A forty-something friend once told me that I can’t have my cake and eat it too. I took it literally, as we were facing a well-stocked dessert table at the time. Though my 29-year-old metabolism burns off whatever sugar coated dish I cram into my mouth, I’ve had enough engineering education to understand the concept that two things cannot coexist in the same time – space continuum—at least until you get down to the sub atomic level. But then I found another loophole: a Honda Accord LX.
Mind you, the Accord’s design is about as exciting as waiting for dark matter to wander by. But for buyers who value stealth over spizzarkle, the Accord has the right angle stuff. The mid-sizer’s creases and curves adds to the model’s unassuming sleekosity; the latest taillight redesign and the rocker panel’s negative area reduce visual heft like a GQ magazine cover artist photochopping Kate Winslet’s stems.
The Accord’s front has a pronounced wedge shape, accentuated by elegant headlamps and a smartly integrated hood cutline. Aside from the discordant chrome moustache on the grille, the Accord is one of the best examples of understated automotive styling this side of an Aston Martin DB9. Of course, unlike David Brown's legacy, driving a Honda Accord is about as likely to get you noticed as wearing a red and white striped shirt at a “Where’s Waldo?” convention.
The Accord’s interior is equally non-descript, if well-lit, perfectly proportioned and faultlessly featured. Hence the reason Accord virgins invariably exclaim, “Gee it’s big in here!” (rather than using the word “nice”). While The Big 2.5’s defenders are quick to get out their measuring tapes and compare feature counts, to understand the Accord’s allure, they need to feel the love. The sedan’s precisely dampened switches, knobs and levers are more than a pleasant surprise. At this price point, they’re a miracle.
Activating the Accord’s turn signal stalk is like biting into a Lindt chocolate truffle. The glove box and lower dash storage binnacle doors open with all the graceful, elegant motion of a sunflower blooming in a time lapse movie. The Accord’s portal treatments combine rich cloth inserts, classy vinyl and integrated storage nooks, creating a segment high watermark. There’s space aplenty for kids and cargo, with the ideal amount of visibility for pampered back seat passengers.
Certainly the Accord’s plastic flash casting must be as nasty as anything in an Impala. Happy hunting; I didn’t find any. Yet perfection is (as always) elusive: the rear seat needs a higher butt cushion for long distance comfort. And then the Accord’s sensual snickery whispers “Pay no attention to the cost cutting behind that curtain.” And so you don’t.
The 2.4-liter engine is equally soothing– at least by four-banger standards. Depress the drive-by-wire throttle and the Accord revs both progressively and freely towards max power (166hp @ 5800rpm). The automatic box lacks the latest thing in transmissions (a sixth or seventh gear), but it swaps cogs with sufficient timing and speed (working with continuous variable valve timing) to keep lazy and sporting drivers in whatever torque the mill can muster (160 ft. lbs. @ 4000rpm).
The Accord LX is no neck snapper; it saunters from zero to 60mph in 8.1 seconds, and finishes the quarter mile in 16.6 seconds. At least you don’t pay for such, um, exuberance, at the pump; the ever-optimistic (at least ‘til later this year) feds report that the LX gets 24mpg about town, 34mpg on the open road. But with 3200 pounds in tow, the Accord’s four-cylinder is still the weakest link on the love train.
If and when you build up a head of steam, the LX’ driving dynamics are entirely entertaining. The pride of Marysville preserves any momentum you can carry into a corner and even lets you add more speed after the apex. The steering is nicely weighted, reasonably quick and linear. The stoppers operate better than the cheapie drum brakes (rear) and plastic wheel covers (15”) imply. And when Dr. Jekyll sublimates Mr. Hyde, the Accord gives a wonderfully compliant and isolating ride.
Strangely, you can’t order your four-pot Accord with stability/traction control, brake assist or electronic brake force distribution. The omission reflects a gaping hole in the Accord lineup: a mid-priced, lower output (circa 200hp) six-cylinder variant that splits the difference between value-priced sensibility and pricey pace. The Accord LX has excellent interior trimmings, big car real estate, pistonhead-approved handling and a comfortable ride, but it needs an effortless engine to match.
