Japanese automobile makers are taking the electric automobile industry forward in a big way.
Very soon, Electric Vehicles will become commonplace.  Recently, Japanese car makers like Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan have teamed with Fuji Heavy Industries and ‘Tokyo Electric Power Company’ forming the CHAdeMO association – which is an abbreviation of ‘Charge de Move’.  This association will promote standardized charging methods for electric vehicles, by establishing a protocol for recharging infrastructure.

The aim of this council is to standardize technology which is being used to charge electric cars across the entire motor industry.  The firms are hoping that places across the whole of Japan will offer charging station after the creation of this technology.  They want to make the technology compatible with all electric vehicles.

158 companies and organizations including the above mentioned five companies areall  set to join this association.  This consortium includes many overseas businesses.  Campaigns have already started in USA to make the Japanese recharging technology a global standard.  There is a lack in competing standards.

A home plug recharges the electric vehicles as well but the main point of difference between this and the power station is that the station delivers fifty kilo watts at 150-200 amps so your car gets recharged in a few minutes and not hours.

The availability of  power stations encourages owners to take their car further although they might not have  charged it and encourages use of electric vehicles.  Right now the electric cars cannot travel more than two hundred kilometers on a single charging.  A brand agnostic station for charging is critical for the future success of these cars. The technology is currently already  in use by Subaru and Mitsubishi, and Nissan is likely to follow them.

The Japanese automobile industry had always led the way for the hybrid and electric car sector.  The Toyota Prius is the most popular hybrid in the world and is Japans top selling vehicle.  The government of Japan is supporting this EV standardization venture of CHAdeMO with 13.7 million dollars.

Honda Accord has been the best selling and most popular Japanese car especially in the United States for almost fifteen years from 1982-1997.  Honda started manufacturing the Accord mid size sedans in 1976.  There have been several different versions and styles of the Accord since then.  Amongst them, the seventh generation (2002-2008) of Honda Accord has been the most popular used car from Japan in global markets.  Honda Accord is considered one of the most reliable cars around the world.

Here we provide you with a review of the  Honda Accord 2004 model.

The 2004 model of Accord is considered one of the best and most popular exported  mid-size car from Japan.  In the past decade, it has proved to be a best seller amongst mid-size cars.

If you are wondering whether to purchase a used Honda Accord, now would be a good time.  You will avoid steep rates of depreciation which occur in brand new cars.  You will be able to get a Honda Accord 2004  at a much lower price.  Honda Accord is a car respected for its high resale value, so all in all it makes for a good investment.

This stylish car is powered with an iVTEC 4-cylinder engine and brings with it a 6 speed manual transmission.  You can also have an optional 5-speed automatic transmission.  Its standard equipment consists of power windows, ‘dual zone’ climate control, CD player, cruise control, adjustable tilt-reach steering wheel, theft alarm,  ABS/EBD equipped 4-wheel disc brakes, alloy wheels, Vehicle Stability Assist, side airbags and dual airbags.

This car has a distinctive stylish wedge design which makes it appealing.  Other features such as chrome mirrors and handles add to its grandeur.  The interior is plush and the spacious leg room and cabin storage just add to its plus points.

The Honda Accords powerful engine and 5 speed auto transmissions go well with each other and give a performance which is ideal for suburban commuting and highway driving. The 5 speed auto transmission has very smooth shifting. The fuel efficiency is exceptional in city driving as well as highway driving.

Poor roads surfaces are hardly a pain with the high quality of suspension in the Honda Accord 2004 model.  Even the brakes are strong & powerful and high in quality.  The 4-cylinder engine of iVTEC had amazing power and more than adequate torque making it spin effortlessly to reach the maximum revs.

To summarize,  Honda Accord 2004 boasts a powerful engine, quality construction, comprehensive features and great chassis dynamics.  It provides a smooth ride,  a tight build and has good scores in crash tests.  If you are looking for an efficient and powerful family car with stylish spacious interiors, we strongly recommend you to go for
Honda Accord 2004.

