is a collection of ideas. Like the belief that being responsible and having fun are not mutually exclusive. Or that the proper hierarchy in automotive design is man first and machine second. Or that innovative engine technology can result in both power and efficiency. Ingeniously simple. Emphatically human. Environmentally conscious. Fantastically fun. The Honda Accord is not just a car, it’s a mission statement. By model range, powertrain choices and overall efficiency, the Honda Accord line-up surpasses everything in its class. Measured by holistic performance or overall refinement, the Accord is difficult to beat. The Accord comes in sedan, coupe, and now Crosstour body styles.
The Honda Accord plays in one of the auto business's most competitive categories, full of cars
created to appeal to the largest number of potential buyers. In this make-everyone-happy world, few do it better than Accord. All Accords are roomy, comfortable and very easy to live with, largely free of niggling annoyances that can make otherwise good cars less appealing. All have at least a hint of sporty panache. The 2011-2012 Accord line-up offers some significant changes. The mild facelift has been applied to all models for 2011- 2012, while some new features and efficiencies increase fuel mileage ratings. A new value-priced 2011 Accord SE model features heated leather seating in otherwise base trim. But the biggest news is the new Crosstour.
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| Honda Accord Coupe 2011-2012 |
The new 2011-2012 Honda Accord Crosstour is a crossover wagon launched late in 2010 based on the Accord but with expanded cargo capacity. The Crosstour seats five, but is intended to be more versatile than the Accord sedan. Offered only in the highest trim levels, the Accord Crosstour competes with the Toyota Venza, which, is similarly based on the Camry. Unlike other Accord models, the Crosstour is available with all-wheel drive. The 2011 Honda Accord is available with a choice of four-cylinder and V6 engines, and manual or automatic transmissions. The Accord sedan and coupe were completely redesigned for 2008, when they grew in exterior dimensions and improved occupant safety.
The four-door Honda Accord coupe sedan competes with the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Chevrolet Malibu. It's roomier inside than all of them and more polished than most, with an emphasis on power, fuel and space efficiency. The stylish two-door Accord coupe offers a 6-speed manual with the V6, for a rare combination in mid-size cars. It comes with a sporty suspension package and low-profile tires on 18-inch wheels, and goes head to head with the Nissan Altima coupe. With effectively five trim levels, the Accord can fit a wide range of budgets. There's a no-frills sedan with plastic wheel covers, essential features and a solid stereo, and high-trim models with sumptuous leather, mega-watt sound systems, active noise cancellation and navigation. All variants deliver high engineering standards, excellent finish, good build quality and all the important safety equipment.
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| 2011-2012 Honda Accord Coupe |
Some of the Accord's competitors have been redesigned more recently. Others can be more fun to drive. Yet there may be none that match Accord's overall combination of polish, refinement, efficiency and choice. For that reason, the Honda Accord remains a benchmark among mainstream, midsize automobiles.
The 2011 Honda Accord line-up includes sedans, coupes and the new Crosstour wagon, with three engine choices, 5- and 6-speed manual transmissions or a 5-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is available on the Crosstour. Rather than offering traditional options or option packages, Honda tends to mark upgrades in equipment with a different model designation. As a result, by Honda's count, there are 26 different models or trim levels in the Accord line. (All New Car Test Drive prices are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices, which do not include destination charge and may change at any time without notice). The Homda Accord LX Sedan ($21,180) is the entry model, powered by a 177-horsepower 2.4-liter fourcylinder engine. It comes with cloth upholstery, air conditioning, power mirrors, windows and door locks, a tilt-telescoping steering column, folding rear seats and a 160-watt sound system with single CD and an auxiliary jack. The standard wheels are 16-inch steel with plastic covers. The 5-speed manual transmission is standard, and the 5-speed automatic ($800) is available. The Honda Accord LX-P Sedan ($22,980), P for Premium, adds alloy wheels, a power driver's seat, illuminated power window switches with express up/down for the front passenger, a security system and a chrome tailpipe. The automatic is standard.