At $20k, the Honda Accord LX suffers against similarly priced, smoother-running V6 competitors from America (Ford Fusion) and South Korea (Hyundai Sonata). A mid-grade engine would keep the middle-class Accord ahead of the pack, while staying true to its understated style. The Ohio-built Japanese sedan would be, quite literally, the best of both worlds.
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Yep. It’s nice car with the best 4-cylider engine in the class. However, given its price, it’s hard to ignore Ford Fusion V6 SE. Plus, if you get a Fusion, your car won’t look like the other ten Accords on the same block.
Funny how this Accord differs from the one we know in Europe. I believe we get the Acura TSX sold as Accord over here, which is available with the same 2.4 engine, alongside a 2.0 four petrol and 2.2 CiTD diesel engine.
Allthough all the magazines describe it as a very good car though, it isn’t nearly as popular as it is in the US. Most cars in this segment are leased in Europe and people maybe therefore tend to get a Passat, A4, 3-Series, Peugeot 407 or Mondeo instead. With a diesel engine, obviously.
I like Hondas though I wouldn’t choose an Accord over the 3-series (320d and Accord diesel are direct competitors in this segment).
When I drove the just-freshened 2005 Nissan Altima back-to-back with an Accord a couple years ago, I noticed that the Accord interior contained considerably more hard plastic. And yet it still had a richer ambiance than the Altima, despite the many soft-touch bits Nissan added that year. I’ve always wondered how it could be.
Thanks to this article, I now know this was Honda’s sensual snickery at work. Not sure what that means, but it’s as good an explanation as any I’ve come up with.
I did find the ride harsher and noisier than is implied here, but then I drove the V6, which I believe has a firmer suspension.
Quick links to the most common price comparisons for the Accord can be found in the sidebar here:
http://www.truedelta.com/models/Accord.php
if i had to buy a car in the mid sized Family car segment i think it would have to be a mazda 6. This accord is just to boring and the camary is to…well…werid.
Amazing how similiar the Camry’s interior is the accord, same big grey plastic door under the radio, only thing missing is the knee pockets. All I know is the Camry’s was a POS in the lower half, I will take your word the Honda’s is better.
I sat in the new Accord at NAIAS. In my opinion the interior build quality does not deserve any unusual praise. According to TTAC’s policy to call out cars with “hard plastic – model airplane material” this Accord would definitely fall under that category…. IMHO
Accord SE is available in Canada with four banger and all the rest of the goodies.
JJ
Many (probably the majority of) American buyers are less concerned with a brand’s heritage or pizzazz than they are with the “no-brainer solution”–that car that will be a reasonable price up front, then run flawlessly for 5-10 years with just the bare minimum of maintenance. Nobody can touch Accord and Camry in that arena–at least in reputation (for now).
I admire the Accords, but I think of them as the car I would buy for my wife. No matter what improvements have been made, I’m still a glutton for punishment from the Germans and I don’t see that changing any time soon. I’ll perform (or pay for) a little extra maintenance to avoid being stuck in the automotive anonymity that is perfectly exemplified by the Accord. In my “33% rule” for the purpose of cars (transport/hobby/artwork), the Accord fits part 1 perfectly, part 2 halfway, and part 3 not at all. IMHO, of course.
btw, don’t they offer the Civic’s 190hp vtec in the Accord? That sounds like the perfect upgrade for this model to split the difference with the V6.
Another great review, Sajeev, a virtual literary symphony. My favorite line – ..’reduce visual heft like a GQ magazine cover artist photochopping Kate Winslet’s stems”.
Would TTAC ever consider doing comparison tests? I would be interested in how this thing compares with the base Fusion Jonny tested.
Life’s too short to drive boring cars.
Ash, my guess would be that the Civic’s VTEC motor would lack sufficient torque for a car this size–it’s barely enough for the Civic, even though it does move it when screaming into the high end of the tach.
