Friday, December 31, 2010

2011 Accord Hype !!

The Honda Accord satisfies the principal needs for family-car shoppers, but Honda's dropped the ball in a few areas, and competitors are more than catching up.
The second-best-selling sedan in America, the Accord is still worth your consideration, particularly given the 2011 model's improved gas mileage. Just make sure you shop its major competitors — in particular the new Kia Optima (yes, really) and its Hyundai Sonata cousin.
I drove a four-cylinder Accord SE sedan. The SE trim level is new, slotting between the lower-end LX and LX-P and the higher-end EX and EX-L. A V-6 engine is available on both EX versions. There's also an Accord coupe and an Accord Crosstour wagon; the Crosstour iscovered separately on Cars.com. See them stacked uphere, or click here to compare the 2011 Accord to the 2010 model.
Styling Tweaks
Typical of a car that's four years into its current generation, the Accord received a few visual updates for 2011: a new grille and narrower front air dam, a couple more creases across the front bumper and new taillight reflectors that span the center of the trunk. I've never been bullish on the current Accord's face — it seems emotionless, even a bit robotic. The changes don't improve that, and the trunk reflectors add clutter to what was once a clean design. Still, Honda says the car is now a bit more aerodynamic, which helps contribute to a modest increase in its gas mileage.
Sixteen-inch steel wheels and plastic covers come with the LX sedan, with 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels on all other trims. Six-cylinder models add dual exhaust pipes and fog lights — the latter to good effect, as the front bumpers on four-cylinder models have an oddly sculpted blank space where the lights would otherwise go. The Accord coupe loses about four inches' length versus the sedan; with slimmer headlights and a reworked tail, it looks somewhat different from the sedan. It's also the only Accord to offer factory 18s, which go on V-6 EX-L models.
Enough Oomph, Better Efficiency
The Accord's four-cylinder makes 177 horsepower in LX, LX-P and SE models. It's tuned for 190 hp in EX and EX-L sedans, and in all four-cylinder Accord coupes. The difference in tuning becomes apparent only when merging onto the highway or pushing the car hard on hilly terrain. Stop-and-go oomph is similar. Both engines are quick enough, although neither is as sprightly as the four-cylinders in the Nissan Altima or the Suzuki Kizashi.
A five-speed manual is standard. The optional five-speed automatic upshifts smoothly and doles out quick downshifts when you need them. I'll take that over an indecisive transmission, regardless of how many gears it has.
A 271-hp V-6 engine is optional. It musters smooth, confident passing power, but when compared with other V-6 family cars, it feels on the weaker side. The V-6 Altima and Camry, in particular, pack more power.
At least Honda's drivetrain is efficient: With a fuel-saving cylinder deactivation system, the V-6 Accord sedan gets an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in combined city/highway gas mileage. That's up 1 mpg over last year's V-6 Accord, and it's better than most six-cylinder family cars. (It bears mentioning that the Sonata and Optima both offer turbocharged four-cylinders with V-6-like acceleration and an impressive 26 mpg.)
The four-cylinder Accord gets a combined 27 mpg. That's up 2 mpg over last year's four-cylinder, and it ties the Optima and Altima for best fuel efficiency among four-cylinder family cars.
All V-6 Accord sedans get an automatic. Performance enthusiasts may prefer the coupe, which pairs the V-6 with an optional six-speed manual. The coupe's drivetrain loses cylinder deactivation — and its EPA mileage drops to 17/26 mpg — but it has strong acceleration at any rpm. The clutch is light, and the manual shifter has crisp, short throws, which you wouldn't expect given its tall height. On the whole, the setup does a lot to unlock the engine's potential, and it doesn't require premium gas.
Though its ride is softer than that of preceding generations, the current Accord still rides firmly for a family sedan. The Accord feels more controlled over major bumps than the Nissan Altima — whose suspension has all the cushioning of a $199 mattress — but sections of uneven highway still find their way subtly to your backside, and most bumps are met by loud suspension responses. Compounding this is road and wind noise, which are both loud. Quiet and comfy, the Accord is not.
The Sonata and Optima both fare better in that regard, but if a silent cabin and isolating ride are No. 1 concerns in your book, the Chevy Malibu and Toyota Camry remain tops. Conversely, the Accord has always been one of the more engaging family cars to drive. Some may find the steering wheel takes considerable effort to turn at low speeds — though I've found it lighter in LX and LX-P trims — but on curvy roads it offers quick precision and little vagueness. At highway speeds, the steering wheel's hefty weight is impressive.
Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are standard. The pedal delivers a confident,linear sensation that makes it easy to fine-tune your stops.
The Inside
Two things stand out about the cabin. One, it's big. The Accord's interior volume ranks it in the EPA's full-size category, and it shows. Headroom and legroom up front are abundant; the gearshift sits low, and there's enough room sculpted out around it for your knees to go where they may. Equally impressive is the backseat: There's room to stretch out, and the seat is large enough and high enough for most adults to have ample thigh support. Too many competing backseats have one but not the other.
The second impression is that others have leapfrogged the Accord in quality and seating comfort. Our SE tester had rich leather upholstery, but multiple editors agreed the seats had far too much lumbar support, even with the SE's power lumbar dialed all the way back.
The dashboard's gray trim looks flat and plasticky, particularly compared with silver trim that looks more like real metal in cars from the Sonata to the Altima. The SE has decent leather upholstery, but the doors have embarrassingly cheap molded plastic inserts. EX-L models get proper leather door inserts; why the cost-cutting ogre pried them out of the SE, I don't know. That ogre also replaced proper chrome door handles with wretched silver plastic ones across all trims. The prior-generation Accord had near-Volkswagen levels of cabin quality. Honda needs to find those days again.
navigation system is optional on EX-L models. It's easy enough to use, but the low-resolution graphics are due for an update. A couple of additional features make the Accord more tech savvy: The nav system now includes a backup camera, and the EX and EX-L sedans, as well as all coupes, include a USB/iPod interface. My test car didn't have it, so I had to make do with the Accord's standard auxiliary MP3 jack.
Trunk volume is 14.7 cubic feet. That's competitive with the segment, but the car's backseat folds in a single piece rather than the 60/40 split most competing backseats offer. The resulting opening is small, and you won't be able to accommodate lengthy cargo and a rear passenger, unless your cargo fits through the narrow pass-through behind the center armrest. The Accord coupe has a folding seat but doesn't get the pass-through, and it drops cargo volume to 11.9 cubic feet.
Safety & Features
In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the 2011 Accord earned scored Good in front-, side- and rear-impact tests. In IIHS' roof-strength test, the Accord earned a grade of Acceptable. (In ascending order, IIHS scores are Poor, Marginal, Acceptable and Good.) The Accord also received the top overall score of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's revamped 2011 side-impact tests, which are more stringent than in past years.
Standard safety features include six airbags, antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. Click here for a full list of safety features.
With a starting price over $21,000, the Accord is not particularly cheap. Standard features on the base, stick-shift LX sedan include power windows and locks, cruise control, air conditioning and a CD stereo with an auxiliary jack and steering-wheel audio controls. It's a generous list, but many competitors have similar features for under $20,000, and several offer standard USB/iPod connectivity — a feature the Accord reserves for higher trims.
Move up the trim levels, and you can get power front seats, heated leather upholstery, a navigation system, dual-zone automatic climate control and amoonroof. With navigation, the Accord sedan and coupe both top out around $32,000.
Accord in the Market
A roomy cabin and decent gas mileage will earn the Accord a lot of buyers, but the traditional benefits of Honda ownership don't appear to be here in force. To wit: The current Accord gets merely average reliability marks, and its five-year residual values are midpack for the segment.
There are a lot of appealing options out there for family-car shoppers. Until Honda takes another shot at reimagining the Accord, its days as an automatic choice for a huge portion of family-car shoppers could be numbered.

