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Posted on 12/08/2017 6:14:07 AM PST by gymbeau
New Honda Accord a major step backwards - and that's a good thing!
By Jim Bray
TechnoFile.com
It may not be back completely but, as evidenced by the newly redesigned 2018 Honda Accord, it looks as if the honoured Japanese carmaker is back on track. Or at least well on the way.
I've been particularly vociferous about my Honda angst in recent years. The company makes terrific cars - and they still do, for the most part - but somewhere along the way between adding all the new drivers' aids and pursuing ever more strict fuel economy mandates the company seemed to lose its way.
They also seemed to have fired some of their great designers of the past, as evidenced by the current generation Civic, one of the ugliest cars on the road today in any of its in-car-nations. I realize that beauty is in the eye of the key holder, and Honda's sales don't seem to have suffered a whit just because I've been poking at them with a pointy stick but, to me, the company seems to have been sucked into a styling rut in recent years.
As I wrote in my review of the Civic Coupe in March of this year: "…there's something awry about today's Honda and it really has me scratching my head. Civics have always been cute, or at least inoffensive, but this current (tenth) generation - which includes sedan and coupe versions as well as this new hatch - is bloody ugly." I did also note, however that "Honda is only one of the Japanese carmakers currently over styling their vehicles (some Lexus and Nissan models come to mind as well), but the new Civics are full of creases and bulges that look almost as if it were designed by a committee of people who never spoke to each other." Or perhaps they just didn't like each other very much.
Methinks they may have started hanging out with each other again, however, because this new Accord, while not nearly as attractive as the one it's replacing, is a big step forward from the dumpy Civic and Accords of a couple of generations ago.
The 2018 Accord looks kind of like a hatchback, though it isn't, and it's mostly quite handsome. The creases and overall dumpiness have been minimized and the result is a modern-looking large sedan that'll probably garner all sorts of Car of the Year honours globally (though still not from me). The car is lower and wider than before - dare I say sportier? - with a longer wheelbase but shorter length overall, with a more aggressive mien than the nicer-looking but somewhat staid outgoing Accord.
Honda says this 10th generation of the Accord features a ground up redesign, with a more rigid body, new chassis design, and "two all-new, high-torque direct-injected and turbocharged engines, the world's first 10-speed automatic transmission for a front-drive car and a new generation of Honda's two-motor hybrid technology." There are also new safety, driver-assist and connected-car technologies.
Honda Canada's sample didn't have the new transmission; alas, it had a CVT and while it may not be as loud and obnoxious as some, it's loud and obnoxious enough, especially in Sport mode. At least it comes with paddles you can use to pretend it's a real automatic so you can take advantage of such stuff as engine braking on hills, etc.
The other transmission available is a six speed manual and if it's anything like the Honda six speeds I've driven in the past, it's a peach.
One thing you can't get this year is a V6 engine. Instead, there are two turbocharged four bangers, a 1.5 litre unit and a two litre one. Honda Canada's sample had the smaller of the two and, while I have yet to drive the larger one, I have to admit the only reason I knew I was driving the smaller power plant was because of the CVT, which is mercifully not available with the larger engine (you get to choose between the stick and the 10 speed). So that base engine is pretty darn good at moving this relatively large sedan along at a nice pace.
That 1.5 litre's output is 192 horses @ 5500, with identical torque available from 1600-5000 rpm. That doesn't seem like much these days, but I had no issues even though I subscribe to the "Tim the Tool Man Taylor" school of "More Power!".
That two litre unit, by the way, puts out what is probably a much more interesting 252 horses @ 6500 and 273 torquey things from 1500 - 4000 revs. That's getting close to traditional V6 territory: the V6 available in the all-new Toyota Camry, for example, is rated at more horses - 301 @ 6600 rpm - but less torque (267 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm).
Inside, Honda has addressed nearly all of my quibbles and complaints. Gone is the knob-less centre stack LCD screen that used to make you sweat blood to crank the audio volume or tune a station that isn't in your pre-sets, replaced with real knobs that not only work great but which also look really classy. My only quibble now - and it's a common one with non-Hondas, too - is that it's just a tad far away for my stubby little tentacles to reach with ease.
The new interface is logical and mostly easy to use, though busy, and if they'd chosen to make their virtual buttons a little bigger I'd say it was laid out well, too. On the whole, then, it's a wonderful change and I take off my hat to Honda for figuring this out. It would be even better if they'd attached it to a better audio system, but even here the Accord stereo - while kind of weak - is no worse than many others in this area of the marketplace.
The rest of the interior layout is fine, including the driving position and where Honda has mounted the rest of the buttons, stalks and the like. The rear seat seems a little smaller than in the last Accord, but it's still more than adequate for two and not excessively tight for three (depending on their size and odour).
Sport mode is the most entertaining, even with the CVT, and besides the normal mode there's also an eco mode. Lighting highlights on the instrument panel change to reflect your driving mood - green highlights for eco mode and red for sport.
The car, if you ignore the CVT, drives really nicely, with a taut but still comfy suspension, good handling, and very nice comfort for the occupants.
