Road test: Honda Accord V6

By Feann Torr

For all intents and purposes, this is the real successor to the Accords of days gone by, and the fact it provides more legroom for driver and front passenger comes as no surprise, seeing that it's been built with the American market in mind.

The new bigger bodied Accord is classed as a medium car, but it is in fact not much shorter than a Ford Falcon, and this gifts it with impressive interior space.

The Accord's new look isn't as racey or adventurous as it's genetically similar stable mate, the Euro, and this helps explain the reason why Honda has decided to offer Australian buyers two models - in order to be able to market the cars to different audiences.

And, after spending time behind the wheel of both the Accord Euro and now the Accord V6, beyond the name, a few interior appointments and that shiny 'H' badge fore and aft, there's a lot more differences between the two cars than meets the eye.

Make: Honda
Model: Accord V6 (Luxury)
Price: $45,240
Transmission: 4 speed auto
Engine: 3.0-litre, 24-valve, Vee-six cylinder
Fuel Consumption: City cycle & Highway cycle - 10.6-litres/100km
Seats: 5
Safety: Front driver and passenger SRS and front-side (thorax airbags) ABS, EBD, TCS

Drive

2004 Honda Accord V6

When punting the V6 Accord around town, the first noticeable difference is that it offers a more compliant ride than the Euro.

It rides over nasty road imperfections like it was born to deal with Australia's inordinate amount of pot holes and abrasions, and though the suspension will protest (sometimes audibly) when a wheel dips into deeper holes in the road.

On the whole the Accord is a very quiet, very well behaved vehicle.

In direct contrast to the nimble Euro Accord, the larger V6 model has less grip, and a milder suspension tune results in moderate levels of body roll if you fly into a corner too quickly.

The Euro is a more balanced car, has better grip and is generally far better for enthusiastic point-to-point driving, such as down a winding country B-road, but to write the Accord off for its lack of mid-corner composure alone would be folly, as it was never intended to carve three tenths off the next apex.

Feedback through the hydraulic power assisted steering wheel is somewhat dullish, and at times there is a vague feel to the way the car handles (especially when pushed hard). This could be due to the lighter than average steering weight, but on the flip side it responds well even to small inputs, and is great to drive in the city because of this.

From the outset the Accord makes no claims to be the next big thing in terms of at-the-limit handling, and will gain favour thanks to its smooth, quiet and compliant ride. In the madness that is called peak hour traffic, the Accord V6 really shone. The sound damping was impressive, and the clear, relaxing sounds of Vivaldi on the six-speaker stereo made the traffic rush in Melbourne city almost bearable.

The seating position gives a fairly good view of the road ahead - rearward vision isn't too bad either - and the snappy gearbox works well in congested stop-start traffic. The new 5-speed item shifts smoothly and quickly, with little driveline shunt when shifting from neutral to drive.

Backed up with some serious ponies, the V6-powered Accord makes a lot of sense as a long-distance cruiser as well, and will find lots of friends in Australia thanks to its generous size, classy interior and rapid acceleration.

The 3.0-litre V6, while based on the superseded model's engine, has been thoroughly reworked, and the end result is a surprisingly potent (and lighter) powerplant. The SOHC, VTEC-equipped V6 makes 177kW, and revs cleanly and eagerly throughout the entire rev range. If Honda does one thing brilliantly, it's making high-tech engines.

The rear end, while faithful to Accords of yore, didn't go down well with the driver

The responsiveness of the V6 engine, as well as five gear ratios, makes driving the Honda enjoyable, and while it may not have the cornering prowess of its smaller Euro sibling, it leaves it for dead in terms of acceleration.

The 0-100km/h sprint is dispatched in just under 8.0 seconds, which is pretty good considering it's an automatic.

Overtaking at almost any road speed is a delight thanks to the fast revving engine - you bury the right foot, the clever gearbox quickly shifts down a few cogs, and the engine effortlessly spins up to higher revs, gifting the driver with heaps of useful power.

Some may be a bit miffed to discover that such a spirited motor doesn't benefit from a tip-tronic, or sports shift mode for semi-manual gear changes, but at the end of the day a sequential shift wouldn't have fitted in with the Accord's composed demeanour.

Jump on the Accord's anchors and big Honda pulls up remarkably quickly for a car that measures almost as much as a Commodore (4830mm). With 282mm ventilated discs up front, the 1525kg kerb weight doesn't seem to interfere too much either, as the Accord recorded similar repeated stopping distances.

The Accord may not be the ideal vehicle for a young, adrenaline pumped rev head, but what it does do, it does remarkably efficiently and smoothly. If this wasn't badged a Honda, many would be forgiven for thinking it was a Lexus, such is it's composed nature and low NVH levels.

Engine

One of the best things about the Accord is the V6 engine, and though a de-tuned 118kW version of the Euro's 2.4-litre 4-cylinder mill is also available in the Accord for $11,000 less than this range-topping 'luxury' model, the extra spondoolies are more than worth forking out for.

To begin with, the VTEC system that the 6-cylinder engine employs is not as aggressive as that applied to the Integra Type R. In addition to variable valve timing across the board, the Accord's V6 gets a version of VTEC that continually adjusts the intake valves' lift, while other models gets intake and exhaust valve adjustment.

No plastic engine cover needed for the already handsome 177kW Honda mill

This helps explain the Accord's extremely rapid pickup: The higher the engine revs, the higher the intake valves lift open, allowing more air/fuel into the cylinders for increased combustion, hence more power. At lower revs, the valves open for shorter periods, which helps improve fuel efficiency.

Vital statistics: The engine is an all alloy 3.0-litre 60° V6 with belt-driven SOHC (per cylinder bank), 4-valves per cylinder and variable valve timing with VTEC.

