Spent Last Week in Miami with Honda

Honda invited my blog to South Beach to test their all-new HR-V.

Kind’ve a big deal really, since that’s the same invite as the newspapers and magazines get #proud

Here’s your first look at their all-new vehicle: 
the 2016 Honda HR-V Compact Crossover

Ran into a chunk of Team Autonet down there.

Top right middle is Frederic Mercier, the French side of the newspaper’s newest addition.

And bottom left is Eddie; if you prefer to read car reviews in Mandarin, read his.

Close as I ever make it to the beach #HideFromTheSunAlways

Here’s a good shot of the HR-V until I get a proper post built about it.

See those long vents in the dash on the right?  Slick eh.  As is the open cavern beneath the gear shift where all ports are, that’s good ergonomics.

My driving partner was my editor at the paper, Dan Barron.

You’ve met before, and any clever headline of anything I write is all him.

When you drive an HR-V, this is what happens to your head.

The driving impressions of this vehicle are embargoed until end of April, so until then, I’ll roll out more about the car, then tell you how it handled after that.

(what’s an embargo? Here)

Short review – this car is going to crush it.

Honda managed to design seemingly-opposite features and functions into one vehicle, and I predict this HR-V will take over the compact crossover segment when it arrives this summer 2015.

Now a plane photo so if you’re scrolling, you know I was out-of-country.

 

 

OBDII Ports are About to Become All the Rage

With this year’s arrival of the connected car, you’ll soon start to see and hear all about OBDII… On-board Diagnostics, II is pronounced “two.”

OBDII – the mandatory port, found within 2 feet of all steering wheels, that’s used to access a vehicle’s computers.

Or, plug an internet-enabled device into this port, now you’re driving a “connected car.”

For more details here’s a blog post about them – OBDII Ports

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

It’s the mandatory-since-1996 port used to access the computer in your car, and we’re about to hear a lot more about it as internet-enabled devices start to flood the market and allow us to make any car a connected one.

***

Also the 7th paragraph, which I filed under Predictions – we will all soon start locking our OBDII ports.

Back to ‘Keri on Driving’ – Index

 

 

Had an Epiphany on Friday Night

Above is the moment it all fell into place.

There were sticky notes and Sharpies all over my kitchen, and if you were watching me I probably looked like a crazy person, muttering to herself, scribbling furiously, and hands over my head that moment when it all clicked into place.

Below is the actual epiphany, the one thing it all came down to.

I’ve had some good ideas over the years, but this one might be my most genius yet #NoDramatics

I know it makes no sense to you, but this is all I’m okay with saying for now.  You know how jinxy I am.

Stand by.

 

 

Feeling Pitiful about Your Life? This will Fix That

This is a boat from Cuba, that landed on the shore of the Florida Keys.

13 people on board travelled 85 miles in this mess to escape Cuba.

Apparently the deal goes – if a Cuban can make it across and set foot on US soil, they get to stay and the government gives them $10,000 to start a new life.

Imagine being stuck for days in this thing, not knowing you will make it, and even if you do, you what… start a new life from scratch, in another language, with what little belongings that fit on your back?

Feel like whatever was bothering you is less dramatic now? Good.

If not, try my line here.