You know how sometimes you come across a lithe, muscular kind of guy who has the build of, let’s say, a kickboxer? He’s not chubby, not bulging like a bodybuilder, but you get the feeling he could defend himself if he had to. He’s not so intimidating that you feel uncomfortable approaching him, but you do so with some level of caution and, when you do, you breathe a sigh of relief as he turns out to be less of the gung-ho, macho sort than you had in mind.
That’s pretty much what the new Honda Accord is like: it has an understated aggression, but when you drive it you realise that, while it is indeed powerful, it would have benefited from a little more vooma to live up to its appearance.
The facelifted Accord looks like a neater, sexier version of an over-the-top racing Nascar: it is broad, squat with a no-nonsense nose, dark 17-inch alloy wheels that fill the flared wheel arches and it sits quite close to the ground.
By far the most impressive aspect of the upgraded Accord is that Honda is offering these cars with more features at a reduced price. The Type-S (manual) and Accord Executive (automatic) have benefited from price cuts of R20 000 and R25 000 respectively and are now retailing at R225 000 for the Type-S and R255 000 for the Executive.
While new models are being launched with sometimes ridiculously hefty price increases, Honda is boxing clever and says that the strong rand and its strategy to grow local sales is the reason behind the price cuts.
The existing three-year/60 000km maintenance plan has also been replaced by a five-year/100 000km service plan, which covers regular service items and fixed labour costs for the period of the plan.
While the new Accord doesn’t look much different from the out-going model, there are a few minor changes to the exterior, such as a revised grille, restyled headlight and tail-light clusters, and new front and rear bumpers.
The engine is still the 2,4 litre i-VTEC, which pushes out a healthy 140kW of power and 220Nm of torque.
My test unit was the Type-S, which has oodles of interior space — five tall adults fitted in comfortably.
Among the interior changes is a new gear knob, which I thought was a bit too small. A nice standard feature on both models is the multifunction steering wheel and cruise control. Other features include dual-zone air-conditioning and heated seats on the Executive model. Safety is taken care of with six airbags, ABS, ESP and EBD.
On the road, you quickly realise just how underrated this exceptional car is. The long gear ratios and smooth transmission on the six-speed box make driving it an absolute breeze. The suspension, which features MacPherson struts up front, and the overall handling made long journeys very comfortable. And, despite needing a little more power, the Accord gets from 0-100kph in 10 seconds.
Given that Honda has been growing steadily in overseas markets and won two major North American car awards last year among a host of customer satisfaction awards, I hope that South Africans will realise that this Japanese brand is one that can no longer be ignored.
So, if you’re in the market for a mid-size executive saloon, and considering the price cuts, you would be downright daft to limit yourself to choosing from only the more popular German brands.
Fact file
Model: Honda Accord Type-S
Price: R225 000
Engine: 2,4 litre i-VTEC
Tech: 140kW, 220Nm
Top speed: 207kph, 0-100kph in 10 seconds
Tank: 58 litres
Services: 15 000km