Road Test: Honda Accord Euro

Review by Feann Torr - 23/December/2008

Most days I ride my bicycle to work. It's dangerous, it's dirty, it often ends with me shaking my fist at fellow road users and vice versa. 

But not today.

Today I'm driving the Honda Accord Euro to work. Not because I'm feeling lazy, or because I want to avoid the unseasonably wet weather.

In fact, it's not even because I'm obliged to review the car.

I'm leaving the bike at home and driving the Accord Euro to work today because I want to. 

Most of the time I'm sitting behind a desk studying Ebay and researching Youtube, so I have to get exercise somewhere, but punting Honda's new car around - even in hazardous commuter traffic - is such an enjoyable, calming experience.

When Honda first launched the Accord Euro in Australia in 2003, it found a lot of friends and was roundly praised by the motoring media.

Sales have been strong for the first generation model (current financial crisis notwithstanding) and as such there's a lot of pressure on the new model to perform. 

Does Honda's second generation Accord Euro live up to expectations? Let's take a closer look:

Drive: 4/5

There I was, cruising down the freeway at just over 100 clicks when the driver of a nondescript Hiace -- gas-bagging on his mobile phone -- slowly but surely proceeds to encroach into my lane.

Thankfully for me the horn on the Accord Euro lives up to the name. It's a Euro horn and it works well.

In all honesty though, it was long before almost being wiped out by a delivery van that I realised Honda has achieved something very special with the Accord Euro.

Not more than two minutes after collecting the keys to the range-topping Honda Accord Euro Luxury and I was quite shocked at how smooth and sophisticated it felt on the road.

I hadn't stuck the boot in, I hadn't hit any sharp corners; just cruising down the road at 60km/h, stopping twice at the traffic lights and navigating one roundabout.

Already it was abundantly clear that Honda had built an exceptionally good vehicle that stands head and shoulders above most of its rivals. It's significantly better to drive than the Mazda6 and is better than the dynamic Ford Mondeo to boot.

Truth be told, my initial thoughts were that the Accord Euro felt more like a luxury German car than something manufactured in Japan. 

The rebound and compression damping levels of the shock absorbers are so well tuned that the car is very responsive to steering input but shields occupants against the majority of crags, pot holes and undulations in the road.

It glides down the road like a Wedge-tailed eagle fringing a thermal. And the Luxury Navi model we tested rode on 18-inch alloy wheels with fairly low profile 235/45 R18 tyres, which makes this feat even more impressive.

Turning corners and backing out of the driveway reveal direct steering that is well weighted; the car feels sharp when turning through corners and the impressive adaptive electric power steering ensures the car is almost effortless to drive.

The precise, somewhat light steering will suit control freaks and together with good throttle response and improvements in power and torque, the Accord Euro can be hustled along with relative ease.

I would have preferred to drive the manual model, but Honda expects that most buyers will choose the 5-speed auto and at the end of the day it's not a bad choice really.

With intelligent shift patterns the gearbox rarely bogs down or chooses the wrong ratio for the situation, and there's even paddle shifters should you be in a sporting mind.

The ride quality in the new Honda mid-sizer is best in class, no contest. The ride is compliant and smooth yet the handling compromise is so masterfully tuned that if you want to go for a serious drive on winding roads you won't be left feeling cheated.

When you find some nice twisting roads, activate the paddle shift mode and start turning up the heat, the Accord Euro responds emphatically.

Body roll is kept to a minimum which allows you focus on your line through a corner and the sharp steering lets you smoothly carve your way through corners almost like a hot hatch. 

The wide 235/45 tyres surrounding 18-inch rims provide excellent grip and the 2.4-litre engine develops an accessible band of midrange torque to shift the Honda's 1605kg mass.

Compared to its predecessor however, the second generation Honda Accord Euro is bigger and heavier and you do notice this. 

The Honda sits in the medium car segment, but is almost as wide and not much shorter than Holden's Commodore. 

The Commodore is 4.89 metres long and 1.89 metres wide and takes up a fair bit of room in the car port. Clearly it's a large car. But this Japanese mid-sizer is not far off the pace at 4.74 metres long and and 1.84 metres wide. 

Interestingly, the Accord Euro is placed in the Large Family Car class in Europe.

At times performance does feel somewhat blunted by the cars increased size and weight, but on the whole it's got a fairly sporty feel; when you sink the boot in it responds.

Being a larger car the Accord Euro benefits in terms of interior space. But is there such a thing as too big? It certainly feels bigger on the road and takes up more space than its predecessor, which isn't always a good thing.

