Model history and preview

Japanese products always were famous as innovative, outlandish and at the same time . Now I`m speaking about everything, whether it electronics, automobiles or even cuisine.

We can get acquainted now with an old traditional Japanese dish only with new cooking process and a bit more species which became favorite to the general public all over the world. Yes, I`m talking about new Honda Accord 2013 of ninth generation. Now it is mostly North American car and that`s why it become more spacious, luxurious and dynamic.

Few people know that first Honda Accord was a 3-door hatch and was released in far 1976. Also not many people remember that it was one of the most successful Asian cars of that time which amounted to a million items already after 4 years from start of production and had a prize “car of the year under $5000”. Oh, modern technologies and dollar inflation increased the price tenfold. But this is a lyrics.

Exterior

Exterior of new, ninth consecutive generation of legendary car, which was sold in 17,5 million items globally and 8 million only in USA should be recognizable and it really is. Somebody consider it even more simple comparatively to its predecessor, somebody seems in it something “Korean”. The same low grille and squinted a little bit headlamos making all the image. The bumper now is more flowing and slim which ads some sport touches to new apperance and visually make this car higher.

Rear side was changed drastically. Lamps had become more wide and big, with distinctive and sweeping lines of really big family sedan. The silver inlay along the trunk lid only finishes the calm and solid new philosophy of this car. But what else this car can boast with apart from new design direction?

Interior

The cabin contents continues the first impression of new modern, manufacturable and practical family sedan with pretensions of luxury class.

But, unfortunately, it is a first impression. After a closer look, you`ll be disappointed a little bit: plastic is stiff and looking not perfect bright light. The central panel is combined of meny different color hues and buttons, even has two monitors. All this, apart from desire to provide you the best gamma of different options, make an impression of conglomeration.

Different by its structure and by touch plastic of black tones completes the ambiguity and gloominess of the Accord`s interior. But it can be nothing to people, who like Japanese ergonomics.

Armrest has specific undulating form to be more comfortable. Also the top package has the sunroof.

White leather upholstery in the cabin is available only in the highest package, Executive, but we can say without it Accord looks very good inside.

Unfortunately, you can have the window curtain for rear occupants only with 3.5L engine. But for people who will wander at the back seat have air vents of climate control, top light for reading and armrest. Back seat is not partly folding. You need to pull the lever in the trunk and then to fold the whole back sofa.

• Cabin Space. It is really very roomy and comfortable. When you see this car for the first time, it seems to be bigger inside that it actually is. Designers did their job good. Bigger wheelbase allows to place three rear occupants with top comfort for this class. But to the driver would be not very easy to adjust the electronic settings of the seat to have absolutely comfortable postition. It`s not for very tall men of 6.2″ and above. Thanks to very comfortable seats and active lumbar support, you won`t be tired, but you can catch the plastic panels with your knee every time you getting out from the car.

Main Features

• Multifunctional upper LCD-screen for easier sound and trip managing and for displaying the picture from right side mirror. Somebody will find such function useful, somebody won`t, it`s individually. But it`s not something revolutionary and extremely helpful.
• Nice cameras. To the above stated one we can add rear camera with nice viewing angle and almost not soiling.
• If you a fan of horror films and speed of the reverse gear is something for you, Honda Accord can please you with its more than 70 mph in reverse.
• New Eco-regime of driving. You can push the Eco green button on the left console from the steering wheel and the transimission would try to select the most economizing revs of the motor for best economy. It can save you 0,5-1 liter of gas per 100 km.

Usability & Suitability

• Boot Capacity. 495 liters without folded back seat. Not the biggest trunk in this class, but visually you would say it seems bigger. Maybe it is of more narrow hole of the trunk, which be not very suitable for transporting volumetric things. When you lay down the back seat, you`ll have small narrow tunnel to the trunk. It is very unconvenient to transport big loads there. Maybe only skiis.
• Suspension. McPherson in front. Multilink beam at the back. It absorbs little bumps very well and makes everything to deliver you maximum comfort from being inside. But as the minus we can admit that the suspension lose its sportive sharpness and responsiveness. It has much longer stroke and sofr settings, that`s why it “dives” into abrupt turns and fast interlane maneuvres. At the same time, settings doesn`t allow the car to roll and skid.
• Clearance. 14,6 mm. Such modest number just makes your car too low and city oriented.
• Soundproofing. Good, as it should to be in big family sedan. You can only hear a windshield wipers and big bumps on the road, but also hushfully. In addition, Honda propose new system of soundproofing which records the outside noise and replays it in antiphase on your sound system even if it is off. New solution, but engineers assuring that this can decrease noise on 3dB.

