Honda Accord
It was the first stylish, roomy, economical, well-equipped small family car sold. (Notice how Japan kept sneaking superior cars into established markets.) The four-passenger Accord had such high quality it was dubbed the "Japanese Mercedes-Benz" by car buffs. The $3,995 front-drive, two-door hatchback was the first to show small family cars didn't have to be second-rate, and forever banished the feeling that Japanese cars were inferior.
The four-passenger Honda Accord had an all-independent suspension, usually found on the top sports cars, and an innovative engine with a pre-combustion chamber that met emission standards without a catalytic converter. It delivered an EPA-estimated 44 on the highway and 31 in the city when U.S. cars were lucky to get half that.
The Honda Accord had handy, then-innovative items, such as a coin box with lid and a maintenance reminder. Standard were a rear-window defroster, wiper and washer, AM/FM radio and electronic diagram on the instrument panel that warned if doors or deck lid were open.
On U.S. cars, such items cost extra or weren't even available, thus pioneering Japan's "no-cost-option" advantage over American cars.
Accord gives Honda class
Remember when Honda was selling only a few models in this country?
It wasn't all that long ago.
Now, despite its vow to "keep things simple," the Japanese automaker offers enough versions of its front-wheel-drive Civic, Accord and Prelude autos to make one sprint to a Honda sales guide to keep things straight.
It is the Accord - not Honda's plush new Acura line of cars, which doesn't even carry the Honda nameplate - that is the model most responsible for maintaining the automaker's "baby Mercedes" image.
Honda's only problem is that the constantly changing relationship between the U.S. dollar and Japanese yen is causing its prices to rapidly escalate - a problem also faced by other Japanese car producers. The lowest-priced Honda Accord is the $9,195 DX two-door hatchback with a five-speed manual transmission. It cost $8,429 last fall. The top-line Honda Accord is the four-door LXi, which I tested in January. The LXi automatic I drove cost $13,669. Now it lists at $14,217 and is - as of this writing - Honda's highest-priced model.
The LXi has a fuel-injected version of the Honda Accord 2-liter four-cylinder engine and is the fastest Honda Accord with 110 horsepower. The Honda Accord four-door LX, which I recently tested, has a carbureted, 98-horsepower version of the four-cylinder. It lists at $11,979 with a five-speed manual and $12,469 with a four-speed automatic. The Honda Accord has been popular since launched in 1976 as a two-door hatchback. The car has been totally re-engineered for 1986, and all versions of it are more popular than ever.
Honda spokesman John Warner said the most popular model is the LX, partly because it's more available than the LXi in major metropolitan markets. The LX has decent acceleration. But its lower horsepower makes it slower than the LXi, and you must use the gears more. I drove an LX manual and found myself routinely downshifting to move quickly in tight situations, such as passing trucks on highways.
An automatic in an LX soaks up some power and will make it slower, so think hard about your driving habits before ordering an LX automatic. The LX has good handling, partly because it has a front stabilizer bar. But it isn't as good as the LXi because it lacks the LXi's rear stabilizer bar.
Both models could use larger wheels and tires. The current ones are too skinny to allow one to fully utilize the Honda Accord's excellent suspension. Here's a key tip: The minute you take delivery of the car, head toward a tire pump.
Honda's recommended LX tire pressure is 26 psi, which causes a mushy ride and handling that's too sloppy. Michelin, the tire's producer, says the tires' recommended upper pressure limit is 35 psi. I inflated them to 32 psi, and the result was much crisper handling. The LX's excellent ride was barely affected by the extra tire pressure. In fact, the ride felt better with the added inflation.
Why does Honda recommend 26 psi? The automaker is trying to provide Honda Accord buyers with a soft, old-style "boulevard" ride. That's foolish. Despite its higher price, the Honda Accord has so many major standard features that the base price still seems low, compared with similarly equipped U.S. autos.
Included in the list price are air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and door locks, dual power outside mirrors, an AM/FM stereo with cassette and four speakers and a power antenna. Also standard are reclining front bucket seats that are comfortable on long drives and offer nice support during quick maneuvers and power steering that's very light during parking, with the right assist during highway driving.
There is good room up front for two 6-footers, but the rear-seat area is tight for tall passengers during anything but short trips. At least there is a rear-seat center armrest. Luggage room is good, but the trunk lid should have a device that prevents it from closing when it's in less than full-up position.
The LX's engine lacks fuel injection but starts easily, runs nicely when cold and is very smooth to its upper rev limit. Never has a two-barrel carburetor acted so much like a fuel-injection system! The engine delivers excellent fuel economy with the manual - a government-estimated 27 m.p.g. city and 33 highway. Figures with the automatic are 24 and 30. The manual is no hardship. The shift lever is a dream, and the clutch is light with a short throw.
The thick, Mercedes-style steering wheel is adjustable and easy to grip. The dashboard could use more gauges, but at least has a tachometer and water temperature gauge. The new Honda Accord LX is a winner. It's quiet and refined with a slick, aerodynamic body that causes little wind noise. No matter what, it always seems to be on your side.
Chicago Sun-Times
March 24, 1986
Author: Dan Jedlicka