When the first Honda Accord was introduced 37 years ago, people were willing to wait months for delivery - or pay more to get it faster. It was the import car to beat and spawned a generation of competitors looking for a slice of the market segment.
Today, many of those competitors have caught up. The last Accord was a nice car in its own right, but it had gone soft - and large - a far cry from the lean competitor it once was.
Now Honda is hoping a complete redesign of the 2013 model - the ninth edition - will once again make it a game-changer.
For 2013, the Accord has gone on a diet, added some curves and put some (tasteful) bling back in its appearance. While it's not that much smaller, it takes only a casual glance to notice it has shed a dress size or two.
I drove an Accord sedan with the four-cylinder engine, Touring package (the top-of-the-line model) and continuously variable transmission.
On the outside, trendy LED running lights are now joined by quad-LED headlights, among the first to hit the market. I can't say if the new lights make the Accord the most visible vehicle from the front, but there are few out there brighter. LED lights should be a less-expensive option than the bi-xenon lights found on more high-end vehicles.
The car's body is just a few millimetres shorter, has sharper character lines and narrower window pillars - a move possible, says Honda, because of increased use of high-tensile steel in the body.
Under the hood, Honda has ditched the old four-cylinder for a new eco-friendly engine it has dubbed "Earth Dreams." This new engine features direct injection and variable valve timing. It produces 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The power is not as astounding as the fuel mileage - an estimated 7.8 litres per 100 km in the city and 5.5 on the highway. The highway fuel usage is close to Honda's Fit subcompact, which has a rating of 5.4. Actual mileage will vary, of course, but anything better than 5.7 litres per 100 km (50 mpg) in a car the size of the Accord is a major feat.
Although you can still order the base Accord with a manual transmission, most will opt for an automatic. For 2013, Honda has fitted the Accord with its first continuously variable transmission.
CVTs aren't the enthusiast's best friend. In Honda's case, the transmission doesn't come with a manual mode or steering-wheel paddle shifters. It does come with a Sport mode, which changes the gearing for a more sporty feel.
Lastly, the Accord is the first car in a long time to come with an L, or low gear, selector on the transmission - a boon for people who want to tow with the car.
The Accord is also available in a Sport model. It's still the 2.4-litre four, but with four more horses and one more pound-foot of torque. More than likely, those with a need for more power would order the 278-hp V-6. With this more powerful engine, buyers get a conventional six-speed automatic instead of the CVT. I plan to test this version of the Accord in the future.
While power is available, the Accord is more about smooth economy. An Eco button is prominent on the dash. This optimizes the powertrain to eke out the last atom in the fuel you may burn. What is surprising is that the Eco mode doesn't disengage even when the driver selects Sport mode on the transmission.
Cutting-edge technology incorporated in the new Accord includes Lanewatch, a camera mounted on the passenger-side outside mirror. This displays an image of the blind spot of the vehicle on the car's main eight-inch display. The camera automatically operates whenever the right-turn signal is operating. What's even more interesting is a button that turns the camera on even if the turn signal is not operating. It's a great way to check how close you are to the curb, for example, or to check the blind spot ahead of indicating a turn.
The Accord also comes with a lane-departure warning and a forward-collision warning system. The latter merely warns of an imminent collision - it doesn't pre-charge or apply the brakes, as in the case of the Volvo S60.
As with many new cars these days, the Accord is equipped with a comprehensive media suite that includes Internet music, access to podcasts, broadcast of audiobooks and the ability to receive Facebook newsfeeds. That's on top of a mobile-phone interface, text messages and email functions.
My tester came with a back-up camera with three views - normal, wide-angle and top-down. The last mode is geared for owners who have trailer hitches and people who like to park really close to the car behind them. When in reverse, the car displays guide lines superimposed on the screen. If the steering wheel is not straight, the guide lines change colour as well as curve to show the turning arc.
A desirable and welcome low-tech safety feature is the incorporation of a convex mirror on the outside edge of the driver's mirror. Every car should have one.
The seats are comfortable. I had a six-foot, four-inch co-worker check for head and legroom in the front and back. He fit, even with the front seat all the way back.
The back seatback folds to expand the cargo capacity. It folds in one piece, the opening is narrow and, when folded, the cargo floor is not flat. Honda claims a 439-litre trunk capacity.
The 2013 Accord is Honda's shot across the bow of the competition. It is signalling that it can't be ignored in the intensely competitive midsize, four-door-sedan segment. With major technological advances, a sharp new body, a frugal new powerplant and a starting price of $23,990, the new Accord is once again the one to beat.
THE SPEC SHEET
Type: Mid-sized four-door sedan, front engine, front-wheel-drive
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder, 185 hp at 6,400 r.p.m., 181 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,900 r.p.m.
Transmission: Continuously variable
Dimensions (mm): Length, 4,862; width, 1,849; height, 1,465; wheelbase, 2,775
Curb weight (kg): 1,538
Price (base/as tested): $32,030/$33,330 (includes freight and PDI and $100 AC tax)
Options: Continuously variable transmission, $1,200
Tires: 235/45 R18 Michelin all-season an alloy wheels
Fuel type: Regular
Fuel economy (L/100km): 7.8 city 5.5 highway
Warranty: Three years/60,000 km new car and roadside assistance, five years/100,000 km powertrain
parrais@timescolonist.com
