Honda signs a new Accord

A little over two years after it launched the 8th generation Accord in India, Honda has decided to refresh its flagship offering with some subtle additions.

Whether it is the competition that is the reason for the change or Honda's felt need to keep the car ahead of the game, the all-new Accord should be good news for the buyer. But, be forewarned that the changes to the Accord are not very many and not too dramatic either. The two engine options too remain the same and there hasn't been any attempt at tweaking them, since they were both pretty much amongst the best options available in the luxury segment.

Design touches

The changes that have been made to the Accord, both to the exterior and the interior, are more for improving the car's luxury quotient and to offer more value. The biggest change to the exterior that will be immediately visible is the sunroof, which has now become part of standard fitment across the Accord range.

At the front, the Accord gets a new chrome-accentuated three-line bonnet grille design. The front bumper too has gone under the knife and gets a new sharper, sportier design compared to the previous version. The lines on the bumper are now sharper and merge into the bonnet ridge line and airdam precisely. Another addition is the turn indicators that have now been integrated into the outside rear view mirrors.

The Accord V6 model also gets a new set of alloy wheels with a five, twin-spoke design. At the rear, chrome garnish strips run below the tail-lamps to boost the ‘premiumness' of the car.

Plusher interiors

For the interiors, Honda has chosen to add dashes of luxury and functionality. I step into the new Accord we were testing and there is the inviting warmth of lacquered wood all around the car.

On the dashboard and in the inserts for the door trim, there is now are a lot of wooden panels that enhance the interior of the Accord. The dashboard layout and overall quality remain the same and the interiors look just a shade brighter and well-lit (also thanks to the sunroof).

The changes to the Accord's interior also includes the addition of a cruise control system and steering mounted controls for the same, featuring one-touch operation. The key to the car also gets a novelty feature with a jackknife style opening and folding design.

The audio system in the Accord also sports some changes to improve quality of reproduction; it also features the active noise control system (in the V6 grade), which eliminates booming during the operation of the variable cylinder management (VCM). The system emits an identical, but out-of-phase sound from the audio speakers to counter the engine noise, and operates even if the audio system is switched off.

A safe drive

To give the Accord's safety record a leg up, Honda engineers have also added Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA). The feature enables the driver to stay in control during tight cornering, heavy acceleration and sudden manoeuvres by automatically activating braking to the wheels on either side of the car depending on the need. The system can also modify engine torque output characteristics to keep the car stable and safe.

The other safety features include ABS with EBD, six intelligent airbags, the innovative occupant position detection system, the active head restraint system and the passenger and pedestrian crash safety features, which have all been carried forward from the previous version.

We test drove the new, refreshed Accord from Delhi to Agra and were reminded of the familiar engine characteristics and ride quality that the 8{+t}{+h} generation Accord is known for. The 2.4-litre i-VTEC engine generates a peak power of 180 PS and is paired with either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic transmission, with steering-mounted paddle shifters for optional manual inputs. The other, more advanced and powerful engine option is the 3.5-litre V6 engine that generates a strong 275 PS of peak power when all six cylinders are operating – a fact that needs mention because this engine is endowed with VCM. The system switches between six, four and three cylinder combustion depending on the driving conditions and driver demands. VCM ensures smooth transitions and power delivery, while simultaneously making sure that fuel economy is optimised.

The new Honda Accord has been priced at Rs 19.6 lakh for the 2.4L manual transmission, Rs 20.36 lakh for the 2.4L automatic and Rs 26.41 lakh for the 3.5L V6.

muraliswami@thehindu.co.in

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