Total capacity is 2997cc, and together with a ULP fuel-friendly 10.0:1 compression ratio, maximum power is 177kW @ 6250rpm. The fuel tank can hold 65 litres of petrol, and peak torque of 287Nm arrives @ 5000rpm.

Though the powerband on offer - between 5000 and 6250rpm - may sound somewhat short-lived, the engine has a good spread of torque through the mid-range, something Honda's aren't always blessed with.

The way the car delivers power to the front wheel means torque steer does creep in here and there, but generally speaking the Accord remains a well behaved vehicle - and the light-ish steering ensures that any torque steer reaches the steering wheel fairly passively.

Exterior

Though I preferred the Honda Euro's sharp look to the more conservative styling seen in the Accord, it does cut a rather sharp figure, and looked better in the flesh than I had imagined.

The Accord's generous proportions are accentuated by an expansive front end, where large, sleek headlight clusters flank a long, flat bonnet. The chrome-rimmed grille sits above a fairly wide air dam, which itself is also flanked by a pair of fog lights, giving the Accord a modernistic, but quite conservative face.

From the side, the Accord looks more like it's seven year old precursor than the Euro, and presents well as a modern day luxury tourer. The side mirrors also have a techno-cool look, with a series of LED-based indicators imbedded in their backs.

Smooth, simple surfaces work well

Unfortunately, the rear end isn't as pretty as the rest of the car -- it was almost as if the Honda design gurus couldn't decide how to finish it off.

The result is a steeply raked rear windscreen, which looks pretty good, followed by the sloping boot - which doesn't - and the brake lights, while reminiscent of the previous model, end up looking a bit tired.

Taken as a whole however, the Accord looks the part.

The sheet metal gives the car a fairly sleek look from a number of angles, while the lashings of shiny chrome on side windows, the door trim and on the 16-inch polished alloy wheels signals where the Accord's strengths lie.

Interior

Honda's idea of luxury is improving by leaps and bounds, and you know that the V6 Accord is special before you even step inside it's leather upholstered cabin.

The doors open and close with a satisfyingly solid thud, and easing yourself into the driver's seat, complete with good under thigh and lower back support, is a doddle. On the 'Luxury' designated model that we tested, driver and front passengers got lumbar adjust, plus electric adjustment of seat height, tilt and travel and the steering wheel is adjustable by tilt and reach as well.

Driver and front passenger are well looked after by the Accord. Cushy leather pews combine with good head and shoulder room for a most comfortable effect, and the beige-coloured leather upholstery and light-coloured interior fabrics and plastics gives the interior an open and decidedly airy feel.

Storage compartments are numerous. Up front, for instance, under the adjustable centre armrest there is a dual-level box big enough to hold CDs or a digital camera and accessories, while a smaller click-open compartment in the centre console, underneath the stereo, will hold the garage remote or a handful of redskin lollies.

The same fuss-free centre console used on the Euro makes an appearance in the bigger-bodied Accord, and it works a treat. It's easily one of the best factory-fitted stereos I've used. The faux wood panelling isn't too bad to look at nor touch, and together with a simplified instrument cluster the Accord comes across as a very suave and sophisticated vehicle.

The mixture of light-coloured leather and flush-fit plastics gives the interior a sense of space and craftsmanship

Steering wheel buttons for cruise and audio control are easy to use and make the driver's life much easier and safer, while the six-stack CD player belts out good levels of treble and mid-levels of bass (there's tweeters, but no woofer) through four front and two rear speakers.

In the rear, the picture isn't as rosy as up front, (with less leg room), but it's not far off with a supportive rear bench offering a good level of comfort for this type of car.

The rear seat backrest also folds down to augment the boot's 446-litres of space, but not in the traditional 60:40 split - it's all or nothing.

There's also an armrest that folds down for rear seat passengers, and behind this is a small portal where the dog's head can peep through, or you could poke the ends of the skis through it if you wanted to.

Other Standard features for the V6 Accord Luxury include cruise control, power everything, 8-way electric drivers seat adjust, dual zone climate control air-con, leather steering wheel, electric sunroof, illuminated vanity mirrors and four airbags (dual front and front-side/thorax).

Honda has displayed a very good eye for detail in the Accord's interior, and everything works well. While it does have a few fancy extras, there's nothing used just for the sake of it, and everything is laid out intuitively. Ergonomically speaking, the Accord is a triumph.

Overall: 4/5

When you buy an Accord V6, you're getting a compliant ride, a well-equipped interior, a car with all the mod cons, plenty of restrained style and Honda's trademark reliability.

What you're paying for, on the other hand, is one of the most refined, powerful and responsive mid-sized V6's available to Australian drivers. The gearbox is a marvel too. In tandem with the motor, it can handle quick downshifts for rapid acceleration, just as effortlessly as it deals with the meandering ebb and flow of urban traffic.

Honda V6-powered Accord is a winner

The engine blocks that roll off the Honda manufacturing plants are well ahead of the competition in terms of power output, fuel efficiency and even real world practicality, and on top of this the Accord is is bigger than most medium cars, and drivers of Falcons and Commodores would be surprised at how much room there is.

The larger bodied 4-cylinder Accord starts at $34,250, and the V6 models start at just under 40-large, with the Luxury fetching $45,240.

Yes, it's a fairly unadventurous car that will understeer round tight corners, push it's nose out and scrabble for grip, but the V6 Accord was never intended to be a Lotus - that's the Euro's job.

Ultimately, the Accord is an accomplished car. Everything works well, is easy to use and the Accord's more conservative demeanour suits the way it feels on the road - deceptively quick, and brilliant at long-distance cruising and commuting.

Even though it's a very different proposition to the Accord Euro, the Accord can still be considered a successful mid-sized car, and which one you choose will depend largely on your lifestyle and taste -- but either way you're banking on a winner.