Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC Comfort
Test Drive

Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC Comfort

Swipe! If any of the Japanese brands have really invested primarily in sports car development, then it is undoubtedly Honda. Mazda is much smaller. So it is clear that their philosophies have never coincided. What does Honda have to deal with today? With its own personality. There are two cars on the market, very similar to many passers-by, which need to be separated. However, the "tragedy" might not have been all that great if Mazda hadn't made a great car.

Nothing good for the traveler, nothing! To prove that not only appearance is important, but also genes is by no means an easy task. Moreover, do not try with your eyes. So what's left of Honda? At the moment, just the reputation that they have built for themselves over all this time. Due to strong development, at least in this respect, they do not walk.

For example, their “invention” is the Flexible Valve Opening Time and Stroke (VTEC) technology. Also upgrade - VTi. And engines bearing these two labels are still a big problem for many automakers. Of course, the dynamics and the rest of the mechanics are also in Honda's favor. But is all this enough?

Certainly not for an equal fight with rivals. Honda learned this from the previous generation Accord. A great car wasn't attractive enough. And since people still buy mostly with their eyes, the recipe just didn't pan out. But it's clearly gone! The new Accord is a nice and at the same time quite interesting car with details.

For example, the headlights have separate headlights, just like the taillights. And it is "in use" today. The "I" is also chrome-plated, so the door is trimmed with hooks and the glass is edged. Of course, not to be overlooked are the turn signals integrated into the rearview mirrors, as well as the aggressive five-spoke 17-inch wheels that are already included in the accessory kit.

But looking at the new Accord from a distance of a few meters is not enough to understand what it has to offer. You also have to sit in it for this. The seat is excellent. Widely adjustable, anatomically shaped and with good lateral support. It's the same with the steering wheel. With three 380mm bars, a wide range of adjustment options, metal trims and audio command switches – yes, you read that right, the new Accord finally gets its own audio system – it can only be a role model for many. competitors.

But this car is not at all an athlete, it just comes from such a family. The meters now use Optitron technology. You don't need to start the engine to notice this. It is already enough if you open the driver's door, and they already light up in a slightly shaded orange-white color.

The pedals will also pleasantly surprise you. There's nothing special about them in terms of looks, but they're spaced right apart so we can reach the accelerator pedal even while braking, and the left foot support is great too. Be that as it may, ergonomics have really improved in the new Accord. You also notice this when you look at the switches. Now they are finally positioned to be visible to the eye, especially where we expect them to be. And to top it off - even backlit at night!

When you turn the key and fire up the 2-litre engine in the nose, it sounds just like every other Honda engine. Definitely. And that's all you can find out about him. The i-VTEC abbreviation, completely hidden in the lower part of the rear window, reveals nothing more. But the fact is that this one is also brand new. The volume has not changed much compared to its predecessor - by one cubic centimeter - so the novelty now has a square ratio of bore to piston stroke (0 x 86), eight "horses" more power and an additional six Nm of torque. Nothing shocking. Find out if this is the case on the road.

Acceleration is continuous, without unnecessary jolts in the higher operating range, the engine "pulls" respectfully from low revs, and the five-speed gearbox with perfectly matched gear ratios ensures a reasonably quiet transfer of power to the front wheels. Only a sense of fulfillment has shown that feelings are deceiving. Nine seconds from the city to a speed of XNUMX miles per hour? !! You just don't feel it while driving.

But if you think about it, this car really has enough power. Painting on the ridges, I was missing a six-speed gearbox, not a few extra horsepower that would have come in handy for this Accord. Also on motorways. Everything else deserves an excellent mark. At 2 RPM, the steering wheel fits perfectly, the transmission is precise and smooth, and even the brakes, which were once Honda's big drawbacks, now boast straight racing performance.

Be that as it may, the new Accord after a long time convinced me again that cars that feel great even in corners still exist. Its suspension is a great compromise between comfort and sportiness, which means it swallows up short bumps a little harshly, but therefore compensates for this during cornering. You won't find electronic tools like ESP or TC here. Unfortunately, this also applies to the on-board computer, so you can comfortably use the automatic two-channel air conditioner. And while this Honda cannot hide the all-in-one design, often, when cornering too fast, just a little extra steering wheel is enough.

We simply cannot expect something like this from the myriad of family limousines on the market today. And the new Accord wants to join them. However, even when he has to play this role, it must be admitted that he is in no way lagging behind rivals. It offers plenty of backseat space as well as comfort, and even in its trunk, although it deserves a little more precise handling, we put all our test cases away without any problem.

This is proof that the new Accord is far from being a copy or clone, but a car that, as we say, lives up to its manufacturer's name and image in black and white.