While it handles like a dream, it feels less nimble in tight areas and parking it isn't as easy. So-so rearward vision also doesn't do it any favours in crowded areas and busy car parks.

The front vented discs measure 320mm and rear solid discs have a 305mm diameter. For the most part the brakes feel quite strong. In everyday conditions they are responsive and feel reliable but do strain when you turn up the wick, overcook several corners and have to repeatedly crush the brake pedal in a panic.

Despite being a front-wheel drive vehicle, the big Honda has progressive turn-in and when accelerating through corners it doesn't tend to push wide or understeer too much.

What Honda has achieved here is sensational. It's a car that's pleasant to drive, and so quiet and seamless, yet with the best ride-handling compromise I've ever come across.

It outdoes cars that cost twice as much in terms of ride refinement and for a car that doesn't feature an adaptive suspension system it's absolutely brilliant.

And what's not to like about a talking car? Satellite navigation instructions are one thing, but if you engage the hand brake when you're still rolling, as I somehow discovered, a female voice pleasantly asks you to "please turn off the handbrake". Good advice.

If it could tell the kids in the back to shut up it would have scored five out of five.

Engine: 4/5

As regular Motoring Channel readers may know, I'm not the world's biggest fan of the classic automatic gearbox. Truth be told, I'd take a manual cog swapper over anything else, even the newer twin-clutch jobbies like Mitsubishi's SST.

Automatics tend to instill lazy driving behaviour and most pilfer power from the engine via a torque converter, but even I have to admit that the new 5-speed auto welded into the Accord Euro's driveline is a good fit.

Making the most of the revised 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine's 148 kilowatts of power, the 5-speed auto gearbox goes about its business like the rest of the car's components: seamlessly and with remarkable levels of refinement.

It's not the fastest gear shifter on the market but it's not the slowest either and as mentioned it suits the Honda Accord Euro Luxury's premium persona. The tiptronic override mode with paddle shifters can be fun to use too.

But it's the engine that is the most impressive element of the powertrain, developing high levels of both torque and power from its relatively meagre 2.4-litre displacement.

Peak power of 148kW hits the skids @ 7000rpm but if you don't feel like revving the engine don't worry because there's plenty of low end torque to drag the car along.

Peak torque of 230Nm occurs @ 4200rpm, but the engine still has plenty of pull from 2500rpm and in everyday operation it's an absolute delight to interact with.

The car really starts to move when the tach needle passes 4000rpm and between 5500rpm and 7000rpm the Accord Euro moves like it was a V6. 

Real world fuel efficiency takes a hit compared to the previous model, largely because of the extra weight. Honda claims an 8.9L/100km average, but we recorded an average figure of 9.6L/100km at the end of the test.

It's very efficient on the freeway, but stop start traffic pushes the economy out, as does hard driving down winding roads.

Throttle response is keen and though the gearbox isn't as quick to react as the engine, the setup works well and can shift the Accord Euro's 1.6 tonne mass very swiftly.

If you ever get the urge for some spirited driving, the paddle shifters will come in handy.

The gear changes aren't lightning quick - they pale in comparison to the twin-clutch transmissions - but the tiptronic system does give you a lot of control over the engine. 

Using the the paddles is very simple: the right one upchanges, the left one downchanges. Best of all though is that the system holds gears all the way to the rev limiter which means you can be sure it won't change gears mid-corner.

Exterior: 3.5/5

Honda's new Accord is an interesting design. It's very angular and has a style that comes from a completely different philosophy than its smooth and curvaceous rival, the Mazda6.

From where I sit, the sharp angles look good and give the car a premium look, opposed to the Mazda6's hyper futuristic aesthetic.

Proportionally the Honda Accord Euro is spot on; it's got very appealing lines and creases that flow through the slightly flared wheel arches. Packaged with 18-inch alloy wheels it sits on the road very nicely too.

The Luxury Navi model on test also gets HID (high intensity discharge) xenon headlights.

There is a lot to like about the Japanese/Euro design, yet there's something peculiar about the the design that I can't quite put my finger on.

Perhaps it's still a bit new and more time needs to pass before the design settles in, or maybe it's not quite as appealing because the new style is not as wildly different as we've come to expect from new cars.

The front end features the same hard lines from the previous model and the biggest difference between the first and this second generation Accord Euro are probably the headlight clusters.

The projector beams return, but the overall shape of the headlight lens is more dynamic, more progressive.

Viewed from the side, the car's profile is text-book "modern sedan". It's got a large greenhouse, mid-length bonnet and short boot, all topped off with a high window line and tall doors that add a bit of prestige to the car's overall look.

