Accord Couple sleek, sassy and safe
EX-L’s V-6 power, handling deliver smiles
Years ago, I traded in a red Honda Civic coupe for a twodoor Accord. So it was somehow fitting, and a bit of déjà vu, that recent tests took me from a red two-door Civic Si into a 2013 Accord Coupe.
The Accord I slid into was nothing like the one that graced my driveway years ago. New looks, advanced engines and a more luxurious interior all differentiate it.
The redesigned Accord coupe starts at $28,100 for the EX. The tester came in at $37,200 for the top-line, V6-powered EX-L Navi trim.
The coupe or the sedan version of the redesigned Accord is appealing. With its upswept accent lines and 18-inch alloy wheels, the coupe does pack a bit more sportier charm.
With an all-new bi-level honeycomb grille, the Accord’s front end definitely draws attention.
The EX-L V-6 also gets a few extra touches of panache. At the back are dual chrometipped exhaust pipes, in tune with the sportier nature of the larger engine; up front, projector beam LED headlights light the way.
Inside the EX-L V-6 with navigation, four separate levels of displays and controls crowd the centre stack. Up top, there’s an eight-inch LCD display, with a smaller screen just below for audio controls. The third level features climate controls and the final row controls the navigation, phone system and more via a central dial and several buttons.
It’s a bit much but doesn’t take a long time to master.
As for the rest of the cabin, the heated leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather seats add a little luxury.
The steering wheel felt great in my hands and its buttons and controls are easy to navigate. And through its centre is a nice view of a simple and nicely lit set of gauges and displays.
Unlike my four-cylinder old Accord, this had the much peppier 3.5-litre SOHC iVTEC V-6, with 278 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed manual transmission.
The engine, (V-6 or 2.4L four), and transmission advancements help to improve Accord’s fuel economy, which in the V-6 with a manual gearbox is rated at 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 7.1 L/100 km on the highway. After a week romping around Montreal in the White Orchid Pearl Accord, I averaged 10.9 L/100 km in a pretty even mix of city and highway cruising.
With all that extra V-6 power on tap, it was hard not to be left smiling after a drive in the Accord.
Being a coupe, getting into the rear seats to enjoy that ride is a bit more difficult. But you are rewarded back there with a comfortable position and decent leg room.
The Accord also introduces a host of safety features. They include forward collision warning, lane departure warning and the LaneWatch blind spot display, which uses a camera in the passengerside mirror that shows who or what is in your blind spot, in the main display screen of the centre stack.
The on-board systems will also read your text messages and emails for you. Technology, it seems, advances faster than you can get off the line with the Accord V-6.
Kevin Mio
Safety may be the best improvement
Within months of being on the market, the all-new 2013 Honda Accord earned the coveted Canadian Car of the Year prize, voted by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. It also earned top safety ratings and, more importantly, continued to hold the hearts of buyers.
While the previous generation’s styling was a bit inoffensive — it still had good driving dynamics and some character — it’s nowhere near as energetic as the latest iteration. The redesigned vehicle is appealing inside and out, but the driving experience has made the new Accord even more desirable. Here’s why: Safety. While my colleague, Kevin, has covered other aspects of the Accord Coupe, the best way to complement its stellar road and track manners are through its safety features.
The Coupe’s LED daytime running lights deliver stylish good looks but also help others see you. And if someone doesn’t see you, then the Advanced Compatibility Engineering II body structure, which does a few things.
One is to help avoid concentrated impact forces that cause injuries. But the impetus behind the technology is the recognition that collisions happen with all kinds and sizes of cars, thanks partly to the company’s highest-grade steel yet.
The Honda-exclusive ACE body design uses connected structural elements to distribute front-crash energy more evenly and help reduce the force transferred into the cabin, the automaker says.
The end result is helps keep the driver and occupants of either involved party as unharmed as possible.
The Accord also offers vehicle stability assist with traction control, four-wheel anti-lock braking with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist and more.
The White Orchid Pearl Accord Coupe’s true colours shine when you press the red start/stop button. Its 3.5-litre V-6 engine leaps to life, controlled by either a six-speed manual or automatic.
Revamping the cabin has resulted in a more effective and easier-to-use setup.
But the ride also sings the song. Stiff enough to be engaging in corners but soft enough for city cruising, the Accord suspension didn’t leave me wanting more. It’s a ride revived that makes for a good time.