Technorati Tags: Japanese car, used car, Japan, Honda Accord, used Honda Accord, Honda Accord 2004

I have owned five cars since I started driving.  And this used Japanese car Toyota Hilux Surf (1996 model) which I bought from you six months ago, is by far the most enjoyable and versatile car I had driven so far.

In spite of being a 14 year old  car, it has no signs of rust on the body work;  it is well built and has a solid feel.  My Toyota Hilux Surf is quiet comfortable vehicle with ample  space for leg-room and is quite spacious for in the front as well as in the rear.  The boot-space is terrific too – there is plenty of space to lie out full stretch – great for camping expeditions.

I am completely satisfied with my Hilux Surf. Though I bought this used Toyota Hilux Surf at a bargain price,  I still haven’t faced any problems with its engine.   The Hilux Surf is good for transporting goods required for my business, and also a very sturdy and reliable companion for off-road journeys.

The interior looks typically Japanese and it comes with many extra features, from air-conditioner to power mirrors, windows, rear heater, sunroof, reclining rear seats, multi adjustable front seat and rear tailgate.

The 2.4 ton diesel delivers about 100 bhp and is just about adequate for a vehicle of this size, returning about 13 km per liter of diesel. The top speed is about 170 km/hr on this used Hilux.

I never had any problems about the reliability of this car. I change oil every 6000 km, not because the engine uses up too much oil but just to keep engine in proper working condition, Once I had a long drive for over 300 km covering hilly areas.  I went at full speed for hours together; yet, at the end of the journey when I checked the oil levels,  it was almost the same as it was when I had started.  That was a real surprise for me.

Toyota Hilux Surf has nice seating arrangement and with its 4×4 drive, you are able get nice driving experience, even on hilly, slippery or heavy snow clad roads.

I am very much satisfied with my purchase of this Toyota Hilux Surf.  Though it may not be one of the best looking car on earth,  it is very realistic and most importantly it never breaks. In short, Toyota Hilux Surf is quiet an amazing car and goes beyond all its expectations.  I would recommend this car to anyone who wants a car with good performance.  Now, I am planning to get one more ‘Hilux Surf’ exclusively for my family.

Customer Testimonial from Mr. Richard Kyle – South Africa

Technorati Tags: used Japanese car, Toyota Hilux Surf, used Toyota Hilux Surf, Hilux Surf, Japanese

The Nissan Cube manufactured by Japanese car maker Nissan is mini but Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV).  The Japanese automaker is targeting young buyers to buy this mini Nissan Cube.  Presently Nissan Cube is mainly sold in North America, Europe and Japan.  The 1st generation of the Nissan Cube was established in Japan in 1998.  To maintain a proper balance between the Nissan lineups from Nissan March & Nissan Sunny, the Nissan Cube was created.  The 1st generation of the Nissan Cube was only sold in Japan.

The 3rd generation of the Nissan cube was released late last year in Japan.  The new Cube is a tall and made up of boxy kind of design. These features of Cube are more curved styling cue and rounded compared to its earlier generations.  Five people can be accommodated comfortably.  The rear hatch is attached in such a way so that it open along its vertical axis towards the curb.  Loading and unloading becomes easy with this feature if vehicle is parked in a very crowded street.  According to the designers of Nissan, the interior of cube is greatly inspired by the ‘enveloping curves of a Jacuzzi’ which try to exhibit a social and comfortable atmosphere.

Nissan is trying to promote its brand by convincing people that it is not a car but some new technology related stuff.  The Nissan’s target group is young techno savvy buyers.  Nissan is comparing its Cube with mobile or gadgets like iphone.  To select accessories is to “set your preferences” and to hit the road with friends is to “upload yourself and four buddies.”  Despite of the Nissan’s attempt to promote its car by using anti-car marketing strategy, one thing is for sure Nissan  Cube is made up of many good features like smooth steering, decent driver, passable handling, six-speed manual, powerful brakes and terrific low-speed maneuverability. The manual gear of Cube shifts smoothly. Moreover, it also has many safety features like anti-lock brakes with proper distribution between brake assist and brake-force, full array of air bags, safety gear for a low-end model, traction and stability controls.