2011 Accord review

Vehicle Overview

The Accord sedan and coupe receive their most extensive changes since they were redesigned for 2008, including fresh styling touches, higher fuel economy for some models and a new SE sedan trim level. The Accord competes with the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion.
New for 2011Fuel economy on four-cylinder Accord sedans with the five-speed automatic transmission gets better because of improved aerodynamics, reduced engine friction and new transmission gear ratios. Honda says highway fuel economy on V-6 sedans will also increase.

The new SE sedan adds some features previously available only on the EX, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, power lumbar support for the driver and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. On all Accords, the climate control buttons have been moved closer to the driver, and models with the optional navigation system gain a backup camera.

ExteriorOffered in sedan and coupe forms, the two Accord body styles share no body panels. For 2011, the sedan gets a new grille, front bumper, trunklid and wheel designs. The coupe is highlighted by a new grille, new front bumper and new taillights. Exterior features include:
  • 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers standard on sedan
  • New 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels available on sedan
  • New 17-inch alloy wheels standard on coupe
  • New 18-inch alloy wheels available on coupe
InteriorThe Accord's cabin treads closer to the domain of Honda's luxury brand, Acura, with its use of high-quality materials, good fit and finish, and an optional knob-based navigation system in place of the car's previous touch-screen setup. A USB audio interface is a new standard feature on coupes and EX sedans, and the EX-L coupe adds steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Interior features include:
  • Seating for five
  • Standard cloth seats
  • Optional leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather seats
  • Standard features include air conditioning, cruise control, a CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio buttons and lighted vanity mirrors
  • Optional electronics include Bluetooth connectivity, XM Satellite Radio and a premium audio system with a subwoofer
Under the HoodThe front-wheel-drive Accord offers a choice of two 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines or a 3.5-liter V-6.
  • Manual or automatic transmissions available
  • Four-cylinder makes 177 horsepower in LX and SE sedans, 190 hp in LX-S coupe and EX sedans and coupes
  • V-6 makes 271 hp, and when paired with the automatic transmission, it includes Honda's Variable Cylinder Management, a fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation system
  • Performance-oriented V-6 coupe with the manual transmission doesn't get VCM
SafetySafety features include:
  • Side-impact airbags for the front seats
  • Side curtain airbags
  • Electronic stability system
  • All-disc antilock brakes
  • Active front head restraints

