The day an automaker redesigns a midsize family sedan and declares it to be, "Less roomy, less powerful and less luxurious!" is the day that I expect to read a Rolling Stone "Top 50 Albums Of All Time" story and find "Frampton Comes Alive!" in the top 10.
So it's of little surprise that the redesigned 2008 Honda Accord is indeed roomier, more powerful and more luxurious. But I wonder – how much bigger can it get? Out of curiosity, I compared the size of the new Accord to that of the Toyota Avalon. Houston, we have a problem.
The Accord has a 110.2-inch wheelbase, a 194.1-inch length and a 72.7-inch width. People who remember previous Accords as being "right-sized" cars might find these numbers to be uncomfortably close to the Avalon's, which check in at 111, 197.6 and 72.8, respectively.
Thankfully, the new Accord still drives like an Accord, albeit a bigger one. The steering, handling and power are all pleasing. And the increase in size has made the interior even roomier. No question, it's another home run from Honda.
But if it gets any bigger or heavier on the next redesign, the Accord might as well be Honda's Avalon, with the Civic taking up the midsize spot and the Fit being the "old Civic."
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor
bankerdanny says:
11:31 AM, 01/21/08
Might be? Brent, that is clearly already the case.
I used to own a '74 Civic, it makes a modern Accord look like a Ford Crown Vic.
The Accord is a full size car by today's standards no matter what Honda says.
estreka says:
11:46 AM, 01/21/08
Isn't the Accord still classified a "small" car, with the Civic a "compact"?
It's ironic because the Malibu is rated a "midsize" yet the Accord is bigger.
opfreak says:
12:11 PM, 01/21/08
no the new accord offically passed into full size car land.
opfreak says:
12:17 PM, 01/21/08
only in legacy terms should it be compared against the malibu and camary. because offically its not in the same classification.
Oh and that home-run that is the accord was in 3rd place in the NACOTY award, behind the malibu and cts.
aspade says:
12:36 PM, 01/21/08
The EPA's size classifications are based on combined cabin and trunk space. 100 < 110 cf is compact, 110 < 120 is midsized, 120 and up is large. So many models near the line are 'midsized', unless you get the sunroof which makes it a 'compact' again. This will happen even more with hybrids that lose 5 feet in the trunk to the battery pack.
As you can see, this makes about as much sense as most of the other great work the EPA does, like calling a 48mph treadmill test with stops 'highway mileage'.
pengwin says:
12:51 PM, 01/21/08
The accord should be compared against the Avalon, lets see who wins then.
joefrompa says:
01:41 PM, 01/21/08
Opfreak -
Whats your point about it's placement in one car award? Besides which, those car awards represent what those judges deem to be the most significant COTY....I think the CTS represents a good 1st place contender there. The Malibu, OTOH,...? It's definitely an improvement. It's even better than the camry, IMO. I think it might win 2nd place because of it's signifigance to the mfr....Chevy needed a great product, and the Malibu is that. Everything else is sinking...it's got an amazing truck in a market of $100 a barrel gas. What else have they, or one of their clone divisions, got?
As the blog entry notes, one impressive thing Honda has gotten with this car is that it's enormous...in person, inside, on paper, wherever...but it still drives well. The seating position, controls, and feel all colloborate to deliver an easy driving experience for such a large vehicle. Not an easy feat.
Personally, I'd like to see the next generation shrink a few inches in overall length (while maintaining this wheelbase and width) and go with a smaller engine producing the same max-output but getting 10-15% better gas mileage. My main dissapointment with this Accord is that they put a 3.5 liter engine in a FWD car...the only point of which was to develop a 3.5 liter that could be used in all their applications, instead of developing a more advanced 3.2 liter for their Accord and another engine for their minivan and truck.
Unfortunately, it is a home-run in today's market and it won't teach Honda to downsize their engine and maximize their research.
Sigh.
Joe
mahdigga says:
02:05 PM, 01/21/08
Its just beautiful. This accord really had to grow on me(like pretty much all previous accords) and i think its beautiful, especially in black. Very classy looking for under $32k. From the swooping character line to the 5-series-ish taillight, its just a nice car. Does everything well and without complaint. Honda even got the rims nice for once!
opfreak says:
02:06 PM, 01/21/08
My point is, there are a few edmunds writers that call it a homerun.
where-as the rest of the world does not see it as much.
given that the voting for the COTY was by journalists, Edmunds writers are outside the majority for the love of this car.
it gets poor gas milage for a family mover. Got fatter again. Bigger engine. Is everything that hondas (outside of quality) are known for (small, efficent, practical etc). And the outside styling is at best acceptable.
aspade says:
02:28 PM, 01/21/08
Downsizing the engine isn't a panacea. Downsizing all the way down to the inline 4 picks up a whole 2mpg, and much of that reduction is from the weaker, lighter rest of the drivetrain - the transmission and axle. A smaller engine with the same max output would not allow those to be weakened.