The Nissan Cube is powered by 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine which is quiet good for urban city traffic as well as flat highway but less for driving on slopes. The Nissan Cube gives about 30 mpg highways, 28 mpg in city and 29 mpg combined result. The key advantage of a box shaped vehicle is vast space and so passenger space is quiet generous in Cube. Even though Nissan Cube is targeting young buyers, the room inside the car well enough for their well-spread and well-fed elders; even the cargo space is quiet big. Other features include good Visibility and tight turning circle which can attract young nervous drivers who Nissan thinks as their target audience. Apart from all these features it also includes options like shag carpeting at the centre of dash board which helps MP3 or cellphone from sliding around.

So now finally you would like to know what is the cost of Nissan Cube? Well, the start price of Nissan Cube is just around $14,385. On the whole Nissan Cube it is cool and useful car with a trendy twist. Though Nissan Cube is an ideal car for young buyers at the same time it is also a spacious, competent, and extremely comfortable family car.   

Technorati Tags: Nissan Cube, Japanese car, Japan, Nissan March, Nissan Sunny, Nissan

In our last post we mentioned some of the cars which have the highest resale value, as per the Kelley Blue Book.  Honda CR-V has consistently ranked as a car with top resale value.  Honda CR-V is definitely an ideal choice for those looking for a comfortable, practical, and well-engineered SUV from Japan.  In this review of Honda CR-V SUV, we will discuss what makes it better than its rivals in compact SUVs.

The name CR-V stands for ‘Compact Recreational Vehicle’.  The Honda CR-V is a compact crossover SUV manufactured by Honda since 1996.  The Japanese car maker designed Honda CR-V to present a clear substitute to mainstream large SUVs.  Its design was inspired from Honda Civic, and with its sedan like design, 4 cylinder engine,  car-like handling and ride, the Honda CR-V became an instant favorite.  Honda CR-V had huge sales as it offered great performance with plenty of space for passenger and cargo at an affordable price tag.  Even today, Honda CR-V has its sedan-like inclination and even today it remains very popular.

Honda CR-V might be categorized as a SUV, but its main focus is on the Utility rather than on the Sports.  And, when it comes to safety, it has excellent frontal and side-impact crash test scores.

The Honda CR-V has a long list of merits.  Its interior is intelligently designed and uses fine materials.  Honda CR-V is powered by a four cylinder, 2,400 cc engine that delivers 166 HP.  It comes with a 4 wheel drive with a 5 speed transmission.  Front wheel drive is available as an option.  Four-wheel drive CR-Vs are perfect for negotiating bumpy, snowy, or wet road conditions.  CR-V’s handling is smooth for a large family car, and though the CR-V is not tuned as a sports car, it gives quiet and comfortable ride even on bumpy roads.

Thus, when it comes to practicality and on-road drivability, Honda CR-V is one of the best choices available in the compact SUV market.  No wonder it was declared as one of the top cars having the highest car resale value.  Also it is one of the selling SUVs in the United States.

Technorati Tags: SUV from Japan, review of Honda CR-V, Japanese car, Honda CR-V, car resale value

While purchasing a car, what do you look for? Usually people think about brand, performance, model, color and many more similar things. But does any one ever think of buying car considering the resale value it will get after using it for few years. Well the main reason for this is while purchasing a car no one will be bothered how to sell it after some years, but you have to always think of the resale value of cars. Always keep in mind that car is a derogating asset and after some years it will lose its aesthetic value.

