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Published
on 10
Oct
2012 |
All rights reserved.
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The new, 9th
generation Honda Accord marks a return to unified breed. 3 generations
ago, Honda differentiated Accord into three distinct versions –
America, Japan and Europe – to satisfy the needs of different markets.
Unfortunately, the ambitious strategy arrived at the wrong time, i.e.
just when the mid-size car segments in Japan and Europe started falling
like a roller coaster. Family car buyers migrated to smaller
hatchbacks,
small MPVs, CUVs and ever-expanding premium brands, and this trend is
not going to stop any time soon. As a result, it is no longer
profitable to build the JDM and Euro Accord. Top management decided to
pull the plug and concentrate on the American version. After all, they
are convinced that the American version is already a global car since
it is available to China, Australia and many Southeast Asian countries.
If they wish, they could import the car back to Japan – probably under
the nameplate "Inspire" again (update in 2014: Honda eventually decided
to import only the hybrid Accords back to Japan).
The reunification arrived just in time as the 9th generation (American)
Accord is rationalized with a more compact size and reduced fuel
consumption, so it should be easier to swallow by the global market.
Compare with the last car, its overall length has been shortened by 76
mm, while the wheelbase has shrunk from 2800 mm to 2775 mm –
incidentally, the same as arch-rival Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.
Handsome is not the right word to describe its new exterior design, but
at least it is inoffensive. Its conservative style must be a safe
choice for average American family men and women as well as Chinese
customers.
Brilliantly, despite of the smaller exterior, the interior is no
smaller. In fact, it actually offers 25 mm extra legroom for rear
passengers, and more shoulder room, too. Only headroom suffers a little
due to a sleeker shape, but it can still easily accommodate six-footers
front and back. This is still one of the roomiest cars in the class.
Better still, the shorter length does not prevent trunk space from
growing by 30 liters. It seems that a lot of space was wasted in the
old car!
Space aside, the finishing of the cabin is also much improved. The
front seats are comfy and supportive, whether they are cloth or
leather. The dashboard, though not exactly a sculpture of art, is now
made of quality soft-touch plastics. The simplified center console
avoids the ergonomics nightmare of the old car and is a lot easier to
use. The whole environment is light and airy, with good visibility all
round.
Naturally, the new chassis employs higher percentage of high-strength
steel (56%) and a new steel-aluminum hybrid front subframe. Torsional
rigidity is up by 42 percent while 25 kg is shed from the chassis.
Equipment and powertrain upgrades put back some pounds, so the final
car weighs about the same as the old one.
Big news is the abandoning of double-wishbones front suspensions, i.e.
the pride of Accord since Mk3. Replacing them are more conventional
MacPherson struts. Honda said it is more compact and lightweight,
something we won't argue, but cost reduction and the fact that
MacPherson struts work just as good in many rivals are likely to be a
good reason. At the back, the multi-link setup is carried over.
The steering is also renewed. As expected, the good old hydraulic rack
is replaced with modern electric power steering. There are 2 types
actually - four-cylinder models employ a design with column motor,
while V6 car uses rack-mounted motor due to packaging problems.
The engines have been upgraded as well. The four-cylinder engine -
expected to take 80-85 percent of all sales - remains a 2.4-liter
long-stroke DOHC i-VTEC, but it finally gets direct injection. This
allows an 11.1:1 compression and lifts output by 7 hp to 185 hp.
Maximum torque gets an even bigger jump from
162 to 181 lbft. As before, the i-VTEC system works on the intake
camshaft only. It comprises of VTEC 2-stage cams and VTC continuous
variable cam phasing. The cam switchover point is set at 4800 rpm.
The 3.5-liter V6 gets modest modifications, mainly revised
intake/exhaust ports and reduction of internal friction. Its output is
improved slightly to 278 hp (up 7hp) and 252 lbft. Its SOHC i-VTEC
valvetrain remains a little outdated, and it is yet to get direct
injection. The label i-VTEC is somewhat misleading. It is actually the
good old 2-stage cam-changing VTEC system (switchover point at 4900
rpm). The i for intelligent is meaningful only to the engine paired
with automatic transmission, where the VTEC system gets a 3rd set of
cams with zero lift to shut down the 3 cylinders at the rear bank. Such
variable cylinder management (VCM) was also available on the old
engine, but the new one operates across a wider range thus improves
fuel consumption a little.
