Honda Accord 2.2 i-CTDi EX
Smaller but beautifully packaged Accord scores with its clever layout
At launch, the Ford Mondeo is available in three bodystyles, four trim levels and with a choice of nine engines – a selection of 78 models in total. Honda’s range strategy for the Accord is far
simpler, and extends to only 16 variants.
That certainly hasn’t held the Japanese family car back – even though you still can’t specify a diesel with an automatic gearbox. (We used a petrol model for our pictures, hence its auto set-up.) It seems that concentrating on relatively few models allowed the engineers more time to make the estate version as practical as possible.
By current standards, the Accord is quite modest in size. It’s the shortest car here and has the lowest roofline and narrowest body,
yet within those tight dimensions, Honda’s packaging experts have managed to create a huge 626-litre boot. It’s not that long and
is 1,000mm wide between the arches, but the sides have been carved out to increase usable space, and the tailgate opening is very wide.
The brilliant seat folding mechanism is the Accord’s best feature. While the chairs are heavy to drop down, they free up a 1,707-litre carrying capacity – only 38 litres smaller than the Ford’s.
Passengers aren’t as well catered for as luggage, though. The seatbase is firm and the centre chair particularly uncomfortable. What’s more, legroom is at a premium. Thanks to the car’s shorter wheelbase, there’s 700mm of space – this is at least 70mm less than in any rival, and so occupants are left feeling cramped.
In other words, despite the brilliance of its boot, time is starting to tell for the Accord – and not only for those travelling in the back. Up front, it looks and feels cheaper than both the Mondeo and Passat. The design is more appealing than the Vectra’s, but the slender handbrake, poorly integrated buttons and shiny plastics show how the game has moved on in recent years.
At least the instrument dials and switches are easily legible, while the driving position is excellent thanks to seats with broad, well shaped backrests and good lumbar support.
The chairs put you in the best possible position to enjoy the engine’s power delivery. True, the 2.2-litre i-CTDi no longer seems as well insulated at low speeds, but it’s no louder than rivals and was easily the quietest from outside. And not even the Mondeo’s TDCi unit is as responsive, smooth or has such a linear power delivery.
Last year’s facelift introduced a long-awaited six-speed gearbox, so mid-range performance is now snappier, although at the test track the Honda recorded virtually identical in-gear times to the Ford. The shift is neat, tight and rewarding, too, while the brakes are also highly effective.
Although heavier than all bar the Mondeo, the Accord is light to drive, with crisp, fast steering and good agility. The estate’s retuned suspension means it’s not quite as firm and sporty as the saloon, but then that’s no bad thing.
Trouble is that the Accord is now an old school family car, so doesn’t have the same ride comfort and refinement as its best rivals. At motorway speeds, wind and tyre noise made it the loudest, according to our decibel meter, and the suspension becomes crashy on rough roads.
But even in top-spec EX trim, the Accord is relatively affordable and comes with electric leather seats and an electric tailgate. Will the price advantage enable it to claim victory here?
Details
Price: £22,155
Model tested: Honda Accord 2.2 i-CTDi
Chart position: 2
WHY: Easily the class’s cleverest car, the Accord is unique in trying to distance itself from the estate tag.
Economy
Although it’s not nearly as aerodynamic as the saloon, we got 46.4mpg in the Accord – within 1.5mpg of Honda’s official claims. That means a 663-mile range.
Residuals
The Accord Tourer bucks the trend for second-hand saloons retaining their value better than load-luggers. Not even the Passat can match its 44.2 per cent residual value.
Servicing
Short intervals and high costs shouldn’t put you off an Accord – Honda’s dealers came second out of 32 in our Driver Power 2007 survey, well ahead of rivals here.
Tax
Honda’s 2.2-litre i-CTDi unit used to be miles cleaner and greener than the opposition, but rivals have caught up. Still, the Accord’s low price helps give the smallest tax bill.
