Honda Accord News

More than 50 Euro owners have reported the combustion problem, which Honda Australia describes as a 'post-combustion detonation sound'. Honda brought an engineering team from Japan to study and resolve the problem, which was also reported in a handful of cars in the USA. It only affects the Euro with 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine. "A counter measure has been developed. We will receive it at the end of this month and will be contacting customers to recify their vehicles," says Honda Australia's spokesman, Mark Higgins. "It's a handful of cars. We've sold 9000 or 10,000 Euros in the past year and it's around 60 vehicles maximum." He says Honda is taking the problem very seriously. "Honda R&D people came out from Japan. We had a team of engineers here for about two weeks," he says. Higgins is not aware of the specific changes to solve the problem but believes it is an electronic counter-measure. "We're not sure if it's a specification specific. We don't know what the issue is, as yet," he says. "But the good news is that we had an issue, and there is a counter- measure. It's an electronic or ECU issue, not a mechanical issue. "The other thing to remember ... is that this is doing no harm whatsoever to the engine. We guarantee the engine will have no ill effects. It has also had no effect on performance or the fuel economy."

Icy winds and snow are blowing across Motown, dumping on the auto capital of the world at a time when American politicians are applying relentless pressure for a major shift in the way that General M

It would have been so easy for the Blue Oval team to drop the bundle as they worked towards producing a new car for a segment that was shrinking daily before their eyes.

Honda's clean-sheet approach created a bigger, brighter and more refined prestige family sedan that is strong on safety, comfort and quality.

Within three years, production-line workers will build cars with names they can't pronounce.It's nothing new but when the Russians start pumping out Mitsubishis and Peugeots and Citroens, it is another step in the process that sees car makers move out of their backyard and onto foreign soil.The reasons are cheap.Picking a developing country with available employment, low yet aspiring standards of living and government incentives such as free land and tax breaks is the financial equivalent of a Stephanie Rice wall poster.And there's no reason to feel shy about deserting the homeland in search of reduced manufacturing costs even if Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking is scathing of the practice — though the Cayenne body is made in Slovakia — and says so in his new (only) book “Don't Follow The Crowd”.Look around.You probably know it because you're on the carsguide.com.au site, but most car owners haven't a clue where their metallic ego in the driveway was born.The Honda Accord and Jazz are from Thailand, the Volkswagen Caddy in Poland, the Suzuki APU (named after the 24-hour shop owner in The Simpsons?) van in Indonesia, the Chrysler Grand Cherokee in Austria — on the same line as the BMW X3, no less — the Volvo XC70 in Belgium and the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus hatch and BMW 3-Series four-cylinder models in South Africa.As these countries grow richer on their ability to make cars cheaper for the world, so their prices — of labour and taxes and energy — will rise.Are there any countries left that have even lower costs that car makers can exploit? While you sift through the Atlas (get a current one, some countries and borders have changed in the past decade) let me tell you about one that has it all.And only recently is word out that this could be the next big think in car manufacture.Unlike Russia or Thailand or Slovakia, this country has English as its predominant language.It has an able workforce and rising unemployment.Its needs are many because the country has high consumer goods consumption.Yet the workforce — perhaps through desperation — can be turned to receive a modest wage.There are tax breaks and land going on offer throughout the country, most close to the ocean or rivers for easy transportation of raw materials and finished product.The icing on the cake is that it has existing infrastructure to support car assembly.The country is the USA.Now the focus turns from outward looking to the manufacturing equivalent of navel gazing.Now European countries have seen a weakened USA become ripe for domestic manufacture.The US dollar is so weak that it makes importing European cars too expensive.Far better to look at camping on US soil, in the way a cuckoo camps in another nest to exploit its personal needs.While General Motors seeks manufacturing in China, Volkswagen is looking at the USA.Volkswagen is not alone, European suppliers are also sniffing out what the USA can offer.The tide has unexpectedly changed and perhaps the only hindrance will be a revival in the US economy.Preoccupied with the 'war with no end' in the Middle East, the US is poised to become the world's next big car factory.Who would have thought that possible?