The 2.4-liter engine now mates with a new, in-house-built CVT
transmission which has wider ratio spread than the outgoing 5-speed
auto. The V6 is too powerful for the CVT to handle, so it employs a new
6-speed automatic. A delight to keen drivers: both engines are offered
with 6-speed manual gearbox, too.
One interesting thing is the standard fitment of Active Noise
Cancellation (ANC) and Active Sound Control (ASC). Both features use
speakers in the cabin to generate artificial noise. ANC generates
counter-phase noise to cancel the unwanted engine noise, especially the
unpleasant exhaust note in 3-cylinder mode, whereas ASC is used to
enhance high-rev soundtrack.
On the road, the new Accord is an excellent choice if comfort is your
first priority. It rides smoothly and quietly. Its steering is light
and easy to guide. Both the four-pot and V6
engines are smooth and willing to rev, and they provide brisk
performance. The 6-speed manual has the best gearshift in the industry,
being crisped and butter slick, just as you would expect from Honda.
More surprising is the new CVT, which has the typical rubberband
effect largely eliminated because it is programmed to simulate the
stepped gearchange of conventional auto. Only under full throttle it
will scream crazily like conventional CVTs, as the pulleys cannot
withstand violent change of ratio. That said, it is perhaps the best
CVT on the market.
Drive more aggressively, the Accord is still a decent companion. While
its modest tires, brakes and suspension setting are definitely not
sporting, its handling is quite nimble, feeling noticeably lighter and
smaller than the old car. This is especially obvious on the 4-cylinder
model. While the electrical power steering does not deliver a lot of
feel, it is accurate and it weighs up linearly once you have overcome
the dead spot on center. Thanks to good damping, body motions are well
controlled while sharp edges of bumps are well filtered out. Honda
still masters the art of chassis tuning.
However, if you are keen drivers, the Accord might lack the sparkles to
excite you. Rivals like Ford Mondeo and Fusion and Volkswagen Passat
have firmer suspensions, weightier steering and solid chassis to
deliver better body control and inspire more driving confidence. They
are simply more fun to drive. The Honda might strike a better balance
between comfort and dynamics, but it is a tad too soft and
old-fashioned to delight us.
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Verdict:
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Published
on 10
Oct
2012 |
All rights reserved.
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Accord Coupe
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From outside, the Accord
Coupe looks as if a facelift from the old car. In fact, it is all new
under the sheet metal. All the new stuffs in the Accord sedan can be
found on the Coupe as well, such as the new strut-type front
suspensions, electrical power steering and the updated 2.4-liter and
3.5-liter engines. As always, the Accord Coupe is built alongside its
sedan sister at the same assembly plant, so they share high percentage
of components as well as much the same character.
Compare with the sedan, the 2-door body shell is 50 mm shorter in
overall length and in wheelbase. Its fastback roof line stands 30 mm
closer to the ground. It is also slightly lighter than the equivalent
sedan. As a result, it displays a touch better handling and
performance. A V6 Coupe equipped with 6-speed manual gearbox – note
that this combination is not found on the sedan – is capable of
sprinting from 0-60 mph in the high-5 seconds range.
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Then why does the sedan get 4 stars rating while the Coupe
gets only 2 stars? The answer is different roles with different
expectation. The Accord Coupe is a dying breed of sedan-based,
civilized coupes. In the good old days of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s,
many people buy these coupes just for their stylish looks. Today, looks
alone is not enough to get public favour. We have plenty of coupes that
offer big performance and/or sharp handling, such as Ford Mustang,
Chevy Camaro, BMW 1-Series Coupe, Audi TT, Hyundai Genesis Coupe and
Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ. Who still wants a front-wheel-drive family
car-based coupe? If the Accord Coupe was as beautiful as Peugeot 406
Coupe, it might stand a chance. Since it looks this uninspiring, it is
easy to overlook it in the seas of striking rivals.