If the 3.5L is too much engine, just go easier on the go pedal or buy the 4 cylinder.
joefrompa says:
03:23 PM, 01/21/08
"My point is, there are a few edmunds writers that call it a homerun.
where-as the rest of the world does not see it as much.
given that the voting for the COTY was by journalists, Edmunds writers are outside the majority for the love of this car.
it gets poor gas milage for a family mover. Got fatter again. Bigger engine. Is everything that hondas (outside of quality) are known for (small, efficent, practical etc). And the outside styling is at best acceptable."
Op - The rest of the world does not see it as such? Are you using sales figures as your basis for this? If so, I think you are off.
Regarding the journalists - They are journalists chosen by the detroit auto show (formally renamed the north american international auto show so as to have more cachet). They may well be independent, but they do vote under the pall of bias in that particular town. Why is it that edmunds is biased but they are not? I am not saying either are...but you can cast the aspersions of prejudice quite easily.
After saying that, again, I stress that the CTS and Malibu deserve a spot up there. I think the CTS is truly a world-class entry-luxo sports sedan and deserved the win.
You are commenting on the Accord's characteristics negatively while raising up the Malibu as superior in some as-yet-unnamed aspect? Every car in this segment got a bigger engine, got fatter, and produced about the same mileage the previous generation did. Hence, why trying to decide which car is the "best" in this segment, it's pretty much up to personal taste.
Personally, I think the Camry is the worst, followed by the Aura, then the Altima, with the Malibu in 2nd, and the Accord in first. I don't feel that's bias; I probably won't buy another Honda product after my current 06 Civic Si....I rank those cars the way I do because of the balance and compromise of my own personal priorities. Is it wrong for a set of journalists to share those priorities, and consistently feel the same way about a set of cars (i.e. the cars that meet the most of those priorities are ranked #1)?
Joe
joefrompa says:
03:25 PM, 01/21/08
Aspade - The 3.5 liter is too much engine for a FWD platform. The Camry, Altima, Aura, Accord, and Malibu have pretty much maxed out their ability to transmit power to the pavement.
As I've pointed out before, the last generation 3.0 liter Accord produced the same acceleration and slightly better average MPG. I understand some of the weight gain with improved safety and standard equipment, but is it considered progress to NEED a bigger engine to produce the same acceleration and slightly worse mpg?
Joe
sabastian says:
03:42 PM, 01/21/08
I have to say that I am totally baffled by the controversy that is consistently drummed up by family sedans. Anyone who doesn't believe me, pick any blog about the Aura and read the comments. It seems that no one is ever happy with any blog entry about that car. And now here we have the Accord: a car that has not received a single harsh word from the automotive press yet still manages to stir up the readers of the LT blog, and again, I am baffled. So before I come to the defense of this car, I want to make my personal feelings clear:
I don't like the Accord. There. I said it. It's too big, too slow, too soft, too fat, too ubiquitous and worst of all too boring. To add to the list, the transmission doesn't have a manual gate, and the 6-speed manual isn't available with the 3.5L engine. Honestly, I would rather have the better looking Aura or the more athletic Altima.
Here's the kicker though. My problems with the Accord are just that: my problems. It's bigger, softer, slower, and less interesting than my ideal car. For many people however, this is their ideal car. It has loads of space, it's safe, reasonably quick, and reasonably good-looking, and that's enough. The reason this car is so widely lauded, opfreak, by Edmunds, C&D, Motor Trend, CR, and Automobile is because it does the job of an "everything" car just that little bit better than the others. Therefore, I respect the Accord. Just don't ask me to buy one.
hondacura4 says:
04:11 PM, 01/21/08
"And now here we have the Accord: a car that has not received a single harsh word from the automotive press yet still manages to stir up the readers of the LT blog, and again, I am baffled."
Acutally the Accord has had some negative feedback from the press as well as current Accord owners as the new Accord has lost some of its "Accordness". Is it enough to sway the Accord loyals away? I doubt it.
