What has happened to legendary Honda quality – the bullet-proof reliability and dependability that has allowed Honda to creat a huge pool of stunningly loyal owners?
The Honda brand is ranked well below average in the latest J.D. and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS).
I asked myself that very question as I re-booted (for the second time in just seven days) the new infotainment system in the re-made 2016 Honda Civic – a compact car Canadians are snapping up at a fantastic rate this year (sales up 14.4 per cent).
I am not alone. The blogosphere is filled with infotainment system complaints. Some Civic owners have raged about losing satellite radio function. Others have watched helplessly as the touchscreen fades to grey, then black when using maps and other apps.
Sure enough, in January, Honda Canada issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to improve the programming of the audio amplifier. Apparently there has been an issue with the “power amplifier DSP (Digital Signal Processor) boot-up software.”
Ugh. Carmakers have been struggling with the reliability and user-friendliness of all manner of technologies. Honda is not unique. Bluetooth pairing and general connectivity issues showed up in a major way right across all brands in the latest J.D. Power and Associates three-year Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS).
In particular, voice recognition systems have major problems, along with wonky navigation and audio systems. Consumer Reports — and others — report that “problematic infotainment systems continue to be among the top issues reported by new car owners.”
Honda Motor CEO Takahiro Hachigo, a veteran engineer, has pledged to take Honda back to its roots as an innovative car company, one focused on the streamlined, efficient production of carefully developed vehicles and technologies.
But Honda? We expect more of Honda. The Honda brand has been built on fault-free ownership, driving dynamics, fuel efficiency, safety and overall user-friendliness. Honda boasts some of the very best resale values in the world because its vehicles last and last, generally problem-free. (Indeed, my son has a 15-year-old Honda CR-V that runs perfectly and still gets phenomenal fuel economy.)
So perhaps it’s a blip, this infotainment issue. And perhaps the piston ring recall and the sweeping Takata airbag recall are not symptomatic of something larger at Honda.
Nonetheless, the most recent J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) is troubling. In it, the Honda brand is ranked well below average and not a single Honda model managed to win an individual vehicle segment. Honda’s Accord was a runner-up in the midsize car segment; it was the only Honda to rank in the top three in any category. Shameful.
We know this: the troubles have not gone unnoticed at the very top of Honda Motor. Last year veteran engineer Takahiro Hachigo was abruptly named CEO amid what Automotive News described as “spiraling quality problems.”
He has pledged to take Honda back to its roots as an innovative car company, one focused on the streamlined, efficient production of carefully developed vehicles and technologies. In a nutshell, Hachigo, the former chief engineer of the CR-V and Odyssey minivan, has vowed to re-empower the engineering class inside Honda.
“Over the years, our product development process became overly complex and slow, involving a huge number of engineers and sales and marketing people,” he told Reuters. As a result, “we began producing watered down, uninspiring, what you might call designed-by-committee, cars.”
What’s clear to me, after a week with the latest Civic, is that change has been afoot within Honda for some time. It takes 36-42 months to develop a new model, so Honda began addressing its woes back in 2012 or 2013, before Hachigo moved into the C-Suite.
As a result, the 10th generation Civic is a terrific car, all things considered. The pricing is, of course, spot on. The sedan starts at $16,155 and ranges all the way to $27,155 for the tremendously entertaining Touring model with its strong, smooth, responsive and efficient 1.5-litre turbocharged four-banger (174 horsepower). It’s also safe – a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
I tested the fancy Touring model and found it roomy, comfortable and quiet. Honda not only gave the 2016 a new skin and a vastly improved interior, but also remade the architecture underneath and loaded up new powertrains (a 2.0-litre four-cylinder powers less expensive Civics).
The new rear suspension and larger stabilizer bars have made this Civic more tossable AND more stable at highway speeds. Thinner A-pillars are more attractive and they improve visibility.
The seat cushions are thicker and more supportive and all sorts of sound-deadening initiatives have resulted in the Civic feeling more like a premium sedan than a compact grocery getter. Honda turfed the old two-level instrument layout in favour of one array of very clean, highly legible readouts.
And… Well, the list of improvements is massive.
What’s left for Honda? End the quality issues.
2016 HONDA CIVIC TOURING SEDAN
THE LOOK: The designers shied away from dramatic, bold shapes, creases and curves. This design is nicely proportioned and very clean. Innovative? No.
THE DRIVE: The engineers went with a broad array of super-strong materials; creating a super-strong structure. That allowed the suspension and steering experts to zero in on ride and handling. The result: a very fun car to drive.
THE NUTS AND BOLTS: Honda used lots of high- and ultra-high-strength steel in this Civic. Smart, but expensive move. The body is tightly sealed (no wind or water leaks) and crash safety is outstanding. Fancy available features include remote engine starts, push-button start, an electric parking brake, dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers and wireless charging.
THE CABIN/STORAGE: Seats are supportive, storage areas are all about, and soft-touch materials look and feel rich.
THE BRAND: The Honda brand has taken something of a beating in recent years, though it remains strong. Honda’s leadership is focused on taking the company back to the engineering and R&D basics on which the company built its reputation.
WHO BUYS? Careful buyers who value safety, reliability and resale values.
Base price: $27,155.
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged (174 horsepower, 162 lb-ft of torque).
Drive: front-wheel.
Transmission: continuously variable (CVT).
Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 7.6 city/5.5 highway using regular fuel.
Comparables: Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus, Kia Forte, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3, Dodge Dart, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Volkswagen Jetta and Golf, Chevrolet Cruze, Mitsubishi Lancer, .