A new car starts losing its value once it is driven out of the showroom.  The car loses maximum value in the first five years of ownership and then the value of the car depreciates gradually. Finally, when the car owner decides to sell a car after a span of five or six years, the depreciation is much higher. So, while buying a new car it is important to consider its resale value.

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) has released its annual resale value data for 2010, and according to them Toyota, Honda and BMW remain the top brands in five-year residual value. So you can clearly see that Japanese cars consistently lead in resale values.

KBB estimates Toyota’s models will keep 38.8% of their value while Honda’s models will keep 38 % of their value after five years. KBB’s top ten models for five-year residual value include the following Japanese cars. The Prius has been one of the topmost resale value cars for several years.

# Toyota Tacoma
# Toyota Prius
# Honda CR-V
# Toyota RAV4

Even in countries like India, when automakers from India, Korea, Europe, and America are having a major market share, Japanese cars like Honda Siel, Honda City, Toyota Innova fetch the maximum price on resale. Comparing other cars in Honda cars segment it loses about 20-30% value in 3 years whereas Toyota Innova can fetch around 70-80% of its road price even after 3 years.

What factors influence resale price?
Now you may question – how to calculate resale value of a car? Well it is not illogical. There are many factors which influence the resale price other than the general ones like registration date of car, current condition of car, no. of miles it has covered etc.

Image:
How the purchaser distinguishes a particular product makes a whole lot of difference. For example the Japanese cars are known for their technology which makes their cars more efficient while the American cars are supposed to be fuel guzzlers.

Spare parts availability:
While purchasing car it is important to find out whether you can easily find its spare parts if you need them. Now as the survey suggests, it is quiet easy to find spare parts for Japanese cars while it is difficult to find spare parts for American and European cars.

Maintenance:
Japanese cars have a high level of reliability, which makes their maintenance costs low.

After sales service:
Many car companies do provide better service but they come with many restrictions.

Japanese cars consistently rank high in all these factors included in calculation of the resale price.

Technorati Tags: resale value of cars, Honda Siel, Honda City, Toyota Innova, Japanese cars

Suzuki Swift is subcompact car which was originally designed as a city car for Japan and Europe, however, it has become popular worldwide as this Japanese car belongs to the bargain end of the economy car class.  New Suzuki Swift is priced well under $10,000 and has fuel economy ratings around 40 mpg .  Suzuki Swift is a thus very practical option for price-conscious buyers who are looking for basic transportation. Used Suzuki Swifts can be bought at very low price due to its high depreciation.  The latest generation of Suzuki Swift subcompact stretches from 1995 to 2001.  In this post, we review the Suzuki Swift 2000 model.  Suzuki’s Swift 2000 model is a great value for your money.

Model Lineup of Suzuki Swift

Suzuki Swift comes in 2 models namely GL and GA. The standard Swift GL includes air condition as well as stereo system while standard Swift GA is without all these features. Each model of Suzuki’s Swift 2000 includes 4-cylinder engine attached with manual 5-speed gearbox and also an optional 3-speed automatic transmission.

Suzuki Swift – Exterior

The external look of Swift is somewhat wedge shaped surrounded with smooth edges and side panels which perfectly blend together to give it a contemporary look.   The major exterior features are

• Curb weight: 820 Kg
• Body side molding
• Metallic / gloss / black paint
• Front and rear black bumpers
• Windshield wipers with fixed intermittent wipe
• Complex surface lens halogen bulb headlights
• Externally adjustable black door mirrors for driver and passenger
• Day time running lights
• Tinted glass on cabin
• Rear window

Suzuki Swift – Interior Features

Suzuki Swift’s cabin is well designed.  The inside cabin consist of total 4 seats of which front seats are bucket seats while back seats are quite modest. These front bucket seats help to prevent arms and shoulders from bumping against a door or other passenger. Though you would never feel like crammed or congested inside Swift mainly because its designer has taken care of every thing to give maximum elbow room in a compact space.  It comes with driver and passenger front airbags, 3-point reel front seat belts for driver and passenger,  Ventilation system with recirculation setting, automatic transmission, Air conditioning,  Am/Fm radio,  Cassette player etc.

