Car and Driver: 2016 Honda Accord

• Aug 2015
• By STEVE SILER
• Multiple Photographers

First Drive Review 

 

The refreshed 2016 Honda Accord has big shoes to fill—its own. After all, the Accord has landed on our 10Best Cars list 29 times, and it has remained one of America’s favorite family shuttles in terms of annual sales. Even as the market migrates to crossovers, the Accord remains hugely important to Honda. So for 2016, Honda has added some new ingredients (covered in detail here) to its winning recipe. And we just got our first taste of the new dish.

The spate of improvements goes beyond the typical fascia revisions and new lights, although those are present and give the 2016 model a spiffier look. Also included in the makeover are revisions to the base four-cylinder’s CVT, structural reinforcements, and suspension changes that are supposed to sharpen the handling.

We split our time between the model enthusiasts will like most, the Accord Sport with the six-speed manual, and another that's more popular among mainstream buyers, the Accord EX-L, now with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

One for Enthusiasts

Happily, the Accord Sport remains a dynamic delight—we loved the 2013 Accord Sport we had for a 40,000-mile long-term test—especially with the sublime manual transmission, which gets a new ball-type shift knob and still boasts slick action and a near-perfect clutch. The Sport and Touring models ride on sexy, new five-spoke 19-inch wheels wrapped by 235/40R-19 tires, which combine with chassis changes made across the 2016 Accord sedan range (high-performance dampers, the aforementioned bracing, and tweaks to the electric steering) to make it feel even more visceral than its predecessor. The 189-hp 2.4-liter four-banger also sounds great—partially on account of active sound amplification—as it revs to its 6800-rpm redline.

A low-profile decklid spoiler, dual exhaust tips, and side-sill extensions help the Sport model look the part, too, especially in the newly available San Marino Red that can’t be had on other models. Inside, carbon-fiber­­-esque trim adds a dose of intensity to the squared-off interior architecture without looking cheesy or cheap, although many of the cabin’s lower interior panels unfortunately remain hard, shiny plastic.

One for Most Everyone Else

The EX-L model we tested came equipped with a 185-hp version of the same 2.4-liter four that pipes up (via the sound enhancement) when the gas pedal is depressed with any intensity. Want to know what else happens when you step on it? It actually moves—yes, even with the CVT, which was reworked to deliver power in a more linear fashion. The CVT even has a responsive “Sport” mode, although it lacks manual ratio selection. Sport mode summons passing power with less hesitation and it finds the engine’s rpm sweet spot with more authority, all the while actuating pseudo shifts that do a pretty convincing impression of a conventional automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the ride is luxury-car supple with the EX-L's 17-inch wheels, although a good measure of steering sharpness goes away as part of the deal—especially at high speeds, where we noticed a fair bit of play just off-center. Overall, however, the Accord feels as solid and quiet as ever.

The EX-L also receives minor interior changes, and Honda is very proud to have entered this millennium by adding 60/40-split folding rear seats (on Sport models and higher). A bigger change, however, involves the integrationof Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the button-less, knob-less, screen-based Display Audio system, which incidentally still doesn’t win many friends here, with its fingerprint-collecting screen that washes out completely when the sun hits it at certain angles.

The only functionality of the system we sampled was Apple CarPlay; so far we can conclude that if you’ve made friends with Siri and speak with simple verbiage and clear diction that Apple devices can easily understand—and are content being able to use only a small number of apps (music, maps, text dictation) compatible with CarPlay—you’ll probably get along fine with the system. You also had better be comfortable having your text messages read aloud for the whole car to hear if you want to receive any while the car is in motion.

But CarPlay has minor annoyances, too. For example, when a passenger used the paired phone to activate the trusty Waze app for navigation rather than use the iPhone’s embedded Apple Maps app (which is still less than reliable in Los Angeles), the Music app retaliated by hijacking the audio system and limiting audio choices to the selection of music on the phone. Alternatively, you can skip CarPlay and use a second USB port under the armrest that allows for charging, and the phone can always be connected through Bluetooth—you know, old-school style. As soon as one of our Android-toting editors gets behind the wheel, we’ll be able to deliver an evaluation of Android Auto, but our admittedly limited exposure on this day says that CarPlay is a work in progress.

We have yet to drive a 2016 Accord sedan with the optional 278-hp 3.5-liter V-6, although we wouldn’t be going too far out on a limb to surmise that the 2016 model’s refinements will render it generally as sweet as the four-pots, except with about 50 percent more horsepower and lower fuel economy. Consider the Accord’s shoes as nicely filled as ever.

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-honda-accord-sedan-first-drive-review

Honda Introduces the Highest Tech Accord Yet in High Tech’s U.S. Hub—Silicon Valley

Jul 23, 2015 - MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.

• Upgraded 2016 Accord features one of the first applications of both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ in a volume-produced vehicle
• More dynamic styling, including first 19-inch wheels on Accord
• Honda Sensing™ safety and driver-assistive tech available on all trims
• New 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface

Honda introduced a refreshed 2016 Accord loaded with advanced technology in Silicon Valley today, the first time the company has launched a new vehicle in the U.S. tech hub. Coming to market in August, the 2016 Accord will be the first Honda model and among the first high-volume cars in the marketplace to feature both Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. These and other major upgrades to technology and features make it the most high-tech Accord ever.

The 2016 Accord Sedan and Coupe receive dynamic new styling, a new Display Audio touchscreen interface, and Honda Sensing™, the most comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies in the midsize car class. The 2016 Accord also adds HD Radio®, heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors, and a number of other new features and technology to be revealed in coming weeks. Details on the Accord Hybrid will be announced at a later date.

