Brandfon Honda

With a 197-horsepower (hp) 2.0-liter engine that delivers 139 lb.-ft. of torque, the 2011 Honda Civic Si is nothing to scoff at. However, the perfectionists at Honda have dropped a larger, more powerful 2.4-liter engine in the new 2012 model.

Available starting this spring, the new Honda Civic Si offers a boost in hp, and significantly more torque. Expected ratings are 200 and 170 respectively. For torque, that's a 22-percent increase over last year's model!

You needn't worry that this upgrade will hit your wallet in the long run, either. Honda indicates that even…

The Honda Fit subcompact is growing stronger in the market. More than able to hold its own among the competition, it overtook the popular Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid as Japan's top-selling car in January 2011. The last time the Honda Fit was a top-seller was in March 2009. That's nearly two years ago.

According to Honda, January 2011 sales surged nearly 14 percent from January 2010, to 14,873 vehicles, about half of them hybrids. "It's better to be No. 1," says Takanobu Ito, President, Honda. "My priority is that all our models record solid sales."

Unlike…