Wow, four new cars in four years…this is bad. Totaling my new BMW [328i 2000] was a painful experience. During the recovery phase I promised myself a normal car and to economize in general. The last generation Honda Accord EX V6 [2002] Sedan was my new chariot - Big mistake! A month or so in and this was turning out to be one tumultuous relationship. Little things started to grate on me and pretty soon all I could see where faults. The high level of interior noise, poor headlights, horrible wipers and the functional but boring design all started to weigh in more heavily than I ever thought possible. Man, I was depressed. A new Mazda Miata [LS 2003] six speed cured my driving blues and was a perfect match till an unforeseen relocation up north meant my baby ended up in Carmax.
So after deliberating several variables and inputting them into a complex mathematical formula (DON’T DRINK AND DERIVE) that probably won’t hold up to much scientific scrutiny I decided to go with the Honda Accord Coupe Auto [Wipe that grin off your face – the traffic here is brutal!!] EX V6 w/ Navigation [2004]. Yes, I am aware this was another Honda, but this car and its various gadgets “spoke” to me. After many test drives and poring over online forums I decided this car was a good match for my current needs. The actually buying experience was a breeze; hey I am an old pro by now ;)
Two months in and I still look forward to driving this car. Not in the BMW/Miata way of apexes and seeking out winding roads type of manner. This car is simply a magnificent cruiser; the powerful V6 is turning out to be a true gem now that the break in period is officially over. Smooth, refined and with no real weak spots in its power band is my impression. While it does put more weight on the front suspension I am glad I chose this over the rough four cylinder option.
Compared to the last generation Honda Accord this one is a world apart. I don’t care much for the exterior design of the sedan but the coupe has a classy shape that seems durable. The rear end of this car is tasteful and seems to borrow a design cue or two from Mercedes Benz. Hey if you are going to copy, do it from some of the best out there. Talking of borrowing, the spring loaded cup holder and coin storage design are replicas of the one that was in my BMW. Classy gauges and LCD displays light up the interior and there is a real sense of quality imparted by the switches and buttons. The white on black LCD display is extremely sharp and cool. A decent audio system with XM stereo, heated leather seats and the intuitive navigation system all add up to an interior that you enjoy spending time in. The dual temperature setting is another feature that further adds to this cars upscale ambiance.
A few lines about the navigation – Honda and Toyota reportedly make the best units available on the market. I have had the opportunity to use both systems and find that Honda has a slight edge. Honda lets you change directions when you are in motion while in Toyota/Lexus products you are stuck and need to stop the car before you can change your settings. I appreciate the safety aspect but have found traveling in a Lexus IS 300 frustrating due to this setting. Honda negates some of the potential risk by offering a voice activated system that controls most functions within the car. Be it temperature setting, changing from XM to CD, switching the rear defroster on or off, finding the nearest Chinese restaurant or commanding the car to go home – it all works as intended for the most part. High levels of noise, an open sunroof, can reduce the accuracy of the unit. The voice activated feature is a pretty nifty element that keeps a gadget freak like me entertained.
Audio System – This is much better than the previous units Honda has seen fit to equip their cars with. The in dash six disc CD changer is convenient and the arrangements of the speakers ensure good sound dispersion throughout the cabin. This is by no means an overpowering system with thundering bass but it is certainly above average and the upgrade bug has yet to bite me. Unfortunately, there is no MP3 capability but Honda does sell an accessory that can enable this function.
Wipers: I have a thing against wipers that look scrawny like the previous Accords. The current Accord coupe has a set of beefy ones that do the job just fine and keep my picky self happy.
Driving Experience: As I mentioned earlier this car is an excellent cruiser and if you accept that you will enjoy this machine. But if you plan to whip around corners then this, my friend, is not your chariot. Don’t get me wrong, this is certainly better than a Camry. It handles corners without excessive body roll as long as your speed is reasonable. I do feel that Honda could have made the suspension a bit more firm but that might come at the expense of a slightly bumpier ride. As is, the car absorbs pot holes and other craters on the local roads I venture out to just fine. You feel them but it is never too jarring. Overall, an enjoyable driving experience once you accept the role of this car.
Concerns:
I don’t know if poor headlights are just an integral part of Honda’s design or if I am going blind at twenty four. But at night I find the headlights lacking in their ability to light up the road to my satisfaction. I will probably end up installing their fog lights and see if upgrading the bulbs is a possibility. I wish xenon’s were an option!
The black leather seats are of acceptable quality but I would recommend using a leather cleaner and conditioner on a regular basis. The quality does not seem comparable to Lexus/BMW offerings and the price differential justifies this.
-t
P.S. Thanks for taking the time to read my review. If you found it helpful/or not so helpful let me know via the rating/comments section.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 27000
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: EX V6 NAVI XM
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