Road Test: Honda Accord Euro

By Feann Torr - 8/June/2005 

With strong competition coming from the reliable Mazda6 and Subaru's well sorted and diverse Liberty range, you'd think that Honda's mid-sized sedan would be on the back foot.

Yet despite Mazda and Subaru's highly competent vehicles, the mild update made to Honda's strong-selling luxury sedan makes the car even better, and more than a match for its Japanese sparring partners.

Celebrating its 30th birthday in 2006, the Honda Accord nameplate has a strong tradition of quality engineering behind it, and though the range begins at $33,500, a bit more than its aforementioned rivals, it still represents a solid value-for-money proposition, with standard features such as a vehicle stability assist, front and side airbags, a 6-disc CD stereo and dual zone climate control.

The model we tested was the range topping Accord Euro Luxury - equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and rain-sensing windscreen wipers, which fetches $40,500 - and were happy to discover that the mid sizer is still just a versatile as when it launched in 2003.

17-inch wheels enhance the Accord Euro Luxury's stance, at the same time providing high grip levels

Easing oneself into the 2005 Accord Euro, it's hard not to be impressed with not only the attention to detail, but also the quality feel that permeates almost everything in sight.

From dash plastics to door seals, to the leather seats to the centre console and 6-disc CD stereo, almost everything inside the car has been finished with more class than you'd expect for a $40k luxury car, and this side of a Lexus, I reckon there's few other Japanese brands that can touch Honda in this respect.

While the interior is largely unchanged since its inception in 2003 (it shows just how close they got to the bulls eye in the first instance) everything has a place, and everything works well.

Looking around the cabin, it's quickly evident that the dash plastics are of a higher quality than most locally produced cars, but don't quite reach the quality of most European luxury marques. Faux metal accents on the dash create contrast, the giant speedo is brilliant (as is the precision of the cruise control) and would you believe that there's good rear seat room for a mid sizer?

The rear seats haven't been forgotten by the designers: the corners of the rear seat-backs wrap around all the way to the door openings, cosseting back seat passengers in supple leather, and the view of the road from the back seat is also very good. The quality of the leather is quite nice, and covers all five seats in the Accord Euro.

The front seats have a mild side bolsters and are heated too, perfect for cold early morning starts. The overall feel inside the car is one of a compromise between an upmarket family car and a sports car, and it gives the Accord Euro a very distinct and pleasing feel.

Mechanically, the Accord Euro has almost no shortcomings, and upon turning over the engine for the first time in almost two years, I marvelled at how quiet it was.

Honda 2.4-litre i-VTEC L4

The transversely mounted inline 4-cylinder engine has a 2.4-litre (2354cc) capacity and both cylinder heads and the engine block are made from aluminium alloys. Dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) are chain-driven and actuate a total of 16-valves (4-valves per cylinder). Honda includes its own variable valve actuation timing and lift system, called i-VTEC. The petrol-powered engine has a 10.5:1 compression ratio, and will accept a minimum 95 RON unleaded petrol when filling the 65 litre fuel tank. Max Power: 140kW @ 6800rpm Max Torque: 223Nm @ 4500rpm

Honda's 2.4-litre inline 4-cylinder engine stands up well against the 2.5-litre Liberty and 2.3-litre Mazda6 mills, generating a class-leading 140 kilowatts of power. Moreover, the engine actually feels like its got more torque than the nomenclature states, which is 223Nm.

This powerful 4-cylinder makes engines found in entry-level European cars from BMW and Alfa Romeo look a little limp in comparison, and it comes as no surprise then that Honda tacked on the 'Euro' name to its primary Accord. It's almost like Honda's saying "We know the car's manufactured in Japan, but we've built it to resemble European product."

Tipping the scales at 1395kg, the Accord Euro Luxury isn't too portly, and making the most of the 6-speed manual transmission, the car feels very rapid off the line.

First gear is a little short, but the ratios are well spaced when taken collectively, and the car has no trouble reaching speeds of over 200km/h if given ideal conditions.

Second gear will pull over 100km/h before it shudders against the rev limiter, and in general the manual transmission works well with the rev-happy engine, offering drivers short, somewhat notchy shifts, and if treated respectfully the Accord Euro can achieve very impressive levels of fuel consumption as well.

There is a little bit of snatchiness to the throttle on the overrun - it feels very sensitive (and power delivery becomes jerky) at higher revs when you get on and off the throttle - but there's very little to complain about here. And by driving smoothly one can negate this high compression issue.

