Honda Tech Drive Day: Quick Spin

During the week before the opening of this year's Tokyo Motor Show, Honda arranged a "meeting" at Motegi for auto journalists to try the car, power equipment and motorcycle giant's latest efforts in planet-friendly options.

Honda has declared it wants to reduce CO2 output of its car range by 30 per cent, by 2020. More of its lineup will feature stop-start (Honda calls it Idle Stop) technology, while other models will receive hybrid and/or plug-in convenience.

Honda has a lot of projects on the go. From winning Moto GP campaigns to producing humanoid robots and solar panels... Lately the Japanese manufacturer has been accused of releasing only boring cars but there's a lot we can expect from Honda's investment in "green energy", referred to as Earth Dreams.

Brand executives admit Honda is "not as energetic as we used to be... But from this show onwards we will display a change." Here's some of what they showed us...

The Clarity is a unique experience, from approaching its spaceship-like styling to listening to its unearthly sounds while in operation. Press the button to activate the electric motor and you're met with a palette of calming blues and greens across the driver instrumentation, and a slight whir when taking off.

Unlike during the launch in Germany, at Motegi we were able to reach near the Clarity's top speed (160km/h). Response from standstill is immediate and the 100kW electric motor's power is delivered with train-like consistency. You get the sensation the power will just keep coming and it's only the factory-set speed limit that determines when to level the output.

The Clarity is a large, heavy car and that's easily felt behind the wheel. Its steering is bordering on dull, however, it's composed in reaction to input and at high speeds the weightiness of the steering was welcome.

The regenerative braking system is noticeable underfoot and while the push against the driver's downward step is foreign at first, the Clarity will pull up smoothly and quickly. Honda must've fixed things since colleague Ken Gratton drove it in Germany...

Front passenger room and appointment is great up front but legroom is cramped in the rear. Seating in all four places is comfortable and cabin ambience is luxurious, helped by the effects of the fuel cell car's quiet performance. I agree with Gratton: we need to see Clarity sooner rather than later.

The engine complete with cooling system apparatus weighs approximately 170kg. Honda engineers told motoring.com.au they used the specifications of Volkswagen's turbodiesel engine offerings as a minimum to beat for its own new engine.

In comparison the 2.2-litre diesel equipped Accord didn't feel noticeably heavier up front but again, the short time in the car was far from enough drive experience to tell.

The 2.2 isn't as lively as the 1.6 either, taking its time from standstill to find its stride which is after around 2000 revs rather than before, like the 1.6 unit.

Fuel consumption figures when equipped to the Civic weren't available from execs at Motegi, but the diesel will be a welcome addition to the range for those who like their small-yet-spacious Honda and long-distance driving, too.

Applied in this case to a V6 Legend, the hybrid-electric SH-AWD system uses electric motors to act on the rear wheels when cornering for better handling and control of power delivery. The outside wheel is given more torque supplied by its motor while the stalling of the opposite wheel feeds a generator... Basically, it's a planet-conscious torque vector control system.

Honda allowed a couple runs on a slalom stretch and while it's easy to get into a rhythm of left-right-left (or vice-versa) and not hit cones, the clever Legend wasn't very tidy; sending the rear onto its course with a noticeable and uncomfortable snap rather than the gradual ease of other non-electric torque vectoring systems we've tried.

The engineer co-pilot said my driving was "perfect" (no cones were harmed), however, I reckon it would've looked crook: too much time-wasting tail action, for a start. At least one journo pushed it too far and spun...

The hybrid-electric SH-AWD system was part of Honda's Earth Dreams showcase at Tokyo but needed more refinement before November's deadline. Nonetheless it's good to see the brand maintaining development on its own version of all-wheel drive.

Badged Fit in most overseas markets, the popular light hatch lends a great package for Honda's all-electric system. Most of the main parts of the system are located underneath the rear seats but save for the fact the donor car's clever folding rear seat system is sacrificed, the components' bulk is barely noticeable due to the Jazz cabin's tall form.

Honda's first production EV boasts near-200km driving range and charge time from three hours using a 240V source. Its 20kWh lithium-ion battery cell serves a 92kW electric motor.

Like other EVs we've tried (i-MiEV and LEAF specifically) the Jazz plug-in is super responsive from standstill due to the electric motor's low-end torque. In comparison, the Mitsubishi's energy peters out (or is arrested to help efficiency) but the power marches on in Honda's version and it's easy to reach city speed limits.

The Fit/Jazz EV offers three drive modes; from an 'eco' setting to lighten even the heaviest leadfoot's toll, to 'sport' which allows more tractable acceleration. The effects of the 'normal' mode were difficult to discern because again, our drive time at Motegi was limited.

Even just a small dose of the electric Jazz is enough to want the model on offer here. The US market will be one of the first to receive the Fit-badged EV in 2013. There it will be available for around $37,000 or lease for $400 a month, though it's unclear whether Honda's figures include state or federal government incentives.

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