If you really sit down and think about it, is there really a "best" car in this class? Does 1 car meet everyones needs, wants and desires? No. Some will like the Accord, some will like the Malibu and some wont buy either and thats OK!
hondacura4 says:
04:23 PM, 01/21/08
In regards to the Accords size, every vehicle has gotten larger over the years so how is the 2008 Accord any different?
People using the EPA numbers as evidence obviously havent sat inside of the Accord. Yes, its bigger but I wouldnt consider it a large car. A Lincoln Town Car is large, 300C, Mercedes S Class, Ford Crown Vic. These are LARGE cars people!
Will the next generation Accord be larger? I highly doubt it.
1487 says:
05:17 PM, 01/21/08
"Everything else is sinking...it's got an amazing truck in a market of $100 a barrel gas. What else have they, or one of their clone divisions, got? "
oh boy, sounds like someone needs to do a little more research before commenting.
Sebastian,
you need to read some Accord reviews outside of Edmunds. The car has not been universally praised as you stated. The car is OK and has no major flaws but its not clearly superior to the competition even though Edmunds and C&D will tell you otherwise. The Accord got a little better while cars like the Malibu got a whole lot better.
1487 says:
05:19 PM, 01/21/08
hondaacura,
I would hope the car doesnt get any bigger but we all know the trend has been for it to get larger every time its redesigned so we never know. Honda knows enough to know that there are large numbers of people that will buy whatever Accord they put out and they can pretty much do whatever they want.
1487 says:
05:24 PM, 01/21/08
"Regarding the journalists - They are journalists chosen by the detroit auto show (formally renamed the north american international auto show so as to have more cachet). They may well be independent, but they do vote under the pall of bias in that particular town. Why is it that edmunds is biased but they are not? I am not saying either are...but you can cast the aspersions of prejudice quite easily. "
you are incorrect here. The award is given out in Detroit but the votes come from automotive media types around the country. Furthermore, the votes come from 40+ writers if I'm not mistaken which makes it hard to believe there is bias involved. Edmunds' editors on the other hand seem to think as a unit and thus they all have nothing but praise for the Accord and find its competition decent, but clearly a step behind. Is that because they are from import heavy California? Could be. Is that because most of them probably drive imports and have been doing so for decades? Could be. Bottom line is that I do think the opinions of a diverse group of auto writers means a litte more than what is said here on the Accord blogs, especially since Edmunds has made it clear they find no fault with the Accord.
zach101 says:
05:57 PM, 01/21/08
Why is there such a controversy over the size of the new Accord? Alot of cars that are redesigned get bigger. Doesn't mean it's a bad car.
aspade says:
06:23 PM, 01/21/08
So what are the downsides of this over engined Accord?
Does it break traction or have torque steer problems? Not with the electronic minders.
Does it get bad mileage? Exactly the same as the rest of its class.
Bad weight distribution? No more so than any other FWD vehicle.
What concrete improvement would dropping 0.3L and 25hp make? An extra 0.2 mpg?
cartester16 says:
06:54 PM, 01/21/08
Where's the update on the Fit's broken tranny? Or, are you too busy fawning all over this overbloated, Ray Romano-nosed, washing machine of a car??
"Hello, Honda? Yeah, your Fit is broken, and the last "arrangement" we & the dealer had to cover it up is not gonna cut this time...send more money or else we'll have to spill the beans" - Dan
plazomatic says:
07:20 PM, 01/21/08
Much like their owners, cars sold in America do seem to have a steady weight gain as the years go on.
You're right on with the idea of the Fit becoming the new Civic. Just like the new BMW 1er being the new 3er, while the 3er is the new 5er, and the 5er is the new 7.
I just wonder what BMW will do when the 1er gets portly in a revision or two... will they go negative? "The new -2 series." LOL
On second thought, I guess that's where the MINI fits in. I also guess that's why I've ordered one. :)
sabastian says:
07:39 PM, 01/21/08
1487: Where are these negative reviews of the Accord that you speak of? Can you post a link or two?