The dual overhead camshaft engine with i-VTEC revs cleanly and has ample mid-range pulling power, though like any high revving 4-cylinder engine (this item revs to more than 7000rpm) torque is lacking low in the rev range. That said, you can fry the front hoops with relative ease if you're feeling a bit rebellious, so it's not as if there's a complete dearth of twist down low.

Driven in normal conditions - during the week, commuting or heading out to see Grandma - the Accord Euro is very quiet and at highway speeds there's very little noise. But as the engine revs past 5000rpm, it tends to get a lot louder and does intrude into the cabin somewhat. Yet when the engine speed increases and the combustion process makes itself more and more audible, it's not a raspy, exhausted note at all. I really liked the way it sounded at higher revs: keen, crisp and linear.

Compared to the previous Accord Euro Luxury, the 2005 model gets bigger wheels (up one inch from 16 to 17-inches in diametre) and more responsive suspension, which will please drivers who revel in the effects of high g-forces.

When it comes to handling, let me say that the Honda Accord Euro's balance is wonderful. It feels very neutral when tipped into corners, and even though power is transferred to the front wheels it rarely understeers. If you dial in plenty of steering, and your foot is to the floor in a low gear, it will tend to push its outside wheel, but in general it's a very smooth operator for a FWD sedan.

The multifunction steering wheel is a delight to use, the stereo likewise, with impressive clarity

As a rule, the Accord Euro is an incredibly easy to drive car, and it's easy to drive fast too. The bigger 17-inch alloy wheels looks great, giving the Accord Euro Luxury a much more eye-catching appearance, and shod with 225/45 rubber, it offers sportscar levels of grip.

The rear end seldom plays catch-up with the front, and the weight shift between hard acceleration followed by hard braking doesn't bother the chassis at all. The rear simply follows diligently where the front goes (again, the tyres help in this respect).

The suspension feels a little on the stiff side (something I like, but not all drivers will) but soaks up the majority of cavities in the road without too much noise and movement.

This comes from stiff(ish) springs combined with clever rebound and compression damping, which results in bugger-all body roll, but enough give in the shock absorbers to ensure that the car's ride doesn't suffer intolerably.

As far as feedback goes, you get enough to know when to back off. The steering wheel is a bit too sensitive just off centre, and you don't always feel everything that's happening under the front wheels. But this isn't of great concern because the car is so chuckable and light, so neutral, that the low levels of feedback don't hamper proceedings when you're vaporising the cobwebs.

The Honda Accord Euro's sharp turn in also benefits extra-urban driving. It's a delight in the city, effortlessly peeling off around 90 degree corners. One shortcoming, that can applied to many FWD cars, is when you do a U-turn. With full steering lock, if you give too much gas (which is frequent with a sensitive throttle), it feels bad, vibrating through the wheel, and doing the opposite of inspiring you with confidence.

The brakes are excellent (300mm discs front, 260mm discs rear), with good pedal feel and almost instant response, though the latter feature can be off putting in commuting situations. Even the tiniest depression on the pedal results in decent brake bite, and, on more than one occasion, this caused the driver behind to gesticulate wildly due to unexpectedly rapid levels of deceleration.

Some drivers may be left wishing for a little more pedal travel before the brake calipers attack the pads, but from my point of view I'd rather have powerful, insta-matic brakes than soft and soggy sponge pads. Brake fade isn't something I encountered, reinforcing the ideas of a strong and safe safety package

Honda's Accord Euro Luxury model also features HID head lights complete with squirters to the clean the front lamps, but they're pretty useless against anything but dust. I figure it's another one of these 'luxury' appointments Honda added just to give the Germans the irrits.

In addition to the features I've forgotten to mention thus far - front foglights, sunroof, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, vehicle stability assist, traction control plus front, side and curtain airbags - there's something eternally pleasing about the Accord Euro.

Overall: 4/5

From the build quality, to the honed chassis dynamics, to the way that everything in the cabin is within easy reach, the Honda Accord Euro is an example of what happens to a car when everything works. The TV ad doesn't lie!

Though cars like the Mazda6 command similar demand to the Accord Euro (Subaru Liberty sells about half as much as both Honda and Mazda), for the $40k price I reckon this range-topping Accord is fantastic value. It's so easy to drive in dramatically differing conditions, it features Honda's world-renowned powertrain reliability and it's got enough doodads and gizmos to officially call this car a luxury model.

The engine offers plenty of zip, but can be stirred along with minimal throttle applications for some very positive fuel economy figures - an area that Honda prides itself on - and there's a good amount of rear seat room for a car of this size.

In conclusion, and despite the lack of wholesale changes to the 2005 models, the updated Honda Accord Euro is a very well equipped and very well behaved car, where everything comes together seamlessly. As such, it comes highly recommended.