2 of Every 3 Hondas Sold in U.S To Be Low Emission Vehicles For 1999
10 November 1998
Two of Every Three Honda Automobiles Sold in U.S To Be Low Emission Vehicles For 1999
New Odyssey Minivan Meets Light-Truck LEV Standards
TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 9 -- Nearly two-thirds of all Honda
vehicles sold in the U.S. will be equipped with advanced low emission
technology during the 1999 model year, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
announced today. Production of low emission vehicles will increase by 200,000
bringing the total number of vehicles to about 650,000.
The all-new Honda Odyssey minivan, now on sale across the United States,
meets California's LEV (low emission vehicle) standard for light trucks.
Powered by a 24-valve, 3.5-liter V-6 engine, the seven-passenger Odyssey
achieves EPA fuel economy ratings of 18 city/26 highway.
Honda also increased the number of Civic and Accord models with low
emission technology. Virtually all Honda Civic Sedan, Coupe and Hatchback
models (except HX Coupe) meet low-emission vehicle (LEV) standards for 1999.
LEV standards call for 70 percent lower emissions of non-methane organic gases
(hydrocarbons) and 50 percent lower emissions of nitrous oxides than the
federal standard.
Honda also expands availability of ULEV (ultra-low emission vehicle)
Accords to include LX models equipped with automatic transmissions, which will
be sold in California and many Northeast states. ULEV can reduce hydrocarbons
even further, meeting a standard 86 percent lower than the current federal
standards. In addition, the 1999 Honda Passport sport utility vehicle with
automatic transmission meets California light truck LEV standards.
"The best way to lower overall pollution levels is to improve the
technology that impacts the greatest number of vehicles," says Tom Elliott,
executive vice president of American Honda. "Gasoline engines are likely to
remain the dominant power source for the foreseeable future, and Honda
engineers are committed to making further advances in increasing fuel economy
and lowering vehicle emissions of the internal combustion engine."
Reducing fuel consumption is very important in the effort to lower
greenhouse gas emissions, and this year three of the EPA's top-10 fuel economy
leaders are Honda Civics. Combined sales of these three vehicles represent
more than half of the total sales of the top 10. The 1999 Honda Civic HX with
manual transmission is rated at 36 city/44 highway and the Civic HX with
Honda's innovative CVT (continuously-variable transmission) is rated at
34 city/39 highway and is the only vehicle with an automatic transmission ever
to make the top-10 list. The Civic Sedan, Coupe and Hatchback with 1.6 liter
4-cylinder engine and manual transmission is rated at 32 city/37 highway.
The foundation for many of Honda's clean-burning, fuel-efficient vehicles
is the VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) engine. By
providing different valve timing and valve lift profiles for low-rpm and
high-rpm operation, the VTEC engine delivers a broader, flatter torque curve,
low emissions and smooth power delivery throughout the rpm range.
In 1996, Honda became the first automaker to sell cars meeting
California's LEV (low-emission vehicle) standard, and the company now
voluntarily sells LEV Civics and Accords in all 50 states and Canada. The
following year, Honda became the first manufacturer to sell a gasoline-powered
car -- a Honda Accord model -- meeting California's ULEV standard, the
toughest standard in the world.
HONDA LOW EMISSION VEHICLES FOR 1999
Model Civic Sedan
Trim DX, LX & EX
Transmission Manual/Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) Manual DX, LX: 32/37
EX: 29/35
Automatic DX, LX, EX: 28/35
Model Civic Coupe
Trim DX, EX
Transmission Manual/Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) Manual DX: 32/37
EX: 29/35
Automatic DX, EX: 28/35
Model Civic Hatchback
Trim CX, DX
Transmission Manual/Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) Manual CX, DX: 32/37
Automatic CX, DX: 28/35
Model Civic Sedan (NGV)
Trim GX
Transmission Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard ULEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) 28/34
Model Accord Sedan
Trim 4cyl LX & EX
Transmission Manual/Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) Manual LX, EX: 23/30
Automatic LX, EX: 23/30
Model Accord Coupe
Trim 4cyl LX & EX
Transmission Manual/Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) Manual LX, EX: 25/31
Automatic LX, EX: 23/30
Model Accord Sedan
Trim 4cyl LX & EX
Transmission Automatic
Where Sold CA & Northeast
Meets Standard ULEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) 23/30
Model Odyssey
Trim LX & EX
Transmission Automatic
Where Sold 50 States
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) 18/26
Model Passport
Trim LX
Transmission Automatic
Where Sold CA
Meets Standard LEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) 16/20
Model EV Plus
Trim NA
Transmission Automatic
Where Sold CA & NY
Meets Standard ZEV
EPA Rating, City/Highway (mpg) NA
Northeast = CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA & VT
LEV = Low Emission Vehicle, ULEV = Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle
ZEV = Zero Emission Vehicle, NGV = Natural Gas Vehicle