As I often say on the air, if Consumer Reports says something about a car, it’s probably wrong. Hence my conclusion that this still holds true.

Consumer Reports rated the new Civic “too low to be recommended.” While I have not done a full review on the new Civic, I did drive it extensively. I thought Honda took a great car and made it better, which was a feat in itself.

The Civic dropped 17 points, from a very-good score of 78 to a mediocre 61, in the latest Consumer Reports road test of small cars.

What better way to grab attention and sell magazines than to slam the #2 selling car in America that is beloved by millions?

Previous Civic models have often been Consumer Reports’ highest rated small sedans, as well as Top Picks in five of the past 10 years, but the redesigned model was slammed for the cheapness of its interior, poor ride quality, long stopping distances and loud interior noise.

In a statement, Honda disagreed with the magazine’s findings.

“In virtually every way, the completely redesigned 2012 Civic is a step forward. The new Civic excels in areas that matter to small-car customers, including fuel efficiency, safety, and reliability,” the company said in a statement.

Honda also noted the magazine’s high marks for the redesigned Civic’s safety, as well as its long history of reliability, which was not measured in the test.

The 2012 Civic is now rated second-worst in the compact segment, behind only the VW Jetta, which also plummeted in the magazine’s ratings after it was redesigned for 2011. The second-worst in the compact segment? BUNK!

However, the Jetta has been a sales success, with buyers willing to forgive the cheapness of the fitments for a car that dropped $4,000 in price.

Consumer Reports also called the Civic’s steering “devoid of feedback.” I guess they want it to drive like a Porsche 911. In fact, one of the noticeable things about the new Civic was how well it steered and tight it turned.

I have a proposal for Consumer Reports: If you’ll stop reviewing cars, I won’t review toasters. That way, we both stick to things we know something about.

If you are in the unfortunate situation of being involved in a traffic accident, it can be a highly stressful encounter. The app will lead you step by step to make sure you have all the information your insurance company will need. You can use your phones keys to type in the info, or simply take a picture of the other person’s driver’s license, insurance card…even the police report and the officers badge number. When finished, press send and the entire report is emailed to yourself, your insurance agent and our collision center. Should you need a tow truck, just press the “call tow truck” button and rescue is on the way.

Use the app to schedule your service appointments or to simply call us when you have a question. You can also link to our Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages.

Download it now. It’s free! Go to the app store and search “Rusty Wallis Honda”. Please spread the word to all your friends and family. It will make life a little simpler.

• Hondas are reliable.
  Whether you go for a Civic, an Accord, a CR-V or an Odyssey minivan, you’re going to get a car that’s got great build quality and design.  Hondas have a well-deserved reputation for being able to run for 150k-200k miles with a minimum of trouble.   If you’re in college, you have other things to worry about…a car should be something where you shut the hood and forget about it until the next oil change.
• Hondas are economical. Most college kids are going to be pressed for money, and that’s where a Honda makes great sense. Especially when that college kid is going to need to put in some Interstate miles to get home from time to time – it doesn’t make much sense to be driving an 18 mpg pickup truck when you could be getting 35 mpg in a Honda.
• Hondas are roomy. Of course, a Civic or Accord isn’t built for hauling, but an Insight, CR-V or Odyssey minivan?  You can get just about every last thing you need to outfit a dorm room into one of Honda’s crossovers or minivans. 
• Hondas are easy to park. College-age drivers don’t have years of experience behind the wheel, and even for seasoned drivers, parallel parking is one of the last skills that many are able to master.  Doesn’t it make more sense to have a small Honda in a crowded university setting than a pickup or a huge SUV?

So there you have it.  While you’re out beating the bushes for a used car in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, why not consider a Honda for that newly-minted college student?

• HONDA Z600 – The Z600 was Honda’s breakout model in the US, introduced in 1970.  At a time when American cars were 20 feet long with 400 horsepower V8’s, the shoebox-sized 600 (named for its 598 cc engine) was a true oddity.  However, when the Middle East oil spigot got cut off in ’73, all the sudden the Z600 (with its phenomenal gas mileage) didn’t seem like such a joke, and Honda was on the radar screen for their cars as well as motorcycles.
• HONDA CIVIC – The Civic evolved from the tiny Z600 and emerged in ’73 as an answer to the primitive, mediocre small cars from Detroit.  Its CVCC engine met emissions standards without needing unleaded fuel or a catalytic converter, and the Civic was much roomier and more comfortable and powerful than the Z600.  The first generation was prone to a nasty rust problem, but the model turned into one of Honda’s strongest sellers from that point on.
• HONDA ACCORD – The Accord premiered in 1976 as a compact hatchback with a completely different identity and niche from the Civic.   It was larger and more powerful, and came standard with amenities like cloth upholstery, tachometer, intermittent wipers and an AM/FM stereo radio;  soon, it was available with air conditioning, a digital clock and power steering, making it a market leader.
• HONDA INSIGHT – When the Insight was launched in ’98, it beat the Toyota Prius to the market by several months, making it the first hybrid gas/electric car from Japan.  Along with an aerodynamic body and a lightweight aluminum frame, the Insight had technological advances like regenerative braking and a lean-burn engine to squeeze top fuel efficiency out of the design and set the bar for future hybrids from all manufacturers.
• HONDA ODYSSEY – While Honda was late to the table with minivans (the Dodge Caravan was introduced in ’84), the wait was worth it.  The first-generation Odyssey, based on the Accord platform, was a comfortable, well-thought-out vehicle that set a new standard for refinement and quality in the minivan market.

So…when you’re looking for Dallas used cars and are thinking Honda…take a minute to reflect on some other history-making Hondas over the years!

• Stay tuned up. Cars don’t need a points-and-plugs tuneup every 30k miles like they used to, but it’s still important to not neglect your maintenance.  One of the easiest and cheapest tweaks?  Clean air filters – a dirty air filter will not only cause your mileage to take a hit, it will also sap your car’s power.
• Keep off the gas pedal. It’s a no-brainer that the harder you mash that gas pedal (or even the brakes), the more gas you’re going to send through the engine (and the more wear and tear your car will see).  Even on a fuel-efficient Honda, it can add up to a 33 percent difference!
• Slow down. We don’t mean doing 55 on the interstate…but remember that gas mileage drops off over 60 mph.  Get past 70, and it drops off even more.  Keep your speed down, and it can save you as much as 21 to 71 cents per gallon, and keep you off the state troopers’ radars.
• Cut down on the excess weight. Remember that every extra 100 lbs in the car can cost you as much as 2 percent of your gas mileage, so leave excess junk at home (no, we dodn’t mean your mother-in-law).
• Turn off the car. Idling can cost you as much as 5 cents per minute, plus engines do not like idle speed (they build up carbon internally if idled too long).  Shut ‘er off if you’ve got to sit for any length of time.
• Use cruise control when you can. Be safe and don’t use it in heavy traffic, of course, but remember that cruise control will give you as much as a 14 percent edge in fuel economy.
• Check tire pressure. Keep a tire pressure gauge in your car, and check all four at least once a month.  Even good tires lose about 2 psi of air pressure every month, and even one tire that’s underinflated by 10 lbs can cut 3.3 percent off your mileage (which means a full 10 percent if all four tires are underinflated).  Air’s cheap – gas isn’t!!