Honda’s engineers hit a home run
Convenience and comfort are standard features
My family has a long history with the Honda Accord, as a string of the popular sedans and coupes populated our driveway for a number of years when I was growing up.
Early examples provided respectable performance and a new level of comfort for a Japanese product. My parents embraced the cars because of their reliability, impressive build quality, and obvious fuel efficiency.
It is these traits that have made the venerable mid-sized model a top seller for the Japanese automotive maker since its introduction to the North American market in the late-1970s.
Now in its ninth generation, the Accord is still available in both coupe and sedan form, but it is the latter that has captured the interest of Canadian buyers, thanks to the practicality of four doors and a spacious passenger cabin.
There are three powertrains to choose from on the Accord menu, including a 2.4-litre fourcylinder engine producing 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, a 3.5-litre V6 packing 278 hp and 252 lb-ft of torque, and a new hybrid offering that integrates a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine supported by a 124-kilowatt electric motor capable of generating 196 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque.
My test vehicle was a fourcylinder Touring model fitted with the optional continuously variable transmission, which proved to be one of the best examples of this technology I have ever operated. While a six-speed manual transmission is standard, I suspect that this efficient, and very quiet, automatic will be the transmission selected by most buyers.
The CVT is operated by using a console-mounted gear lever, but if paddle shifters are on your list of must-have features, you will have to order the Sport model.
Acceleration is surprisingly strong for a car with rather diminutive horsepower figures, but for those buyers looking for a little more grunt and a throaty exhaust note, Honda offers a V6 version of this same model mated to a traditional six-speed automatic transmission.
Under hard acceleration, the engine will seem a little stressed, as the CVT will cause the engine to explore the higher levels of the tachometer, but it is nowhere near as noisy as the same process in a Nissan product (such as the Altima). The Honda CVT seems to be able to find the rpm level where it wants the engine to operate much more quickly than its Japanese counterpart.
Buyers looking to maximize fuel efficiency without entering the hybrid camp will appreciate some of the engineering Honda has brought to the Accord platform.
The car features the company’s revolutionary Earth Dreams powertrain technology in an effort to improve fuel efficiency and maintain a high level of dynamic performance.
The low-friction engines have been engineered to be lighter and produce more torque, while the available transmissions have been designed to enhance acceleration and responsiveness through improvements such as wider ratios and sporty shift programming.
Pushing the ECON mode button makes the engine and other non-essential functions go from efficient to ultraefficient. The speedometer-surround features a green ring light which illuminates to indicate when you are operating the car in the most efficient manner possible.
The Accord rides on an independent suspension system which delivers a comfortable ride and helps the car feel very stable at speed.
The suspension is stiff enough to transmit subtle nuances to the driver through the seat and steering-wheel, and handling is crisp and predictable when cornering.
The presence of front and rear stabilizer bars and a front strut tower brace help the car track straight and true, and the Accord Touring feels planted to the road surface.
I found the car’s ride to be very smooth and composed, even when travelling over rough road surfaces, and the well insulated cabin managed to keep external noise to a minimum.
The styling of the Accord Touring’s interior is progressive, upmarket, and the level of fit and finish would be impressive even if the car was twice the price. The overall quality, look and feel of the materials used throughout the cabin is top-notch.
The cockpit features an uncluttered, compact gauge cluster and a four-spoke steering wheel loaded with secondary controls. The centre stack is a futuristic design complete with soft-touch controls and a touch-screen display.
The overall design and layout of the passenger space is pleasing to the eye and touch and I found all switchgear, gauges, and controls to be easy to find and intuitive to use.
The front seats are comfortable and spacious enough for my 6’2” oversized frame, and the two outboard rear positions offered me a satisfactory level of comfort. There is enough headroom in the rear compartment to permit adult passengers up to six feet tall to be comfortable.
Outward visibility is exceptional, as the car features extra large windows and narrow roof pillars.
The hood falls quickly out of the driver’s view and both the side and rear-view mirrors effectively abolish blind spots.
Honda has packaged the Accord with a long list of standard comfort, convenience and safety features, but the upgrade for the Touring package will set you back a further $6,755. This premium adds such niceties as LED headlights and tail lights, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a proximity key entry system.
Interior improvements include push-button start, power moon roof, driver’s seat-position memory, power adjustable front passenger seat, heated rear seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather-trimmed seating.
The audio system gets upgraded to include a subwoofer, as well as HondaLink and SiriusXM. HondaLink connects drivers to a selection of cloud-based media using voice recognition, a touchscreen controller or steering wheel-mounted secondary audio controls.
There are lots of players in the mid-size arena, but the Honda Accord deserves a spot on your short list if you are looking for a car with impressive efficiency, obvious build quality, and very attractive pricing.