New Honda Accord review, test drive

IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Since it is still raining stair rods, we head in the direction of Singapore’s Changi airport, in search of faster, traffic-free roads. Sure, the perfectly manicured city streets and disciplined driving are all very well, but I’m keen to see if Honda’s “better to drive” stand holds any water – frankly, it is a claim made by every second new car we test.

Time to climb in and get a move on, but the precision with which the door opens and closes gets my attention. I open and close it a few times, as you would, and am seriously impressed. It’s no Mercedes E-class and lacks some of that car’s ‘weighty’ feel, but the shut-lines are so tight,
the seam between the doors all but disappears when you close it. And I just love the way it ‘clacks’ home. Once seated, I squeeze the starter button and set off.

First impressions: well, it’s definitely a Honda, and I mean that in a nice way. It feels light and effortless to steer through traffic, and despite its XL proportions, the 2.4-litre motor feels reasonably strong. The engine is really smooth and there’s plenty of zing as you spin it harder. This Accord also has something that was missing on the earlier car – a pleasing ‘oneness’ and cohesiveness to how it drives.

As we head out of the city, wipers slapping away the rain, the Accord picks up pace and starts to reveal itself in layers. Cabin insulation feels better right off the bat. The outsides feel a bit more removed and muffled in comparison to the old car and even the suspension feels nice and quiet as we encounter some poor patches of road. Much of the credit for this must go to the now stiffer chassis. Also making a difference is the active noise cancellation system; microphones in the roof pick up noises that are then played back in reverse over the speakers to cancel things like engine noise and road roar. Ride quality also feels improved. Some of the short, sharp movements you expect in a Honda are still there, but they are few and far between. And it sails over some really rough patches we suddenly encounter pretty easily too. 

As the roads open out, I begin to use more of the engine’s 173bhp. As with most Honda motors, this engine gets better the faster I wind it. There’s a bit of a dead zone around 2000rpm, but hang on for a bit and the motor gets well and truly into its stride by around 4000rpm, the Accord shooting forward impressively. By 5000rpm, things start to get more manic and by 6000rpm, the engine takes on a harder edge, the spike in power considerable. The best bit, of course, is the free-revving nature of the engine which, rather than slowing down towards the top, accelerates as the tachometer needle climbs up the dial. As ever, using all the revs on a Honda engine is addictive.

Overall performance, however, is similar to that of the current car. While the 2.4 seems familiar if you look at the spec sheet, this is actually a new and improved engine from the Earth Dreams range. Unlike the US-spec car, we in Asia don’t get the direct injection system or the CVT automatic gearbox because both are more expensive. So performance feels similar. Still, the engine is more than up to the task, especially if you are willing to wind it hard and, like the earlier Accord and the one before it, there’s plenty of fun to be had.

What isn’t nice to use is the conventional five-speed automatic gearbox. Yes, if all you want to do is drive in a relaxed manner, this gearbox is alright, I guess. It comes with sporty paddles and will hold on to a gear, so you have greater control when exiting corners. But demand a quick shift and it disappoints. This is especially irritating on open roads like those on the outskirts of Singapore, where you want to unleash all the power of the engine. Problem is, the gap between ratios is a bit too wide, especially in this age of seven- and eight-speed automatics, and to make matters worse, the box itself is a bit dim-witted and slow. And that just saps performance.

The rain has stopped and the roads are now drying out. I backtrack to a picturesque bay we’ve passed a few minutes ago – the route takes me over a small hill that has some really nice corners, a luxury in Singapore. So I put the gearbox in manual and put my foot down. I’m already impressed with the new Accord’s feeling of iron-fisted stability at speed and though I’ve only scratched the surface, the manner in which it turns into corners is pretty impressive too. The road ahead, however, is a bit more challenging. More old school and less uniform in construction, it dips and dives suddenly and corners often tuck in on themselves unexpectedly as well. The full-sized Accord will really have its work cut out.

As I get more comfortable behind the wheel, I give the Accord more stick and expect it to get loose and ‘fall apart’. But, to my surprise, the harder I go, the more confidence the new Accord inspires. The steering is quick, nicely weighted and very precise, and the manner in which the Accord scythes through a series of corners has me really scratching my head. Is it really that good? I perform another U-turn, driving the GPS a bit batty, and go back up the hill with more resolve. And the Accord seems to enjoy the extra pace even more. It’s no BMW 3-series, but there’s still a degree of nimbleness and balance that emerges when you ask it to perform, and that feels really good.