One of the things that's driven me (more) nuts about recent Hondas is their driver aids, which are really obtrusive - I've complained repeatedly about the BRAKE!! light that appears on the instrument panel when the car thinks you're about to rear end someone (even if you aren't); it not only comes on too early, it's bright enough to grab your attention off the road in front of you (undoubtedly its intent) - but if you're really about to slam into someone your eyes really should be looking outside rather than at the warning.
Fortunately, you can set the sensitivity and when I put it to its least obtrusive mode I didn't have any more issues - so either Honda has refined this or I've finally figured out their configuration menus. In fact, once I eased off all the nannies the car got much less annoying, except for the damn seatbelt warning that hollers at you if you dare unlatch the belt while the car is still in motion (even if it's in motion at a very slow speed while you're pulling into a parking space).
How about that? Honda is such a thoughtful company that it has not only designed a great new Accord, it also left in a couple of things (CVT, nanny) for me to whine about! Talk about a win-win situation!
The new Accord is also the easiest Honda for pairing my phone that I've experienced in a few years. Usually it takes at least two attempts and some cussing, but this time all was well the first time I tried it. Nice!
The 2018 Honda Accord, according to the company's Canadian website, starts at $28,326.25 CAD for the base LX and the price can rise to $40,626.25 for the top Touring 2.0 model. Honda Canada's sample, which was the base Accord Sedan Touring, lists for $37,626.25 (what's with the quarters?).
As someone who has been a Honda fan for many years, until recent years, it's great to see the company back on track with this new Accord. It isn't perfect, but what (besides my wife) is?
Copyright 2017 Jim Bray
TechnoFile.com
It’s nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parts are expensive, indeed. I’ve been lucky enough not to need any yet. I take my A4 to an aftermarket guy who specializes in German cars and he’s a real asset who has saved me money so far by recommending I don’t fix certain minor things until they become major. How’s that for an honest mechanic?
And so far nothing minor has become major. Meanwhile, that car never fails to put a smile on my face. V6, six speed manual, sport suspension - just a great driving car that, since it’s a wagon, you can haul stuff in.
That was a great car; first TL I drove. The new ones aren’t as nice. In that niche, if you’re looking for something new, why not look at a Kia Stinger, or the Jaguar XE or XF? The Mazda 6 is also very nice, though it needs a bit more power (which I understand is coming for 2018, thanks to the turbo four from the great CX-9) and Mazda seems to have an issue with rust (which may not affect you depending where you live).
Alas, there isn’t much Japanese I’d recommend these days. Lexus ES or GS? Great cars but not much passion to them and annoying interfaces.
Yeah, CVT’s suck the big one. I’d rather walk than own one.
And that Toyota Pious is indeed an assault on the eyes. Suprisingly nice to drive, though, other than the CVT. Still wouldn’t buy one...
That’s a masterpiece compared to the new one. I owned the generation you posted and for 48,000 miles it was fantastic. At 48,000.5 it told me it was retiring and left me on the side of the road. It had rusted out by then anyway.
Stupidly, I traded it for a rusted out 240Z - the perfect two seat transportation for a family of four....
Nice trucks, aren’t they.
Just hit 125,000 and it’s still handling the snow and ice very well.
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I’ll be doing an automatic mostly because my left knee is suspect (torn MCL). I had an Infiniti with the tightest clutch in the world and it was painful. I only found this one Audi in the price range and it is 2.5 hours away.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/716842736/overview/
Luckily, my son does all my repair work. My truck (2000 F150) is a manual and I love that clutch.
When I say newer i’m thinking more on the lines of a 2010 or so, when it comes to spending auto money i’m much more likely to spend 15,000.00 on a stroker engine for a classic car than I ever am to spend it on a daily driver.
I bought my TL for a winter beater for 1000.00 this past May, when I drove it I decided I liked it and because it was from Washinton St. and has zero rust I decided to drop a few bucks into it.The girl I bought it from hit a couple deer so the front bumper guard and right front fender were damaged. As always I never know when to stop so after replacing the bumper cover and the fender and having them color matched I then replaced sway bar bushings,new drilled rotors with ceramic pads,4 new struts,new wheel hubs and bearings,new end links,new ball joints and tie rods along with new timing belt,water pump and all new pulleys and because I have my own lift and do all the work myself I have a total of 3500.00 in the car that runs like it’s new.
I had a 1500GL
Forgot I also replaced the head lights, fog lights and the grill.
The car Jesus drove.
The Apostles had a Honda. In Acts, it records that the Apostles were all in one Accord.
“Doesn’t even save space on the console.”
Careful what you wish for. Next generation might require a smartphone app to operate.
Who is designing for Toyota now? The 4 Runner is butt ugly now, a huge square box, bug eye lights and the very tacky 4 Runner inscription on the back. Even the Lexus line has ugly front grills that say “Nope”.
That looks like a nice one. Audis have nice and light clutches, which comes in handy when my arthritis acts up.
Might be worth hanging onto.
Wouldn’t surprise me at all. They already have apps for remote starting, etc.
Yeah, Toyota, Nissan and Honda have all ruined their styling. They nearly screwed up the new Camry but it’s growing on me.
Except they’ve brought back those stupid “lawyer screens” on the LCD and they don’t shut off until you click “okay.”
Really annoying.
#30 & 34 Thanks. I will try this out.
I bet there are 10’s of millions of Honda owners who are frustrated by this.
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