2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6: It's a Big Deal

anoopk: It's called a Civic.

Me thinks IL is trying to reverse the prior Focus bashing.

Knocking a car for not having what might be the newest tech available is being finicky.

Honda designers should use the chewbacca defence.

If the Honda got everything an Acura has, who is going to pay more for a Acura?

Honda has to omitted certain features to make them different class, in my opinion, the Accord already got too many features for it's class.

anoopk: ya the Civic is the same size as the 1991 Accord, and a ton more fuel efficient. You need to get yourself a Honda Civic.

Is the 'real-time' traffic actually accurate enough to be useful? I often check traffic.com and google on my phone while I'm driving and am always surprised to notice how completely wrong the traffic info is. I've both gotten stuck in spots where they said it was clear sailing, and had the opposite happen as well. I'm curious to know if anyone elses is any better.

Youre going to bash the Accord for not having real time traffic yet some of the cars in its class (one of them is in your fleet) dont even offer a basic navigation system? Puh-leese!

Given the 2009 TL just recieved real time traffic (all navi equipped Acuras have it now) I dont see why its so important for the Accord to have it too.

For some reason that picture taken makes the accord dash look cheap. Maybe too much light. It just looks like there is too many pieces coming together in that area and that they arent of good quality.

CARMIZVI and BILLT9 and whoever thinks I am bashing this car- I love the ACCORD. i think its one of my fav cars for all its qualities.

My comments are for this generation. I recently went and drove the Camry V6 on a long trip and it gave me about 30MPG. I dont care for the CIVIC since its too small. The ACCORD used to be with the Camry for MPG(in both classes of engines 4 and 6)and used to be more fun to drive.

For this generation, my comment centered on the car being Toooo big and heavy.Needless to say, fuel economy and driving pleasure suffers.

My comment centered around the fact that we are not used to this from HONDAS. I guess whoever loves CARS and knows a bit of History on each one will agree with me.

Signing off for now.
Anoop

Real time traffic would be good, and its absence is perplexing given that everything is in place. I hardly think that a feature like this this would be a reason that someone would step up to a TL. Honda hardly needs to reserve this feature to its luxury brand in order to sell TLs (though buyers with poor enough eyesight or strong enough stomachs to get past the TL's looks might help). That said, I can't see the absence of real time traffic being much of an issue for most buyers of this car.

anoopk - you are spot on about this vehicle's size and mass. But you must realize that saying anything negative about the Accord will automatically get you branded as a "hater" or a "basher" by the true-believer TOV types.

considering for the same price you can get 6spd auto, rain sensing wipers, HIDs, keyless entry/ignition, Blind spot monitoring system, etc on a Mazda6 I definately think honda needs to step up their tech game.

@Jaeger1 : it will be for someone who sees the feature in the competition (Altima, etc.) . I also think it's inexcusable for the Accord to *NOT* have a fob-in-pocket keyless ignition. It doesn't have to be push-button start, but let's put it this way: you ever accidentally dropped your keys in your trunk while loading groceries (likely to happen if a bag breaks or stuff spills), slammed it shut, and then realized what you've done? I don't care about the cool-but-gimmicky Push-button start, not having to worry about locking your keys in the car/trunk is super cool, and the Accord should have it at this price.

Also, regarding size: the last-gen Accord was the perfect size. Larger than a Civic (could fit adults in the back seat) , still easy to park. I know some people will complain that THAT generation was too big, but being realistic, most people purchase these with the intent of having a usable back seat. Otherwise, get a Civic.

You're in LA. Grab your red sharpie, make a couple scribbles on the nav screen. There's your real time traffic info.

Compliance - you win 1st place for snarkiest, sharpest comment. Nice!

IMO - cars no longer get credit for static nav systems - what good is a nav system that doesn't navigate around the one thing you REALLY need to know - traffic. And how does it update new or closed roads?

Sure, no real time traffic is perfect but it gives a general idea. Even the $16,000 Suzuki SX4 can be ordered with nav traffic - at least give me the option. Nav alone is almost pointless.

mikeoaln - I am with you on the absence of a smartkey. That is a more significant omission to me than the lack of real time traffic.

"anoopk - you are spot on about this vehicle's size and mass. But you must realize that saying anything negative about the Accord will automatically get you branded as a "hater" or a "basher" by the true-believer TOV types."

Jaeger1, Ive been a member of TOV for about 11-12 years now and I somewhat take offense to your statement. Have you ever even been to the TOV site? Have you read any blogs or threads about the 08 Accord on TOV? If not PLEASE dont make assumptions.

There are an overwhelming number of negative comments (on TOV and other publications) regarding the Accord sedans new found size, polarizing styling, lack of low/midrange power from the VCM V6, average REAL WORLD fuel economy ratings and some other small details.

