After reading glowing reviews of the Accord, marveling at how nice my friend’s Accords were and actually finding a used Accord that I could afford, I broke down and got one.
As it turns out, it’s a little hard to find a clean, used Accord at a reasonable price. People drive these cars a lot because they are reliable, fun and practical. Also, teenagers love to drive Hondas hard and put performance parts and ill-fitting body kits on them. That stuff is definitely not for me.
After about 3 weeks of calls and looking on Autotrader.com, I spotted a clean, two-owner eucalyptus green EX about a block from my house. One drive and I was sold. Here’s the skinny:
The Accord Lineup:
Since you’re reading this review, I assume that you’re probably interested in purchasing a used Accord. The smart buyer should know a little about the different styles of the Accord. First, it is important to note that there are no individual options offered on Honda vehicles. Accords are separated by Model Trim names. You can tell exactly how the car is equipped by looking at the model trim. Below is a guide to these confusing letters. Here we go.
1997 Honda Accord Sedan
DX – 130 Horsepower, power steering, power brakes, rear defroster, Cassette Player with 2 speakers, 14” steel wheels with covers, not much else. Automatic transmission optional.
LX – 130 Horsepower, Adds Power windows, locks, cruise control, 4 speaker stereo, air conditioning and body-colored mirrors, 15” steel wheels with covers. Automatic transmission optional.
Special Edition – Produced only in 1997. 130 Horsepower. Adds to LX Automatic, Power Moonroof, wood trim, 14” alloy wheels
EX – 145 Horsepower. Adds to LX – VTEC engine, 4 wheel disc ABS brakes, 15” alloy wheels, dual outlet exhaust, 6 speaker stereo, power driver’s seat-height adjuster, moonroof. Automatic transmission optional.
EX with Leather – Adds to EX: Leather seat trim, 6 way power driver’s seat. Automatic transmission optional.
LX-V6 – Adds to LX 4 Cylinder: 170 Horsepower V6 (duh), 6 way power driver’s seat, 15” steel wheels with covers. Automatic transmission standard.
EX-V6 – Top of the line. Adds to LX-V6, Leather seats, 6 way power driver’s seat, Moonroof, Special 15” alloy wheels, ABS, 6 speaker stereo.
Now that we have that covered, you can see that there are plenty of styles to choose from. If you want, say, ABS, you have to get the EX model. If you want a manual transmission, you must stick with one of the four-cylinder models. Make sure you choose the model with the options you want.
Styling
Now it’s time for a few words about the car itself. My particular car is an EX 4 cylinder with automatic. I also drove an LX manual and will pull some from that test drive to give a clear picture of how the Accord performs.
The exterior of the Accord is cleanly styled and somewhat bland. The car has a low, pointy front and a rather tall trunk area. The wedge shape is pleasing to the eye and gives the car an aggressive stance. The windows on the car are large and surrounded with chrome trim in all but the DX model. The overall look is well tied together and pleasing. The Accord looks sporty and practical at the same time. The 14” wheels are pretty small-looking while the 15” wheels found on the LX and EX models seem to fill out the fender wells a little better. The 14” alloys on the SE model are very nice looking, if a bit small.
The inside of the car is about as good as it gets in the midsize sedan market. Nothing is flashy and there are no elaborate electronics on the car. It is understated luxury. The dashboard is cleanly styled with large gauges and simple, large controls for the heat and AC. The vinyl and cloth surfaces are well made and look expensive. All the controls seem precise and a cut above what other manufacturers offer.
Several reviews I have read state that the seats in the car are too hard. Personally, I think that they are nice. You don’t sink into them as you would in some land-yacht, but they are comfortable for longer trips. The reason that they are so firm is to prevent them from turning in to mush after 100,000 miles and to hold you in place if you decide to take some fast turns. Rear legroom is, however on the tight side, although I have found it (barely) adequate. The interior is done in 2 tone vinyl trim with matching cloth surfaces. The interior of the Accord is truly a nice place to spend time in.
Ride and Drive
Now we’re talking! One drive in this car and you can see why people love the Accord. You sit on the (firm) driver’s seat and instantly sense the panoramic view out the windshield. Hondas are known for their low cowl (dash) height and it shows. It makes piloting the car a lot of fun when you can easily see out.
The suspension is firm and controlled but absorbs bumps well. One of the reasons is because the 97 Accord has a Double Wishbone Suspension. Each wheel is controlled independently by several links that are securely mounted to the car. The suspension pieces are extremely light yet sturdy. This makes the car both handle and ride well.
This is a midsize 4 door, though, and the ride can sometimes get a little floaty over certain roads. Still, though, I have to give the Accord an A+ in the suspension department. Honda did their homework and it shows in this crisp-handling car.