Plans are moving ahead to include an oil-burner in the new Honda Euro Accord range. Unlike most of its competitors, Honda has not developed an automatic transmission package for its diesel engines, something that has been a roadblock in any decision to bring a Honda-badged diesel to Australia ... until now.“I think if diesel does come to Australia in a Honda it will come in manual transmission,” says Honda Australia senior director Lindsay Smalley. He is not underplaying the difficulty Honda Australia will have in getting the high-tech 2.2 i-DTEC diesel Accord Euro for Australia but with the acceptance of the manual transmission issue, the other hurdles can be overcome.“We would love to have that car with the Honda super-clean diesel technology but there is limited supply and limited capacity to make those engines and Honda Motor is concentrating on the European market where diesel is king,” he says.“I am sure that once that demand is satisfied and once production increases we will have a good chance at getting them for Australia.”In 2006, Honda brought a British Accord diesel with a manual gearbox to Australia for testing.Smalley says there is less chance the diesel version of the CR-V will make it to Australia.“That car is made at the Swindon plant (in England) and bringing cars out of the UK is clearly much more expensive than out of Japan or Thailand,” Smalley says.Of more concern to Smalley is the likelihood that one of the hero cars of the new Euro range, the stylish Tourer or wagon, will not make it to Australia because of a design oversight.“We would be very keen to take the Tourer as a real branding statement and that would lift the prestige standing of the whole Honda brand but the vehicle in its current form does not comply with Australian design rules,” he says.“The issue is rear seatbelt anchor points.”The car has two rear child anchor points fitted to the seat squab, which happens to be the European standard.“For Australia, however, we would need three anchor points fitted to the roof or right back near the tailgate. With investment and time it could be solved but whether it is a particularly pressing global priority for Honda ...”The new Euro will be on sale in Australia in June, initially with a single 2.4-litre i-VTEC four-cylinder engine coupled to a five-speed automatic to compete with the Mazda6, Subaru Liberty as well as the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata. 

In Europe, it comes with 2-litre and 2.4-litre petrol engines or Honda's new 2.2 i-DTEC diesel. Australians have to make do with the 2.4.Honda Australia is pushing hard for the inclusion of the wagon for the local line-up. But even if it did appear it could trail the sedan version by at least 12 months.This is the eighth generation of the Accord (the first came to Australia in 1976), and with 16 million sold since, it has become a core model for Honda.It is one of the few Honda passenger cars manufactured in Japan since the company built factories in Thailand. Jazz, Accord V6 and CR-V are built in Thailand.The Accord Euro, which is only available with a four-cylinder engine to differentiate it from the bigger V6 Accord, has a higher level of features and safety over the current model.It comes standard with safety equipment including a new electronic stability control linked to the car's steering system, which helps the driver steer safely in demanding conditions.Options will include lane-keeping assistance (which alerts the driver when the car starts to move out of its lane); adaptive cruise control and a collision mitigation brake system to warn the driver of a possible accident and prepare the brakes for an emergency stop.The new Euro is bigger than its predecessor to boost cabin room. In styling, it is an evolution of the current model and shares some styling clues with its main rival, the Mazda6, which was also released as a new model.The Australian 150kW, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine version drives either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters.No prices have been announced ahead of its local launch, because the Mazda6 was released last month at an unexpectedly low price and it appears Honda will have to follow suit. Only a minor price increase over the existing model is expected.Meanwhile, Honda has announced an additional hybrid sedan and the fast-tracking of its stunning fuel-cell car to production. Honda president Takeo Fukui said a “dedicated” hybrid would go on sale in 2009 to support the existing Civic Hybrid.This new car is smaller and is expected to cost about two-thirds of the Civic price, making it the cheapest hybrid on offer in Australia.This sedan is confirmed for production but the news is slightly more blurred about Honda's cute CR-Z sports coupe that is also slated for a hybrid powerplant.The CR-Z, a successor to the popular CR-X of the mid-1990s, was first shown at last year's Tokyo motor show.Better news for Honda's medium-sized fuel-cell car, the FCX Clarity, which goes on sale in the US in June and in Japan in October. The FCX theoretically has a market in Australia, although Honda Australia spokesman Mark Higgins said an immature infrastructure for hydrogen would delay local sales.The FCX will be the first fuel-cell car to reach the global market though it is being hotly pursued by other manufacturers.Honda also released details of a sophisticated, low-emission 2.2-litre diesel called the i-DTEC. This engine will appear first in the European-spec Accord but won't come to Australia for at least two years.

