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Building on a breakthrough:
The 2006 Honda Accord might be the best one yet
Tony Whitney & Tim Dimopoulos
Competitors may come and go—and many of them are outstanding products for sure—but the Honda Accord seems unshakable as one of the leaders of the product-packed mid-sized sedan market.
Always close on the heels of its nearest rival and North American top-selling Toyota Camry, Accord has been one of the most respected products in its segment for years, thanks to a combination of great quality, excellent performance, durability and resale value.
It's hard to believe the first Accord appeared as a tiny hatchback when Honda was known mainly as a motorcycle manufacturer. There were certainly "experts" around back then who believed the company should stick to two wheels and leave automobile manufacturing to those who knew more about it.
Thankfully, the folks at Honda ignored such advice and went on to produce some of the best vehicles in the world in their respective classes. The 1986 Accord proved to be Honda's big breakthrough and after that, few people questioned the company’s ability to produce dependable, world-class vehicles.
Our latest test Accord was an SE model with a four-cylinder engine. Both business and consumer drivers often overlook just how good current four-cylinder units are in terms of refinement and response, not to mention fuel economy. Four-bangers like the one in our Accord are so refined these days it's often necessary to take a quick glance under the hood after the first drive to confirm it really is a four and not a six.
Good for fleets
Accord styling is still fairly conservative, as it's always been down through the generations. It's not a striking car, but handsome and tasteful nonetheless. We'll almost certainly never see an Accord with radical "gee whiz" styling.
Detailing around the bodywork is superb and everything fits with a fine precision. This high level of quality is what has made the Accord one of the best-selling cars in North America over the years and it’s especially popular with fleet and business customers.
Our test Accord SE was powered by a new 166-horsepower 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine. It's a very satisfying power unit, if not having quite the pickup and torque of the V-6. For many buyers though, it will fill every need—even if they did have a V-6 in mind when they first looked at an Accord. Buyers can choose a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. Ours came with the manual, which is very slick and enables brisk acceleration.
For 2006, all SE versions come equipped with four-wheel ABS disc brakes and a power-operated moon roof. Other 2006 upgrades include a six-speaker sound system with CD, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel and body-colored door handles and mirrors. Side curtain air bags are available and when fitted, contribute towards very impressive crash test results.
As we've come to expect, Honda has done an excellent job with the current Accord's interior. Particular attention was paid to the seats, which are bigger than those of the previous model. Honda believes correct orientation of the tailbone on the seat is a key factor for comfortable long-distance or day-long driving.
Small and tall
The driver's seat has a ratchet type height adjuster, which is useful for attaining a safe driving position, especially with regard to shorter people. I've always found Accords had lots of seat travel, making them good choices for folks at either end of the stature scale, short or tall.
Our tester had velour upholstery, which seemed to attract every bit of stray lint. Leather is available and this could be a better choice for a car subject to robust use. The rear doors are nice and wide and it's easy to get into the back. This is a car with lots of room for four adults, even five if one squeezes into the rear central position.
The dash is functional and easy to scan with clear dials. Controls are similarly easy to use. Everything is very clearly marked, an attribute you don't always find, even in expensive cars. An outside temperature gauge would have been helpful. They're useful in regions where conditions can change with disturbing speed, but it was lacking on our SE.
The trunk is adequate rather than cavernous, but it's fine for most cargo applications. We'd like to have seen a better way of hinging the trunk lid than the bulky U-brackets, which could damage cargo if too much is packed in.
On the road, the car is surprisingly quiet and smooth and the steering is accurate and responsive with great "feel." Handling is very good indeed, though possibly not quite up there with the Mazda6 and new Nissan Altima. The brakes are firm and positive, though we thought stopping distances could have been a tad better.
Honda took a lot of trouble to cut down wind noise and worked in their wind tunnel to reduce noise from the side mirrors, which usually make most of the racket at freeway speeds.
The Accord comes in an almost bewildering variety of trim levels, but at least there's "something for everybody." Even in basic form, this is great buy as an everyday driver. A well-maintained example can give many years of dependable service. And when it comes time to sell the car, there are always lots of buyers ready to spend higher-than-usual amounts of money, even for high-mileage Accords. Prices (2006) for four-cylinder models start at a reasonable $24,800.
In addition to the excellent fit and finish, durability has always been a key buying point for the Accord, and there's every reason to believe the latest model is the best-built yet. Once again, rivals battling in this market segment, including the Toyota Camry, Mazda6, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata and the new Saturn Aura, have a formidable benchmark to aim at.
Tony Whitney is an automotive journalist based in Burnaby, BC. Tim Dimopoulos is publisher of Purchasing b2b.
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