The engine and transmission in the Accord are rewarding as well. Most Accords have a 16 Valve 4 Cylinder that is very smooth and powerful. I have not driven a V6 model, though.
My EX model has a 145 Horsepower VTEC 4 cylinder. Here is a brief explanation of VTEC, I will try not to lose the non-car people out there. The VTEC system gives the motor a split personality. Around town and at cruising speed, the engine operates in “economy” mode with modest valve timing that produces good fuel economy. When you plant your right foot down, though, the engine changes at around 3800 RPM to a more-powerful mode with higher valve lift and duration. This produces maximum power in the smallish 2.2 liter 4 cylinder. I find this change intoxicating. The motor changes sound completely and the car really rockets forward. It makes passing a breeze. I would buy the car for the motor alone. As an added bonus, I consistently get 31 MPG in mostly highway driving. Simply amazing.
The LX, DX and SE models have a non-VTEC version of the same motor. They are also nice to drive but I found the LX manual model to work harder. The base engine takes a little more time getting the car up to speed but it is smoother than many other motors offered in the midsize sedan segment.
It is important to note that the 4-cylinder engines in the Accord sound very mechanical. You hear the engine purr as it revs. At idle, there is a slight vibration that is normal. I like hearing the engine but make sure that you like the way the car sounds and shifts before you buy. It is definitely not a sensory deprivation tank in the same way a Toyota Camry is. You always hear what the Accord is doing.
The automatic transmission in my car shifts smoothly and firmly. It uses a “grade logic” system to prevent hunting on uphill stretches. I have found that the automatic shifts much like a manual would, gearing down seamlessly for corners and anticipating those uphill stretches that confuse most other computer-controlled automatics.
The five-speed manual in the LX that I drove was superb. Honda has always done great manual transmissions that were tight and precise and fun-to-shift; the one in the Accord is no exception.
One caveat to my particular car is its overly-light steering. I’m not sure if this is a result of the design or the mileage (98,000) on my car. It seems a little too loose on center. The other Accords I have driven have had light steering, but not nearly in the same way as my particular car.
Reliability
All Hondas are reliable, right? Well, I thought so. I drove my car for a few days, though, and the check engine light came on. Not cool. Anyway, I had it diagnosed as a fault with the EGR system, an emissions control component. It turns out that this is a really common problem on Accords. I don't have the money to fix the thing right now and the car seems to drive fine with a faulty EGR valve so I will have to wait on that one. It was sort of disappointing though.
***UPDATE*** 11/20/03 After searching internet message boards, I found that there is a recall concerning the EGR valve on 94-97 Honda Accords. If the car has less than 150,000 miles, Honda will replace the EGR equipment in the car at NO CHARGE. Apple Tree Honda in Asheville, NC handled the repairs on my car and it has not given me any trouble since that time. They even washed the car for free.
Another couple of weak points on the 94-97 Accords are as follows: Weak power window mechanisms (especially driver’s side), rattling Y pipe on the exhaust system, weak exhaust system (Honda did not use stainless steel on its exhaust systems, or so I’ve read. . . mine has had the exhaust replaced).
Any way you look at it, these are relatively minor problems. The transmission, body and suspension are all rock solid. Also, it is important to replace the timing belt at 90,000 mile or so intervals. The balancer belt must also be replaced with the timing belt. It costs about $300 and prevents MAJOR engine damage should the timing belt break.
In the service department at the local Honda dealership, they had a 1990 Accord with some 450,000 miles on it. The service manager said that they still used the car to pick up parts and run errands in. This, to me is amazing. My particular car rides and drives like new even after 98,000 miles of hard use. The Accord is not perfect in the reliability department, but the problems that I have experienced are not particularly noteworthy. The Accord is a really solid car despite a few niggles.
Value
Aye, there’s the rub. Accords are expensive to buy used. Several thousand more than similar cars from Mazda (the 626), Mitsubishi (Galant), Ford (Contour, Taurus), Nissan (Altima) and just about anything else, save the Toyota Camry. It is my belief that you get what you pay for. I totaled a 98 Mitsubishi Galant with 45,000 miles and replaced it with this Accord with 97,000 miles. The Accord is, hands down, a better car even with twice the miles on it. It does not rattle; it rides like a dream and has enough power to make driving fun, all the things that similar cars seem to lack. I’m a Honda fan for life.
Summary
I have always liked the Accord but have found them to be overpriced. I bit the bullet and paid $6500 for a car with almost 100,000 miles and could not be happier. The car looks great, rides even better, and with the sunroof gaping, could not be more fun. It always makes me smile because there are so few nits to pick with this car.
Amount Paid (US$): 6,500
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1997
Model and Options: EX Automatic