Its chassis dynamics also fails to match its rear-drive rivals,
especially in the case of the nose-heavy V6 model, where understeer and
torque steer are present if you push it into corners. The steering feel
– or the lack of it – on the V6 also leaves a lot to be desired. Stick
to the four-cylinder model and you lose a big chunk of performance. In
short, the Accord Coupe is very compromised.
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Verdict: |
Published
on 25
May 2013
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All rights reserved.
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Accord Plug-in Hybrid
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Remember the first Honda
Accord Hybrid? Its combination of V6 engine and IMA electric
powertrain
looked a good idea to us then, but few people actually bought the car
because in real-world driving conditions its fuel economy benefit was
negligible. The failure caused Honda to skip the hybrid model in the
next generation (2007-2012) Accord and rethought its hybrid strategy.
It
concluded that the IMA's single small motor cannot attain as high
efficiency as the 2-motor system of Toyota. Moreover, it is not able to
provide full electric propulsion, which is deemed to be the main
attraction of hybrid cars. To leapfrog Toyota, Honda decided to turn
the new green Accord into a "Plug-in Hybrid". This is achieved by
installing a larger, 6.7 kWh
lithium-ion battery pack under the boot. It can be charged at home for
a few hours and provide an EV range of 13 miles (20 km), good enough
for most short commutes aroudn town.
To optimize fuel economy, the engine is downsized to a 2.0-liter i-VTEC
four-pot, and it runs at Atkinson cycle like rivals to improve thermal
efficiency further – therefore the 13.0:1 compression is misleading. It
could have been even more efficient if direct injection was present.
Maybe Honda has yet to develop to that stage. Maybe it wants to limit
costs. Whatever reasons, it is not as advanced as the HSD system used
on Lexus IS300h. Fortunately, the electric system is as good as
Toyota's, because it follows the latter to use 2 motors. The more
powerful one (166 hp and 226 lbft) is used to provide propulsion.
Another
is smaller and works solely as generator. It goes without saying the
use of two different size motors allows them to be optimized for their
purposes, thus improve efficiency. The large propulsion motor
compensates for the engine's relative lack of punch (141 hp and 122
lbft), resulting in a combined maximum of around 200 horses. Okay, you
can't get 200 hp for top speed run because the electric power fades out
at high rev. Moreover, such power is not sustainable as the battery
will run out quickly. Still, it gives the car good overtaking power in
occasions you need, plus the ability to sprint from 0-60 mph in 7.7
seconds. That is about the same time as the conventional 2.4-liter
Accord. Of course, the biggest benefit over the regular Accord is fuel
economy. Its EPA rating is 47 mpg city and 46 mpg highway, a dramatic
improvement from 27 mpg and 36 mpg, respectively. In real-world
testing, Car and Driver observed 42 mpg, so the fuel saving is real.
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That said, we found the Accord Plug-in Hybrid harder to love
than the regular car. There are several reasons: Firstly, its special
front grille looks rather disgusting, lacking the advanced and tasteful
design that we expected for a hybrid. Secondly, its boot space is
reduced by half, blame to the relatively large battery. Thirdly, it
weighs 200 kg more
than the regular 2.4EX, even though the bonnet, front subframe and rear
bumper beam have been changed to aluminum items. This hurts its
handling, leading to looser body control and earlier understeer.
Moreover, the use of low rolling resistance tires reduces its grip,
while the retuned steering gets even lighter and less inspiring. And
this is downgraded from a baseline that we described "a tad too soft to
delight us" in the previous review. Lastly but not least, the Plug-in
Hybrid is too expensive. It costs some $40.5K in the US market before
the government incentive of $3600. That compares unfavorably to the
$25.5K price tag of 2.4EX. If it looked more unconventional and
classier than the lesser Accord, we might think it is worth
consideration. Since it isn't, its price premium is hard to swallow.
Even if you put fuel economy on first priority, there are cheaper ways
to achieve your goal, such as
buying a Toyota Prius. That car also looks smarter.
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Verdict: |
Published
on 17
Dec 2015
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All rights reserved.