Matevž Koroshec

Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC Comfort

Basic data

Sales: AC Mobile doo
Base model price: 20.405,61 €
Test model cost: 22.558,84 €
Power:114kW (155


KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h): 9,1 with
Maximum speed: 220 km / h
Mixed flow ECE: 7,7l / 100km
Guarantee: 3 years or 100.000 kilometers total warranty, 3 years paint warranty, 6 years rust warranty

Cost (up to 100.000 km or five years)

Technical information

engine: 4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - petrol - transverse front mounted - bore and stroke 86,0 × 86,0 mm - displacement 1998 cm3 - compression 9,8:1 - maximum power 114 kW (155 hp .) at 6000 rpm - average piston speed at maximum power 17,2 m / s - specific power 57,1 kW / l (77,6 l. - light metal block and head - electronic multipoint injection and electronic ignition - liquid cooling 190 l - engine oil 4500 l - battery 5 V, 2 Ah - alternator 4 A - variable catalyst
Energy transfer: engine drives front wheels - single dry clutch - 5 speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,266 1,769; II. 1,212 hours; III. 0,972 hours; IV. 0,780; v. 3,583; reverse gear 4,105 - gear in differential 7,5 - rims 17J × 225 - tires 45/17 R 1,91 Y, rolling range 1000 m - speed in 35,8 gear at 135 rpm 90 km / h - spare wheel T15 / 2 D 80 M (Bridgestone Tracompa-XNUMX), speed limit XNUMX km / h
Capacity: top speed 220 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 9,1 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 10,3 / 6,2 / 7,7 l / 100 km (unleaded gasoline, elementary school 95)
Transportation and suspension: sedan - 4 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - Cx = 0,26 - front single suspension, spring struts, two triangular wishbones, stabilizer - rear single suspension, suspension struts, cross members, inclined rails, stabilizer - dual circuit brakes, front discs (forced cooling), rear discs, power steering, ABS, EBAS, EBD, mechanical parking brake on the rear wheels (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering, power steering, 2,75 turns between extreme points
Mass: empty vehicle 1320 kg - permissible total weight 1920 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake 1500 kg, without brake 500 kg - permissible roof load 55 kg
External dimensions: length 4665 mm - width 1760 mm - height 1445 mm - wheelbase 2680 mm - front track 1515 mm - rear 1525 mm - minimum ground clearance 150 mm - driving radius 11,6 m
Inner dimensions: length (dashboard to rear seatback) 1570 mm - width (at the knees) front 1490 mm, rear 1480 mm - height above the seat front 930-1000 mm, rear 950 mm - longitudinal front seat 880-1100 mm, rear seat 900 -660 mm - front seat length 500 mm, rear seat 470 mm - steering wheel diameter 380 mm - fuel tank 65 l
Box: (normal) 459 l; Trunk volume measured with Samsonite standard suitcases: 1 backpack (20L), 1 aircraft suitcase (36L), 2 suitcases 68,5L, 1 suitcase 85,5L

Our measurements

T = 10 ° C, p = 1020 mbar, rel. vl. = 63%, Mileage: 840 km, Tires: Bridgestone Potenza S-03


Acceleration 0-100km:9,1s
1000m from the city: 30,5 years (


173 km / h)
Flexibility 50-90km / h: 10,4 (IV.) S
Flexibility 80-120km / h: 14,2 (W) p
Maximum speed: 219km / h


(V.)
Minimum consumption: 8,7l / 100km
Maximum consumption: 17,2l / 100km
test consumption: 10,9 l / 100km
Braking distance at 130 km / h: 64,6m
Braking distance at 100 km / h: 37,1m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear58dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear58dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear57dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear63dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear63dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear63dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 3rd gear68dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear67dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear67dB
Test errors: unmistakable

Overall rating (368/420)

  • The new Accord is undoubtedly far superior to its predecessor. Not only is its mechanics superb, it now boasts a pleasing exterior and, above all, an interior designed with European buyers in mind.

  • Exterior (15/15)

    Japanese production has never been questioned, and now we can write that down for design as well. Surely the Accord liked it.

  • Interior (125/140)

    There is enough space, materials are carefully selected, there are a lot of boxes. A little while walking, only comfort on the back of the bench.

  • Engine, transmission (37


    / 40)

    VTEC technology is still impressive, as is the powertrain. However, the Accord can also be dedicated to a six-speed.

  • Driving performance (90


    / 95)

    Road position and handling at height! Thanks also to the 17-inch wheels and excellent tires (Bridgestone Potenza).

  • Performance (30/35)

    The premises are already almost sports. This is no doubt borne out by the short nine seconds it takes for the Accord to accelerate to 100 km / h.

  • Security (50/45)

    Six airbags and ABS. However, it lacks ESP or at least a propulsion control (TC) system.

  • Economy

    The new Accord boasts a rather interesting price in our market, as well as a guarantee. What the fuel consumption will be, of course, depends on the driving style.

We praise and reproach

appearance

exterior details (lights, hooks, wheels ())

materials in the interior

driver's seat, steering wheel and pedals

useful drawers in the front

manual (engine, transmission, steering wheel ...)

brakes

there are no separate reading lamps at the back

no on-board computer

modest trunk

a small opening between the trunk and the passenger compartment (in the case of a folded rear seat)

Add a comment