Honda Accord 2.4 VTEC

I have fond memories of the many Hondas I have driven, from the tiny S600 of the 1960s powered by a motorcycle engine, to the exhilarating S2000 with that amazing V Tec engine that felt like a two stroke motor.When it hit four and a half  to five thousand rpm and the other camshaft kicked in, all hell broke loose all the way to a redline of almost 9 thousand rpm. And the sound!  The supercar for the masses, the NSX will always be one of my all time favourites. 
It is that kind of heritage that brings us to today's Hondas, In this case the new Accord. When first released it was a smallish car but has now grown to nudge the larger segments.

I can't believe the amount of kit Honda has offered in this car. Heated front seats, adaptive cruise control with adjustable distance settings from vehicles in front and "Lane Watch," a camera in the nearside mirror that shows what is approaching on the inside lane. This connects to a mechanism that steers the car back onto the road should you inadvertently drift to the left. The pictures appear every time you indicate to go left or change lanes and can be activated separately with a button on the end of the indicator wand. The seat belt reminder is more than just a chime. You are chided by a female voice saying "Please fasten driver's seatbelt." With the same words appearing on the dashboard display.It certainly gets your attention! Sometimes not found in other cars in this price range, are rear seat air vents. There are no fewer than two large easy to read and use information screens one of which includes pictures from a reversing camera and satellite navigation. The driver's seat has two memory settings. There are puddle lights in all four doors,as well as a sunroof, auto wipers and lights; just some of the surprise and delight equipment in a car that has well and truly grown up.

On test here is the 2.4 litre four cylinder Accord which has more than enough power and torque for anything most owners would want from it. At idle the engine is so smooth and quiet I often had to check the tachometer to remind me it was on.Under acceleration the sound from under the bonnet is refined, no thrashing or stress.  The engine develops 129 kw and 225 nm. and averages around eight litres per 100 kilometres, The gearbox has only five ratios, but I didn't miss the extra two or three gears that many car makers now have. The Accord also has a paddle manual gearshift option on the steering wheel.

At highway speeds there is some distant whine from the tyres but it's not annoying or intrusive. What is intrusive however is the foot operated parking brake. Designed for American markets, it often collided with instep of my left foot as it searched for the dead pedal foot rest. With so many cars in the price range and lower opting for electric park brakes, maybe Honda will eventually follow suit.
There's little or no wind noise at over 100 kph. Cornering  is neutral but there could be a little more feel at the steering wheel. 
Ride in the suburbs is smooth although it does get jiggly over ruts and other irregularities, but in this respect it's about on par with others in its class. Most of the time it's comfortable, as are the seats.

The dashboard layout looks stylish, in line with more expensive offerings. Previous models were a tad cluttered and disorganised. Cabin trim, materials and look are also indicative of savvy design.
Even with the driver's seat at its rearmost travel there's still room behind it for people like me at over 183 CM or six feet two inches tall. Head room is good, even with the sunroof.Night time illumination is good, the LED headlights appear brighter than others in its class.
I also like the single line, Audi-esque taillight configuration.

Once considered the choice of an undemanding older driver, the latest Accord goes a long way to shedding that sort of image. It's good looking and roomy. From 31 up to 51 K for the top spec V6, Honda has endowed it with luxury feel and features at affordable prices. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Peter Sellen