Dont think because its a site for Honda/Acura enthusiasts that all of us wear Honda tinted sunglasses (I sure dont). Sure there are a few registered members on the site who think Honda does no wrong (that can be said for any enthusiast brand site) but most of the members (moderators and myself included) are very quick to point out bad execution when they see it. We didnt hesitate 1 second to point out all the major negative qualities the Accord now pocesses vs the last generation. The Accord sedan has certainly spilled some of its formula from the cup and something else (from Toyota?) was poured in.

Yes, I did mention something about bashing the Accord for not having RealTime Traffic. That doesnt mean I think the Accord is anywhere near perfect (no car is perfect). There are plenty of mid size sedans out there with nav systems that dont have this feature. Edmunds currently has a car in its LT fleet (Saturn Aura) which is in the same segment as the Accord and it doesnt even offer an in dash nav system yet we havent heard anything about it. Does that make the Aura a bad car.....certainly not!

This reminds me of the rediculous blog about the Saturn Auras (supposedly cheap) sunroof deflector. Like that blog this one has no foundation or significance.

if you need traffic on gps get an Acura. This is a cheaper version of an TSX

hondacura4

Let me clarify - the "true-believers at TOV" comment wasn't directed at you. Your views on Honda / Acura products have been fairly balanced. I don't always agree with you, but you are not one of the Honda-can-do-no-wrong types.

That said, I HAVE been to TOV and find it to be widely populated by just those types. If anyone has a problem with Honda, the problem is clearly with them, not the car. Given the religious fervor with which many there defend their brand, I don't find what the "T" in TOV stands for to be at all surprising. That's the way I see it. You are more than entitled to see it differently. I like Hondas and tend to follow their new models closely, but when I am looking for balanced, informative discussion about one of their cars, TOV is about the bottom of my list for places I would go.

Baack to the topic at hand - while I don't see the absence of real-time traffic as a big issue, pointing it out in a review is FAR from "bashing". The quick resort to terms like that does little to enhance one's credibility, IMHO. It's merely pointing out a feature that the Accord lacks, which some of its competitors offer. I took the main point to be not the absence of real time traffic in absolute terms, but it's particularly perplexing omission given that all the parts are essentially in place to provide it.

Jaeger

IMO, Honda simply "de-contented" the Accord to get people to buy Acuras rather than make Acuras better.

No one listens to traffic reports on AM radio anymore? I'm sure after living in the area for a number of years, you begin to know where alternate routes are. Be pro-active! Don't wait to do something when your car tells you to do something. Who's really in control? You or your car?

"That said, I HAVE been to TOV and find it to be widely populated by just those types. If anyone has a problem with Honda, the problem is clearly with them, not the car. Given the religious fervor with which many there defend their brand, I don't find what the "T" in TOV stands for to be at all surprising"

Thanks for the clarification Jaeger!

Yes, as I mentioned before there are more than a few of those "types" on TOV but its the same with all brands and brand dedicated sites not just Honda/TOV. The TOV moderators for the most part are fairly balanced as they do give credit/respect/recognition to other brands and a few of them even own or have owned non Honda products. I know Shawn (SC) has a modified G35 6MT coupe and Jeff used to own a VW Passat 1.8T and some sort of Volvo.

My reasoning for joining TOV wasnt to "worship Hondas" (your reference to the T in TOV) but to get that detailed exclusive information about the Honda brand that publications like much larger Edmunds and others just cant provide. Im certainly not condemning Edmunds as they do a great job with the info they provide but they have a much much ...much broader spectrum to cover in terms of information, brands, news, tests and product coverage vs Honda dedicated TOV. I dont expect the really really small details to surface here like I do with TOV.

The TOV videos; dyno tests/graphs, detailed mechanical analysis and exclusive interviews with Dick Colliver, Dave Mereck, Christina Rau and other Honda high ups cant be found anywhere else. TOV has very close ties with Honda and Honda actually gives them cars to road test/analyze or even modify (06 Civic Si).

TOVs current Acura TL SH-awd 6MT test (same test as Edmunds) was good (as was Edmunds) but TOV went further as they provided detailed information about the car that most larger publications just cant do. TOV currently has an excellent blog on the exclusive 6MT (its shared with no ther Honda/Acura product) thats going to be offered in the TL SH-awd. It goes into serious detail on how and why Acura chose to go to such great lengths to proved this performance package even though only about 5-7% of SH-awd TL's will be manuals. I know its not the best looking car but its going to offer one hell of an overall performance package.

Other things like Shawns (TOV mod/Church Automotive owner) relentless help with helping myself and others choose worthwhile, high quality mods for my/our S2000(s) as he road races his own 500hp turbocharged S2000 and he owns lightly modified S2000. He has a lot of exeperience with Hondas and cars in general as he tunes and builds race cars (of all kinds) on a daily basis at his own shop, Church Automotive. He REALLY knows his stuff and is a great resource.

Back to topic, I guess the word "bashing" was a bit too severe but like you I dont see it necessary to make a blog about it as its not really a significant issue since most Accords or cars in general arent equipped with navi. The author said "its a big deal".