As for the notion that Edmunds is biased in some way, I would probably disagree. From what I've read, I'd even go so far to say that it's the other way around. (Stay with me here.) Among the older editors at least, I see a lot of nostalgia for the "good ole' days" when America echoed with the sounds of 'Cudas and Camaros. Look at Edmunds' own glowing review of the new CTS. In the final section, the author (Chris Walton) reminisces about the days when Cadillac was the "standard of the world," and is almost rooting for GM when he says that the company is on its way to building a new reputation. Another great example is Karl Braurer: owner of two classic muscle cars, a Ford GT, and (surprise!) a Chevy Malibu. Ok, so maybe there are some import lovers on the Edmunds staff, but I bet there are more domestic-fanatics than you think. In light of this, I'd like to propose something: I've noticed that there are a lot of cries of bias when a Honda wins anything, which leads me to believe that one of two things is going on. A) A large portion of the automotive press is genuinely biased, and no matter what, the Accord always wins or B) When the points are totaled up, the Honda has the most.
aurakr says:
08:38 PM, 01/21/08
Everyone, as always, makes good points in all the blogs. It is fair to say, that at other car reviews, ie Honda/BMW and Driver, they got their reputations for many reasons. Usually, the Honda/Acura/BMW product won, no matter what.
Here is what I have to deal with. I usually have no problem when BMW wins, but when Honda/Acura wins, it drives me nuts. I really lost respect for Honda/BMW and Driver when they started giving points for each category, but then said that the total points earned isn't the total of each category. Why even do that?
To me the Accord is a good car, well rounded in all areas. But, so are the Aura/Malibu, Altima, and the Camry. The newest edition of the Accord, I believe, has strayed from the famous Accord equation. It no longer is the best handling midsize sedan. OOPS, it no longer is midsize. Second, the Altima and the Aura/Malibu appear to handle better. All are quicker. All appear to get the same mileage as the Accord(in real life) without the cylinder deactivation.
Sabastian, the problem with your last statement is that when some other car reviews add up the points, they aren't. They give a number to each category, but then don't add them up.
opfreak says:
08:48 PM, 01/21/08
karl owns the old ugly malibu, because it was cheap.
While past performance, can give a hint as to what the future holds. I feel that compaines like honda/toyota are given a free pass these days to do whatever they please and be praised for it.
Like I said, this accord isn't bad. And is better then the last one, maybe a fault of good accords past that this one doesnt stand out.
But its not perfect. Neither is the malibu, and I think everyone knows the camry is in 3rd behind them.
I just advocate the end of the halo effect on cars, both good and bad.
I.E. the new ram is alot nicer then the old ram. Well the old ram was very dated and as such a refresh was good... but it seems like its just a better ram. vs a good truck.
The new malibu isn't just better then the old malibu. It jumped into a field where it can honestly compete with the accords of the world. Is it 100% there. No, but the gap isn't ~10 years anymore.
umsneeze says:
06:25 AM, 01/22/08
I hate to admit that I agree with opfreak. (not on everything, and definitely not about a classic Ferrari). I just got back from the Detroit autoshow. If you have been an import only buyer, you owe it to yourself to look at GM products. The Malibu is a great car, so is the Accord but the gap is close between them. Same with some of the cross overs, such as the Acadia/Outlook. Lot of value for your money, nice fit and finish and well thought out. Honda and Toyota have a great legacy of reliability, but they won't keep it for much longer given the current competitive market.
mr215 says:
07:01 AM, 01/22/08
"1487: Where are these negative reviews of the Accord that you speak of? Can you post a link or two? "
I don't believe he spoke of "negative" reviews of the Accord. We all know there is no such thing. His point was that not everyone has been as enamored with this car as Edmunds. Motortrend would be an example of that. They felt the Malibu matched or exceeded the Accord in every way. Also, when edmunds had its consumer test of the Camry, Malibu and Accord it should be noted that half the testers liked the Malibu better and even those who chose the Accord seemed to be doing so based on its reputation as opposed to its clear superiority over the Malibu.
"From what I've read, I'd even go so far to say that it's the other way around. (Stay with me here.) Among the older editors at least, I see a lot of nostalgia for the "good ole' days" when America echoed with the sounds of 'Cudas and Camaros. "
I think that Karl is one of the few on this staff that seems to be obsessed with low quality, high powered Detroit muscle cars. I would never say the majority of the staff favors domestics and there is no proof of that based on blog comments. Its pretty apparent the majority of the staff favors small cars (except for the full size Accord) and we all know that there are more small cars/SUVs with import badges than domestic badges. Plus, let us not forget they are in CA which is one of the most anti domestic car markets in the US. Do you really think that doesnt affect the opinions of the edmunds staff?
