Review: 2013 Honda Accord EX

Our last look at the Accord was back in September when
we ran a two-parter (part 1, part 2)
after being invited to the launch event. Yes, shockingly our invite wasn’t lost
in the mail. As TTAC has said in the past, there are problems with launch events.
Usually you’re running around in a pre-production car that may not be “quite
right” yet, you have to split your driving time with some dude from another
publication (shout out to Hooniverse on that trip).
Drive time is limited, and exclusively done on roads selected by the
manufacturer. Sometimes you don’t get the trim level you want either. What
I wanted was one step up from the base model, the mainstream EX and I
wanted it on the same roads I’ve driven the other Camcord
competitors. Here’s that review.

Exterior

Honda has long been known as a serious kind of Car
Company. Press events are orderly, the Honda folks wear suits and their
products are similarly starched. While we have a new corporate nose up front
with a chrome “smiley” face and aggressive headlamps, the rest of the profile
is buttoned up and professional. The large (and low) greenhouse says “I have
kids,” an image that Honda has been embracing with their latest commercials,
essentially admitting they are leaving descriptives
like “sexy” and “dramatic” to Hyundai and Ford. I have to admit I am quite
torn, I love the Fusion’s sexy sheetmetal making it
my first pick in terms of looks, but oddly enough the “plain Jane” Accord is
number two for me because it’s simple clean. The new Kia Optima is a very, very
close third thanks its nose job for 2014. I’m not convinced that the Camry’s
nose or the Sonata’s dramatic character lines will age well,
let me know what you think in the comment section. Something important to keep
in mind is the Accord has bucked the growth trend and has shrunk on the outside
compared to the previous generation making it among the smallest in this
segment. Good if you live in the city, bad if you were hoping for a Honda land
yacht.

Typical for Honda, the Accord has no factory installed
options to choose from, you simply pick your trim: LX, EX, Sport EX-L, or
Touring. LX, EX and Sport models can be had with a manual or a CVT while EX-L and
Touring models are CVT only with the four cylinder and auto only with the V6.
Aside from the lack of fog lights in the LX and a tiny bit of black trim on the
LX and EX models, the only visual clues to which Accord you’re driving are the
wheels and exhaust tips. When it comes to sleepers, there’s nothing that fits
that description like an Accord.

Interior

Honda’s interiors have long been known for their
simple functionality rather than opulence or elegance and Honda is still
singing the same tune. Despite being an all-new model for 2013, Honda hasn’t
radically changed the interior design, opting instead for incremental
improvements and more standard features. All Accords now get standard dual-zone
automatic climate control, Bluetooth phone integration, a backup cam and active
noise cancellation. Honda seems to have listened to the complaints from
reviewers and customers and took a methodical and dedicated approach to making
the Accord quieter on the road. In addition to the fancy noise cancelling
software, there’s more foam, more carpet and a one-piece dash designed to
prevent squeaks later in life.

Honda’s seat engineers seem to be designing seats specifically
for my back lately. The Accord and the refreshed Civic both sport supportive
seats that coddled by back and backside on long journeys. There is a caution I
must toss in however, the lumbar support in Sport, EX and LX models is fixed
and pronounced. If you need some adjustability in your back support, you’ll
need to step up to a leather model to get it. 2013 has brought a raft of
materials improvements to the Accord cabin from improved seat fabrics to more
squishy dash bits and the ever-so-popular stitched pleather. Thankfully Honda
spares potential owners the shame of faux wood trim, instead opting for a
modern brown pattern that I found attractive. The trim and the style are not as
stylized or futuristic as the competition, but controls are easy to locate, and
consistent in their high quality feel.

Thanks to the Accord’s upright profile, getting in and
out of the back seats is an easy task, something I can’t say of the Fusion.
Once inside the height pays further dividends with more headroom than the
coupé-like competitors. Despite being smaller on the outside and having a
smaller wheelbase than the outgoing model, legroom is up by a welcome 1.3
inches in the rear and the trunk has grown to a [finally] competitive 13.7
cubic feet. On the down side, Honda forgot that sometimes people need to carry
large items and three people, not possible in the Accord if you fold
down the rear seat since it folds as a single unit.

