Leasing vs. Buying: What’s Better?

A question we often find our customers asking us at Keyes Honda is whether it is better to lease or buy their next car. Many factors can affect the decision like your lifestyle, needs and preferences, personal tastes and priorities. While there isn’t a perfect answer to this question, we hope we can provide our Los Angeles, CA area customers a quick overview of the advantages of buying and leasing.

Advantages of Leasing a Honda Vehicle

Leasing a Honda vehicle is a great choice when you want to maximize your dollar. Generally, you have lower monthly payments with a low—or no—down payment. You also have the option to drive a car with more options or better features than you might otherwise be able to choose when financing or buying a car. Another benefit of leasing is it easily allows you to transition to a new car every two or three years. If you are someone who gets a new car itch every few years, leasing may be a better option for you.

Advantages of Buying a Honda Vehicle

One of the best advantages to buying a Honda vehicle is that vehicle is yours. You can modify as you please and you can drive the vehicle as much as you like as there is no excess mileage penalty. You are able to build equity and you also have more flexibility since you can sell the car whenever you want. Over the long term, buying a car is usually more economical and allows you to keep your automotive costs as low as possible.

Both leasing and buying offer car buyers different advantages. If you are stuck between the two options, please stop by our Honda dealership and let our expert sales and finance teams help walk you through the pros and cons based on your personal situation. We regularly offer Honda specials on our new inventory, including the latest Honda cars, and on our used inventory. Our knowledgeable finance department is happy to help you when it comes to leasing or buying a Honda vehicle. We look forward to seeing you soon. 

2017 Honda Ridgeline Wins “North American Truck of the Year” Award

At Keyes Honda, we are very happy to announce that the innovative 2017 Honda Ridgeline has been named the 2017 North American Truck of the Year. This prestigious honor is given by a group of over 50 members of the North America automotive media and is distinctive because it is not tied to a single publication, radio, or television station but determined by an independent group of journalists from the United States and Canada. Presented each year at the opening of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, NACTOY recognizes the most outstanding vehicle of the year based on multiple factors including innovation, design, safety performance, handling, driver satisfaction, and value. It is the second consecutive year for Honda to earn a top honor, with the Honda Civic winning North American Car of the Year honors in 2016. “This award is a prized validation of the innovations and advantages the Ridgeline offers midsize pickup truck customers and a great recognition of the American development team’s work,” said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “This is a terrific way to kick off 2017, and we’re looking forward to sharing more innovative Honda products in the year ahead.”

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline includes a host of industry-exclusive standard and available features including unibody construction, a Dual Action Tailgate, In-Bed Trunk®, a scratch- and dent-resistant composite truck bed and the world’s first Truck Bed Audio System. The 2017 Ridgeline is also the first and only pickup to earn a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when equipped with available front crash prevention system and LED headlights.

If you’re interested in learning more, please stop by Keyes Honda serving the San Fernando, CA area. Let our expert staff walk you through the impressive features of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline and set you up for a test drive. We pride ourselves on our extensive inventory of new Honda cars and look forward to helping you find the Honda of your dreams.

Trade-in Your Honda Vehicle at Keyes Honda

Trading in your car, truck, or SUV is a great way to lessen the cost of a new vehicle you may be interested in purchasing while also extending the life of your current vehicle. You can also save time and money in not having to fix up your car or purchase expensive advertising. At Keyes Honda, we offer competitive values for trading in your current vehicle—you’ll always get a fair value for your vehicle and our friendly sales and finance teams make the whole process hassle-free, convenient and simple. We value good trades and purchase stock as key to our success. And as such, we are willing to pay for good inventory. Just bring your vehicle to our nearest delivery center location and receive a free written appraisal and commitment to purchase, which is good for three days. If you’re unsure of the value of your vehicle, just head over to our website and complete the simple trade-in value tool. This free service is a great way to help you determine an approximate Trade-In Value.