As for Honda, if you subtract C&D you will find that Hondas dont really win too many comparisons. C&D has a love affair with Honda and praises their products regardless of actual execution. I'm not so sure other publications are always on the same page. Hondas rarely win comparisons in MT or on Edmunds for that matter.
m23mc says:
07:46 AM, 01/22/08
Wow, this is quite the discussion here. Hey, doesn't the Accord kinda look like the Acura RL from this angle?
Family sedans are not my up my shopping market, but, I do follow the class out of interest.Anyway, here's my comment. What's the advantage of having a car this big (on the outside)? The Accord is a full half foot (6 in) longer than the Camry, for example. CHECK THE INTERIOR DIMENSIONS OF BOTH CARS. Does the Accord really have an advantage on the inside? I think the answer is no. Does this mean anything to anyone??
I frequent parking lots, I know I'm looking for the smaller car in this case... if this was my market.
Cheers
sabastian says:
09:05 AM, 01/22/08
"Here is what I have to deal with. I usually have no problem when BMW wins, but when Honda/Acura wins, it drives me nuts. I really lost respect for Honda/BMW and Driver when they started giving points for each category, but then said that the total points earned isn't the total of each category. Why even do that?"
I'm looking through my copies of C&D for examples of when Hondas/Acuras won tests. So far, I've haven't found the overwhelming number of Honda victories that you're talking about. Here's what I have after a quick search:
Everyday Heroes: GLI beats out the Accord V-6 and TSX
Cheap Skates: Fit wins
Sensible Shoes: Rabbit beats out the Civic
$35k Sport Sedans: 3-series beats out the TL
Eight Tickets to Paradise: MDX wins
Small SUV's: X3 beats out the RDX
Space Shuttles: Odyssey Wins
Extreme Sports: Elise beats out S2000
Compact Pickups: Ridgeline Wins
Clash of the Icons: GTI beats Civic Si
As for family sedans, the Accord and Malibu both made the 10Best list.
I'm not sure about your "adding the points up" comment. I'm looking at a C&D right now, and the points in each category are clearly added up. The winner has the most. Last place has the least.
"I think that Karl is one of the few on this staff that seems to be obsessed with low quality, high powered Detroit muscle cars."
I would agree with you there, but I was making that statement based on a previous comment about the Edmunds staff thinking as one "unit," which obviously isn't true.
"Its pretty apparent the majority of the staff favors small cars (except for the full size Accord) and we all know that there are more small cars/SUVs with import badges than domestic badges."
I'm not sure that it's a case of "us and them" (import and domestic) anymore. It's a global market now. Toyota's, BMW's, and Subaru's are all built here in the states. I like to believe that editors at Edmunds are mature enough to rate a car based on its strengths and weaknesses regardless of the badge on the hood. Look at the Enclave: a "domestic" SUV. The editors like it because it's a good car. I read the LT blog regularly, and I've noticed a trend. If a positive comment is made about a domestic car, it goes unnoticed by the readers. If a negative comment is made, everyone goes nuts. Check the Aura blog. My point is that I don't really see the bias in Edmunds or C&D. I realize that a lot of people will disagree with this (ever read the Backfires in C&D?), but that's where I stand.
Back to the Accord: Why do car makers keep making cars bigger? Every year it's another inch to the wheelbase, three overall...When will it stop? My friend has a 91 Accord. Back then it was a two-door hatchback! Sheesh.
joefrompa says:
09:09 AM, 01/22/08
Hey M23-
I can't speak for front headroom or trunk volume (i find the intrusive strut towers in the rear of the accord ridiculous, as they cut down on the pass-through width), but the rear seat usable space is substantially different than the camry, malibu, altima, and aura. The accord is ridiculously spacious in the rear seat. I won't compare numbers, all I can say is just sit in it with the front seats at a normal place. Even under-rear seat footroom is ginormous.
In many ways, the comparison to a crown vic is apt when looking at the rear seat room in both cars.
As a side note, I believe the trunk pass-through in the much larger Accord is of smaller width than my 2006 Honda Civic SI Coupe. I.e. I can fit a 36" wide object trough the fold-down rear seats on my Civic. I don't think that would be possible on the Accord pass-through, due to the suspension setup in the rear.
Opfreak - I think the Halo effect has mostly ended. For instance, the Camry is butt ugly outside (front) and cheap inside, in comparison to the rest of it's class. It's fairly designed ergonomically. It will continue to sell well because of it's long reputation is a buy-it-and-forget it car. The Accord has the same reputation. Some of the others are gaining that reputation, but it still takes time.
