Honda Accord

The Honda Accord has two types of body: a four-door (Sedan) and family (Tourer).

The range of engines consists of three variants, a 150 hp diesel and two petrol 156 and 201 hp. Regarding the 2003 model, the 2008 Accord has several changes in the engines.

Since January 2009 is available with an automatic diesel engine. Honda is the first in which there is this combination (more on the auto box). With this change, which costs € 2000, the benefits and consumption slightly worse (comparative data sheet) but the driving is much more comfortable.

It is an automatic torque converter with five relationships. It has two operating modes, normal and a sport in which changes occur to a higher gear later. Behind the wheel are some keys to select gears manually, you can use either in normal mode and in the sport, the difference is that in the normal, the box is now automatically after changing it manually.

We have thoroughly tested the diesel version of 150 hp with manual transmission. With this engine the Honda Accord has a good performance and a pleasing performance.

Honda Accord. 2008El Accord range is generally not of those cars perfectly isolating the occupants from the outside, not so much noise that may give the diesel engine (which is only noisy in town), but because road noise is higher than usual especially in rough asphalt road. It is not a defect because it disturbs when traveling, but it is a characteristic that distinguishes it from the saloons quieter, like a Citroën C5.

The suspension, which is pulling hard to contribute to the Accord is stable, to have accurate feedback because the occupants are not completely isolated from the potholes. Without reaching the point of a Mazda6 agility, the Accord responds in any type of driving.

The interior of the Accord I liked. One of the best things about the Accord is the driving position, especially for those who prefer to sit relatively close to the floor (a quality that is being lost in Berlin today). I also liked it for its quality of finish.

One drawback is that some may find the steering wheel and console with many buttons to deal with. However, it is not hard to get used to handling them because they are logical and orderly way, for their position, they are accessible (neither one nor the other case, for example, in the middle of the console of a Citroën C5).

The voice recognition system is poorly resolved. Among other things, this system serves to connect the phone to connect "Bluetooth" in the car and its handling is complicated.

Honda Accord. Range 2008Sin be a particularly large car, has room for four occupants. The boot capacity (image) of the family is lower than the sedan (395 versus 460 l l). This is because the family has a double bottom on the floor of the trunk (image) with 53 l, which does not account for the calculation of total volume.

We have not tested the lighting system as standard. The alternative system (available depending on the level of equipment), has the disadvantage that only uses for xenon lamp. The light beam crossing is very good, but the long-range (road) is poor and of a yellowish hue.

Price and some new equipment

The most affordable Accord Sedan (2.0 i-VTEC Elegance) costs € 26,200, the most expensive (2.4 i-VTEC Luxury Innova) 38,600 €.

Honda Accord. Gama family 2008La version (Tourer) costs between 1300 and 1800 € (depending on equipment) than the four-door.

The four-door version Diesel cheaper cost € 27,900. It is therefore less expensive than an Alfa Romeo 159, Audi A4 or a Volkswagen Passat. A Mazda6, a Renault Laguna and Toyota Avensis is a little cheaper.

The Accord can have a range of modern equipment, not always interesting. One is the support to stay in the lane (LKAS 'image). It is designed to avoid inadvertently leaving the lane expressways. In case the car goes beyond the lane unintentionally (ie, without the driver has activated the flashing), the correct path address to a limited extent (on a mountain road, for example, would not work).

It is not a device to drive the car alone, in fact, for about 12 seconds if the driver does not touch the steering wheel, a warning, audible and visual call your attention prior to deactivate the system. To recognize the lines of the road, the system uses a camera behind the windscreen, the Volkswagen Passat CC has a similar system (see video).

Another relatively new equipment is a radar sensor on the front of the vehicle. In the Accord, this system provides two utilities. First, allow an active cruise control (ACC) and second, and most importantly, a protection system before the collision ( "CMBS"). The device itself is interesting: it calculates the distance that the vehicle is above, as the relative velocity between them, and warns the driver before the collision occurs (see video). If a collision is likely, prepares occupants to minimize the effects of an accident, among other things, tense seatbelts.

Honda Accord. The Accord range 2008Todos have automatic connection of lights and wipers, developer of speed, automatic dimming interior mirror, Bluetooth connectivity for mobile phones, computer and USB and auxiliary inputs for external music players.

Honda has not taken advantage of to add items of equipment such as automatic door locks, electric handbrake or adaptive lighting.

Other information

Unlike the Accord, the new has the same wheelbase version with either pair Sedan body, as for the Tour (more on the chassis of the Honda Accord).