At Keyes Honda, we do our best to make trading in your current vehicle as fast and convenient as possible. Once you’ve completed the paperwork, it’s time to leave your current vehicle and drive off in your new Honda Accord or any other great Honda vehicle. Though, there are a few things you will want to take care of before you leave your vehicle at the dealership. Be sure to take out all of your personal belongings. Check under the seats, in the glovebox, or any other spot where personal objects may be hiding. You will also need to bring a few items with you, including the vehicle’s title, owner’s manual, and any other paperwork that goes with it.

If you’re ready to trade-up to an exciting new Honda vehicle, please stop by your San Fernando, CA area Honda dealer. Our team can’t wait to walk you through our new Honda cars and assist you with your trade-in. We look forward to seeing you soon! 

Honda Tops Sales in 2016

At Keyes Honda, we were ecstatic to learn that Honda has topped individual car buyer sales in America for 2016. The Honda Civic is the best-selling compact car* and the Honda Accord is the best-selling mid-size car**, the Honda CR-V is the best-selling compact CUV*** and the Honda Odyssey is the best-selling mid-size van**** in America. This makes it the 4th straight year that Honda has America’s most popular car, SUV, and minivan. If that wasn’t enough, Honda is the fastest growing automaker in the U.S. in retail sales, according to data from Automotive News. “We want to thank our customers for the trust they’ve placed in Honda, which is the basis for everything we do,” said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. “Retail sales are the results of customers voting with their wallets and pocketbooks, and we think that’s the only true measure of customer demand and product appeal.” At Keyes Honda, we know how much our Los Angeles, CA area customers love their Honda vehicles and it looks like many other Americans share that enthusiasm.

In addition to topping individual car buyer sales, Honda had many other year-end retail-sales achievements:

•   Honda Civic will post the all-time best sales performance in its 44-year history, making Civic America’s best-selling car with individual buyers.

•   Honda Accord will post a fourth straight year of retail sales leadership among midsize cars.

•   Honda CR-V will post a seventh straight year of sales gains and further cement its position as America’s best-selling SUV over the past 21 years.

•   Honda Odyssey will be the best-selling minivan with retail buyers for a seventh straight year.

•   Honda Civic, CR-V, and Accord will be the three highest retail-selling vehicles in the auto industry after full-size pickups and will combine for sales of more than 1 million units for the fifth straight year in 2016.

With a full line-up of spectacular vehicles, we can’t wait to see what happens in 2017!

*Based on IIHS Automotive Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury traditional compact segment new retail registrations in the US.

**Based on IIHS Automotive Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury traditional midsize segment new retail registrations in the US.

***Based on IIHS Automotive Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury traditional compact CUV segment new retail registrations in the US.

****Based on IIHS Automotive Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury traditional mid-size van segment new retail registrations in the US.

First Look: 2017 Honda Civic Si

At Keyes Honda, we have long awaited the unveiling of the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. Our wait finally ended when Honda showcased the Honda Civic Si prototype at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. Promised as the “fastest, most powerful Si yet”, the 2017 Honda Civic Si is packed with numerous advanced performance features.

Offered in coupe and sedan body styles, the Honda Civic Si will be equipped with a 1.5-liter turbocharged, direct-injected dual variable cam timing engine. The engine will be backed exclusively by a short-shifting six-speed manual transmission. The concept previewed at the Los Angeles Auto Show features a full Honda Factory Performance (HFP) aero kit complete with front and rear splitters and a rear spoiler. It also sported a center-mounted dual exhaust with polygonal tips and turbine-like 19-inch HFP forged alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35-size performance tires.

The interior featured sports seats with red stitching and embroidered Honda Civic Si logos. Red stitching is also used on the door, panels, steering wheel and shift boot, which is topped by an aluminum shift knob. The gauge cluster features a red TFT display, and the lighting for the audio system is also red. Finishing off the cabin are aluminum sport pedals and Dry Metal Carbon trim around the instrument panel and across the dash.

Honda announced that the 2017 Honda Civic Si is very close to production, so we hope that all of the features in the prototype will be available in the final production models. While we now not so patiently wait for the Honda Civic Si to hit our showroom, we’ll be checking out the current Honda car models in our extensive inventory, including the 2017 Honda Civic. If you are interested in learning more about the Honda Civic Si or are interested in purchasing a Honda vehicle, please stop by our Van Nuys, CA area dealership. We hope to see you soon!