I'm going to the car show in 2 weeks and I'll really spend some time in an open-minded fashion looking at the malibu and accord again. Hopefully they'll have a nicely equipped malibu on hand, as the last one I was in was a bottom-end model and it turned me off somewhat.
Joe
nwfmlymn says:
09:41 AM, 01/22/08
If you buy it, they will build it. (Bigger) size sells.
opfreak says:
10:11 AM, 01/22/08
the last malibu, and current imepla are both. BOOOORRRING.
I think if they can make them 'bigger' without a real price increase.
The could make new models the same size, and sell them for less.
lazyhater says:
10:55 AM, 01/22/08
The new Accord is bigger then the current Acura RL. Enough said.
The Accord is too big and the RL is too small. And people still wonder why nobody buys the RL.
mr215 says:
01:59 PM, 01/22/08
"I would agree with you there, but I was making that statement based on a previous comment about the Edmunds staff thinking as one "unit," which obviously isn't true. "
Based on what? Who said karl doesnt favor import cars? I haven't been able to clearly identify any edmunds' staffer that isnt enamored with the usual import car darlings such as Mini, Scions, Accord, Fit, etc. I will say that many in the media are starting to sour on Toyota but that has nothing to do with the unabashed love for everthing done by BMW, Honda, Acura, VW and Mini.
You seem to have a hear no evil, see no evil attitude. Everyone who reads C&D knows they are biased and they really don't do much to deny it. I will say that there have been some positive comments here about american cars but the overall tone is somewhere between dislike and disinterest. If you have been visiting these blogs as long as you say than you should be able to spot some trends such as: edmunds staffers dont like large vehicles (plenty of domestics fit that category), they like compacts with good handling (plenty of imports fit that description) and they seem to be somewhat skeptical of domestic vehicles brought into the fleet (they stated as such in the long term Tahoe wrap up) and they expect the best from the imports brought into the fleet.
I am just looking for some diversity of opinion here. People I know could care less about vehicles like the Scion and Mini or Lancer EVO. People I know do not think the Accord is one of the best looking sedans on the market. Not everyone thinks along the same lines and it would be nice to see some dissenting opinions amongst the staffers.
sabastian says:
09:25 AM, 01/24/08
"Based on what? Who said karl doesnt favor import cars?"
The man owns two classic muscle cars, a Ford GT, and a previous generation Malibu. Actions speak louder than words.
"I will say that many in the media are starting to sour on Toyota but that has nothing to do with the unabashed love for everthing done by BMW, Honda, Acura, VW and Mini."
BMW has been slammed over and over again for iDrive (Check Karl's most recent blog entry). VW has spotty reliability that has been well-documented. Mini has been called out continuously for stupid ergonomics in this very blog. Honda's and Acura's aren't universally loved either. My previous post explains that in more detail.
"edmunds staffers dont like large vehicles (plenty of domestics fit that category)"
The entire market is moving away from large trucks and SUV's. Ford's declining stock values are proof of that as is GM's choice to revamp their small and midsize car offerings.
"they like compacts with good handling (plenty of imports fit that description)"
I'm sorry. Did I fall asleep for a minute and suddenly good handling is a bad thing?
"People I know could care less about vehicles like the Scion and Mini or Lancer EVO."
Scion and Mini's sales figures would suggest that you simply don't know the enough people. As for the Evo, it doesn't sell as many copies as the Mini or Scion brands, but it is one of the most anticipated cars of the year. For the record, I'm not a huge fan of the Evo, or of the Scion brand, but I recognize their obvious popularity.
jaeger1 says:
04:55 PM, 01/26/08
I've been calling this thing the "Accordalon" for some time now. It's huge. It's quiet. It's comfortable. It's not very sporty - and it doesn't care. It's a pretty darned good Avalon.
"I don't like the Accord. There. I said it. It's too big, too slow, too soft, too fat, too ubiquitous and worst of all too boring. To add to the list, the transmission doesn't have a manual gate, and the 6-speed manual isn't available with the 3.5L engine. Honestly, I would rather have the better looking Aura or the more athletic Altima.
Amen to that.
Jaeger
alan_s says:
01:43 PM, 02/ 4/08
I am very impressed with the new Accord. After a succession of Camrys and Avalons, I have since abandoned Toyota after my poor quality 2005 Avalon turned out to be a cheaply-built, engineering nightmare.
Our '06 Honda Pilot has been perfect and the new Super-Sized Accord is exactly what I am looking for.