Tomica 2011 Honda CR-V, 2015 Honda Fit, and S660

Over the past year I have gotten a lot of Tomica’s to add to my collection so over the course of a year I will try my best to cover all of them (some I have already reviewed).  This latest group consist of Honda’s, and there are a lot of them from Tomica.  Here is some modern editions that consist of the popular SUV, subcompact car, and a mid-engine roadster.

2011 Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V was introduced in 1997 to combat the new Toyota RAV-4 at the time and since then has become one of Honda’s best sellers in the U.S. For the fourth generation the CR-V continues the popularity of the massive overhauled third-generation with sharper styling, slightly reduced size, and starting in 2015 better efficiency.  The engine starts with a 2.4L DOHC I-4 that has been in the CR-V since 2002 and produces 185 horsepower through a five-speed automatic transmission.  In 2015 the CVT transmission was introduced to provide more power from the engine and better fuel economy.  One thing that I noticed while having a family member go from second to fourth-generation CR-V’s is that the fourth-generation CR-V sits lower and seems a bit smaller than the previous-generation.  Either way it’s a successful formula for Honda and that continues with the new fifth-generation for 2017.

Tomica passed on the third-generation to do the fourth-generation after the second-generation.  The light blue color is joined by rugged lower trim in gray and Tomica 5-spoke wheels that look like the base LX wheels.  The front has clear headlights that join the silver grille with a crisper angle, while foglights adorn the lower bumper.  The sides have a more squared-out style than before with thicker D-pillars at the rear.  Out back the pillar taillights still remain though they do not extend all the way down to the bumper as before, while the rear window Is now larger.  The rear hatch opens up to reveal the cargo area, but with an issue common with any Tomica that has an opening rear hatch the large doglegs tend to take up much of the cargo area and in some instances come into contact with the rear headrests.  The base shows off the independent suspension setup with all-wheel drive and a working suspension.  The interior at least now has a dashboard that features familiar control layout to any CR-V driver with a few more screens and buttons added on.  The shifter is still on the dash, the center console still folds away, and the rear seats are roomy, but the rear table that hides below the cargo floor is long gone.  It is a very nicely done casting if a bit ordinary compared to related Tomica SUV’s.

2015 Honda Fit

This is a three-part saga to the Tomica Fit collection that involves the first generation and second generation, covered in separate articles as they arrived at different times from this latest third-generation.  Since then the Fit has become a popular subcompact for Honda that brings back the days when the Civic and Accord were just this small.  It’s no tiny tot as it has the most practical and useable interior space in its class and now it shares those traits with the related HR-V.  The fuel tank sits in the middle of the floor and the wheels pushed out to the corners to get the most interior space in this small car.  The dashboard now has more controls and gauges than before, while the engine is a 1.5L DOHC I-4 that produces an estimated 130 horsepower through a six-speed manual or CVT transmission.  The RS package adds lower ground effects and sportier handling to the mix.

This orange Fit looks to be much sharper than the previous generations, especially in the RS trim.  The front now has headlight/signal lights unit aligned horizontally with the grille that features the RS badge, while the lower bumper has foglights and daytime running lights.  The side profile now has a more rising beltline towards the rear and small wheels that look proper on this car.  The rear now has CR-V-like taillights that also go into the rear window and a large chrome strip across the bottom of the window.  The rear hatch opens up and yes the hinges do get in the way.  The interior has seating for five with a dashboard that still carries over the 3-spoke steering wheel and tri-pod gauges.  The center stack relocates the HVAC controls to the bottom to allow for a modern touch screen infortainment system.

Honda S660

If there’s one vehicle that the US will not get it’s this kei car S660.  This category of Kei cars are designed to allow owners to navigate tight Japan cities while adhering below the tax brackets on cars with larger engines.  Add sporty cars to the mix and you get vehicles like the S660.  The S660 uses a platform shared with the N-one and has the same mid-engine layout as the Honda Beat of the 1990’s.  The styling has crisper lines that follow the design studies for the new NSX, while the interior has a dashboard with all controls surround the driver much like the S2000.  The engine is a 660 CC I-3 that produces 63 horsepower through a six-speed manual in a car that has almost equal weight distribution and a curb weight of 1,830 Ib’s.  Even with the small size and power this car is really fun on the twisty roads, yet on the contrary it’s these issues that would not make the S600 past safety test in order to be sold in the U.S.

This gray version was from a four-car Kei car setup that included related sports cars from Toyota and Diahastu.  The front has headlights that connect to a grille similar to the Fit and NSX, though headlight detailing is very limited.  The hood and rear trunk have a black stripe for a racy look, while the wheels are wider blacked-out 4-spoke that gives the S600 more footing on the track.  Side profile is clean with the exception of a targa bar, side scallop, and scoops ahead of the rear wheels to feed air to the motor.  The rear has a trunk with two bulges that flow from the front headrests, NSX-like taillights, black center panel, and a larger lower diffuser with central exhaust tip.  The base underneath shows off the front and rear diagonal body supports with the rear showing off the lower-end of the engine and transmission.  The car does not have any opening parts, but does show off a two-seater interior with the detailed dashboard to show off the driver-oriented control layout.  It’s a very fun-looking car that is a shame it will never be sold in the U.S.