JJ, a Euro-spec Accord is my biggest Honda desire for the US market here. And I mean sold as a Honda, not an Acura (TSX), which carries with it a bunch of unnecessary electronic stuff, a snobbier image, and a high price tag (I still want one, though ;)
I have to go w/ 1984 on this one…the exterior of this car is so remarkably bland it borders on ugly, but at least they got rid of the garfield tail lights which put it dead smack into hideous.
The interior is functional but similarily bland…I can’t imagine how an owner looking for anything more than decent seat on his daily commute could derive any joy out of what is less a “car” than a “transportation device” in pistonhead terms. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing as sales figures make evident (hows it selling compared to the new Camry/Altima/Fusion?) but I would’ve hoped Honda (at least compared to Toyota) thought to add some flavor …
ejacobs
Ahh, ok. I was thinking the Civic vtec was just the vvt version of the same 2.4, but it’s really the 2.0 (which is no doubt peakier). So the Accord is a bigger bore.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Sajeev,
That was an interesting comment on the turn stalk. Whenever I drive my mom’s two-year-old Accord, I regularly turn on the brights accidentally when activating the turn signal. I was wondering if you noticed anything like that. I couldn’t quite tell by your similie because I never thought Lindt choclates were very good, but I’m sure some people do.
The Accord coupe concept, which will provide many design ques for the ‘08 production coupe has been shown. It won’t be too wild, as the “target market” must be kept in mind…
Pics are here: http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=648500 (Scroll down the page for pics.)
Depending on your tastes, it might fill in part of the missing “artwork” element of ash78’s “transport/hobby/artwork” rule.
I’d agree with labrat: A Fusion / Accord comparo would be interesting reading here on TTAC. (Maybe toss in the new Altima, too.) Question is, should the Accord used for such a comparison be the current 7th generation car, or the 8th generation car due this September?
The Civic iVTEC engine (as in the Si) is low of torque (offering a paltry139 ft. lbs.). Its 197 HP is kinda nice though, as is the Si’s limited-slip differential; 6-speed manual; disc brakes all around (with EBD); and the ‘07 Si adds (defeatable) stability control. I’d expect most of this will show up in the ‘08 Accord.
It’d be nice to see a Fusion coupe, which could compete with the (upcoming) Altima & Accord coupes due out later this year.
The Accord is more than the sum of its parts. They’ve been winning C&D comparison tests year after year for their consistently high levels of fit and finish, and better handling than the competition IN THE SEGMENT.
Frankly, I’d love to have an Accord V-6 with a 6-speed manual. The perfect Q-ship.
Cowbell:
Then there’s the ergonomics of the Pontiac G6 GXP I rented in Florida recently: It was a longer reach from steering-wheel to turn-signal/high-low beam stalk by an inch over that of my Honda coupe. With your left thumb looped around the steering wheel, extending your remaining fingers for an extra inch is notable.
How do I know it’s an inch further? Call me anal, but when I rented a plain-jane G6 (non GXP) this past summer, I noticed the difference, so I grabbed a ruler and measured the reach.
To me, that’s an example of the attention to small details which add up to seperate a Honda from some Detroit cars.
Seems like an almost insignifcant detail, yet the devil is in the details. Over time, the extra reach required would bug me–unless I’d not have experienced greener grass elsewhere.
I’m not saying Honda’s are perfect–but when it comes to controls that fall easily to hand, Honda does pay attention.
[Edit:] But the 200-ish HP in the V6 GXP was nice to play with!
HUH? What part of “optional V6″ don’t you understand? Needs a V6 to match the competition? BULLSHIITE!!! The competition with a V6 is in the $25K range, and GUESS WHAT! You can actually BUY an Accord with a big smoking V6 and all the computer nannies just like the other guys… for $25K!
