Honda Accord
Not too fast, not too slow |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: Headroom is scarce. Feeling my hair brush against the headliner makes me feel claustrophobic.
G-FORCES: The base 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine is lively and smooth for its size. The V-6 available on higher trim models is very potent. The Accord feels smooth and solid, although handling on curves is squishy.
GIZMOLOGY: Controls are simple and understated. A narrow display screen in the center of the dash centralizes readouts for the radio and climate system. It's a nice solution to the overcrowding of the dashboard, without being gimmicky.
KID MARKS: There's enough space in the back for two kids to be comfortable but not so much that they'll get the urge to run around. Trunk space is adequate.
HOT OR NOT? Not. Exterior styling looks a bit dated. The face of the car is lean and swept, but the top and the rear are somewhat bubbly. Five years ago it might have looked sleek.
ENVIROMETER: Not yet given a "green vehicle" rating by the EPA. Mileage ranges from 21 mpg in the city to 34 mpg on the highway, depending on the engine.
CRASH COURSE: Not yet crash-tested by the government or by private testing organizations.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $16,260 to $28,360. Price as tested: $28,360. (All prices include delivery fees.)
MORE INFO: http://www.hondacars.com/
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Model year tested: 2003
Honda has done it again. The question is whether it has done enough.
The '03 Accord, redesigned for the first time since model year 1998, will no doubt please Honda acolytes who flock to the brand for its practicality, reliability, and plain old common sense. Like its ancestors, the new Accord will be more things to more drivers than virtually any other car. For barely $16,000, the entry-level DX offers comfortable five-passenger seating, a remarkably smooth and perky four-cylinder engine, and Honda's durable construction. At the other end of the spectrum, the EX is lavishly outfitted with enough pamper devices to qualify as an entry luxmobile. Upgrading to a rowdy, 240-horsepower V-6 adds some claws, and the optional voice-activated command system for radio, climate, and navigation controls makes the Accord one of the most sophisticated cars on the road.
The only problem? It's hard to get excited about the Accord. Honda executives had suggested they were planning to endow the new model with some sports-car personality, but they seem to have gotten cold feet. Yes, the Accord is stylish, and yes, it's plucky. But it's the automotive equivalent of your favorite cotton sweater–comfy and all-purpose, but familiar, if not boring. I spent a week driving the hottest Accord in the lineup, the fully loaded EX coupe with the muscular V-6, and it never really raised my pulse. It was fast but not particularly eager. The Accord was exceptionally smooth in most conditions, yet on moderate curves the coupe would roll a bit, and the tires would squeal, as if it just wasn't interested in spirited driving.
Honda knows how to build fun cars, as proven by the S2000 two-seat convertible and the feisty little Civic Si. The new Accord, by contrast, demonstrates that Honda is too conservative (or too smart) to mess with success. The Accord has been a perennial bestseller, and Honda is determined to maintain sales of 400,000 or more per year. So the automaker has risked no surprises that might alienate its loyal customer base. Even the new body design is so middling that many consumers may not even notice it's new. The most dramatic feature is a subtle crease that runs down the side of the car, a vague echo of the angular and edgy Cadillac CTS. That said, the Accord is a proficient automobile that will leave its owners with few complaints, except that maybe their driving experience lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.
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