| Honda to Make ABS, VSA, and Side Curtains Standard on All Models
- Click HERE for Original Thread
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| wmquan |
Good public relations move from Honda, especially given how they've been late in adding VSA and Side Curtains. Even the cheapest Civic will have them.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos...-21-honda_x.htm
This is classic Honda, putting a lot of standard features into a limited set of trim levels. Should help compete against Toyota, which forces you to go up-model to get some safety features.
Caveats: Honda hasn't said when this will happen. They may wait for some models to be re-designed before adding all the features. It'll also probably boost prices on the low-end models.
Also, I don't believe the article is correct in that Honda would be the first manufacturer to have all of its U.S. models with that standard safety trio (and since it won't happen for a few years, someone can beat them to the punch). I believe all Mercedes-Benz U.S. models have that equipment standard, though obviously MB competes in a different range. |
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| Warzau |
| I wonder what that is gonna do to all pre-VSA/SideCurtain/ABS auto's price. |
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| robrecht |
| Wow, great move Honda! Thanks, wmquan. |
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| wmquan |
quote:
Originally posted by Warzau
I wonder what that is gonna do to all pre-VSA/SideCurtain/ABS auto's price.
I've not noticed accelerated depreciation when a newer model has more safety equipment. Perhaps it's too slight to notice? In reality, the broad marketplace doesn't necessary buy into broad sets of safety features. If that was the case, there wouldn't be so many GM cars sold (for example) that lack these features and do poorly on crash tests to boot.
As robrecht has picked up on, this means that the Pilot will eventually get VSA and side curtains to go along with its current ABS. It's just a matter of when -- e.g. will both come along with the 2005 Pilot, or will only one (or no) enhancements be made for 2005.
It's good because it drives me crazy how some manufacturers force you into a higher model to get some safety features you want. Toyota does that a lot, and so does Subaru. On lower-end trims, you don't even get regular side airbags (they've been even slower to adopt side curtain airbags than Toyota and Honda! the new Legacy will have them, though). (Though to be fair to Subaru, all of their models have AWD, a big safety enhancement for many Subaru buyers.)
VW is another manufacturer that's been close to this standard. They have side curtains standard on all models, but stability control (ESP) has been optional and not standard on most. |
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| mogur |
BMW has also had all three standard for some time. But again, they are in a different segment...
QUOTE]Originally posted by wmquan
Also, I don't believe the article is correct in that Honda would be the first manufacturer to have all of its U.S. models with that standard safety trio (and since it won't happen for a few years, someone can beat them to the punch). I believe all Mercedes-Benz U.S. models have that equipment standard, though obviously MB competes in a different range. [/QUOTE] |
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