Honda if you Dream it you can Do it!!

Honda has reunited with stop-motion artist Pes for an ad that kicks off a big new campaign for its 2017 Ridgeline pickup. A TV ad debuting Friday during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games uses stop-motion filming in an attempt to portray the versatility and utility of the truck, which hit the market in late June.

The ad shows six Honda Ridgeline trucks hauling materials to construct what appear to be five distinct construction projects, including a playground, a garden and a motorcycle racing track. But as the camera pans out, the scenes come together to spell out "Honda" as a voiceover declares, "If you can dream it, you can do it."

Pes, whose full name is Adam Pesapane, last worked with Honda for a spot called "Paper" that debuted in September and weaved together roughly 3,000 hand-drawn illustrations using stop-motion filming that took viewers through a paper-flipping, historical journey of Honda products. The new Honda spot is called "The Power of Ridgeline." The creative agency on the spot is RPA and the production company is Reset, with Mr. Pesapane serving as the director.

“We really wanted something that stood apart from traditional truck advertising that you see on television because it's Honda and we like to do things a little bit differently, we decided to take this turn and show all the different things that you can do with a Ridgeline -- not just the typical throwing lumber in the back and then going off to a construction site."

-Susie Rossick, assistant VP-marketing at American Honda Motor Co.

Check out Inventory of New 2017 Honda Ridgelines and contact us now to take yours home today

Welcome Back, Ridgeline!!!

In 2014, Honda pulled the Ridgeline from the market. Honda was following the trend in which the midsize pickup was disappearing. Gone were the Ranger, the Dakota, the Colorado and the Canyon, with only the Frontier and the Tacoma remaining. But the people demanded, and Ridgeline is coming back!!

All New 2017 Honda Ridgeline

Now, with the resurgent of the midsize pickup trucks, the 2017 Ridgeline is completely redesigned. Using styling of the car-based Pilot, the new Ridgeline has lost some of its old characteristics. Gone are the boxy fender flares and the “flying buttresses” behind the cab. But still retains its crossover roots with the most, in class, interior cargo space with the rear seats folded. Along with its dual-action tailgate, that opens to the side for easier access to the in-bed trunk.

Dual Swinging Tailgate with In-Bed Trunk

Redesigned Dashboard

The Ridgeline is tech-heavy, having adaptive cruise control, which automatically brakes or accelerates to maintain a set distance with the vehicle ahead of you. Lane-keeping assist helps you stay in your lane and Garmin Navigation helps you find where you want to go. Honda retained some hard buttons on the center stack, unlike some recent models. Environmental controls are reasonably intuitive with toggles for dual-zone temperature selection. I'm getting more used to the 8-inch touch-screen infotainment interface with its strip of controls on the left, though I still don't like the bar-graph volume control and some functions are slow to react.

The Ridgeline has impeccable carlike driving dynamics, It has a respectable degree of truck functionality, and it has an interior cabin as roomy and comfortable as a SUV. 

Ready for your brand new 2017 Honda Ridgeline? Check out our inventory and contact us today to get yours!!

Happy Birthday Accord - 40 Years of Reputation

1976. The bicentennial birthday of America, NASA lands the Viking rover on mars, Fidel Castro settles in as the president of Cuba, and two guys named Steve (Jobs and Wozniak) made a new computer company you might have heard about. Meanwhile, Honda was hard at work to spit out their newest fun, fuel-efficient, 3-door hatchback - The Accord.

The 1976 Debut Accord 

Over 40 years, Accord has consistently set the benchmark for the U.S. auto industry, earning the trust of more American car buyers than any other car during that period. A record 30 times Accord was named to the Car and Driver 10 Best list during its tenure*. It’s also been restyled quite a bit since it's inception.

The 2017 Debut Accord

Accord has earned a reputation of class-leading reliability and durability, outstanding fuel efficiency, low emissions, and top-class safety performance through continuous improvement and innovation.

According to IHS Automotive data, Accord has been the top retail-selling car in America for the past three years**. It sounds like the most appropriate way to celebrate this “big 40” birthday is to stop in and drive one. How else can it earn your trust? Pick one you like from our inventory and contact a sales rep to schedule a test drive!

Happy Birthday Accord!

* Car & Driver, November 2015
** Based on IHS Automotive, Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury traditional mid-size segment new retail registrations in the US.

New Civic Coupe Goes Back to It's Roots

 

 The re-designed 2016 Honda Civic sedan has received most of the attention- and tons of awards- but the new Civic coupe shouldn't be overlooked.  While it has been written over the past several years that the two-door version of the Civic had gotten a bit stale, Honda has made a decided effort to put more fun back into the coupe, and the effort has paid off. 

