There’s a men’s deodorant TV ad in which a guy standing next to what looks like a thoroughbred horse tries to convince you that if you had to pay only R100-odd bucks for the horse, there would be something wrong with it. And after a few seconds the horse brays — as if to prove the point.
The point is that people get what they pay for and the ad tries to convince you that the deodorant being advertised is exceptional enough to warrant a higher price.
Really? Hmm …
There are undoubtedly cases for the above argument, but there are obviously cases against it. Take medical aids in South Africa. I pay a premium to be a Discovery Health member in the hope that when I need medical attention I will be covered, but there has never been an instance when I’ve tried to use any of my benefits and not had hassles. My mother and sister are on different, cheaper medical aids that have the same benefits, but unfortunately they also have the same lack of customer service as Discovery. So, the argument of getting what you pay for hardly ever applies in this day and age when just about everyone wants to sell you a donkey that looks like a racehorse.
Yet there are those sad people who are always willing to set themselves apart by spending stacks of money especially on German cars in the hope that their cars might say more about them than they themselves can. And if you draw their attention to cars that might not be from that so-called premium stable, they choke on their fois gras and limp-wristedly wish you away.
Now don’t misunderstand me. The Germans make great vehicles, but they’re not the only ones doing so.
So, a car such as the new Honda Accord, which the company sees as being an alternative premium brand, might not cut it in those narrow-minded circles, but it will most definitely appeal to those who are able to rate a car for what it is and not for what they hope it will turn them into.
The eighth generation of the Accord is exceptional in almost every regard. From the muscular nose to the short butt, Honda’s new family sedan bristles with enthusiasm.
Only two petrol engines — the 2,0-litre and 2,4-litre i-VTEC — are currently available in the range and there are, unfortunately, no plans to introduce a performance derivative similar to the Civic hatch Type-R. Though, given ever-increasing fuel prices, not having a performance model might not be such a bad idea.
And because Honda sees Africa as an emerging market, it will be introducing an estate version of the Accord in the not-too-distant future.
The Accord is as comfortable as any German sedan I’ve sat in and the standard leather upholstery, fit and finishings prove that this is undoubtedly an upmarket car.
I drove the 2,0-litre (115kW of power and 192Nm of torque) first and was surprised at how composed it felt. Obviously the new model is slightly bigger than the outgoing model, but instead of making it sluggish, the additional weight gives it a robust, big-car feel while somehow maintaining an overall athletic demeanour.
And after driving the 2,4-litre (148kW and 234Nm) model a short while later, I understood why Honda viewed it as the sporty option as it became increasingly difficult to keep it at legal speeds. We drove on mostly potholed B-roads and the Accord still managed to feel both comfortable and exhilarating.
The five-speed automatic box with F1-style shift paddles on either side of the steering wheel and the six-speed manual are options on both models.
The standard equipment list is, as we’ve come to expect from Honda, chock-full of extras that would normally cost tens of thousands of rands on other vehicles. Features such as ABS, ESP, eight airbags, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, traction control, a multi-function steering and motion adaptive electric power-steering are all standard across the range, with the 2,4-litre benefiting from parking sensors, heated electric seats with a memory function and Xenon headlights among others.
One of the many features that stand out is the motion adaptive steering. In the event of skidding or similar losses of traction, the motion adaptive electric power steering, which is linked to the ESP system, will move the steering slightly to correct the skid.
Something else worth mentioning is the way Honda pays attention to its customers. Buyers of the outgoing Accord model were unhappy with the space-saver spare tyre, so Honda has replaced it with a full-size spare on the new model.
Ranging in price from R237 500 to R293 000, the Honda Accord offers a luxury alternative that is not only underestimated and increasingly difficult to ignore, but guaranteed to ruffle German feathers.
Long-term Honda Civic update
After I forked out more than R500 on the first tank of diesel for the long-term Honda Civic hatch, I realised that I had to try to stretch the diesel out as much as possible.
So I’ve been paying close attention to the eco rating bar in the top right-hand corner of the multi-tiered dashboard.
The way it works is quite simple and ingenious. There are six little green spots that appear only if you’re coasting and your foot is off the accelerator. If you change gear at low enough revs, you might get four green spots and, if you’re changing gear and accelerating harshly, all you get is two green spots or none at all.
So obviously my aim was to figure out what driving habits would bring out the thumbs-up from the car and, other than coasting, highway driving sometimes earns you six green spots.
I have to admit that it’s quite a challenge not to put foot in a car as capable as this because the 2,2-litre engine is pretty eager to get going. So, invariably, after a few days of hyper-miling, I find myself tearing around and completely ruining the fuel efficiency I was hoping for. However, I have to say that having that constant reminder of the eco rating bar is definitely influencing the way I drive.
Fast Facts
Model: Honda Civic hatch
Price: R249 000
Engine: 2,2-litre turbodiesel
Tech: 103kW, 340Nm
Top speed: 205km, 0-100kph in 8,6s
Tank capacity: 50 litres
Services: 10 000km
Odo at start: 78km
Odo now: 600,5km
Fuel input: 46,5 litres
Fuel cost: R525,62