman of AutoBlog, who recently test drove the 2016 Honda Civic Coupe and became convinced this vehicle is the “spiritual successor of the Prelude.” Krentzman makes several valid points, as the 2016 Civic Coupe has many distinct Preludian qualities both inside and out. For starters, the two have nearly identical length (178 inches and 176.9 inches) and width (69 inches and 70.8 inches). As far as styling goes, the new Civic Coupe channels the Prelude design with its longer hood, short rear deck, and low wide stances, giving it a cab forward design. Finally, the Honda Prelude was often a technology guinea pig that Honda used to test out their latest technologies on, including torque vectoring and four wheel steering. The new Civic Coupe is following suit as the first U.S. Honda car featuring a turbocharged engine, available safety technology, and connectivity features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Once upon a time, Car and Driver named the Honda Prelude the best handling car for under $30,000. Now, we hope the 2016 Honda Civic Coupe will be given the same title! Stop by Clinton Honda to test drive this incredible vehicle and decide for yourself. "2016 Civic Coupe: The Prelude Is Back!" Autoblog. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 May 2016. <http://www.autoblog.com/2016/04/27/return-of-prelude-2016-honda-civic-coupe/>.