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Honda Accord “Plug-In Hybrid”


Accord Plug-in Hybrid
Honda Motors has just announced the launch of its Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. The company conducted the first public test drive of the Honda Fit EV prototype and the Honda Accord “Plug-In Hybrid” test vehicle outfitted with the new two-motor plug-in hybrid system at Torrance.
The Japanese automaker had previously revealed the plug-in hybrid platform at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which showcased Honda’s next-generation two-motor hybrid system. This new hybrid system is designed for mid-size to larger vehicles and will be introduced in a future Honda model in 2012.
The company noted that the plug-in hybrid is intended to be compatible with ones daily driving habits. The user will get the advantage of taking short, frequent trips in its all-electric mode, while also utilizing the long-distance driving capabilities when needed. The Honda two-motor system continuously moves through three different modes, all-electric, gasoline-electric and engine direct-drive mode, to maximize driving efficiency. The plug-in hybrid also uses regenerative braking to charge the battery.
In the all-electric mode, the Honda Accord “Plug-In Hybrid” uses a 6kWh lithium-ion battery and a powerful 120 kW electric motor, and can achieve a range of about 10 – 15 miles in city driving with a top speed of 62 mph. Honda Motors added that the battery can be fully recharged in 3 to 4 hours using a 120-volt outlet and 1 to 1.5 hours using a 240-volt outlet

Honda Accord Facelift 2011

Fun Fact for Honda Accord 2011



This is a facelift from the 8th Generation Honda Accord (2008-2010). This is the American Model that is expected to be selling this Fall. The Honda at the United States has various models with El, EX-L, Lx. Their model come standard with a 2.4-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder 177-hp engine compare to our Malaysian Honda Accord that uses a 2.0-liter engine.
This new 2011 Honda Accord has better fuel economy. Predicted with fuel economy of 21 mpg on city and 30 mpg on highway on the automotic transmission. Exterior look has slight changed with the rear chrome piece below the brake light. Break lights has also change to a star shape LED light. A simplified front bumper is observed from the pictures.
The 2011 Honda Accord coupe will also be launch together with the sedan.

Suspension Recall for Honda Accord 2010-2011Model

HONDA ACCORD USER ALERT!!

2011 Honda Accord Sedan
2011 Honda Accord Sedan
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2011 Honda Pilot
2011 Honda Pilot
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Honda has announced that it will recall about 10,800 Accord sedans and Pilot utility vehicles for a potential issue with the front suspension.
According to the automaker, both the spindle nuts on the front axles of both models, plus the damper attachment bracket bolts on the Pilot might cause the front suspension to fail. The problem is due to a machinery issue (a flaw with assembly software), and may affect a very small number of the vehicles recalled.
All of the affected vehicles—2010 and 2011 Honda Accord and 2011 Honda Pilotmodels—were assembled at Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA).
Owners of models affected by the recall will be receiving a notice in the next several weeks, and those who do are encouraged to bring their vehicle to a delaership, where the affected parts will be checked and potentially replaced.
Accord and Pilot owners can go to recalls.honda.com or call 800-999-1009, option 4, to see if their vehicle is affected.

Facts and History of Accord.



Here are facts of accord.
The Honda Accord (pronounced /əˈkɔrd/; Japanese: ホンダ・アコード) is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world.
In 1982, the Accord — which had always been manufactured[1] in SayamaJapan — became the first Japanese car to be produced in the United States when production commenced in Marysville, Ohio at Honda's Marysville Auto Plant. In addition, the Accord is, or has been, produced in Nelson in New ZealandSwindon in EnglandGuangzhou in China and Ayutthaya in Thailand. The Accord has achieved considerable success, especially in the United States, where it was the best-selling Japanese car for fifteen years (1982–97), topping its class in sales in 1991 and 2001, with around ten million vehicles sold.[2] Numerous road tests, past and present, rate the Accord as one of the world's most reliable vehicles.[3]
Since initiation, Honda has offered several different car body styles and versions of the Accord, and often vehicles marketed under the Accord nameplate concurrently in different regions differ quite substantially. It debuted in 1976 as a compact hatchback, though this style only lasted through 1981, as the line-up was expanded to include a sedan, coupé, and wagon. By the Accord's sixth generation in the 1990s, it evolved into an intermediate vehicle, with one basic platform but with different bodies and proportions to increase its competitiveness against its rivals in different international markets. For the current generation of the Accord released for the North American market in 2008, Honda has again chosen to move the model further up-scale and increase its size. This pushed the Accord sedan from the upper limit of what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines as a mid-size car to just above the lower limit of a full-size car,[4] with the coupe still rated as a mid-size car.