Engine/Transmission

• 2.4L gasoline V4. It has 180 hp and completes with 5-speed CVT automatic transmission. The powertrain is very smooth and comfortable. And it can provide up to 36 mpg consumption at the highway with 31 mpg combined. We`ve already said a lot about economy aboloties of this new engine. But it can`t be to wuick at the same time. 0-60 mph it reaches only in 10,1 seconds and at the speed of 70+ mph it accelerates too slow. In Sport modification it can be equipped with 6-speed manual transmission with, which can deliver much more dynamic and accelerate the car to 60 mph just for 9 sec without sacrificing the economy.
• At the top package EX, you can purchaseHonda Accord with 3.5L [email protected] hp and 252 lb-ft of torque. This monster can accelerate your car for 7 sec even on CVT. But the minus is the price of $55 000 and sufficient, but still decent, consumption (21 city/34 highway mpg).

Driving pleasure

This car is definitely for elder generation who wants confident and safety transportation with all modern gimmicks inside. This car can catch an eye of anyone, except racers and adrenaline-addicted. Smooth acceleration and almost perfect handling at any speed. Soft and comfortable seats can make you believe that you are a captain of the ship which is quickly passing the miles.

But the well-balanced suspension will not allow you to roll in the turns, which can be perceptible on bad roads when the vebration from imperfect surface translates into the cabin. And if you want more softer ride, pay attention to VW Passat. But ut is very doubtful without special tests and individual experience.

There is one specific moment. We are speaking all time about the “slowness” and regularity of this car on the road, but you gonna love this: it is faster than its main rivals: Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 and VW Passat altogether even with 2.4 engine. Despite it trailing behind them on papers and statistics, but real tests can reveal these prejudice. And that`s where we can compliment Honda`s engineers one more time. Accord has only 0,23 coefficient of drag and that is really brilliant. That`s why we have so eceonomical engine. Suspension is soft, that`s why we don`t feel the acceleration.

Modifications

• Sedan and coupe.

Power Ups in Comparing to Previous Generation

• Maybe we can say that it become bigger but it is not fair, because this car has pricipally new, own philosophy and is a new page in story about Accord.

Safety

• There were no special tests but we can state that this car is equipped by all necessary electronic systems to be downright safety. Safety is the first word in designing of this car, so be sure it is.

Known Lacks

• Absence of rear electronic windows.
• Low clearance for such big sedan.
• No diesel engines.

Cost of Service

• Now Honda is aimed on North American and CIS markets. That can tell us, this car should have cheap cost as for developing CIS market. In USA/Canada Japanese already have a tight network of service stations, so this is not a problem.

Owners` and Overall Opinion

If we refer to real owners, people are very glad to purchase Accord. But mosr of them didn`t but Honda before this car. As for owners of previous Accord generation owners and fans, they consider this car ver conservative and with “alien spirit”, don`t want to buy this car and criticise it without good reasons.

And you know what, I cought myself with the same emotions. When I saw this car for the first time I thought: “Oh, what a bore!”, when had a first ride, I thought: “Yes, it`s a real horse cart! Lame!”. I didn`t like the strange interior, inconvenient central panel, stupid two monitors and incomprehensible rear camera in the right side mirror.

But after a few days of driving I experienced a strange feeling. Suddenly a began to get used to it and such functions as ECO-regime with its green light of the speedometer, trip-computer rotary control, angular armrest and other stuff. It`s all became so close and indispensable that it was hard to leave.

That`s why I called the article “Quiet Revolution”. I think this car is new revolution in Accord`s history. It was not pompous and grand, but it is effective and really different.