IndiBlog

This weekend i took a test drive of the latest generation Accord courtesy their dealer Pearl Honda in Gurgaon. The initial impression you get when you approach the car is that it is much larger than it's predecessor. The car has a more German look and feel to it and i mean that in a very good sense. The interiors are roomy with soft beige leather pampering you. Legroom is great as is shoulder room. Three men sitting at the back is manageable. The drivers seat is electrically adjustable as are the mirrors. The new accord's dashboard is cool and funky but has too many buttons making it look confusing. The central display screen shows all necessary information in a clear, easy to read format.

I drove the 2.4 litre base manual version. With five adults in the car, the Accord felt adequately powered with the engine performing best beyong 4,000 rpm. The motor has been carried over from the previous Accord but has more power now (180 bhp) due to some tweaking by Honda engineers. I took the car upto 140 kmph at which it was very well behaved in straight line and road & tire noise was also very low. The brakes were responsive and adequate to bring the car down from 140 kmph-20 kmph in a matter of 5-6 seconds. The geashift though very slick did not have that precise feel to it. The dealer informed me that a 3.0 litre V6 version is also coming in a few months.

All in all the new Accord looks like a winner and runs like one too. In my mind there is no doubt that you cannot get a better D segment sedan at this price in India.