Honda Accord Euro: Sharp Mid-Sizer

Motoring Channel Staff - 23/June/2008

Melbourne, Australia — It arrived in Australia in 2003 and was among the first regiment of Japanese cars to transform the mid-sized car segment from a support act to a main event.

It's taken five long years, but now the second generation Honda Accord Euro has hit the streets.

The new 4-door passenger car has been upgraded, revised, and re-jigged to deliver improvements in almost every respect, from improved luxury, quietness and refinement to more powerful but also more efficient engines.

Boasting a subtle change to the design, most notably in the headlight and brakelight design, Honda Australia plans to build on the previous 45,000 Accord Euros it has sold in this country the last half decade.

All models come with 17-inch alloy wheels and Luxury models get even sportier 18-inch wheels.

On sale now in Australia, the new Honda Accord Euro is priced as follows:

Manual Accord Euro (Automatic)
Accord Euro: $32,990 ($34,990)
Accord Euro Luxury: $39,990 ($41,990)
Accord Euro Luxury Navi: $42,990 ($44,990)

Powered by 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engines that meet stringent Euro 4-emissions compliancy criteria, the Honda Accord Euro is a front-wheel vehicle that can be equipped with either 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic gearboxes.

The Accord Euro cars with automatic gearboxes also get sporty steering wheel mounted paddle gear shifters.

Premium mid-sized cars like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat will compete against the new Accord Euro from Honda, which gets a number of new features including a new "refined" interior that has "carefully selected materials and outstanding fit and finish" claims the Japanese company.

Project leader Hiroyuki Ikegami said the Accord Euro's interior was all about quality: "The biggest customer requirement of a car like the Euro is
quality. With a Minivan, the need is for passenger room, with a station wagon it’s functionality - but with a saloon car, high quality is what the customers most want.

"I believe the customers will like the very high quality feel to the instrument panel - and the insides of the doors are resin coated which is pretty rare in his sector," mentioned Ikegami.

Standard interior features on the entry-level $32,990 Accord Euro are as follows:

Dual zone climate control air conditioning
Rear vents
Climate control (chilled/heated) glove box and console
LCD multi-information display
10-speaker, 6-CD premium audio
Cruise control
Security alarm
Leather steering wheel
Steering wheel audio controls

The Luxury models get the same as above but add the following features:

Electric Sunroof
Leather heated seats with 8-way power adjust
Auto headlights and windscreen wipers
Auto dimming (electrochromatic) mirror
Security alarm
HID headlights
Front/rear parking sensors

The range topping model, called the Accord Euro Luxury Navi, adds satellite navigation and a reversing camera for another $3,000 over the Luxury model's price tag of $39,990. Boot space on all models is 467 litres, which is about average for a mid-sized car.

Honda has used an new platform to underpin the 2008 Honda Accord Euro, which makes the vehicle wider and extends its track. In turn, this reduces its centre of gravity and should improve the car's handling characteristics, while front and rear double wishbone suspension is expected to supply the Honda with better ride refinement.

Longer, wider and taller than the previous model, Honda's new mid-sizer shapes up well and affords more interior room and boot space .

It measures 4740mm long and 1840mm wide, a good 80mm wider than its predecessor. Height has also increased marginally from 1440 to 1445mm.

Other new features that previous Accord Euro buyers may be interested to hear about include the addition of Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering. This advanced power steering system can help to correct understeer by applying more steering input of the cars various sensors detect slippery surfaces for example.

The car maker says this makes driving in snow or on wet surfaces safer, but warns however: "Should a driver take the vehicle beyond the laws of nature, a possible accident could still occur".

Vehicle stability assist (VSA) has returned in the second generation Accord Euro, which like other stability control systems can stop the vehicle skidding out of control by reducing engine torque and braking each of the four wheels individually and at varying rates.

With stability assist, the new Motion Adaptive steering aid, plus six airbags as standard, including side curtain airbags, Honda

Honda claims that "The Euro buyer appreciates versatility and style as well as space and functionality" and are "confident and active" people who will gravitate towards the new Euro because it suits their lifestyle.

With a sharper look, more luxury features than before and a level of refinement that could leave both it's domestic and international rivals in shock, the new model also builds on its already impressive mechanical aspect.

The updated i-VTEC 4-cylinder petrol engine generates more power and torque than before yet with less emissions.

A rise of 8 kilowatts takes peak power to 148kW @ 7000rpm while torque has risen 11 Newton metres, to 234Nm @ 4400rpm.

The light-weight engine will retain its revvy nature, and is mated to either 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions.

Using Honda's long-established VTEC system along with VTC (Variable Timing Control) to give the engine more flexibility to develop good power, these systems also help keep the vehicle efficient.

It uses 8.9L/100km in both manual and automatic transmissions, down from 9.1 and 9.4L/100km respectively.

Honda has listed the Accord Euro's trailer towing capacities as unchanged: 1200kg with brakes and 500kg without brakes.

After a successful global premiere at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, the second generation Honda Accord Euro is now on sale in Australia.

Building on a strong initial performance, Honda hopes the encore will be even more successful.

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