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By
EWAN KENNEDY
11 August 2008
Honda's Accord Euro lives up even more to its name in its new
format than previously. It’s very much aimed at the European
driver who loves to get the best from their car, both in terms of
sheer driving enjoyment and economy of fuel consumption.
Considering that fuel costs close to twice as much as in Australia
the latter hardly comes as a surprise.
But
let's look at the enjoyment component of the equation before
getting involved in the more mundane topic of reducing fuel usage.
The
Euro’s style is sharp and purposeful and a solid evolution of
the shape of the previous successful model. The body is noticeably
wider than before and has been lowered slightly to give it even
more stability on the road as well as to add to the sportiness of
the image.
There's
also a significantly wider wheel track to further improve
stability and handling, which were already good in the original
Euro. It has sharp steering and can grip roads at speeds well
above those normally used by most drivers.
Ride
comfort is good on Aussie backroads and there's less tyre noise
through the suspension on coarse-chip surfaces than in many other
cars aimed at the European market.
The
extra width is particularly noticeable inside, with the sort of
elbow room you normally only get in a large family car. The seats
are closer to the floor to give decent headroom under the lowered
roof. However, there's less space under the topline models’
roofs due to the fitment of a sunroof. Try for yourself as part of
your road testing, but most will find the overhead space is fine.
Rear
seat legroom may prove marginal for adults if the front seats are
set a long way back by tall occupants in the front. Which is only
likely to be a hassle if those in the front seats aren't willing
to compromise.
Engine
power from the four-cylinder 2.4-litre Honda unit is 147
kilowatts, 200 horsepower. The torque peak is relatively high at
4500 rpm, but there's decent pulling power at all revs over 2000.
It’s happy to work its way at steady revs from 1500 in the
interests of minimising fuel use and carbon dioxide output, but
you have to change down a gear, sometimes two, if you want to get
the engine back into the fat part of the torque band.
Fortunately
this is not a hassle. Our test car had a lovely slick six-speed
manual which is a real delight to use, particularly when you
remember that this sporty sedan is driven by the front wheels.
There's
also the option of a five-speed automatic with manual overrides
should you be doing a lot of heavy-duty traffic commuting. But may
we suggest you try the European way of doing things and at least
test drive the manual before plumping for the automatic
transmission. You may find this putting a spark back into your
driving life, with an accompanying smile on your face.
Fuel
consumption on our test Accord Euro was typically about seven to
eight litres per hundred kilometres on motorways and level country
roads. This rose to a still reasonable nine to ten litres per
hundred in the suburbs. Expect an automatic Accord Euro to use
about five to seven per cent more petrol than a manual.
The
new Accord Euro starts at a very reasonable $32,990. Even that
lower cost model has 17-inch alloy wheels, a premium sound system,
cooled glovebox and centre-console stowage area which is also
connected to the air conditioning system to keep the temperature
down. There are automatic electric windows on all four doors, and
cruise control. On the safety front it gets ABS, ESP and six
airbags.
The
Accord Luxury gets larger alloys, at 18 inches, a sunroof, leather
trim, heated front seats and automatic lights and wipers.
Finally,
the Accord Euro Luxury Navi. As the name suggests it has satellite
navigation, the screen is also connected to a reversing camera and
there's built in wiring for Bluetooth connections.
These
days the Honda Accord is sold in Australia in two quite different
variants, one for the European market, the other for the USA, with
a larger body, the option of four or six-cylinder engines, and a
slightly softer ride than the Euro. Australia is one of very few
countries in the world into which both versions of the car are
imported as our drivers have marked differences from one another
in their tastes.
AT A
GLANCE
MODEL
RANGE
Accord Euro 2.4-litre four-door sedan: $32,990 (manual), $34,990
(automatic)
Accord Euro Luxury 2.4-litre four-door sedan: $39,990 (manual),
$41,990 (automatic)
Accord Euro Luxury Navi 2.4-litre four-door sedan: $42,990
(manual), $44,990 (automatic)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard in both models
Air Conditioning: Standard in both models
Automatic Transmission: $2000 option in both models
CD Player: Standard in both models
Central Locking: Standard in both models
Cruise Control: Standard in both models
Dual Front Airbags: Standard in both models
Front Side Airbags: Standard in both models
Stability Control: Standard in both models
Traction Control: Standard in both models
SPECIFICATIONS
(Honda Accord Euro Luxury 2.4-litre four-door sedan)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.354 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 11.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 87.0 mm x 99.0 mm
Maximum Power: 148 kW @ 7000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 230 Nm @ 4200 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Six-speed
Automatic Transmission: Five-speed
Final Drive Ratio: N/A
DIMENSIONS,
WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4740 mm
Wheelbase: 2705 mm
Width: 1840 mm
Height: 1440 mm
Turning Circle: 12.1 metres
Kerb Mass: 1525 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 65 litres
Towing Ability: 500 kg (1200 kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION
AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, double wishbone
Rear Suspension: Independent, double wishbone
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.3 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Petrol 95RON
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 8.9 L/100km
GREEN
VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 6/10
Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10
STANDARD
WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000 km
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Marque Publishing Company
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