Honda will offer a V6 engine that automatically cuts out two or three cylinders to save fuel when cruising, and a more economical four-cylinder engine in the same body.“There is definite opportunity for the new Accord in the large car market, ”Honda Australia senior director Lindsay Smalley says. “This is not as a fringe dweller but going head-to-head with the traditional (Holden, Ford, Toyota) core competitors in the segment. The numbers will not be huge — we are suggesting 800 a month from launch — but there will be no taxis and no government fleets. The customers who will shop for the Accord are user/choosers who are mature professional customers over 50 and young professional families in the 39-45 age bracket.”Smalley also says that by offering two engines, Honda will draw buyers. It's a strategy Toyota and Mitsubishi turned away from with their Aurion and 380 offerings and one Holden and Ford never offered, yet Honda has enjoyed reasonable success with its outgoing Accord, drawing 70 per cent of its buyers in the 4-cylinder market. The new one, sourced from Thailand, launches with two engine choices coupled to a single five-speed automatic with two trim levels.The 2.4-litre DOHC i-VTEC four-cylinder has been squeezed to produce and additional 8kW and 4Nm, lifting output to 133kW and 222Nm, while still drinking standard unleaded fuel at a claimed 8.8 litres per 100km. Honda has managed to keep the entry-level VTi under the critical $30,000 price point at $29,990 while adding to the size of the car, including significant space improvements in the cabin, adding a vehicle stability control as standard, new dual chamber front and side airbags and active front headrests and three standard rear head restraints. Other standard inclusions are 16-inch alloy wheels with full-size spare, dual-zone airconditioning, cruise control, ABS, emergency brake-force distribution, electronic brake assist, central locking, six-stacker CD sound system with six speakers and MP3 capability and speed-sensitive volume compensation.The VTi Luxury ($36,490) adds 17-inch alloys, automatic headlights, electric sunroof, front fog lights, power adjustment for driver's seat, heated front seats, leather trim and curtain airbags. The basic V6 starts at $38,490 and brings some serious improvements in power and torque from the new 3.5-litre SOHC unit. Power output is up 25kW to 202kW while torque has been improved to 339Nm. Trim level and equipment is similar to the 2.4-litre base car.However, the real story for the V6 cars is Honda's exclusive variable cylinder management (VCM) which can shut down two or three of the engine's six cylinders when the engine is not under load. The key benefits are claimed to be fuel saving and lower emissions with Honda saying American owners, where the car was launched last year, reporting four-cylinder like fuel economy. Honda Australia's official fuel figure is 10 litres per 100km on a combined cycle.Under the VCM, the engine runs on all six cylinders accelerating or under high load, switching to four or three cylinders for cruising or low-speed running. With three operating modes, the VCM system constantly tailors the working displacement of the engine to match the driving requirements with the driver made aware only by a green eco sign, which illuminates in the instrument panel. The VCM system monitors throttle position, vehicle speed, engine speed, automatic-transmission gear selection and other factors to determine the correct cylinder activation mode for the operating conditions.In addition, the system determines whether engine oil pressure is suitable for VCM switching and whether catalytic-converter temperature will remain in the proper range. To smooth the transition between activating or deactivating cylinders, the system adjusts ignition timing, drive-by-wire throttle position and turns the torque converter lock-up on and off.An engine running on three cylinders is not going to be as well balanced as one set up initially as a six, but Honda's engineers have worked to reduce any coarseness transmitting to the cabin with the use of sophisticated active control engine mounts, which have an actuator front and rear controlled by the ECU to cancel engine vibration.As a result, transition between three-, four-, and six-cylinder operation is seamless from the driver's point of view. At the top of the model range is the V6 Luxury ($46,990) which has full leather, automatic headlights, seat position memory, fuel consumption display, full leather, heated front seats, satellite navigation, reversing camera, curtain airbags and a premium audio system. The first thing you notice about the Accord on the road is just how much it has closed the gap on its Euro stablemate. Still a very different car than the sports model, the new Accord has found reasons to be loved for itself.Honda insists the car in its Luxury guise is a direct competitor for the Holden Calais, what will be the Falcon GE6 when it goes on sale in May, and the Toyota Aurion — and while it may struggle to stand that claim up against the segment leaders it will have a price advantage and what could be a fuel economy advantage.On the evidence of the relatively short launch drive it is difficult to say with any confidence just how effective the VCM management is.The only model to have a fuel-economy readout, the V6 Luxury, returned closer to 14 litres per 100km than the claimed 10 litres per 100km ... but that was in a car driven to assess dynamics rather than economy. What can be said is that both the V6 and four-cylinder cars are more lively and more stable than the outgoing models. And noticeably more spacious inside.  Snapshot Honda AccordPrice: from $29,990 to $46,990Engine: 2.4L/4-cylinder 133kW/222Nm; 3.5L/V6 202kW/339NMTransmission: 5-speed automaticEconomy: 8.8L/100km (4-cylinder); 10L/100km (V6) claimed 