"Where else to introduce the most technologically advanced midsize sedan, the 2016 Accord, than in Silicon Valley," said John Mendel, executive vice president of the Automobile Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Customers want their vehicles to be more intelligently integrated with their smartphone-powered lives, and we are committed to delivering that experience starting with Accord, retail car buyers' most popular vehicle the past two years."

Exterior and Interior design
The 2016 Accord gets a major facelift with sportier, more sophisticated styling, front and rear. In front is a more sharply creased and intricately structured bumper fascia with outside edges that tuck into intake-like meshed areas that house new LED fog lights (Sport trim and above). A new aluminum hood features sharper character lines that meet up with a brighter, more expressive front grille. In the rear, the Accord gets restyled LED taillights and a similarly aggressive rear bumper fascia redesign.

While all models feature restyled wheels, the Accord Sedan (Sport and Touring trim) and Coupe (Touring, new for Coupe) get new, larger 19-inch wheels and tires. The Touring sedan also gets a new rear deck spoiler. All models, Coupe and Sedan, feature the expanded use of LED lighting – LED taillights for all models, LED headlights for the new Touring Coupe, and LED daytime running lights (DRLs) for Sport and above trims.

Honda Sensing™
All 2016 Accords also can now be equipped with Honda Sensing™, among the most comprehensive suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies in the class. Honda Sensing includes a Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), and is available as a standalone option on all trims with the exception of Touring, where Honda Sensing is included as standard equipment.

Also, all 2016 Accords feature a standard Multi-Angle Rearview Camera and Expanded View Driver's Mirror and, for the first time, new auto high-beam headlights (Touring trim) that enhance nighttime visibility and driving convenience by defaulting to the high-beam setting and automatically switching to low beams when an oncoming vehicle is detected.

Display Audio with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
The Accord audio and digital experience also is significantly upgraded with the application of a 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen interface featuring Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, on EX and above trims, as well as available HondaLink™ Assist (e911) and HD Radio. The intuitive and easy-to-use capacitive touchscreen lets users swipe, tap and pinch—just like on a tablet or smartphone—to control the vehicle's audio system, display settings and other advanced features.

Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ are designed to support seamless smart phone integration and offer a multitude of new functions and features.

Apple CarPlay® takes the things you want to do with your iPhone while driving and puts them right on your car's built-in display. You can get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and listen to music right from the touchscreen or by voice via Siri. Supported apps include Phone, Messages, Maps, Music and compatible third party apps. Apple CarPlay® is compatible with iOS 7.1 or later and iPhone 5 or later.

Android Auto™ was designed to give drivers a simple, intuitive way through touch and voice to minimize the potential for distraction so the driver can stay focused on the road. Compatible with Android 5.0 and higher, Android Auto features Google Maps, Google Now, messaging, music and numerous popular apps.

To take full advantage of these new systems and features, the 2016 Accord's new 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen is paired with an upper 7.7-inch high-resolution display screen and steering wheel-mounted controls. The upper screen can display audio settings, turn-by-turn directions, time and trip information, LaneWatch™ and Rearview Camera displays, incoming calls, SMS text messages when stopped, and parking sensor alerts.

Upgraded Features
The Accord value proposition is further bolstered by new standard and available features: Accord EX and above trims (Sedan and Coupe) with automatic transmission get remote engine start, 7-inch Display Audio touchscreen and HD Radio. SiriusXM satellite radio and Homelink remote, previously on EX-L and Touring, are now standard on EX and above trims. Sport and above trims in the sedan lineup also get a new 60/40 split and folding rear seat, previously a one-piece folding design. The Accord Sedan in Touring trim gets heated rear seats, front and rear parking sensors and new rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Advanced Powertrains
The Accord will continue to be offered with two advanced Honda engines: a direct-injected (DI) 2.4-liter inline i-VTEC™ 4-cylinder and a 3.5-liter VTEC™ V-6 that is the most powerful engine offered in a Honda sedan to date. Available transmissions include a sporty and fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT) for the 4-cylinder engines, unique 6-speed manuals for the 4-cylinder and V-6 engines, and a 6-speed automatic for V-6 models.

About Honda
Honda offers a complete lineup of Honda cars, trucks and service through a network of more than 1,000 Honda dealerships within the United States. Eight Honda auto plants in North America have the capacity to produce 1.92 million automobiles each year using domestic and globally sourced parts. In 2014, more than 97 percent of the Honda and Acura automobiles sold in the U.S. were produced in North America.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/releases/honda-introduces-the-highest-tech-accord-yet-in-high-tech-s-u-s-hub-silicon-valley

Car & Driver Gets First Full Spyshots of the 2016 Honda Accord Mid Model Change *Undisguised

2016 Honda Accord Touring V6

2016 Honda Accord Touring V6

2016 Honda Accord Touring V6

2016 Honda Accord EX-L V6

2016 Honda Accord EX-L V6

2016 Honda Accord Sport 4cyl

2016 Honda Accord Sport 4cyl

I don't expect any major changes, Car and Driver thinks that Honda put the 9 Speed Automatic Transmission into the V6 (replacing the 6 Speed Auto).

Check out the article with more pictures;
http://www.caranddriver.com/news/exclusive-2016-honda-accord-sedan-spy-photos-news

Autos.ca Test Drive: 2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring

Review and photos by Greg Wilson

Photo Gallery:
2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring

Last month, we drove the 2013 Honda Accord sedan Touring with the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and new-for-2013 continuously variable transmission, remarking that it set a new standard for “understated redesign” but that it offered “an essential goodness and balance of efficiency and performance, space and content, and the old Honda driving magic.”  In a separate comparison test, the same Accord sedan emerged as the clear winner against four other new mid-size four-cylinder sedans.