 

 

 

First off, Honda has given the Civic coupe a style of it's own, rather than just making it look like the sedan minus two doors.  It sits a bit lower, the fenders are flared just a bit, comes with standard aluminum wheels, and overall has a sportier look than the sedan- as it should. 

 

The interior is just as impressive.  It is surprisingly spacious and comfortable.  Road and Track describes the cabin like this:  "The same sorcery that makes the subcompact Fit capable of hauling the entire contents of your apartment yields a coupe that feels as airy and spacious as most sedans. Despite the higher beltline, it's easy to see out of. Grownups won't mind riding in the backseat and enjoy slightly more headroom than in the last coupe."

The 2016 Honda Civic coupe has brought back the driving fun that should excite lovers of the gone-but-not-forgotten Honda Prelude.  You can see our inventory of new Civic coupes here, or our entire inventory at www.gurleyleephonda.com. 

 

The Honda S660 is Way More Fun Than it Should Be

3 cylinders and 63 horsepower doesn't exactly sound like most people's idea of a sportscar or roadster, but Honda seems to have struck the right tone with the S660.  Road and Track took a spin in the little 2-seater and came away notably impressed.  "Thankfully, the S660 is an exemplary sports car, more than any three-cylinder economy car has any right to be. The easy comparison to make is that this is Honda's answer to the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Then, you realize that the S660 is endowed with just 63 horsepower."

For a company like Honda, which produces many of the world's most popular models, like the Civic and the Accord, producing an ultra-niche vehicle like the S660 is an ambitious venture.  It's also very possible that we will never make it to the states, at least in it's current configuration.

No one will ever confuse the S660 with anything resembling practical.  There is essentially no storage, so this isn't going to be a long road-trip type car, but then again, it was never meant to be.  But what it lacks in practicality in makes up for in driving enjoyment.

The S660 comes standard with a newly-developed 6-speed manual transmission.  Although there is an available continuously-variable transmission, for a pure driving experience, the manual would seem to be the way to go for most people.  The turbo-charged inline 3-cylinder may not wow you with it's pure numbers, but it sounds and drives like something much more powerful.

We don't know if Honda will ever move the steering wheel to the other side and bring it to the U.S., but we would certainly welcome the opportunity to give it a drive.  



Honda College Grad Program

Honda College Grad Program

You've put in the work, you spent the time and, heaven knows, the money, to get through school.  Congratulations are certainly in order, and Gurley Leep Honda would like to extend ours.  As you prepare to embark on the next phase of your life, wouldn't a new car be a great reward for all of your hard work?  And if you are going to buy or lease a new car, would it not make sense to buy one of the best and most reliable, vehicles on the road?

Honda has a fantastic program for recent and soon-to-be college graduates.  If you have graduated in the past two years, or if you will graduate within the next six months, with either a bachelors, masters, or associates degree (and meet necessary credit criteria) you can take advantage of the Honda College Grad Program and save an additional $500 (money down assistance or cap cost reduction) on any 2015 or newer Honda vehicle.  

Honda has so many great choices.  From the ultra-efficient and fun to drive Civic (the 2016 North American Car of the Year [1] and the Kelley Blue Book Overall Best Buy for 2016[2]), the 2016 HR-V (the 2016 Green Car of the Year[3], according to Green Car Journal).  

Stop by Gurley Leep Honda to find out more about the Honda College Grad Program

 [1] For more information, visit AutoGuide.com. AutoGuide.com is a registered trademark of Verticalscope Inc.

[2] For more information, visit Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc

 [3] For more information, visit greencargroup.com.  Green Car Journal is a registered trademark of  RJ Cogan Specialty Publications Group, Inc.

KBB Honors Honda Civic, CR-V, Pilot, and Odyssey

Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) has announced their "Best Buy" awards for 2016, and Honda has dominated the market.

 The Overall Best Buy is the newly re-designed Honda Civic, and the Civic, CR-V, Pilot, and Odyssey were all named Best Buy in their respective category.   KBB's criteria for the Best Buy awards is exhaustive, and according to their website, includes "comparative market pricing, cost-to-own information, generational consumer reviews and ratings and, or course expert evaluations based on extensive driving experience.  

Regarding the 2016 Civic, KBB describes it as a "car you just want to be in, whether that' sin front or back".  The editors go on to compliment the Civic's "class-above" interior and exterior design, driver ergonomics, and fuel-efficient engines, and of course, Honda's long-standing reputation for high reliability and re-sale value.  

2016 KBB Overall Best Buy Award and Small Car Best Buy Award

The CR-V won for the Small SUV segment, the Pilot for Mid-Size SUV, and the Odyssey for Best Buy in the Minivan category.    

[1] For more information, visit Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. Kelley Blue Book is a registered trademark of Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc.