Friday, April 5, 2013

First Drive: 2013 Honda Accord Sedan


The Honda Accord has been around since 1976. On September 19, 2012, Honda released the ninth-generation Accord Sedan, with the Accord Coupe being released on October 15, 2012. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, Honda had only one model available for test drive, the Accord Sedan. To keep the line going, there were five Accords available for test drive. On day 5 of the Houston Auto Show, I took one out for a test drive. The Accord I drove came with a 2.4L I4 engine paired with a CVT automatic transmission. The Accord can come with a 3.5L V6 engine that can be paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. The six-speed manual transmission can also be paired with the 2.4L I4 engine. The Accord is a front engine, front-wheel drive mid-size car.

As far as exterior styling goes, there is nothing special about the Honda Accord. It is slightly more refined than the previous generation Accord. There is nothing special regarding the interior styling of the Accord. I have seen much worst interiors in other cars, but I have also seen much better interiors in other cars than in the Accord. The Accord does come standard with an 8" LCD screen, a single angle backup camera, dual zone automatic control. The optional navigation system includes a 6" touchscreen. Also available is a tri-angle backup camera and wide angle passenger blind spot camera. Safety features include an optional forward collision warning system, lane departure warning system, and blind spot monitor. The safety features do work and are noticeable on the test drive. I had a good amount out head room and leg room behind the wheel. The seat was comfortable.

The Honda Accord I drove came with the 2.4L I4 engine, paired with a CVT automatic transmission, that produces 185 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 mph. The Accord has a smooth ride, but it did not feel as a fast as some other cars I have driven. It was quiet inside the Accord during the test drive. Prices for the Accord start at $22,470. That is a reasonable price for a mid-size sedan.


The Honda Accord is not a bad car. It has a comfortable, smooth ride. The engine provides good power for being a 2.4L I4 engine. But I have only one word to describe the Honda Accord, boring. I was bored behind the wheel of the Honda Accord. The Accord did not feel as fast as the 0 to 60 mph time suggests. Cars that go from 0 to 60 mph in under 8.0 seconds have good acceleration. The interior has good features, but the layout and styling is nothing special. The exterior styling is bland. The Toyota Camry and the Nissan Altima were available for test drives as well. Both are mid-size sedans with standard I4 engine, but the versions of these two cars that were available for test driving came with the V6 engine. Why Honda decided not to have the V6 Accord available for test driving just does not make sense. If you are a car company and the only one model available for test drives, you should have it be the top of the line version. You want to get people excited and want them to enjoy their time behind the wheel of your car, bring out the most powerful version of that car. Honda only had the Accord available for test drives because all of the Honda's technology is available in the Accord. Still, it would have been nice to have the Civic, Insight, CR-V, CR-Z, and Fit available for test drives in addition to the Accord. If you want a reliable car that can get you from point A to point B, then give the Accord a test drive. If you want an everyday car that is fun to drive, then pass on the Accord. This was a boring car to drive.

CarJunkie
Photo was taken by a digital camera.
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