Now that we’ve got our hands on a V6-powered Accord sedan, we can confirm that it shares most of the four-banger’s positive qualities – the key difference, of course, is its smoother, quieter and more powerful 278-hp V6 engine mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission (replacing last year’s five-speed auto) and its proportionately higher fuel consumption – although it’s not as much as you might expect.  According to the EPA, the 2013 Accord V6 sedan consumes 11.2/6.9 L/100 km city/highway, an impressive 12.5 percent improvement over last year’s V6 – and that’s without a stop/start engine idle feature that many automakers are now using as a convenient tool to lower fuel consumption figures.

Our V6 test car’s fuel consumption display was showing an average of 9.0 L/100 km, very close to the EPA’s combined estimate, but considerably higher than NR Canada’s rather optimistic ratings of 9.7/5.7.   Just for the record, the EPA rates the Accord four-cylinder with a CVT at 8.7/6.5. Both the four-cylinder and V6 Accords use regular grade gasoline.

Accord buyers looking for maximum fuel economy won’t have long to wait for the 2014 Accord Plug-in Hybrid that arrives early this year, followed in the summer by a regular hybrid sedan.

Unlike the four-cylinder Accord, the V6 sedan is not available with a manual transmission; realistically, not many V6 sedan buyers would order it anyway.  A six-speed manual is available in the sporty V6 Coupe because that car appeals to buyers who put a higher priority on performance.
  
2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. 
Our test sedan was a top-of-the-line V6 Touring sedan model loaded with all the latest gadgets and luxury features. As is the trend nowadays, buyers don’t have to order the big engine to get all the toys –four-cylinder Accords are also available in the top Touring trim.  That makes us wonder why the $35,290 Accord V6 Touring commands a hefty $3,700 premium over the Accord I4 CVT Touring model when the only difference is the powertrain.  I guess that’s the price you pay for an extra 107 horsepower.

As we reported earlier, the new Accord is slightly smaller on the outside than the previous model but offers more rear legroom and slightly more headroom and shoulder room despite a significant 79 L (2.8 cu. ft.) reduction in passenger cabin volume.   We’re not really sure how this is possible – perhaps Houdini was consulted – but the cabin does seem roomier and there is a generous amount of rear legroom and adequate headroom and hiproom.  Still, the Accord’s published interior passenger volume of 2,922 L (103.2 cu. ft.) is less than many of its major mid-size competitors.

Good news for golfers: the 2013 Accord sedan’s trunk has increased in size by 31 L (1.1 cu. ft.) to 447 L (15.8 cu. ft.) and the fully lined trunk with a flatter floor will accommodate four golf bags.   The news is not so good for skiers and hockey players: all Accord sedans come with a single folding seatback with a rather narrow, restricted opening with rounded corners.  Most other family sedans have split folding seatbacks which can accommodate long cargo items, like skis and hockey sticks, plus one or two rear passengers (read ‘kids’) at the same time – which seems important in a ‘family’ sedan.  So why doesn’t Honda offer split folding rear seatbacks?  This could be a deal breaker for some sedan buyers.

Before I get to the Accord’s new interior design, let’s talk about the V6 powertrain.  It’s the same silky-smooth 3.5L SOHC 24-valve i-VTEC V6 engine with an improved version of its “variable cylinder management” that automatically switches to three cylinders under light load to save fuel.  Horsepower and torque figures are up slightly and Honda has tweaked the engine to offer more torque and responsiveness.  Indeed, the V6 Accord is very quick off the line, rockets onto the freeway when prodded, and passes other cars with ease.  According to Consumer Reports, the 2013 Accord V6 sedan does 0 to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds – that compares to the four-cylinder Accord with a CVT at 7.7 seconds.  The V6 engine is smooth and quiet at idle and relaxed at highway speeds, turning over just 1,800 rpm in sixth gear.  But while the new 2.4L four-cylinder engine features direct fuel injection, the V6 continues with multi-point fuel injection – somewhat surprising given that Honda is usually at the forefront of engine technology.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. Click image to enlarge

Accord buyers who choose the V6 engine are probably not too concerned with good fuel economy, but even V6 Accords are equipped with Honda’s new driver-selectable Econ driving mode that helps save gas.  By pushing the green leaf-icon button just to the left of the steering wheel, throttle response is muted and the automatic climate control operation is limited, thereby enhancing fuel economy.  For the driver, this has the effect of making the car feel slower when accelerating, but unlike some other cars with a similar feature, we didn’t find a huge difference in performance.  Accord drivers can tell if they’re achieving maximum fuel efficiency by observing the colour of the illuminated arcs around the speedometer – if it’s green, you’re driving efficiently; if it’s white, you can start feeling guilty about contributing to climate change.

The Accord’s new six-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the previous five-speed, is a real smoothy.  And with its wider range of gear ratios, it offers improved throttle responsiveness and better fuel economy.   If you want more performance, just drop the transmission lever from ‘D’ to ‘S’.  This elevates engine revs in any given gear in order to provide more immediate throttle response – increasing the fun but sucking back more fuel.  The new six-speed automatic also offers Honda’s ‘grade logic control’, which prevents gear hunting when climbing grades and provides engine braking when descending hills by gearing down automatically.  Unlike in the Accord V6 Coupe, this six-speed automatic doesn’t come with paddle shifters, probably because Honda believes sedan buyers just aren’t that interested in ‘paddling’.