Come on Sajeev, you did a great job measuring this mid-level Accord according to it’s price point for 3/4 of the article, but what happened at the end? You surely know that there is a V6 LX and a V6 EX model will all the goods if you are willing to pay. Starting in 2006 they even starting offering the V6 with a 6-speed STICK SHIFT!!!
Considering the $20K price, the LX model has the market cornered for a FOUR CYLINDER mid-size. And if you come here to our Mega Honda dealer you can choose from about 50 Accord LXs and drive it home for between 18k-19K before taxes.
Oh yeah, they have plenty with the V6 if you want one.
Oh yeah, they are about to completely redesign the Accord for 2008, not just the Coupe. Just when the Focus/Camry/Impala were starting to catch up, the all new next generation Accord will appear. So what was reviewed here was the outgoing, lame duck model.
There’s something to be said for a competent, event free car ownership experience. The thing starts, costs almost nothing to maintain, low monthlies, seems like a dream come true. I am always caught here. Or a fun car, perhaps higher stress ownership, but lots more fun in the twisties. My golf wants to be on side roads, plunging into corners. The Honda wants to be on the highway, serenely playing Chopin on the cd, or at least Grateful Dead. I want both. And I want them to be able to morph into each other at the flip of a switch. Ah… I obviously need a BMW, damn….
Honda builds the mid-sized sedans Mercedes used to build. Actually, quite a bit better.
“…the Accord is one of the best examples of understated automotive styling this side of an Aston Martin DB9. “
Buddy, I think you’re writing is generally fantastic, but you just lost a little cred with a crazy statement like that. This design is by far the most disjointed and design-deprived Accord ever. Everyone still loves them because they drive great, are well built and have great near-lux interiors, and they are still better looking than a Camry. But coffee came out of my nose with the Accord/AM comparison.
Know what a used 2005 Accord LX with 24K miles goes for? $17-18K around here ….
Or you can buy a BRAND NEW 2006 FORD FUSION for $10,999 here!!!! Any guess on what the resale will be for the Fusions?
The Accord is a great all around car – hence why it is #1 in the US in terms of RETAIL sales and #2 in terms of total sales (as only 1% are fleets).
I can’t believe you even compared it to a Hyundai Sonata. At least in an Accord no one makes fun of you and it’s not an embarrassement. The sonata reeks of cheapness and screams ‘low class’.
Guess thats why the sonata is over 50% fleets now? Most real Americans are even embarrassed to drive one as a rental! At Hertz last time they offered me a Sonata I refused and told them they had to give me something – anything else!
rodster: At those prices, I’d probably buy the Fusion and keep the cash in my pocket. But based on my own experience owning several Fords and Hondas, with the Fusion, I’d have a pile of wheezy junk in 8 years. With the Accord, I’d have a car that still drove more or less like new, with another 4-5 years of reliable service in it. My Civic ran strong for 14 years and 265,000 miles until a combination of rust and a hit-and-run driver finally did it in.
I hate the accord only slightly less than the camry. Both of these cars represent what I despise most in the automotive world: appliances.
It seems as though the design team and engineers at Honda (and even moreso at Toyota) have entirely given up on design and soul, and decided that cars are and should only be appliances that take you from point A to point B and nothing else.
For a car enthusiast like me, that’s the worst kind of car. And no matter how much attention is given to the small things (like the location of the blinker respective to the steering wheel), it still doesn’t give any heart to the car. You think early 90’s Ferraris paid attention to those small details? Their electric windows barely worked 90% of the time…
It’s a shame that a company like Honda, which was such a unique company at its origin, making amazing bikes and ATVs (which it still does btw), has turned into a mini-me version of Toyota…
tracy:
How did the Sonata rain on your parade? It’s not the most dinstinctive of cars, but there’s nothing particularly wrong with it. Read my review here.
It’s also a pretty damn good “value” proposition.
“…the Accord is one of the best examples of understated automotive styling this side of an Aston Martin DB9. “
Can I have some of what you’re smoking?
