Honda Accord test drive coming up.
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I am very happy to report that I just took delivery of a shiny new Honda Accord.
As usual, I will drive it for a week, and tell you all about it.
It is a loaded Touting model with the 2.0 Liter Turbo and a 10 speed automatic.
Feel free to ask me anything you would like to know about it.
Driving wise, very nice and sporty but great ride too. Looks is another thing however. The sloping coupe look of a liftback without the functionality of extra cargo space is massive disappointment. Also, the front grill is not complete and the rear quarter panel looks awkward.
My wife & I are planning to get one in July, specifically the Cosmic Blue EX-L 2.0 T when we hope more incentives are available. We have yet to test drive one. We did look at new Mazda6 Turbo, but the back seat is rather small. My wife did not like the dashboard on the Mazda either (tis complicated — don't ask.) For the Accord, how quiet is it inside? What is the real world gas mileage? Any insight would be helpful. Thank you.
I agree with Harry_Mild. Great car, almost a benchmark for many. Looks are a bit awkward.
Sales are dismal. Buyers are flocking to the Camry instead (probably because the Accord's styling is a big fail).
Dealers aren't able to move them in the kind of numbers they always enjoyed before.
How quiet would you say it is in comparison to a BMW 3-Series or Mazda6?
I just have a few notes after driving it most of the day:
– It is quieter than the 3 series 2.0. (itself not a noisy car) And much quieter than the Mazda6.
– So far I have been able to average 21MPG in the city. (A little less than the 22 advertised)
– I think it actually looks great in person. And quite large.
– The back seat is as roomy as a full size sedan.
– Fantastic steering and smooth ride. Both slightly on the sport side. Both much nicer than the Mazda 6.
– Everything is very intuitive. You have this "at home" feel right away about everything.
– Yes, sales are lower than the Camry, and lower than they expected. But still not bad with over 61 000 for 2018 so far. (90 000 for the Camry)
-So far this is truly a great car.
Looking great from that angle – nice shot
I just picked up an EX-L with the 2.0 t. Great car, so far I've been able to be very close to EPA numbers without really trying (500 miles so far). I cross shopped this with the Camry, 330i, ATS, Regal, IS300. There was some crazy deals ATSs and 330i loaners (2017 models), but ultiamtely I went new. The interior of the EX-l was larger and nicer the the 330i, with way more gadgets. The infortainment is andorid based and looks great, very fast, and pretty easy to use. There was basically no learning curve for any basic function, and digging around is very easy. The 2.0t pulls hard, the 10 speed is very smooth and well programmed. I like the Camry but there were some cheap bits to the interior (door panels), and the suspension on the Accord seemed better damped. ATS interior disqualified it but it was the best driver. The IS has no deals, they wanted into the 30s for a CPO. The Regal got expensive fast, and the Camry V6 was also too expensive compared to the 2.0t. Initially, dealers were willing to offer money but Honda had no incentives and high interest rates, they recently introduced some low interest rates which is why I made the decision. I almost went with a 330i thinking I would appreciate the awd and sportiness, but was somewhat disappointed. It drove well but had lifeless steering, a dated interior, and no gadgets even at $46k. The fake leather it came with was also embarrassingly bad.
You mentioned the noise level in comparison to the Mazda 6, but have you driven the updated 2018 6 yet? It is supposedly much quieter than the 2017. Really interested in seeing you review the 2018 6 turbo also Vince.
Vince, please also comment on Accord versus Regal, thanks!
The Accord is NOT losing sales to the Camry because of its looks. If you think the Camry looks better than the Accord, you are just wrong. I'm sorry, but what a gross looking car. There is no cohesion at all with the Camry's front end.
The Accord's brow is polarizing, but at least it flows and makes sense with the rest of the face.
The Accord isn't selling well because Honda isn't putting big discounts and lease deals on the hood. It just a more expensive vehicle, and between the two brands in this segment, value and price are key. Your average cam-cord buyer don't give two craps about how a car looks.
It really amazes me the dissonance between online commentators and real consumers when it comes to car aesthetics. If people cared that much about how a car looked, everyone would be driving Mazdas (they're not).
It is so almost cartoonish, when people repeat as their own ideas headlines pushed to the media by Honda. What lack of big discounts are you talking about dude? Accords have been selling at about 10% off MSRP. That is not enough? It is the design. Not that it is ugly, but kind of unusual for the older segment of its market. It is no longer conservative.