The Accord’s handling has definitely improved.  With its shorter overall length, slightly shorter wheelbase and slightly wider track, and a reduction in curb weight thanks in part to a new, lighter MacPherson strut front suspension (replacing double wishbones) and a lighter aluminum and steel front subframe, the 2013 Accord feels more nimble and balanced.  It new electric variable assist power rack and pinion steering replaces the previous hydraulic steering and is among the best electric steering systems out there.  It’s nicely weighted – steering effort when parallel parking is easy but not effortless, and at highway speeds it feels responsive and tracks well in a straight line.   My only concern is the Accord’s rather wide turning diameter of 11.6 m (38.1 feet).

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring.

Contributing to driving safety is the Accord’s new LaneWatch Blind Spot monitor, a feature we think will soon be copied by other automakers.  When the right turn signal is activated, a camera in the right outside mirror sends an image of the area beside and behind the car to the centre screen where the driver can observe other cars travelling in the car’s blind spot.  It’s even better than shoulder checking because cars you can’t see hidden behind the C-pillar are visible in the screen.  We think it would be nice to see a camera image for the driver’s side blind spot, too, but we noted there is a new “Expanded View Driver’s Mirror” that increases the driver’s field of vision by 4.2 degrees.

In addition, all Accords now feature a rear-view camera.  In addition to the normal view, EX-L and Touring models have a wide view that captures objects to the side, and a top-down view that helps judge the exact distance to the object behind the car.  This is really useful when you want to park as close as possible to a wall or barrier without hitting it.  My only reservation with vehicle cameras is that rain, ice, snow and grime can sometimes obscure the camera lens which can make the view murky.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. Click image to enlarge

Another new feature in the 2013 Accord is Forward Collision Warning, which uses radar to detect a potential frontal collision and warn the driver with warning sounds.  As well, a new Lane Departure Warning System warns the driver if the car is moving out of its lane without using the turn signals.  Soon we’ll be able to drive blindfolded!

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. Click image to enlarge

The Accord sedan’s braking performance is very good – Consumer Reports’ braking tests show a braking distance of 42.4 m (139 feet) from 96 km/h (60 mph) in the dry.  P235/45R18-inch all-season tires, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, EBD, and brake assist, and vehicle stability control are all standard.
For night-time visibility, top-of-the-line Touring models feature new LED (light emitting diode) projector beam headlights, which provide better illumination than the standard halogen projector beam headlights on all other Accord trims.  In addition, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights are now standard on all Accords.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. Click image to enlarge

Inside, the Accord’s new instrument panel makes use of better quality plastics and brighter trim to improve quality appearance.  The instrument panel does away with the previous confusing assortment of poorly arranged buttons in the centre stack and substitutes a touchscreen for the audio controls, and just below it, a simpler horizontal arrangement of buttons for the dual-zone climate control.  These are in addition to the large eight-inch screen at the top of the instrument panel.  As before, it’s not a touchscreen, its menu-driven system controlled by a large dial now positioned at the bottom of the centre stack.  The larger screen displays many functions: navigation, audio, telephone and trip information as well as the rear-view camera image and the LaneWatch feature.

An assortment of new information and entertainment features have been added for 2013:  in addition to hands-free Bluetooth phone and audio operation, the new Accord features a new SMS text messaging feature that allows incoming text messages to be read aloud and the driver to respond with short factory pre-set replies while driving.  As well, e-mail messages can be received and sent.  Perhaps the most advanced feature is Honda’s new HondaLink web audio service.  It requires owners to download apps into their iPhone or Android smartphones and use them to access web-based music, information and entertainment services.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring. Click image to enlarge

The first app available in Canada is the AHA web-based infotainment service where users can download any of its 30,000 channels of available news, music, and entertainment – and then play them through the Accord’s HondaLink audio system.  Once downloaded, the driver can control stations using the audio touchscreen, and drivers can even call out songs by their name to find them.  U.S. Accord owners can also use the Pandora internet radio service, but that’s not available in Canada.  The trend seems obvious: a car’s audio/video system is becoming an extension of the owner’s smartphone.  The tricky part will be to take advantage of the smartphone’s features without distracting the driver from his/her primary task.

We found engine and road noise are well suppressed in the V6 Accord, but that’s partly because our ears are being tricked.  2013 Accords feature Active Noise Control and Active Sound Control, which use two microphones, a processing unit and four speakers to analyze undesirable noises entering the cabin and counter them with out-of-phase audio signals.  More desirable noises, however, such as the sporty engine note, are actually enhanced.  So don’t believe everything you hear, or don’t hear, in the Accord.

2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6 Touring.

We found the Accord’s leather seats very comfortable and appreciated the driver’s power lumbar and height adjusters – unfortunately, the front passenger seat doesn’t have them.  Seat heaters are standard in both the front and rear outboard seats, and a new side airbag design allows the front seatbacks to be heated (previously only the seat cushion was heated).   Interior storage consists of an open bin at the bottom of the centre stack next to a 12-volt charger and USB/auxiliary port for iPods and smartphones, a small bin under the centre armrest with a 12-volt outlet, small door pockets and a glovebox – but we think the designers should have added more storage space.  We liked the two front cupholders with flexible cup grippers and the folding rear armrest with two cupholders.

