Honda Accord Coupe in slinky new style acts sporty and quick
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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DEARBORN, Mich. -- On a boulevard following the meandering Rouge River through suburban stretches of Dearborn, Mich., a slinky coupe edition of Honda's popular Accord series in revamped format with a six-pack of power translated through a six-speed manual shifter demonstrates it can romp down a wiggly course and keep company with the sporty set.
Can an Accord -- perennial best-seller from Honda but historically so homogenized in sheetmetal styling and handling characteristics in order to placate the broadest spectrum of buyers -- act like a sporty car?
This new version definitely can.
Revitalized now on a stiff platform for the seventh generation that's bigger and better than any previous iterations, the new Accords bear athletic characteristics with the spice of a new coupe rendition that spins in a different direction from the sedan.
As a two-door sports coupe, Accord appears in two trim designations of LX and EX with either four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine and manual or automatic transmission available.
Fresh exterior styling, not a cookie-cutter design resembling any other Honda, establishes a rich new image of glamour and strength and speed.
Accord the coupe shares enough styling cues from the sedan to maintain a family resemblance yet the two-door seems to hunker down on pavement due to a lower roofline and the high beltline with elongated doors plus sweeping rear fenders that suggest speed and agility.
The aggressive face shows an exaggerated rake to hood and windshield in a line sweeping over the roof and tapering to a fastback-style tail.
Strong geometric shapes fixed on front corners of the prow carry multi-lens headlamp clusters in glittery display, while fenders and flanks reveal not only hard and straight lines denoting strength and speed but also complex curves with both convex and concave sectors as artistic sculpture.
The impression of strength and speed is supported by a pair of new engines from Honda developed expressly to out-perform any predecessors in terms of power and efficiency as well as fuel economy.
Honda upgraded Accord's base four-cylinder engine to a sophisticated new 2.4-liter four-in-line plant constructed from aluminum.
It's built with twin balance shafts, chain-driven dual-overhead camshafts and Honda's new i-VTEC (variable value timing and lift electronic control) with VTC (variable timing control) valvetrain to precisely manage engine breathing and combustion in order to maximize horsepower and disperse torque across a broad band.
The four-cylinder engine qualifies for SULEV (super-ultra low emission vehicle) status and earns fuel economy numbers up to 34 mpg with a manual five-speed transaxle or 33 mpg when linked to the optional new electronic automatic five-speed.
It produces 160 hp at 5500 rpm plus torque of 161 lb-ft at 4500 rpm, representing a power boost of ten points over a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine in previous Accords.
The coupe also offers a 3.0-liter V6 option that generates 20 percent more power than the former version.
This revamped engine, crafted from an aluminum block with single overhead cam and VTEC valve controls, runs up to 240 hp at 6250 rpm with 212 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm.
Honda's new five-speed automatic goes to the two V6 trims of the coupe, although top-end EX also gets an optional six-speed manual stick in the ultimate sport issue.
Fuel economy numbers for the V6 reach as high as 30 mpg with the automatic or 28 mpg for the manual.
We run a circuit in Dearborn using a combination of streets and freeways to sample all powertrain combinations for Accord Coupe and discover an exuberant behavior not evident in past editions.
The V6 is the obvious ripper and delivers strong muscle.
So we use it to our advantage in a rush to speed when merging into traffic heading east toward Detroit on the I-94 freeway.
However, tests in Accords rigged with the four-cylinder plant reveal surprising acceleration too.
The throttle responds instantly with quick off-the-line action as torque skews toward bottom gears of either automatic or manual shifter.
In motion, all coupe variations for Accord feel more substantial, thanks in part to the expanded package size.
Wheelbase on the coupe remains the same as the previous design but the new version is an inch wider and almost an inch longer.
The unibody structure, crafted with high-tensile steel, measures 27 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity, which helps to improve Accord's performance and handling, as well as safety aspects.
A new front subframe employs hydroformed steel with floating mounts for engine and front suspension system to temper noise and vibration.
Accord's double wishbone suspension was modified to enhance ride and handling traits by reducing fore-aft body movement when accelerating and braking and checking lateral sway when rounding corners.
Safety systems also multiply.
Standard issue now is such gear as an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and traction control system (TCS).
Also, dual-stage frontal air bags are aboard and side-impact air bags are optional for LX trim but standard on EX, while EX V6 also gets standard side curtain-style air bags.
Accord's fancy cabin features separate climate controls for driver and passengers plus dazzling LED illumination for gauges in the instrument panel.
Lights in the IP vary in intensity, from a black appearance when the ignition is off to several stages of brightness as the driver inserts the ignition key and cranks up the engine.
Front bolstered buckets in the coupe may be the most comfortable seats ever built by Honda.
The two positions in the rear also feel comfortable, although -- as with the back seat in any sporty two-door design -- some work is required to climb aboard.
Price points for new coupe versions of Accord extend in a range from $19,300 to $27,900.
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| 2003 HONDA ACCORD COUPE VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size two-door coupe
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size two-door coupe
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| Wheelbase: |
105.1 inches
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| Overall Length: |
187.6 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.4-L I4 i-VTEC
SOHC 3.0-L V6 VTEC
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| Transmission: |
I4: Manual/5
Auto/5
V6: Auto/5
Manual/6
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| Drive: |
Front
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| Braking: |
I4: Power disc/drum
ABS
V6: Power 4-disc
ABS/EBD/TCS
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| Airbags: |
I4: 2 (front)
+ opt. 2 (side)
V6: 2 (front) + 2 (side)
EX V6: + 2 (side curtain)
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| Gas Mileage: |
I4 M/5: 26/34 mpg
I4 A/5: 24/33 mpg
V6 A/5: 21/30 mpg
V6 M/6: 20/28 mpg
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| MSRP Price: |
$ 19,300 to $27,900 |
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