Mazda Rx-8 2003 Air Pump [1520800] on 2040-parts.com

2013 Honda Fit EV sales expand to East Coast

Honda is expanding leases of its Fit EV from the left-coast bastions of Oregon and California to the East Coast markets of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New York and New Jersey. Eco-minded East Coasters still can’t buy the car outright, but they’ll now be able to lease the electric Fit for three years at a cost of $389 per month. The Fit EV has a mpg equivalency rating of 118 and an EPA electric driving range of 82 miles.

Honda Passport recalled for suspension fix

Honda will recall 35,984 copies of the Passport SUV from the 1998 to 2002 model years in the United States for a suspension piece damaged by road-salt corrosion. The lower suspension link could become corroded in areas where road salt is used extensively. Honda says the lower link bracket could detach from the frame, which would affect handling and increase the risk of a crash.

SEMA ups scholarship money for car-crazed college kids

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known to most of us as SEMA, has announced a hefty boost to its SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund for 2013: The top student selected now gets $1,000 more for a total of $5,000 toward an automotive-related college education. Other eligible participants in four-year programs get $3,000—last year, they only received $2,000—and two-year students get their funds doubled to $2,000. In the Buckeye State, one lucky student at the Ohio Technical College will get complete tuition coverage, which is a cool $29,400.