The 2013 Accord V6 sedan’s closest competitor is probably the Toyota Camry XLE V6, which offers improved driving dynamics over previous Camrys.  The VW Passat V6 is also similar to the Accord in many ways. The Nissan Altima V6 is less exciting to drive, as is the Chevrolet Malibu 2.0T and the Dodge Avenger V6.  The Ford Fusion is more exciting to drive but its turbocharged four-cylinder engine is not as refined.  The same thing might be said about the Hyundai Sonata 2.0T, the Kia Optima SX, and the Buick Regal Turbo.

All in all, the 2013 Honda Accord V6 is an attractive and luxurious family sedan that offers a nice balance of power, comfort, handling, comfort and technology that won’t alienate mainstream buyers by being too boring or too trendy.  Downsizing it slightly was a bold move, but we think it was the right one for the times.

2013 Honda Accord V6 sedans start at $32,790 for the EX-L trim, and $35,290 for the Touring trim.  They’re built in Marysville, Ohio.
Pricing: 2013 Honda Accord sedan V6 Touring
Base price: $35,290
Options: none
Freight: $1,640
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $36,030

Source;
http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/test-drive-2013-honda-accord-sedan-v6-touring/?all=1 

Ohio r&d for next Accord?

TOKYO -- A clean-sheet redesign of the Honda Accord just left the gates, but engineers are already planning its successor.

Development of Honda's next-generation flagship sedan, due in 2016 or 2017, likely will be led from Ohio instead of Japan. The car may get a downsized turbocharged engine for better fuel economy. And the gasoline-electric hybrid variant will be made in North America.

That is a preview of Honda Motor Co.'s thinking from Shoji Matsui, large project leader of the Accord's current redesign.

Matsui has led the Accord since 2009. A good English speaker and self-confessed Disneyland devotee, the jovial engineer was tapped for his expertise in developing cars for America.

He cut his teeth on earlier generations of the U.S.-spec Accord and most recently was chief engineer of the Odyssey minivan. His orders with that vehicle: Seamlessly transfer Odyssey lead development from Japan to Honda's American r&d center in Ohio.

With the ninth-generation Accord, which hit showrooms in September, Matsui overhauled the car with the American market in mind. The same strategy will apply for the 10th-generation Accord.
The Accord is already one of Honda's most Americanized cars. But the company's global tech center in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, still handles key engineering.

That will change with the next generation, Matsui says.

"Technologically speaking, Ohio is fully capable," Matsui told Automotive News. "As the future trend, it is for sure that the r&d is being transferred over there."

Honda has said that the Ohio tech center will lead development of the next-generation Civic. A spokeswoman says no decision has been made for the Accord.

But President Takanobu Ito, in an October interview, said he wants to give America top responsibility for the next Accord.

Honda also aims to build the hybrid version of the car in North America. That shift would require a beefed-up r&d operation and a new supply chain for specialty parts such as batteries.

Honda plans to make the plug-in and regular hybrid variants of the new Accord at the company's Sayama plant north of Tokyo, at least initially. The plug-in hits the United States next year.

But hybrid manufacturing should shift to the United States by 2015, within the Accord's current generation, Matsui said.

"We intend to produce them around the world within the current design of the vehicle," Matsui said. "It's not too far away. Right now in Ohio, they are looking into it and making studies."

The start of hybrid manufacturing would have to coincide with a Christmas or summer shutdown to allow for factory retooling, he said. That limits the window to twice a year.

For the next generation, made-in-USA hybrids should be routine. Matsui also expects some drivetrain tweaks next time around.

Boosting fuel economy was key in the recent redesign.

To increase efficiency, Honda considered using a downsized turbocharged engine. But Matsui's team scrapped the idea because it felt the turbocharger's delayed kick-in wasn't conducive to the smooth ride the team desired from a family sedan.

But Honda hasn't forgotten the idea.

"For the next-generation Accord, it will get a downsized turbo for better fuel efficiency," Matsui predicted, saying that turbo systems and control technologies are evolving quickly.

In the newest Accord, Matsui opted to improve fuel economy by using a continuously variable transmission.

One problem: CVTs typically deliver slower driving response than automatic transmissions. But Ito wanted the CVT to deliver better torque than an automatic at low RPMs.

Matsui said the solution was to keep the CVT for fuel efficiency and add a direct-injection engine to boost torque.

Source;

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121203/OEM03/312039984

New Honda Accord outperforms higher-priced luxury vehicles like BMW, Mercedes and Lexus

The release of the all-new 2013 Accord arguably marks the biggest launch in Honda’s history, and the automotive giant is not holding anything back. Coupled with a complete redesign and a whole slew of industry-leading standard features, the ninth generation Accord is living up to the hype of the media buzz surrounding its launch.

“The latest incarnation of the Accord represents the best value-per-dollar of any vehicle on the market,” said Chris Kelly, who road tested the all-new Accord for VehicleTests.com. “After seeing all the high-tech standard features that come with the Accord, I got reverse sticker shock because the car was so inexpensive with more technology and safety features than a lot of luxury cars that are twice its price,” which is why VehicleTests.com awarded the 2013 Honda Accord with its vaunted 5-Star rating.

The 2013 Accord comes at starting price of $21,680 with an array of hi-tech standard features, including a rearview camera and Expanded View Driver’s Mirror. Other standard technologies include Bluetooth HandsFreeLink phone interface, Multi-Information Display (i-MID), SMS text messaging function and Pandora Internet Radio interface. These are just some of the reasons for the high praise from VehicleTests.com, which produces independent test-drive videos for consumers.

Honda

Citing "reverse sticker-shock" based on the vehicle's high-tech features compared to its affordable price, VehicleTests.com awarded the 2013 Honda Accord a 5-Star rating.