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Accord facelift (2015)
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The current Accord has
always been a good car – good to drive, comfortable to travel and even
better to own due to its high reliability and fuel economy. However,
one thing it does lag behind the competition is styling, which is too
soft and dull. In 2015 Q3, Honda gave it a desperately needed facelift.
A new front grille, restyled front bumper and new taillights do wonder
to the visual effect, giving it more character and finally a sense of
elegance. Meanwhile, premium models also received eye-catching 5-spoke
alloy wheels at 19-inch diameter (as pictured), which finally fill the
wheel wells full, and are shod with low-profile 235/40R19
rubbers. These mods might sound minor, but they make a big difference
to
our eyes.
As the Accord driver is no longer laughed for poor taste, he can
concentrate more on driving and enjoy the high refinement offered by
the powertrain and the suspension. The update touches neither the
existing 2.4-liter four-port engine nor the very powerful 3.5-liter V6,
There is really no need, as the competition has yet to surpass them.
Industrial trend talks about downsized turbocharged engines, but very
few can actually beat the Honda’s fuel economy numbers, thanks to
the latter’s CVT. We don’t like CVTs, of course, even though Honda’s
unit is better than most. Fortunately, the Accord is still the last
remaining family car that offers a 6-speed manual gearbox for
enthusiastic drivers, and it is an excellent one. And most important,
it is not only available to smaller engines – as in the case of many
European cars – but also the top V6. So fuel economy or fun is up to
you.
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The outdated interior design is another weak link of Accord.
However, as this is not a full redesign, it gets only some new trims
and added infotainment functionality, such as Apple Carplay and Android
Auto. Frankly, that’s an area I have absolutely no interest to spend
time.
It is better to turn our attention to the chassis. All models now get
an aluminum bonnet to save 8 kg from the front axle as well as higher
performance dampers. Apart from the aforementioned 19-inch wheels and
low-profile tires, premium models get also a
slightly reinforced chassis, 2-mode amplitude reactive dampers and
hydraulic bushings on rear subframe to sharpen handling a little at
minimal expense of ride quality. However, the Accord remains a
well-judged balance between ride and handling. It is not the sportiest
car in the class, which has to be Mazda 6, but it is more enjoyable to
steer than most others. This hasn’t changed in the mid-life update.
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Verdict: |
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Accord 2.4 EX
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2012
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Front-engined,
FWD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel |
4860 / 1850 / 1465 mm |
2775 mm |
Inline-4
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2354 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, VVT, VVL
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DI |
185 hp
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181 lbft
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6-speed manual or CVT
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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215/55VR17
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1482 (6M) / 1513 (CVT) kg
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-
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6M: 6.6*
CVT: 7.7* / 7.7**
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6M: 17.9*
CVT: 19.8* / 19.6**
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Accord 3.5 EX-L
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2012
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Front-engined,
FWD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel |
4860 / 1850 / 1465 mm |
2775 mm |
V6, 60-degree
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3471 cc |
SOHC 24 valves, VVT+L
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- |
Cylinder deactivation
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278 hp
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252 lbft
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6-speed automatic
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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215/55VR17
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1614 kg
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-
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5.6*
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13.9*
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Accord Coupe 3.5 EX-L
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2012
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Front-engined,
FWD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel |
4806 / 1850 / 1435 mm |
2725 mm |
V6, 60-degree
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3471 cc |
SOHC 24 valves, VVT+L
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- |
-
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278 hp
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251 lbft
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6-speed manual
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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235/45VR18
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1542 kg
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-
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5.6*
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13.4*
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Performance
tested by: *C&D, **MT
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Accord Plug-in Hybrid
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2013
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Front-engined,
FWD |
Steel monocoque |
Mainly steel |
4915 / 1850 / 1465 mm |
2775 mm |
Inline-4, Atkinson cycle + electric
motor
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1993 cc |
DOHC 16 valves, VVT
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Engine: 141 hp
Motor: 166 hp
Combined: 196 hp |
Engine: 122 lbft
Motor: 226 lbft
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CVT
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F: strut
R: multi-link
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225/50VR17
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1715 kg
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-
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7.7*
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22.1*
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Performance
tested by: *C&D |
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Copyright©
1997-2015
by Mark Wan @ AutoZine
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