New Honda Accord review

New Honda Accord review

Feedback from dealers to Honda show there is a need for additional specification diesel Accord models in the competitive D-segment.

The SE offers a high specification saloon with 16-inch alloy wheels, stability assist, 6-speed gearbox and Bluetooth hands free telephone connectivity and with low fuel and taxation running costs.

At £18,600 the Honda Accord SE Saloon undercuts the equivalent models in the VW Passat, Audi A4 and Vauxhall Vectra ranges.

The 140PS common rail turbodiesel engine has lower CO2 emission levels than the competition at 145g/km giving a Band C £115 Vehicle Excise Duty rating and importantly the Benefit in Kind tax is 19 per cent as opposed to 20 per cent for the Vectra and 21 per cent for the Passat. No wonder Honda term it the ´price fighter.

The other demand from would-be Honda Accord customers, especially business users, were for Saloon and Tourer models that combine the advantages of the high technology fuel efficient 2.2-litre diesel engine with more of the sporting features found in other top-end Accord models, all at a competitive price.

With the Accord Sport GT 2.2 i-CDTi Saloon costing £20,767 and the Tourer estate £21,967 the added specification includes 17-inch alloy wheels for the Saloon, 16-inch for the Tourer, premium white pearl paint finish, sports suspension, rear boot spoiler, smoked headlight and foglights, carbon effect inlays for the dashboard and centre console, voice activated satellite navigation, an upgraded sound system, cruise control, Bluetooth and the Tourer is fitted with privacy glass.

The GT Saloon has 145g/km CO2 emissions giving it a Band C VED rating of £115. However the GT Tourer, with the same power output, but increased overall weight, has a CO2 rating of 155g/km putting it in Band D with a VED cost of £140 per annum.

For Accord drivers who must have the sporty GT image for their company or business car and are willing to pay just that bit extra, but know a bargain when they see it, the Sport GT will fit the bill.

Each time I go back to driving a Honda Accord I´m reminded on what a good car it is. Somehow it falls off people´s ´radar´ when considering a new car, especially if you are a business user.

Honda´s increased Marketing and PR activities promoting not just the Accord but all their models to business and fleet buyers can only help raise their profile.

Off the two, the SE and Sport GT, my personal preference is the SE. It has a lower price but with the same performance as the GT and with a lower Benefit in Kind level of taxation.

The specification might be lower, but it still looks very smart, the SE´s ride comfort is better because it does not have the firm sports suspension - it doesn´t need it. The only item I would miss is the satellite navigation system.

Highly underrated cars the Accord range, they need to be appreciated more.

MILESTONES

Honda Accord 2.2 i-CDTi SE Saloon

Price: £18,600. Engine: 2.2-litre, four cylinder, aluminium common rail turbocharged diesel, 140PS, 251lb ft of torque from 2,000rpom

Performance: 132mph, 0-62mph 9.3 seconds, CO2 145 g/km, VED Band C £115, BIK tax 19%

For: Value for money, lower taxation, roomy, good driving performance, refined diesel engine, well built, high quality.

Against: Bland exterior styling does not visually attract customers.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Honda are well known in many different areas of the market: cars, hybrids, motorcycles, powered equipment, garden powered tools, generators, outboard engines, Aero HondaJet engines, F1, Touring Cars, Powerboat racing, MoTo GP, World, Japanese, USA and British Superbike Racing and lots more.

• Instead of having a house of many branded products Honda in the UK are now incorporating all their products under the same Marketing and PR activities.

• Honda is the world´s largest manufacturer of engines, 22 MILLION a year. 10 million of these are for power equipment, 8 million for motorcycles and 4 million for cars.

• Hondas produce 4 million cars a year, 220,000 of them in the UK.

• Honda is the second largest selling Japanese car brand in the UK behind Toyota, but now ahead of Nissan.

Buying a new saloon? Consider the Honda Accord.

See Also:
     Click here for more Honda stories
     Click here for Honda cars data





No readers comments
Be the first to write a comment on this article

Name

Comments

     Validation

Please enter the text to the left (case sensitive)

Code Image - Please contact webmaster if you have problems seeing this image code 
Reload
Mazda MX-5 reaches 100,000 UK sales
Mazda MX-5 reaches 100,000 UK sales

Mazda has revealed that the iconic MX-5 sportscar has surpassed the 100,000 sales milestone in the UK, 20 years after hitting the shores. | 02/09/2010 14:06:54

Hyundai releases new MPV for Paris Motor Show
Hyundai releases new MPV for Paris Motor Show

Hyundai is set to unveil its next generation B-segment MPV at the Paris Motor Show in the shape of the ix20. | 02/09/2010 12:00:01

Campaign launched against secret recalls
Campaign launched against secret recalls

Auto Express has launched a campaign to expose the ‘scandal’ of car manufacturers refusing to publically acknowledge unreliable or faulty cars. | 02/09/2010 11:41:19

Mini named greenest manufacturer
Mini named greenest manufacturer

Mini was the cleanest car manufacturer in the UK over the first half of 2010, according to a new sales-weighted pollution index. | 02/09/2010 11:18:14

Tuning boost for BMW 3.0 diesel engine
Tuning boost for BMW 3.0 diesel engine

An ECU remap to improve BMWs 245 bhp, 3.0 litre diesel engine has been released by car tuners Superchips. | 02/09/2010 10:53:38

World premiere of the Toyota Verso S at Paris
World premiere of the Toyota Verso S at Paris
|01/09/2010 10:05:56

Toyota is making a return to the mini MPV segment with the world debut of the Verso-S at the Paris Motor Show.

Ferrari recalls ‘jinxed’ 458 Italia
Ferrari recalls ‘jinxed’ 458 Italia
|01/09/2010 15:14:16

Ferrari has issued a worldwide voluntary safety recall of all 458 Italia models produced up to the end of July 2010 in response to five ‘thermal incidents’ that have made waves in the media recently.

First look at the Citroen DS4
First look at the Citroen DS4
|31/08/2010 10:39:27

The first details of the Citroën DS4 have been released ahead of it going on sale in 2011.

Volvo introduces new engines for the S60 and V60
Volvo introduces new engines for the S60 and V60
|31/08/2010 11:56:36

Volvo is launching two new high performance four cylinder 1.6 litre petrol engines for its new S60 and V60 cars.

M6 Toll has been 'colossal and expensive failure'
M6 Toll has been 'colossal and expensive failure'
|31/08/2010 12:25:57

The M6 Toll road has failed to significantly reduce congestion and lost its operators cash, according to a new report.

Porsche increases dividend on posting €5.85bn pre-tax profit
|13/11/2007

German sports car manufacturer marches on as it post a monster €5.85bn profit.

Car sales plummet across the board in August
|05/09/2008

New-car and van registrations in August drop 20 per cent over the month, used car values are worst since early-90s recession. The recession hits the UK car market.

'Help, I´ve put petrol in a diesel engine' - Frequently Asked Questions
|20/11/2007

Around 400 people a day risk damaging their car by misfuelling, and filling up with gas is a mistake that could cost thousands. So what do you do if you´ve filled up your diesel car with unleaded petrol?

Best 90's TV car adverts
|19/09/2008

20 of the best 90's TV car adverts showcase an industry wising up to the buying power of women, and putting the battle of the sexes at the forefront of car commercials.

Euro Car Parts snaps up LSUK
|01/10/2008

Euro Car Parts has acquired Pinco 1555 Ltd, including all 53 of LSUK's 53 branches, together with subsidiaries M I Diesel Products, Protech Automotive (UK) and Yeovil Rewind.