“After I spent the whole day driving the new Accord, I found myself missing the great features it has once I got back into my own car,” adds Kelly. “You get used to those features really fast.”
 
Drive safer
One of the features to which Kelly refers is the new Honda LaneWatch blind-spot display, which enhances visibility of the passenger-side roadway thanks to a camera that displays what is in your blind spot on the i-MID screen. The Lane Departure Warning system uses cameras to make sure the vehicle is aligned within the lines on the roadway and alerts the driver if he or she is drifting. There is also Forward Collision Warning, which alerts the driver if he or she is closing in too fast on the car ahead.

This new technology, coupled with the 2013 Accord’s standard safety features, also contributed to its 5-Star rating from VehicleTests.com. The vehicle comes with four-wheel anti-lock braking system, a total of six airbags, including front and rear head airbags and dual front side-mounted airbags. In addition, the Accord has emergency braking assist, electronic brake force distribution, both a driver and passenger head restraint whiplash protection system, stability and traction control and tire pressure monitoring. Additionally, the Bluetooth HandsFreeLink phone interface and SMS text messaging function allows for hands-free phone usage, which means less distracted driving.
 
Go faster for less
The 2013 Accord comes in eight different trim levels, from the standard LX to the EXL, including the all-new Sport and top-of-the-line Touring models. Engine options include the 2.4L four-cylinder with 185 horsepower and the six-cylinder with 278 horsepower, which is more horsepower than the Lexus ES, BMW 328i or Mercedes Benz C Class. However, more power doesn’t mean less fuel economy. Due to its new Earth Dreams technology, the 2013 Accord offers better gas mileage than previous Accords that had less horsepower.

While the all-new Accord has a lot more horsepower, the cabin was extremely quiet during the road test. “Normal conversation volume measures in at 65 decibels,” says Kelly. “The new Accord measures in at an exceptional 56 decibels. It was amazing to see the amount of soundproofing that Honda put into the vehicle.” Under the hood of the 2013 Accord, you’ll find a thick soundproofing mat, which helps keeps most engine noise away from the cabin. However, Kelly says that the Accord also features additional rubber gaskets around the edges, which provides even more soundproofing.

As part of its road-test, VehicleTests.com drove the vehicle for 50 miles on the highway at 60 miles per hour with cruise-control, in order to test the fuel economy — listed at 35 miles per gallon. Kelly and his team found that the Accord they tested actually exceeded the listed miles per gallon by a good amount. However, he could not disclose the actual figures for legal reasons.

The American-made Honda Accord has been one of the best selling cars in history, which is one of the reasons why it has boasted the highest resell value of any car in its class and has won many resell value awards from Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com. In fact, New York Honda dealers are already celebrating its sales success - it is selling faster than any Honda in history.

Based on early reception, this vehicle is receiving — including the high rating from VehicleTests.com — it looks like Honda’s problem is not going to be market share because customers know a deal when they see one. With industry-leading standard features, a shockingly low MSRP and more technology and safety features than many more expensive luxury vehicles, Honda may have a challenge keeping up with the demand in the market place.

“The new Accord is selling faster than any Honda in history,” said Rob Sabbagh, President of the Tri-State Honda Dealers Association.

Source (with video of the road test);

http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/review-2013-honda-accord-article-1.1193218

Car and Driver Reviews the 2013 Honda Accord 2.4L Manual Transmission

The sweet lightness of being the Honda Accord.

• BY ANDREW WENDLER
• PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY

For decades, the Honda Accord seemed to be the automotive embodiment of Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence. Every few years a new version would appear, win awards (including multiple appearances on our own 10Best Cars list), rank near or at the top of the sales charts, and take its familiar place in the fabric of American society. In this way, the Accord generally fulfilled the theory that the universe and its events have already occurred and will recur ad infinitum.

But around the time the eighth-generation model arrived for 2008, the cosmos apparently skipped a beat, and the Honda began to buckle slightly under the burden of success. Although the Civic took the lion’s share of the criticism, we noted a few small cracks in Honda’s mid-sizer in a family-sedan comparison test from earlier this year. The four-cylinder engine and the five-speed automatic transmission still operated with Honda’s trademark smoothness, but the former sounded coarse under full boot, and the latter was one cog short of the segment-standard six-pack. At various times we have also noted the outgoing Accord’s undignified exterior styling and overly busy cockpit erratically littered with buttons. That’s not to say the car wasn’t great—the previous model was a perennial 10Best winner, after all—only that it was being reeled in by the competition, notably, the winner of that comparo, the Volkswagen Passat.

Restoring the Natural Order of the Automotive Universe
We’re happy to say that the 2013 Accord tested here—a manual-transmission, four-cylinder Sport model, which differs from other trims mostly through aesthetics—benefits from a lightened load not only metaphorically but also physically. The car’s steering, braking, and shifting are all light to the touch yet operate with surgical precision. Even the slightest driver inputs produce tangible results. The electrically assisted rack-and-pinion steering is slack-free throughout its full 2.5-turn lock-to-lock travel yet is never twitchy or overly eager. The clutch is equally light, pedal pressure remaining consistent throughout its travel—its operation is intuitive from the first press. And shifting the new six-speed manual (a CVT is optional) recalls the familiar Honda manual-transmission exactitude that awed so many drivers way back when the brand was still making its bones in this country. Braking is a paragon of temperate behavior. How deep you go into the pedal is directly correlated to clamping power, and it hides no secrets along its relatively short length of travel.

