In Australia the Honda Accord comes as a conventional four-door sedan and as the smaller, sportier Accord Euro.
The sedan is about to enter its 11th generation, while the smaller Euro was sold here between 2005 and 2015.
We don’t get the Accord wagon here, which is a shame because we once had a wagon for a month on a trip to the UK and found it to be exceptionally good.
Anyhow, boot space in the sedan is pretty good, with a wide, low opening which makes it easy to load.
Interior space isn’t too bad in the Accord Euro, but adults in the back may have to negotiate with those in the front for a bit more legroom.
For pre-teen kids there’s plenty of space.
Eighth-generation Accord is slightly better, but we suggest you try one for size to see how it suits.
Accord’s four-cylinder petrol engine has a capacity of 2.4 litres.
However, the engine in the Euro is in a sporty state of tune and requires 95 or 98 octane petrol to get the best from it.
We know of owners who haven’t been willing to pay the exorbitantly high prices the oil companies charge for premium petrol and always run their Accords on 91 octane.
If the car hasn’t been driven hard this is unlikely to have done any harm, but otherwise . . .
The Euro is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox, though in Australia most are fitted with a five-speed sequential automatic.
A virtually all-new 10th generation Accord was launched here in December, 2020.
Two new turbo-petrol and hybrid power trains were sold.
One is a 1.5-litre DOHC direct-injected VTEC with dual Variable Timing Control.
The other a third-generation Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive two-motor hybrid system with a 2.0-litre DOHC Atkinson-cycle engine paired with two electric motors.
This new Accord has a longer wheelbase (+55mm), a shortened overall length (-26mm) a lower overall height (-15mm) and wider body (+12mm).
The longer wheelbase means the second-row seats are set further back, giving 49mm of additional rear legroom.
Luggage capacity has increased by 113 litres to 570 litres. Part of this is due to the repackaging of the hybrid battery pack beneath the rear seats.
The A-pillars are 20 per cent narrower and sit further back improve the driver’s view.
Interestingly the two-motor system operates without the need for a conventional automatic transmission, instead employing an E-CVT (Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission).
New Accord has a 10mm lower centre of gravity. The adoption of lighter-weight turbocharged engines and other body design changes reduced the vehicle’s moment of inertia to give better turn-in and steering response.
Both variants of the 10th generation Accord have safety and driver-assist technologies.
Honda Sensing includes Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and High Beam Support System.
Additional driver-assist technologies include LaneWatch, front and rear parking sensors, Smart Parking Assist with Rear Collision Mitigation Braking System, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Driver Inattention Monitor.
The Honda dealer network is efficient and we haven’t heard of any real problems with dealers.
However, Honda concentrates on the major Australian population centres. If you have troubles with the car in remote country areas it might take time for parts to be sent out, though it’s unlikely to be more than a few business days.
Honda spare parts costs are generally in line with others in this class, perhaps a tad higher for more unusual components.
A good amateur, armed with a workshop manual, can tackle some of the routine work. But most should leave it to the professionals.
Insurance is generally reasonable as is only to be expected from a car in this conservative market segment.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Look at the condition of the interior, paying special attention to the top of the dashboard and the rear shelf for sun damage. Fading or cracking in these areas can be expensive to repair.
The engine should be all but inaudible at idle. Roughness may indicate problems, perhaps very expensive ones.
Check there are no oily black stains in the exhaust pipe and on the body around it.
Make sure there isn’t a puff of oily looking smoke from the exhaust when the accelerator is floored after the engine has been idling for a minute or so.
Automatics should go into gear promptly and their changes should only be noticeable when you’re accelerating hard.
Feel and listen for suspension irregularities on rough roads.
These cars, particularly the American sedan are softly sprung and may have bottomed out on their suspension if hammered along on poor roads.
HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay from $2000 to $4000 for a 2008 Honda Accord VTi; $5000 to $9000 for a 2010 Euro or a 2013 VTi-S; $10,000 to $15,000 for a 2011 Euro Luxury; $12,000 to $17,000 for 2016 VTi; $16,000 to $21,000 for a 2017 VTi-L; $16,000 to $22,000 for a 2018 VTi-L; $21,000 to $29,000 for a 2019 VTi-L; $30,000 to $42,000 for a 2020 VTi-LX; and $36,000 to $50,000 for a 2021 VTi-LX Hybrid.
CAR BUYING TIPS
Take a friend with you when shopping for a used car.
That way they can keep the chattering sales person at bay while you check out the car without interruptions.
Used car prices have generally increased during the period of new car stock shortages.
Start looking at adverts for used vehicles several months before you intend buying.
That way you can get a feel for the price being asked and whether they are rising and falling, as dealers need to clear stock due to overcrowding.
Keep an eye on adverts for new cars that say there are specials on particular models.
This can lead to a lot of traded-ins taking up too much space in yards and they will be discounted to get rid of them.
Keep an eye open for ads of unpopular cars, as there can vary greatly in price.
Owners struggling to find a buyers may be forced to grit their teeth and drop their asking price.
If checking a used car at a dealership look at other cars on the lot.
This can provide an insight into the quality of the vehicles in which the dealer specialises.
If buying privately ask for proof of ownership and make sure the insurance covers you for taking a test drive.
Take a slow walk around any car you’re considering, looking for obvious defects.
It amuses us how many people dive into tiny details, only to discover later a major ding somewhere on the other side of the car.
Ideally any road test of a car you’re getting serious about should be done with the engine stone cold. Early morning is best.
If you’re serious about buying a vehicle, tell the seller you would like to take it for a good long test drive.
If they insist on coming that’s understandable, but try to avoid them “selling” the car to you.
Put bluntly, ask them to shut up,
In their later years, cars with a reputation for being long lived and trouble free sometimes attract buyers who have no intention of ever servicing them.
The next owner may suffer as a result.
RECALLS
To browse recalls on all vehicles go to the ACCC at: www.productsafety.gov.au/products/transport/cars/