“I can’t believe you even compared it to a Hyundai Sonata. At least in an Accord no one makes fun of you and it’s not an embarrassement. The sonata reeks of cheapness and screams ‘low class’.”
That’s really funny to hear, seeing as how the Koreans hold the portion of the market that the japanese held 15-20 years ago. Honda and Toyota better be scared of Hyundai/Kia, because they offer you better cars (or at least equally good cars) for much better value.
I think an Accord driver saying driving a Hyundai is embarrassing is funny. Because while you say you’d never be caught dead in a Hyundai, I (an Audi driver) will tell you I’d never be caught dead in a Honda… It’s just a matter of taste.
And a Honda/Hyundai comparison is very valid – they both offer good safety, good reliability, but Hyundai does it at better value
Honda will be introducing a higher performance 4 cylinder engine in the redesigned Accord along with a higher performance V6 and a Diesel version a year later.
In this segment, fully 70% of sales are four cylinder models. Call me biased, but I still feel the four cylinder engine in the Accord is one of the best both in performance and feel.
Still, the point made about the Fushion (and the Aura) are valid and at least shows that the domestics are trying to compete.
At Hertz last time they offered me a Sonata I refused and told them they had to give me something – anything else!
Did the same, but with a rental Mustang. Just could not take the Lego-inspired interior plastics in the ’stang. The outside of the Mustang was sexy to be sure, but I drive from inside…
I take issue with those that say Hondas have no soul.
The Prelude, the Civic Si, the NSX, come on, those are (were) great cars that had plenty of “soul” where it mattered; the ability to cut up a back road.
Maybe you’re mistaking “soul” with cars that would routinely break down and turn the most mundane commute into an adventure.
If you priced an Accord at $40,000 the way an Audi A4 is, I’ll bet it would have all the soul you can handle
Rodster205:
The competition with a V6 is in the $25K range
That depends on what you mean by “competition.” If you’re talking Camry, then OK. If you’re talking Fusion, Sonata, or even Impala, wrong. Their V6 models all list around the $21-22K range (prices from Edmunds.com):
Accord LX 4 cyl- 20,925
Accord LX 6 cyl – 25,200
Camry SE 6 cyl – 24,815
Fusion SE 6 cyl – 20,945
Sonata SE 6 cyl – 21,345
Impala LS 6 cyl – 20,945
Of course, as they say, equipment levels and prices may vary and actual sales prices may be lower than list.
Given the choice of an Accord or Camry I’d take the Accord. They are a little better looking and more fun to drive. The Accord also seems larger than a Fusion and Mazda6 and should hold its value better in resale. IF I had to get a new mid-sized car in the 20 something price range I’d probably opt for a Mazda 6. Reasonably good looks even though it’s been around for a few years, sporty driving and handling and a nice interior. I’d try a Saturn Aura probably but I don’t like that I can’t haggle over one.
If I was really looking for just a mid-sized 20 something car I’d opt for a used A4 quattro, TSX or 3 series. With a nod to the Audi since it depreciates more and I could just stick all season tires on it.
For 2007, the Accord V6 SE is available for $23,945 MSRP including dest. With Honda’s agressive pricing at the moment, one can drive off the dealer paying a smidge over 20K for a 6-cyl Accord. Sounds like a good deal to me.
I agree that the new Sonata is quite a good car – substantially better than the previous models. However they have a reputation to overcome for selling cheap crappy cars. But they are getting along and selling the car even though it has moved up slightly from bargain basement to mid level priced.
But I do agree the Accord is one of the best overall cars on the market from quality to driving feel. Makes sense b/c they are so highly involved in motorsports as the founder of the company focused on racing to improve their products. Was always his motto “do less with more”.
I just caught your Sonata review Robert and after month 5 of having traded my 330i for one I must say you’re spot on.