Driving impression of Suzuki Swift

The strut design of Swift does good job of smoothing out bumps, however the short wheel span makes the ride quality more rugged compared to larger car having longer wheelbase. Swift’s good quality mechanical hardware is the key reason for its good mannerism on road.  It lacks features like power steering, but in spite of that,  you can maneuver the car including making u-turns easily. In addition to above mentioned features Suzuki’s Swift has many hidden active and passive safety features boost up driver confidence.

The Suzuki’s Swift has been in this auto market for many years still it has a charm which gives it fresh look and also its features makes it stand well against all its new competitor.  Swift has many attributes as well as limitation.  Though Swift is a small car in dimensions, you can easily move around in the case of city traffic; quite affordable for buyers with fixed car budget, but is quite comfortable and nicely equipped; though the tiny engine of Swift sometimes may lack power, but this get compensated due to its economical fuel consumption.  Overall our ratings for Suzuki Swift are as follows:

In short, Suzuki’s Swift is a good starter car and offers good value for money .

Technorati Tags: Japan, economy car, Suzuki’s Swift 2000, Suzuki Swift

The year 2009 is coming to an end and it is the time again for magazines and websites to come up with their lists of the best and worst of 2009.  Time Magazine is not lagging behind and has recently released its annual list of 50 Best Inventions of 2009.  This year green energy innovations have prominently featured in the top inventions of 2009.

Nissan Leaf is among Time’s list of 50 best inventions of 2009.  The Japanese automaker Nissan unveiled Nissan Leaf in August 2009 as the first new dedicated electric vehicle.  It may not be the world’s first electric car, but the Nissan Leaf is the first fully electric, zero emission vehicle built for mass production for the global market at an affordable price.  Nissan Leaf would not be available in the market until the fall of 2010, but that didn’t stop Time Magazine from calling it one of the best inventions of 2009.

Key characteristics of the Nisan Leaf include:

1. Zero-emission electric power train
2. Real-world range autonomy – 160km (100 miles)
3. Distinctive design
4. Affordable pricing
5. Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system

Nissan LEAF electric car is not a hybrid – it’s a zero-emission electric vehicle that is powered by a reusable lithium-ion battery.  It is no longer a concept car or test model – it is meant for mass production.  It is a 5 passenger electric car, with all the features you can expect from a standard family sedan.  It is a 100% electric car that uses no gasoline, and produces virtually no noise and emission.  No transmission, no engine oil, no timing belts to change and no emission. Nissan Leaf, makes a futuristic sound like that of flying cars in Blade Runner, when it is moving.  Nissan plans to produce 50,000 Leafs every year at its Oppama plant at Yokohama, Japan starting in the fall of 2010.

Nissan Leaf is designed with the common man in mind and not just celebrities.  The Leaf is expected to sell for between $35,000 and $45,000. The Nissan LEAF will shift the way we drive, power and think about cars..

Nissan LEAF has a top speed of up to 145 km/hr (90 mph) and it accelerates just like a normal V6 car. The LEAF can run for about 160 km (100 miles) per charge under normal driving conditions.  The lithium-ion battery that powers the LEAF has a lifespan of about 5 years.  You can charge battery on a 220V home charging unit in 4 to 8 hours.  And, it will take just about 26 minutes for charging it to 80% of its capacity at quick-charge stations.

Electric cars have been there for a long time, but Nissan is the first company which has come up with a production model of an electric vehicle.  Nissan therefore deserves the title of ‘inventor of electric cars’ if they can keep their promise of building and selling a million electric vehicles in the next.  Nissan Leaf has certainly made the future of green transportation looking brighter.

Technorati Tags: 50 best inventions of 2009, Japan, Electric cars, electric vehicle, Nissan Leaf