Even base model Accords are well equipped with
dual-zone climate control, auto headlamps, cruise control, backup camera, and a
one-touch up/down window for the driver. Because of the comfortable seats and
high level of standard gadgets, the Accord is the poster child
of “easy to live with” like that comfortable sweatshirt.

Infotainment

Honda’s relentless drive to streamline options means a
high level of standard tech on the Accord. All Accords get an 8-inch high-res
screen in the middle of the dash, Bluetooth integration for speakerphone and
audio, iDevice/USB interface, Pandora internet radio app
integration and SMS messaging features if your smartphone supports it. (At
the time of our drive, Pandora radio is restricted to Apple iDevices
and SMS messaging to Android devices, Honda giveth
and taketh away.)

Browsing the lots of my nearest Honda dealers, it
seems the EX and EX-L models account for the bulk of purchases and lot space,
not surprising since they straddle the middle in terms of price from $24,605
for a manual EX to $32,070 foe an EX-L V6. All EX
models get keyless entry/go, Honda’s up-level audio system and their Lane Watch
blind-spot viewing system. (Trust me, LW is more
exciting than it sounds). Stepping up to the EX-L model or above gets you a
higher resolution 8-inch screen and a 5-inch touchscreen LCD in
the center of the dash that acts as the primary audio control interface. The
addition of the second display allows you to see some audio information at the
same time as the 8-inch display either shows you the navigation screen (if
you’ve opted for it) or some other information source. Want to know more? Check
out that video above.

Drivetrain

I know we’re here to dream of EarthDreams
(which is quite possibly the worst thing anyone has ever named an engine
family), but we should start out with that optional V6.  As before the V6
has cylinder deactivation tech, but Honda decided that the old system which
would cut out 2 or 3 cylinders depending on the load was more trouble than it
was worth, so for 2013 the V6 will only drop to 3 cylinders but the range of
operation has been expanded. Thanks to the tweaks and a new 6-speed automatic,
the V6 is good for 278HP and 252 lb-ft of torque
while delivering 21/34MPG. The V6 has a well-tuned exhaust note and scoots to
60 in the same 6.2 seconds that the Altima 3.5 managed, but the Accord lags the
Altima in real-world fuel economy by 3 MPG. This isn’t the engine you want.

What piqued my interest at the launch event was Honda’s
new 2.4L direct-injection four cylinder engine. The engine and new CVT turned
my impression of the Accord on its head. The engine’s 185HP still arrive at a
very-Honda high RPM of 6,500, but thanks to the direct-injection sauce
torque jumps to a [nearly] HP matching 181 lb-ft with
a strong pull from idle and a peak at a decidedly un-Honda 3,900RPM. If you
choose the 6-speed manual, you no longer have to rev the nuts off the engine to
get the Accord in motion. Most shoppers however will findP
a Continuously Variable Transmission under their Accord’s hood, although they
may not even notice. Why? This is quite possibly the world’s best CVT.

Yes, I know I have a rep for the
love-that-dare-not-speak-its-name, but I have my reasons for liking a CVT: fuel
economy, mountain climbing, and maximizing acceleration in underpowered cars
like the 107HP Versa. This CVT is actually pleasant to drive. I’m not sure how
the boffins managed it, but Honda’s new CVT switches
ratios quickly and crisply with a feel that is so close to a standard automatic
the average person might not be able to tell the difference. If you have driven
a Nissan with a CVT, you get what some call a “rubber band” feeling that
pressing the throttle gets instant response but builds, levels, then after you
release the throttle it takes a while for the engine to “return” to a dull
roar.