Its not that the Sonata does everthing well, its that it manages do so so many things competently. It doesn’t beg for you to thrash it around a corner, but if you do, the car will hold up better than you would think (I out hustle wanna-bes in SLKs and Mustangs on off ramps all the time); the ride is a bit floaty and the steering indifferent, but it soaks up bumps like an old buick with out feeling like it belongs at sea; it is roomy enough for 5 and can bring their luggage long too; plenty of interior storage, lighting and power outlets for laptop/GPS; and to top if off feels the mechanicals feel bulletproof, with 10yr warrarnty backing them up….for 20k, you’d have a hard time finding a better value family car.
Btw…I owned a ‘02 Accord Coupe and it’s the most boring car I’ve ever owned. For some reason I can’t forgive it for some of the faults I’ve come to accept in the Hyundai (i.e. wheezy engine and plastic interior), partly because so many things kept breaking i.e. seals around the door keep coming off, paint that chips off like its nailpolish, constant check engine light (admittedly minor issues, but the none of that from the Sonata so far), and partly because of the aftermentioned “soul” but by which I don’t mean hazy concepts like “mystique” or “heritage” but plain old “fun to drive” which the Accord decidedly wasn’t.
Especially compared to (yet another Japanese) car I’ve owned, a ‘97 Maxima SE, which cost about the same but was a blast to drive and compares well to this day to any luxury/sport car under 40k.
“If you priced an Accord at $40,000 the way an Audi A4 is, I’ll bet it would have all the soul you can handle”
That exists already: it’s the Acura TL. and it also has no soul as far as i’m concerned. The TL to me is just that, a $40,000 Accord, and anyone who buys it is either doing it to show off or has no comprehension of what an Acura really is. Comparing an Audi A4 to an Accord is just laughable. I’m sure you were only trying to make a point, but by saying something like an Accord at $40,000 would have as much soul as an A4 really invalidates everything else you just wrote.
Audi (and BMWs and Merecedes) have a very distinct character. Even though Bangle has been bastardizing BMW design over the past few years, you can still tell, the second you see a bimmer, that its a bimmer. Just as you can with an Audi, and with an MB.
Accords, and Camrys, just seem like they’re floating all over the place. Compare the accord from 10 years ago to the Accord from today. They don’t even look remotely alike. They have no similar design cues, no similarity in general shape, etc. But if you look at an 80s Porsche, a 90s Porsche, and a 00s Porsche, you can CLEARLY see that they are all the same car. They have the same soul throughout, with the looks changing over time to reflect current trends.
Now I realise that we’re comparing two completely different beasts here: german luxury and japanese economy. But the point I’m trying to make is, you don’t have to deprive your car of soul to make a good car. Racing cred (of which Honda has a fair amount, though toyota has none), continuous design cues, etc. make a car have soul for me. I like when I see a 70’s E series Benz and a 2007 E series Benz and, despite all the differences, I see that it’s the same car at heart. That gives a car-lover like me joy…
nino:
“If you priced an Accord at $40,000 the way an Audi A4 is, I’ll bet it would have all the soul you can handle.”
That’s the truth. If Audi or Mercedes brought out the Accord with a tire upgrade as an “entry level” car starting at $30,000, the snobs would be falling over each other to love it. Remember the BMW 318, the “entry level” 80’s Beemer that Civic Sis and VW GTIs could eat for lunch at half the price?
I (an Audi driver) will tell you I’d never be caught dead in a Honda…
That sounds quite funny to me, since I think Honda is in many ways the Japanese equivalent of Audi…(front wheel drive that tries to be sporty, understated design with some exceptions (Euro-Civic, TT). I also quite like both Audi and Honda, though not as much as BMW.
Then again, I live in Europe, so the market place looks quite different here (for instance, no Acura).
I wouldn’t want to be caught dead in either a Toyota, Lexus (have there ever been found people with a pulse in a Lexus?) and even -dare I say it- the largest part of Mercedes’ line-up. I would never want to own a Hyundai/Kia either, but at least I sort of get why people buy them…sort of.
audimination: I see your point. It’s about design, history, mystique. It’s about the romance of the car as much as the car itself. I can respect that. I’d love to have a vintage 911 myself for exactly that reason, even knowing a modern V6 Accord could quite possibly out-drive it now. That said, I still feel like I work too hard for my money to buy an A4. Seems like you’re paying a big premium there for that sense of design and heritage.