Like the front end design, the rear has similarities to the previous model Euro with the main design element - the brake lights - executed with a more dynamic, more angular aesthetic.

The twin exhaust pipes have returned, informing following road users that this is not a regular 4-cylinder vehicle.

Interior: 4.5/5

We tested the range-topping 'Luxury Navi' Accord Euro variant, which has one of the best interiors we've seen from a Japanese car maker - save for the Lexus LS600hL.

It's roomy, its comfortable, and the ergonomics are almost perfect which means you rarely have to move your eyes away from the road or move your hands off the steering wheel to adjust controls or toggle settings.

Even the design of the interior makes you raise your eyebrows (in a good way) showing off swoopy dash elements that curve down into the centre console, framing it and the dashboard stylishly.

You're greeted with form-fitting electrically adjustable and heated leather front seats as you step into the Honda, which provide excellent support thanks to mild lateral bolsters that extend all the way up to the shoulders.

The next thing you notice is the steering wheel, which is festooned with controls for almost everything: trip computer, stereo, cruise control and so on.

Behind the steering wheel is the instrument display which is easy to read at a glance but suitably sophisticated.

The needles of the dials appear to 'float' as they are not hinged centrally - at least not visibly - which gives the car high tech optics.

It's a very classy setup and watching the needles swing around for the first time as you accelerate is quite a sight.

Little touches like these technical dials make some European cars look out of date; located inside the large speedometer ring is the MFD (multi function display) and trip computer and it all comes together very nicely, providing the driver with a unique layout.

The Accord Euro Luxury Navi also gets a sunroof, automatic headlights, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and a sunroof.

Dual zone automatic climate control is a useful addition and as mentioned the centre console looks classy and has plenty of switches, dials and buttons.

The dash material is comprised of an ultra-soft rubbery plastic which is another nice touch, and in general the quality of materials used in this vehicle are above par. 

However the plastics around the doors leave a little to be desired and are perhaps one of the few not quite 'brilliant' aspects of the car.

On the inside of the drivers door there's also a plethora of clearly-labelled controls for windows, mirrors, and other handy shortcuts such as deadlocking the car, opening the fuel filler and electric seat memory presets.

Satellite navigation is offered as well - it's about a $3,000 premium over the standard 'Luxury' model. 

At first I thought the sat nav looked a bit dated and was difficult to use, but with practice it becomes more accessible and the level of detail isn't that bad in hindsight and the instructions are vivid.

Using a rotary controller or dial and enter/cancel buttons, the sat nav and other ancillary functions are easily accessed. The system works in a similar vein to BMW's iDrive system but is more intuitive.

The vehicle also features motion/proximity sensors that alert you to obstacles when you're reversing or performing slow speed maneouvres, complete with visual alerts on the MFD to tell you which corner of the car is getting close to an object.

Some of the extra features that come with the sat nav pack include a calendar and even a calculator, which is a novel idea. It actually came in handy a few times and was good for doing fuel sums and works surprisingly well via the main input dial.

The driver is treated to an impressive array of gadgets with high levels of functionality, but there's also a lot of room in this car.

Even rear seat passengers get treated to considerable leg room, making this a car more versatile than it's 'mid-sized' label suggests.

With bags of cabin space for all sizes or driver and a sizable 467 litre boot, there's no doubting that this vehicle is bigger than its predecessor. But is it too big? 

It certainly feels bigger on the road which isn't always a good thing. It feels less nimble in tight areas and parking it isn't as straightforward as it was with the previous model. Proximity sensors or not, you have to be more careful when parking it.

Safety systems include six airbags, including full length front/rear curtain airbags, plus stability control (VSA or vehicle stability assist in Honda speak) which are all standard across the range. Active front head restraints, ABS and an alarm system round out the safety features.

Overall: 4.25/5

Honda's new Accord Euro is one of the best front-wheel drive cars I've ever driven. Period.

The build quality is very good and everything about it feels very luxurious and highly refined; it feels more European than it does Asian which is a testament to Honda's engineering and manufacturing processes.

Though it does feel much larger, the Accord Euro still drives like a dream and the revised 4-cylinder engine is one of the best naturally aspirated 4-bangers we've tested at the Motoring Channel.

Sales of mid-sized cars are plumetting during the current financial turmoil, which is bad for car makers but good for you as you can probably wrangle a better deal on a new model. And I suggest you do so, because these things are smooth like automotive silk.

The Honda Accord Euro is hard to fault; it looks good, drives superbly, and is probably much less stressful than riding a tredley through commuter traffic.