That’s because Honda’s new, larger Accord, released this week (not the Euro), is a stronger, more convincing offering than the previous model – one that could well fill the void left by 380 in the large car segment. In V6 form, at least, it offers something the others don’t – fuel-saving, cylinder shutdown technology that allows the car to run on as little as three cylinders when full power is not required. There’s also a gutsy four-cylinder model that promises even more fuel savings. It’s no secret the large car segment has shrunk significantly in the last couple of years as buyers drift towards smaller more economical vehicles. According to sales figures for 2007, Holden’s Commodore dominated the segment with 57,000 sales, followed by the Ford Falcon (34,000) and Toyota Aurion (22,000). Despite a string of awards, the poor old 380 trailed a poor fourth with just under 11,000 sales for the year followed by the Accord (7200). As sales of the 380 trickle to a stop and eventually dry up, those sales have to go somewhere and Honda is quietly confident of picking up a fair chunk of them, as much as 10 per cent of the segment total over time. And, after driving the new Accord in Victoria last week, we reckon Honda is in with a big chance. Four Accords are offered – a 3.5-litre V6 and a 2.4-litre in-line four, with standard and luxury versions of each. All of them get a revised, five-speed auto with wheel mounted change paddles. With 202kW of power, the V6 trumps the lot (but not by much) – producing more power than all of its competitors _ even the yet to be released new Falcon. The 2.4-litre also eclipses its competitors with 133kW, way ahead of the Ford Mondeo with 118kW. In the “mine’s bigger than yours” stakes, that counts for a lot! The four cylinder model’s entry level price of $29,990 should also turn a few heads, particularly as it includes an auto, climate air, electronic stability control and four airbags _ not to mention six stacker CD sound and full-size alloy spare wheel. We were able to drive the base model 2.4-litre Accord and top of the line V6 Luxury at the launch of the car outside Melbourne. With a larger more prominent front grille, the car has a much a stronger road presence than its predecessor and feels bigger inside, bigger in fact than Honda’s flagship Legend. The four with 222Nm of torque available from 4300rpm pulls strongly and the car feels lighter and more agile than the V6, nothing like the floaty model that it replaces. We pushed it hard through some demanding mountain roads with pleasing results. The stability control system, called Vehicle Stability assist in Honda-speak, intrudes only when absolutely necessary and that wasn’t very often. The engine is a little harsh under hard acceleration and the Michelin tyres generate some noticeable road noise, but apart from that it’s all good. Fuel economy for the four using standard unleaded is rated at 8.8 litres/100km. The V6 with 339Nm of torque available from 5000rpm feels softer and cruisier than the four. The VSA works noticeably harder to keep the car on the road, but still lets the driver have plenty of fun. V6 and Luxury models add curtain airbags and the top of the line V6 Luxury also gets a reversing camera. Unfortunately, the camera is not available even as an option on other models _ something that we believe is an oversight. Fuel economy for the V6 using standard unleaded 10.0 litres/100km on the knocker, but it is able to achieve four cylinder-like economy on longer runs. The change from six, to four or three cylinders is imperceptible. The car measures 4945mm and rear legroom is generous even for taller passengers, with a back seat that folds down to accommodate longer loads. The luggage area itself is good without being remarkable, compromised by the addition of the full-size spare that required the boot floor to be raised several centimetres. You can’t have everything. The tow rating of the car is 1200kg. All in all, the Accord looks every inch the winner, particularly the four-cylinder model at $29,990 with its generous equipment list. The lineup could do with the addition of a sports model, but there’s plenty of add-ons to get you there.  