That said, I still feel like I work too hard for my money to buy an A4. You’re paying a big premium for what you value.
And aggravation. I can’t imagine a worse way to start off your morning commute in Upstate, NY’s dead of winter than to wait for road side assistance to pick up your used Audi. Around here, reliability isn’t just a factor to consider, it is the ONLY thing to consider.
BTW: Sajeev is off studying his engineering stuff. He regrets no being able to respond to your comments immediately, but will return to fill in the blanks ASAP.
I agree that the Acura TL is a fancy Accord, but around me, it goes out the door at $33,000. The new Type “S” will be around $36,000 out the door.
An Audi A3 “S-Line” (which I love) goes out the door at a tick over $40,000.
Honda is also a company that is relatively new (compared to Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz) at making cars. They are still looking for their design signature.
I think what the problem is that Accords ARE all over the place. This adds to the impression that there can’t be anything special about them because anyone can get one.
“That sounds quite funny to me, since I think Honda is in many ways the Japanese equivalent of Audi…”
I wasn’t actually trying to take a shot at Honda when I said that. I was just showing the person who was hating on Hyundai that it can work both way.
As for the problems with Audi, I honestly have not had any serious problems as of yet. Of course, I’m of the belief that if you want to buy luxury, you have to get rid of it before the warranty is over. That said, of the cars I’ve owned (E420, 740iL, ML500, currently RS4) I have to say the RS4 has been the one that has given me the least problems. The ML500 was the worst…
Minor nit: It’s competition from Mexico (fusion) and Alabama (sonata).
audimination: I see your point. It’s about design, history, mystique. It’s about the romance of the car as much as the car itself. I can respect that. I’d love to have a vintage 911 myself for exactly that reason, even knowing a modern V6 Accord could quite possibly out-drive it now. That said, I still feel like I work too hard for my money to buy an A4. Seems like you’re paying a big premium there for that sense of design and heritage.
Hey, I’like those cars too, but I feel that it’s about time we call a spade a spade.
I love Audi interiors, I like the way the look on the outside, they even drive pretty good (with Quattro), but these cars are priced out of whack for the driving “experience” they deliver.
An A4 with 200HP and front wheel drive sells around here in the mid to high thirties and with all due respect to Audimination, isn’t a better driver than the Acura TL. An A4 with a V6 and Quattro, blows past $40,000 like it was nothing.
And of course my favorite Audi (and BMW and Mercedes) “option” that I get to pay for; $1,000 extra for any color other than white or red!
And not to knock Audi (it just happens to be the subject at the moment), my cousin has had some issues with the 1.8 liter turbo motor in his A4.
I believe he has the same sludge issues that has plagued Toyota.
“And of course my favorite Audi (and BMW and Mercedes) “option” that I get to pay for; $1,000 extra for any color other than white or red!”
totally agree with you there. that color scheme is a crock. they also stuff a lot of other useless options into the cars at obnoxious prices to improve their margins. But then again, that is why the german luxury marks are all among the most profitable companies in the car industry. I know that Porsche is actually the most profitable car company period today (in terms of margins, not actual profits, obviously)
though i disagree that an Audi drive is worst than an Acura drive. If you compare similar cars the audi will win every time. The problem is you’re comparing similar pricing, and no matter how much Honda tries, Acura is just not in the class of cars with the germans (yet), so there’s no justification for acura to sell their cars at german car prices. Maybe in 10 years they’ll be able to, but not just yet. Lexus still can’t even justify german prices (at every market segment, their cars are 5-10% cheaper than the german counterpart)…
“And not to knock Audi (it just happens to be the subject at the moment), my cousin has had some issues with the 1.8 liter turbo motor.”
That’s quite possible. I think Turbos have to be executed to perfection to remain reliable. They often cause more trouble than they’re worth