So, you need a new car, do you? Have you considered Honda? Not too long ago your choices were the Civic, Accord, or Prelude. Today, Honda has expanded their line up to cover just about every segment going. Let’s take a look at their current line up and see how Honda stacks up against the competition.

Accord – Soon after the Civic entered the North American market, the Accord was introduced. The car has been so well received that it routinely battles with the Toyota Camry for the top spot in the American market. Every few years the Accord receives a complete makeover; today’s Accord is available in three models: coupe, sedan, and hybrid

Civic – When Honda entered the US market in the early 1970s, it was the Civic that led the way. The reason? High fuel economy. At that time, Detroit was primarily building gas guzzling behemoths and the American market was ripe for an affordable and economical compact car. Despite being derided by some – pregnant roller skate was one of the terms given to the Civic – the car proved to be the toehold Honda needed to get established in the North American market. Today’s Civic bears no resemblance to the original and it is available in three models: coupe, sedan, and hybrid.

CR-V – Available in either FWD or 4WD, the CR-V is Honda’s compact SUV with seating for as many as five adults.

Element – The Element defies easy characterization. Some call it a bread box on wheels. Available as a FWD or 4WD vehicle, the Element is targeted to the youth set and is an alternative to Toyota’s Scion brand.

Insight – The first gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the US was the Insight. Five years later it still commands an important part of the Honda line up.

Odyssey – The new benchmark for minivans is the Honda Odyssey. In just a few short years, Honda transformed a Plain Jane people mover into a van with pizzazz. The Odyssey routinely competes with the Toyota Sienna for top honors in the North American market.

Pilot – A 7 passenger SUV, the Pilot is Honda’s first large SUV. Competing against the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Toyota 4Runner, the Pilot has performed well and has gained respect in the tough, competitive American market.

Ridgeline – A four door AWD truck, the Ridgeline goes where no Honda has gone before: off the road. Sure, other Hondas come equipped with AWD or 4WD, but the Ridgeline was built expressly to handle hill as well as highway. The unique five foot long bed has a trunk built into it; certainly the Ridgeline defies easy comparison.

S2000 Roadster – Honda’s race car capabilities are displayed with the S2000 Roadster a two seat coupe that compares favorably with the BMW Z4 Roadster. Ranked as one of the best wanted car by consumers with several leading automobile magazines and web sites including Edmunds.com.

Honda’s top competitor is Toyota and both now have luxury brands from which motorists can purchase more upscale versions of their vehicles. Toyota’s Lexus division and Honda’s Acura division offer to consumers vehicles that go beyond their standard brands. Still, you can’t go wrong if you buy a Honda, an automotive line which continues to expand and grow because of high quality and consumer loyalty.

Copyright 2005 -- Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for the Auto Parts Warehouse, a wholesaler of fine discounted Honda parts and Honda accessories.

We can"t deny it; we all need cars for us to live life normally everyday. Even if we have to go back to the basics to cut high costs of living, we cant really do without cars. They have become necessities in life through the years. However, some vehicles are harder to maintain and consumes more fuel; thus for some, they are pain in the neck—and the pocket—rather than helpful driving machines. But don"t worry, there are many ways to improve gas mileage; though you may have to replace some of your stock auto parts.

Auto Parts Fast, one of the country"s top auto parts dealers features the best quality replacement and aftermarket parts, which can help you solve gas mileage problems. If you are particularly looking for Honda parts, you can find here a comprehensive line of premium quality Honda engine parts, Honda cooling system parts, Honda body parts and Honda performance parts that can enhance not only your fuel economy but can also help you reduce harmful emissions and significantly improve performance.

The first thing you can do to improve fuel economy is to check on your engine. Make sure your engine is receiving enough air for the combustion and for its cooling. If it is not able to breathe in more air, replace filter or use bigger throttle body and premium quality performance intake manifold. Likewise, check on the way your engine exhales through the exhaust system. You should use a high-flow muffler to boost the car"s performance as well as to improve fuel mileage.

Like other exhaust system parts of your Honda, the Honda Catalytic Converter improves performance and fuel mileage too as it converts gaseous wastes produced after the combustion into less harmful emissions. A clogged cat prevents exhaust gases from flowing smoothly out of the engine; thus, it won"t be able to clean them properly. This in effect would require the engine to work harder thus, more fuel is consumed. If you"re starting to smell something like rotten eggs, you already need to replace your Honda catalytic converter.

Improving the aerodynamics of your car can also help you reduce fuel consumption. Race cars are usually fitted with spoilers and ground effects to improve aerodynamics and thus, its acceleration and fuel economy. You can also add a Honda spoiler on your car to help reduce wind resistance; however, this is more effective when applied to race cars. However, you can also replace your Honda Rims, Honda Mirrors, and other body panels with lighter auto parts. Aside from giving your car a new look, swapping hoods and other body parts can help your vehicle run more smoothly and faster. A Honda hood with rear-facing scoop would be a good alternative, too.

Another way to improve gas mileage is by replacing your worn out Honda Wheels and tires. The tires may be particularly running low and thus they need to be aired up sufficiently. Lastly, make sure your engine is cooled properly so it can work more efficiently.

You can replace Honda Radiators or add auxiliary Honda radiator fan for more efficient cooling of the engine. These are also available at Auto Parts Fast. ------------------- As a former news correspondent for an auto-related website, Stacey has gathered extensive knowledge and experience in the automotive industry. This 34 year old mother of two from Memphis is a genuine car lover.