Thus putting the V6 version of its new Accord up against the Falcon, Commodore and Aurion.It might seem puzzling that the Japanese carmaker would be so keen to enter a field that has been hard hit by fuel price rises, with sales shrinking drastically over the past few years.But Honda says it has the answer to this with the V6’s variable cylinder management (VCM) system, which runs the engine on either all six, four or three cylinders – according to demand.Where other systems use lifters to stop engine valves from opening, Honda uses the I-VTEC valve timing technology, which it says means seamless integration.Basically, when the VCM senses high-speed highway cruising it shuts off cylinders 3 and 4 in the front and rear banks, and when it detects light cruising or deceleration it shuts off the rear bank of three cylinders.This constant changing would normally make for quite a racket, but Honda says it has solved that problem with active engine mounts and a noise control system that uses microphones in the cabin to pick up low-frequency noise and then counteract it with opposite phase sound waves broadcast through the audio speaker – even when the stereo is turned off.The 3.5-litre engine develops 202kW of power at 6200rpm and 339Nm of torque at 5000rpm, delivering that to the wheels via a five-speed sequential automatic with paddle shifts.Honda says that with the VCM it manages fuel economy of 10L/100km on a combine cycle _ just 1.2L above the base model VTi Accord’s four-cylinder that produces 133kW at 6500rpm and 222Nm at 4300rpm, mated to the same auto transmission.And while the four gives off just 209g/km of CO2 emissions, the V6 produces only 30g more.Accord has always been technology leader for Honda, and the safety offered by the new model’s stronger body structure is enhanced by stability control — which will be standard on every Honda by 2010 – traction control, and dual chamber front and side airbags.Base model equipment on the $29,990 VTi also includes audio controls on the steering wheel, MP3 jack, cruise control and anti-skid brakes with assistance systems for demanding situations.Moving up the levels to $36,490 VTi-Luxury, $38,490 V6 and $46,990 V6-Luxury variously adds side curtain airbags, active front headrests, plus goodies like leather, sunroof, trip computer, reversing camera, satnav and premium audio, depending on model.These are contained in a package that is stronger and larger in every direction – and is now longer than the Commodore, Falcon and Aurion and beats the last two on height. That it still looks smaller is down to the designers visually `shaving’ the body with rounded corners and subtle lines.Styling has been given a fresh and more aggressive look, with pronounced fender flares and strongly sculpted fascias set off by angular light clusters.Accord has been a strong seller for Honda, with 16 million sold globally since it was introduced in 1976. When it arrived in Australia a year later it became the first Japanese car to take out the Wheels Car of the Year award, and 30 years of success have followed. Honda hopes to see 800 of the new generation rolling off the floor every month “as a starting point”.ON THE ROADLeaving aside the special engine mounting system, Honda’s explanation of sound waves coming through inactive stereo speakers sounded a bit spooky, but it does work. If there was any extra roughness from the continual changing back and forth through six, four and three cylinders, we couldn’t detect it.Engine performance was smooth and seamless, and the only sign we had of the changes was when the little `ECO’ sign flashed on the instrument panel. And it did that under some surprising conditions – in Sport mode, and even going up gentle slopes.Weight is up by about 75kg, but it’s not really noticeable on the road with the V6, although the four-cylinder started to wheeze a little on the steeper hills, while the transmission got a bit noisier and tended to change up too early – which is admittedly good for fuel economy.The F1 style paddle gearshifts on the steering wheel are well-positioned, easy to use and have the transmission changing quickly – but also flicking back into full auto quickly if you haven’t selected Sport mode.The variable gear ratio steering feels slightly too light at first, and seems disassociated with what’s happening on the road. However as the speed rises it improves with more weight and feel.Although Honda says there is no difference in the suspension systems, the V6 seemed to have markedly superior manners. Where the four-cylinder tended to occasionally skip across bumps, the V6 was calm and composed, and in the end we put it down to the difference in tyres.The cabin is airy and pleasant in the front row, and there is more legroom than most people will ever need, even in the back.But middle position in the rear row is still a squeeze, and somewhat uncomfortable, with the tunnel hump in the floor and the raised section in the seat cushion that provides a subtle bucket effect for the two outer passengers.So while the car is billed as a five seater, like even the larger sedans you have to think of it as a four if you’re on any kind of lengthy trip.One surprising trait of Honda is that they don’t differentiate the Luxury model with different badging, so only you will know whether or not you’ve shelled out the extra to grade up.But whether you have or not, you’ll get quite a bit of car for the money.