And as well as the components perform independently, they work even better in unison. Wearing 18-inch wheels shod with 235/45-18 rubber, this Accord managed a respectable 0.87 g on a 300-foot skidpad, but it was while cutting delicate arcs through the wooded environs of our 10Best test loop that the chassis and the powertrain really began to communicate with us on a first-name basis. As we’ve previously noted, the Accord has swapped its front control arms for struts (Honda says they are lighter and deliver lower levels of NVH); the Accord Sport and all higher trims receive a front strut-tower brace. Our scales pegged the Accord’s weight at 3272 pounds with a front-heavy 59.6/40.4-percent weight distribution. Despite this, turn-in is crisp and neutral, the chassis eagerly following the directions given by the front wheels. Only under hard acceleration over broken pavement did we experience any directional drama, most of it in the form of front wheelspin and hop; the rear end stayed firmly planted on all but loose gravel.

Power in the Accord Sport comes from a 189-hp version of Honda’s new, direct-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder. (The LX, the EX, and the EX-L have 185 horses; to get six cylinders, step up to the EX-L V-6 or Touring, please.) All 181 lb-ft of torque—20 more than in the previous-gen EX’s four-cylinder engine—appear by 3900 rpm, which makes it possible to inject some thrills into the daily commute without winding each gear to the 6800-rpm redline. Of course, if you wish to play, the powertrain is ready and willing, as evidenced by our notes from the test track: “Plenty of low-end torque, so you’ll want to launch around 2500 rpm and spin the tires to redline. Very easy to approach the rev limiter and then shift at just the right time.” The 6.6-second scoot to 60 is mighty impressive—it’s 1.3 seconds quicker than that of a last-gen four-cylinder with a manual—and the car covered the quarter in 15.3. Those in the mood to save fuel rather than time can select the Eco Assist mode via an econ button to the left of the steering wheel; it alters the operating characteristics of the climate control and remaps throttle response in the name of efficiency.

Internal Introspection
Standard content is the front-line battle in the family-sedan war, and the Sport we tested comes stocked with ammo: A rearview camera, a 10-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, side-curtain airbags, and a suite of infotainment goodies including Bluetooth, Pandora, and USB, connectivity all are included in the $24,180 MSRP. Although navigation is not available on the Sport, it—like all new Accords—does have an eight-inch screen to display images from the backup camera and provide visuals for many of the infotainment functions. 

With this redesigned Accord, Honda wisely streamlined the dash, making the controls both more intuitive and fewer in number. The upholstery in our car was among the nicest material choices we’ve recently seen, replacing Honda’s old mouse-fur material with something resembling high-quality broadcloth. The surfaces and overall fit and finish are good enough to give you that subtle feeling of satisfaction each time you climb in the car, and nicely address complaints about the dated and less-than-luxe cabin of the eighth-gen model. Rear-seat legroom is up by more than an inch to 38.5 inches; we didn’t measure it ourselves, but a pair of adults can spend the better part of a Sunday back there without needing to call the chiropractor the following day.

According to Honda, torsional rigidity on the new model is up 42 percent compared with the previous Accord, due largely to 56 percent of the structure being composed of high-strength steel. While that’s impossible to verify without a barrage of highly specialized equipment, we can say in human terms that the Accord conveys a feeling of solid, well-engineered substance that imparts an impression of bang for the buck. In other words, the Accord doesn’t make you feel like a schmuck for dropping twenty-five large on a sedan with all the structural integrity of a Flexible Flyer. 

In addition to sleeker and less-busy styling, exterior enhancements include body-color folding side mirrors, an integrated rear-window antenna, and underbody aerodynamic covers. Overall, it looks much more coherent and dynamic than the previous model, but casual observers may not notice the difference unless the two cars are parked side by side. 

It’s good to see that Honda has seemingly begun to work out its kinks, both product-wise and existentially. If you’ve been wandering in despair, searching for a well-rounded sedan that can justify its presence in your driveway, don’t hesitate to consider the 2013 Honda Accord. You might want to act with some haste—although the ninth-generation model is new, Nietzsche says the next one will be here before you know it.
Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2013-honda-accord-four-cylinder-manual-test-review

2013 Honda Accord Coupe -- "Guilty You" Commercial

The Wall Street Journal; Review: 2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring

by Dan Neil

LET’S BEGIN WITH your state of mind: You want to buy a sedan, mid- to full-size, good gas mileage, nice cabin. You want it to look good, but you’re averse to showy displays. Safety is important, so, seat belts.

A sedan! What a splendidly calculated choice. Let me be the first to congratulate you on your sense of equilibrium. Four doors, four seasons, four winds blowing. Makes you think.

You have lots of company. Four of the 10 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. are front-drive, four-door, five-seat, C- or D-segment sedans, about a half-million annually, representing nearly 20% of the total light-vehicle market. These are the sturdy milkmaids of the middle class.

But perhaps you’re wondering why a sedan seems so inevitable, given that there are so many other kinds of vehicles, from a Mini Cooper Countryman to a Ford F-350 Club Cab (long bed, fifth wheel), and every coupe, cabrio and compact that flies or crawls? Family sedans do sort of have a penitential air to them. You don’t own them so much as do time in them.

It’s because you’re rational. You’ve taken a very complex set of vehicle attributes, plotted them as coordinates in three-axis space—the axes being money, performance, commodity—and concluded the classic, three-box family sedan represents, altogether, the best compromise on all fronts. Sedans have great-looking number clouds.

People shopping for family sedans are therefore predisposed to extreme reasonableness. It is here that the Honda Accord has the segment by the throat.