The Accord on the other hand has the feeling of a
downshift where the engine shifts to a high RPM almost immediately, then like a
normal CVT, stays there while you accelerate and when you lift it drops rapidly
like a normal transmission upshifting. Passengers in the car were confused,
some thought they detected shifts and thought it was an auto, while a few
realized it was just a good CVT. This is as it should be. If you need another
reason to give the CVT a shot, the 27 city, 36 highway
and 30 combined MPG rating should make a believer out of you. In my mixed
driving I averaged a stout 32.5 MPG. If you absolutely must have the manual,
you’ll be limited to four-cylinder LX, EX and Sport models (the V6/MT combo is
Accord coupé specific). The manual will save you $1,200 at the register but
cost you more at the pump with fuel economy dropping to 24/34 and in my testing
the combined number was some 5MPG lower than the CVT.

The Accord has long been known for its double wishbone
front suspension, a design that some prefer because of increasing negative
camber gain as the suspension reaches the end of travel. On the downside it’s
heavier, more expensive and according to Honda contributed to the NVH that owners and reviewers whined about. What does that have
to do with anything? The wishbone is gone, replaced by a MacPherson strut
arrangement like just about every other FWD car in the USA. Does it matter? Not
really, most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference since the
Accord is hardly a track day car. Or is it?

The mid-size sedan is the ultimate comprise car, just
watch a sedan add some time. They are supposed to schlep the kids to daycare
and then carve that canyon on your way to your impressive day job where everyone
congratulates you on making the smart decision to buy the family car instead of
the Mercedes roadster. Truth be told, any mid-size sedan carves corners with
shocking aplomb, holds at least two car seats with ease, looks good enough to
valet park and manages to keep from breaking the bank. You know, except for
that Dodge Avenger I’m trying to forget. But I digress.

Honda made a big deal out of the weight reduction at
the launch event, but in truth the 3,336lb curb weight merely represents a tend in the right direction and lands the Accord in the
middle of the fray. What is different is how Honda chose to tune the Accord.
Out on the road the steering is moderately heavy with a hint of feedback (more
than can be said for most sedans these days) and the suspension is firm for a
family car. The combination create a feel that I would
almost describe as “Germanic,” something that paradoxically cannot be said of
the latest Passat. When the feel and suspension are mated with 215/55R17 rubber
on the EX and EX-L models, the Accord can dance with the best of the
competition. The Sport model’s 235 width tires might sound attractive but
beware, the rubber is bundled with new steering stops that increase the turning
circle from good to enormous. My suggestion would be to buy a regular model,
jump to 225s and deal with the occasional rubbing.

Thanks to a combination of excellent road manners, a
surprisingly quick 6.8 second jump to 60 and the best mid-sized non-hybrid/non-diesel
fuel economy we have tested so far and the Accord EX becomes my favorite
four-cylinder mid-size sedan. It’s not as sexy as the Fusion, but it’s cheaper
by a nose, more exciting than a Camry, more mainstream than a Kia or Hyundai
(yes, I did use that as a factor because you know shoppers will) and
statistically more reliable than some of the other options on the road. There’s
always a “but” and here it is: the Altima 3.5 starts at $25,760, weighs the
same as the four-cylinder Accord, clears 60 in 5.5 seconds and averaged a
shocking (and totally worth it) 27.6 MPG during our week.

Hit it

The best CVT ever
created.

Our average fuel
economy was only 1MPG lower than a Civic.

Excellent chassis
dynamics.

Quit it

Lane Watch is as
gimmicky as it sounds.

You have to
upgrade to the EX-L to avoid the urethane steering wheel.

I still don’t
understand the split screen radio/nav situation.
Someone explain that to me over a beer.

Honda provided the vehicle,
insurance and gas for this review

Specifications as tested

0-30: 2.8 Seconds

0-60: 6.83 Seconds

1/4 Mile: 15.25 Seconds @ 93 MPH

Average Observed Fuel Economy:
32.5MPG over 659 miles

Source:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/05/review-2013-honda-accord-ex-video/#more-487583