Honda Pilot Tops Cars.com “Three-Row SUV Challenge”

At Keyes Honda, we love when one of the new Honda cars in our inventory are recognized by the auto industry for their features or overall package. After extensive testing in the Cars.com “Tree-Row SUV Challenge,” the 2016 Honda Pilot has been named the best midsize SUV of 2016 and the overall challenge winner. The challenge test consisted of a weeks’ worth of testing which included expert evaluation on a set course to assess ride, handling, braking, noise and more, a 170-mile drive to determine real-world MPG, and driving by an in-market family. The Honda Pilot was recognized for its interior space, versatility and utility with comfortable seating for up to eight passengers and advanced technology features including Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™.  “The Pilot leads the pack in smartly designed family features and attention to details,” said Fred Meier of Cars.com, “including two levels of storage built into the front doors, the big roll-top console bins, child-seat Latch anchors even in the third row, a conversation mirror and height-adjustable armrests for multiple drivers.”

We are proud to carry both the 2016 and 2017 Honda Pilot models. The 2017 Honda Pilot model has a few excellent updates but retains many of the impressive features from the 2016 model. Available in five trim levels, the 2017 Honda Pilot checks all of the boxes on most families’ SUV want list. Built for comfort, the Honda Pilot can comfortably seat as many as eight and has premium features throughout. From the market to the mall and everywhere in between, you’ll have all the space you need to fit your haul. Keep you and your entire family entertained with an available 8-in Display Audio Touch-Screen and a Rear Entertainment System while keeping them comfortable at the perfect temperature with the available independently-adjustable Tri-Zone Automatic Climate Control.

Interested in learning more? Stop by Keyes Honda near Los Angeles, CA and our expert staff will walk you through the features and set you up for a test drive. We hope to see you soon! 

Honda 2017 CR-V and 2017 Ridgeline Honored in Car and Driver 10Best Truck and SUV

Here at Keyes Honda, we were ecstatic to hear that the expert editors and evaluators at Car and Driver honored the 2017 Honda CR-V and the 2017 Honda Ridgeline as the top vehicles in the January 2017 10Best Truck and SUV Awards. Car and Driver put all of the vehicle entrants through extensive tests—reviewing the unique attributes for their respective segments, including ride and handling, safety, technology, comfort, practicality and fuel efficiency.

The 2017 Honda CR-V took home the top honor in the Compact SUV category. The Honda CR-V, America’s best-selling SUV*, was recognized for its value, more powerful available turbo engine that offers class-leading fuel efficiency, and its premium, roomy interior. “The latest CR-V is the compact crossover SUV distilled to its near perfect essence, blending engaging dynamics, master-class interior practicality, and a pleasing demeanor into a deeply satisfying whole,” said Erik Johnson from Car and Driver.

The 2017 Honda Ridgeline received the top honor in the mid-size pickup category. The Honda Ridgeline, with its exclusive unit-body construction, earned its spot on the prestigious list for a combination of traits, including best-in-class ride and handling and fuel efficiency, available advanced torque vectoring all-wheel drive system, and superior noise, vibration, and harshness. The 3.5-liter V6 engine delivers 280 horsepower** and 262 lb.-ft. of torque*** and the Honda Ridgeline boasts a maximum payload of 1,584 pounds and a tow rating of 5,000 pounds****.

If you would like to learn more about these award-winning vehicles or any of the new Honda cars, please stop by our Honda dealership. Our knowledgeable staff will walk you through their extensive feature list and set you up on a test drive. We are conveniently located in Van Nuys, CA and our staff looks forward to helping our customers find their perfect vehicle. We hope to see you soon.

* Based on IHS Automotive, Polk CYTD December 2015 non-luxury compact CUV segment new retail registrations in the US

** 280 hp @ 6000 rpm (SAE net)

***262 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm

****5,000 lbs. maximum towing capacity for AWD models; 3,500 lbs. for 2WD models. Towing requires accessory towing equipment. Please see your dealer for details.