Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Honda bumps up new Accord prices by $300

Honda Motor Co. said Monday that prices on the redesigned 2013 Accord sedan will increase, on average, by less than $300, even with the addition of thousands of dollars worth of standard features and technology. Honda has overhauled its top-selling model for 2013 with new, more fuel-efficient engines, a continuously variable transmission, additional standard equipment and other available technology, such as lane departure warning and blind spot detection.

Mazda Verisa

Mazda has refreshed the Verisa, a B-segment car sold in Japan. Based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta, the Verisa is a tall hatchback that parallels the (European) Ford Fusion in concept, if not aesthetics. The Down-Road-Graphic has a clean contemporary look, with minimal grille area and restrained use of brightwork, while surfaces are given greater volume and a more substantial feeling than the Fusion.

Used car sales hit record high

USED CAR SALES were at their highest in five years in 2013. There was a 0.9% increase in used car trades, with more than 6.8 million exchanges of ownership recorded, though this is still some way behind the previous record high of 7.8 million used car sales in 2008. Analysis from Experian shows cars aged nine years old or over were among the strongest performers in the used car market, with sales up 6% in 2013 compared to the previous year.