Better Accord

Malaysian Business, May 16, 2008 by Abdul Razak Abu Chik

AFTER five years of highway purgatory, Honda drivers can now come out of their shell and embrace the latest Accord. The seventh- generation Accord, which they had to endure from 2003 to 2007, had plenty of good features but a pronounced ugly rear, which had blighted all that was good about the marque. Never mind, Honda buyers are known to be a loyal lot and any lost ardour is set to be reclaimed with the launch of its successor, the eighth-generation Accord back in the middle of March.

This eighth-generation Accord promises that it's not only more powerful; but also more fuel-efficient and environmental-friendly.

Honda Malaysia Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Atsushi Fujimoto, says the eighth-generation Accord was designed to exceed expectations with premium technologies. `Amongst the technical innovations,' he says, `are the fuel economic and environmental Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) System; the handling refining Variable Gear Ratio (VGR) Steering; the power transition-easing Shift Hold System; and further enhanced safety features'.

The all-new Accord has three variants: the enhanced 2.0-liter and 2.4- liter i-VTEC engines, which provide balance between performance and fuel economy; and the new 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 engine, the first ever and most powerful in the Accord line-up. The 2.4-liter i-VTEC model at 180 ps has the highest engine power of its class.

Following the launch, Honda Malaysia organised a full-blooded test drive for the motoring media. A combination of highway cruising and twisty stretches was laid out for the 284-km road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan. Only the 2.0-litre and the 2.4-litre models were provided for the event. We look at the 2.4-litre model this time around.

Styling

The boot shape and design makes up for all the ribbing Honda Accord owners have had to put up with for the past five years. It now looks more sedately stylish as opposed to fuddy-duddily foolish.

Styled in the traditional three-box shape of a sedan, the new Accord has a much thicker nose that extends forward in a rather aggressive stance. Its front corners have been cambered to show sleeky sportiness.

Its sides have more muscular shoulders, with the tyres pushed out for that solid and stable look. Somehow, one cannot help but think all cars look pretty much the same nowadays. Similarly, this new Accord will be mistaken for many competing makes, at least from the perspective of the driver coming up from the rear.

MB rating: ****

Interior

If you felt there was plenty of room in the previous Accord, there's a little bit more now. The floor height has been lowered and the legroom at the back has been extended. If you must park your arm unhindered at the rear, armrest spaces have been widened too.

Driver pampering begins with the sporty steering wheel design with `finger-friendly' paddle shifts to aid moving through the gears.

The center-stacked control panel may befuddle anyone without an aircraft captain's epaulet, as the buttons are indistinguishably flat and far too numerous - it does require some getting used to.

Comfortable cushioning leads to passenger pampering as transmission of harshness and vibrations has been cut out by the use of a floating sub- frame to better isolate the interior. Additionally, a new sound absorbing carpet deflects noise further.

MB rating: ****

Engine, Performance, Ride & Handling

The 2.4-litre engine for the new Accord continues with Honda's i- VTEC technology. Drivers get a five-speed automatic transmission that gives a smooth drive. The engine gives more power than the engine it replaces while meeting Euro-4 emission standards. On top of that, it gives an 8% improvement in fuel economy. On the test drive, there was quite a stir when one journalist pointed out that the fuel gauge meter hardly moved from the `F' mark when it was time for the second driver change in Temerloh - having covered just over 140km from Kuala Lumpur!

Handling has been improved largely from the new body and chassis design. Energy dispersion through the body frame design has aided this improvement, which also improves vibration transmission which dampens interior noise.

Optimisation of the frame design has increased torsional rigidity by 20%, resulting in the strengthening of all the suspension mounting points. The result is a more gutsy feel coming through the tyres, emphasising its performance characteristics.

MB rating: **** 1/2

Safety

Body integrity comes from the expanded and reinforced front structure. This spreads the impact energy over a larger surface area for efficient energy absorption and dispersion. The integrated frame members disperse the impact energy, which is then absorbed by the collapsing engine compartment. The amount of high tensile steel used has been increased, helping to reduce weight while enhancing collision-cushioning performance.

Active headrests reduce neck injury in rear impacts. It works through the pushing up of a plastic plate in the seat upon impact, providing support as the occupant presses against the seat back.