Accord is an easy car to drive. It corners well, with steering that's light and precise. Handling on bumpy roads is incredibly good; a series of big bumps in the middle of a turn hardly affects the Accord's direction at all. The suspension damps out the bumps and keeps the tires planted on the road. This handling balance is a benefit of the Accord's strong chassis and double-wishbone front and rear suspensions. At the handling limit, it tends toward understeer - the front tires lose grip before the rear tires. The Michelin tires on our test car were quiet, and their ride quality flawless.Accord EX V-6 feels lighter on its feet than the Toyota Camry or Chevrolet Malibu. Blasting up and down a rough, twisting back road, we explored the limits of handling, power and braking. The Camry offered superb damping over the rippled pavement and the Malibu surprised us with its handling prowess. The Accord provided the sharpest transient response - turning left, then right, then left again. The Accord also had the best brakes. In cruise mode, the 3.0-liter V6 engine just purrs along, barely audible. It's so smooth and so quiet that sometimes a glance at the tachometer is required to confirm that it's running. Stomp on the throttle and it growls with the authority of a free-breathing cylinder head. This engine delivers lots of power for merging into traffic or entertaining its driver. A single-overhead-cam V6 , it is equipped with Honda's VTEC (Variable valve Timing and valve lift Electronic Control) system, and tuned to deliver optimum torque over a broad rev range. For 2001, all V6 Accords come with Honda's TCS traction control. While the V6 provides lots of gusto, most people order the 2.3-liter VTEC four-cylinder engine. It's smooth, powerful and efficient, generating 150 horsepower at 5700 rpm. An Accord equipped with this engine is a great package that deserves consideration by anyone shopping for a roomy mid-size car that excels in quality, durability, reliability, smoothness, ride quality, practicality and fuel efficiency. All 2001 Accords sold nationwide meet or exceed California's Low Emissions Vehicle (LEV) standard, regardless of engine. Honda also sells an Accord EX ($23,100) that meets California's demanding Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) standard, the most stringent in the world. SULEV represents an 86 percent reduction in hydrocarbons over LEV; the California Air Resources Board says a SULEV engine emits only 2.3 pounds of ozone-forming hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving - about the same as spilling a quart of gasoline.
|