Has there ever been a more radically reasonable automobile than the Honda Accord? Even its name means consensus. Big, but not too big; attractive, but too familiar to be provocative; well-appointed, but incapable of igniting sustained envy. The car’s trademarked engine note—sweet, high, isolated—is flirtatious, never carnal. Across a host of comparative metrics, from trunk space to fuel economy, from horsepower to stopping power, year after year, the Accord strives not for superlatives in any one category but a portfolio of general excellence in all.

Example: The segment bogey at the moment is the great Hyundai Sonata with a 2.0-liter, 274-horsepower turbo four-cylinder. The new Accord EX-L and Sonata Turbo are almost identical in price (around $28,500), size, interior room and cabin amenities. The Accord’s new direct-injection 2.4-liter four gives up 89 hp (185 hp) but is lighter, quieter and returns a whopping 4 miles per gallon better in combined fuel economy with a new continuously variable transmission.

Since fuel economy matters all of the time and marginal advantages in acceleration matter almost none of the time, reasonable people agree that’s a constructive compromise. And while big horsepower is nice, so is a refined, pleasant powertrain sound. The Sonata’s shimmering turbo thrash is fun but not exactly family-friendly.

Plus, the Sonata…dear, don’t you think that’s too flashy to go out in? Flashy is for other people.

It’s no secret that Honda has had a miserable couple of years. Like the rest of Japan, the company was deeply affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Production was also disrupted by flooding in Thailand last year. The yen has been strong and European demand weak.

And in the midst of all that, the U.S.-market products have slumped, drifting into mediocrity, which is the stupid stepbrother of reasonableness. Honda lost market share. The press was unkind to the redesigned Civic—it’s possible I might have used the word “treason”—and the company is now embarked upon what its chief executive last month called nothing less than “global reform.” Please have him swing by the U.N. when he’s done.

The early results can be felt in the Accord redesign, which returns the nameplate to its usual holistic excellence. Actually, this car feels less like a ninth-gen redesign than a proper sorting out of Gen 8. Even though the car is 3.5 inches shorter overall, and even though the front suspension has gone from double A-arm to McPherson strut, it looks as though the team of stylists barely changed pens. The Accord is still a deliberate, substantial hunk of sedan, with a spacious greenhouse, thick flanks and large doors. A bit bovine, really. It’s an optical wonder the way so large a car can seem to disappear before your eyes.

In the upper trim levels you can get LED headlamps that tuck under the headlamp assembly like beaded eyelashes. That jazzes up the look quite a bit. There’s more brightwork and definition around the car’s grille—but not unreasonably so.

As I count them, the new Accord had three priorities, all achieved: to regain competitiveness in fuel economy and powertrain sophistication; to re-establish the brand’s advantage in refinement and noise abatement; and to correct—even overcorrect, if possible—the impression left by recent Hondas that management cheaped out on materials.

As for the first, the Accord will be available with three powertrains: the 2.4-liter (185 hp, 181 pound-feet) with either CVT, auto or manual transmission; the carry-over 3.5-liter V6, now with 278 hp (21/34 mpg) buttoned to the six-speed automatic only (the Accord Coupe V6 will be available with a six-speed manual); and a 196-hp, plug-capable hybrid powertrain arriving next year with a marquee economy number of more than 100 mpg-e (gasoline-gallon equivalent).

I know the 2.4-liter is the newsy powertrain—the Accord’s first direct-injection engine—but I have to tell you, after recently driving big, clattery DI engines like the one in the Cadillac ATS[?], I was glad to drive the Accord with the V6, which is still port fuel-injected and still a spools to the 7,000-rpm redline with an easy athleticism and aerospace smoothness. With the six-speed automatic pulled down into Sport mode, the V6 cracks off a 5.6-second 0-60 mph time and pours midrange torque over the first four gears. If the Sport mode feels a bit too antsy, the transmission regular Drive mode is almost too calm (balance, see?). If you engage the Accord’s ECON mode—the bezel of the speedometer glows an encouraging green when you do—the Accord’s powertrain gets downright aggressive in the fuel saving. I was seeing almost 25 mph on a couple-hundred-mile interstate drive.

By stick and rudder, the Accord feels direct, agile and capable, with quick reflexes summoned through the electric power steering system and an appealing tendency to stay planted in corners. The light, lofting ride compliance on the highway gives way to a surprisingly muscular cornering on country lanes.

But the biggest improvement of the car brings together the second and third priorities. This is a resoundingly more solid and satisfying car than before, an impression of substance that extends from the door handles to the seat frames. Wind noise at 70 mph is just about nil, for instance. The cabin materials of our full-dresser V6—with fine-grain leather seats, door gussets and steering wheel, as well as lovely gloss-black resins and alloy trim—step way up from last year’s car.

Look, people who shop for family sedans are Vulcans, driven by logic, denying the temptations of emotion. They constitute a self-selected audience of the deeply reasonable and intensely practical. The new Accord will resonate with them. I predict it will live long and prosper.

2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring
Price as tested: $34,220
Powertrain: Naturally aspirated 3.5-liter, multipoint fuel-injected, 24-valve, DOHC V6 engine with variable valve timing; six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Horsepower/torque: 278 hp at 6,200 rpm; 252 pound-feet at 4,900 rpm
Length/weight: 191.4 inches/3,559 pounds
Wheelbase: 109.3 inches
0-60 mph: <6 p="p" seconds="seconds"> EPA fuel economy: 21/34/25 mpg, city/highway/combined
Cargo capacity: 15.5 cubic feet

Source;
http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2012/10/06/review-2013-honda-accord-v6-touring/?mod=google_news_blog