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| 2011-2012 Honda Accord Coupe |
The 2011 Honda Accord SE Sedan ($23,730) builds on the Honda Accord LX-P package with heated front seats, leather seating and driver's power-lumbar support. The Honda Accord EX Sedan ($24,105) gets a higher-revving, 190-horsepower version of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, with standard 5-speed manual and no leather. It also adds a six-CD changer, 17-inch alloy wheels, power moonroof, heated mirrors and premium interior accents. The automatic is available, and for 2011 EX models add a USB audio connector to the stereo. The Honda Accord EX V6 Sedan ($27,080) features a 271-hp, 3.5-liter V6 with 5-speed automatic; fog lights come standard.
The Honda Accord EX-L ($27,355) and Honda Accord EX-L V6 Sedan ($29,430) add leather on the seats and steering wheel, while the four-cylinder EX-L comes standard with the automatic transmission. The Honda Accord EX-L models also come with 270-watt audio, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, heated front seats, compass and exterior temperature indicator, automatic on/off headlights and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. For 2011, the Accord EX-L V6 also has two-position memory for the driver's seat. The Accord EX-L V6 with Navi ($31,630) adds a navigation system with rearview camera.
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| Honda Accord EX-L V6 |
The Honda Accord LX-S Coupe ($22,555) is the entry-level two-door version, powered by the 190- horsepower version of the four-cylinder engine with a 5-speed manual or automatic. The Accord
coupes are generally equipped comparably to sedans with the same letter designation.
The Honda Accord Coupe EX ($24,455) and Honda Accord EX-L ($27,105) come standard with the automatic transmission. The 2011 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L V6 ($29,730) offers a choice of 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering column. Honda Accord Coupe EX-L V6 with Navi ($31,730) adds navigation and rearview camera.
The Honda Accord Crosstour EX ($29,670) and EX-L ($32,570) come with the V6 engine and
automatic transmission. Crosstour features an easy-fold rear seat and a maximum 51.3 cubic
feet of cargo space. The Crosstours come with a few more features than EX and EX-L sedans,
including a new Active Sound Control noise-canceling system. The Crosstour EX-L 4WD
($34,020) features Honda's Real Time 4WD system. Navigation and rearview camera are
available on the Honda Crosstour EX-L ($34,770) and Honda Accord EX-L 4WD ($36,220).
All Accords have six airbags, including two-stage front airbags, front passenger side-impact airbags and head-protection curtains for all outboard seats. Other standard safety features include active front head restraints, electronic stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake distribution and brake assist, and a tire pressure monitor. The optional navigation system includes a rearview camera, which can help the driver spot children and other hazards behind the car when backing up.
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| Honda Accord Coupe Interior |
Honda Accord models get a mild styling makeover for 2011. Also new is the introduction of the Crosstour wagon, joining the sedan and coupe versions. Known in the car business as a mid-cycle facelift, changes to the 2011 Accord are about as extensive as any car gets between complete redesigns. They re-emphasize the Accord's conservative, upscale appearance. The current-generation Accord sedan was introduced as a 2008 model, and it's larger than any before it. Although it competes in the mid-size market segment, the sedan is classified a large car by the federal government, based on interior volume. It is about five inches longer than the Toyota Camry, its primary competitor, and more than three inches longer that the Nissan Altima. The Accord Crosstour is larger still, measuring two inches longer and nearly seven inches taller than the Accord sedan.
The Crosstour is built on the same foundation as the coupe and sedan, with similar lines and styling cues, but it shares no body panels with either of its siblings. There are two obvious differences between the Crosstour and other Accords. The distance between the Crosstour's floorpan and roof is substantially higher, and its roof slopes gradually from the middle of the passenger compartment into an expansive hatchback. The hatch allows easy access to the Crosstour's expanded cargo area, yet lift-over height at its rear bumper is no higher than the typical sedan's. The two-door Accord coupe, on the other hand, is smaller than either the Crosstour or the sedan, both visually and by exterior measurements. Every dimension, save width, is two to four inches shorter than the sedan. The coupe looks lighter, perhaps more lithe.
2011 styling updates for the sedan and coupe won't be obvious from across a parking lot, but they're noticeable in details at closer range. The sedan's front bumper and grille, wedged between angular, jewel-like light clusters, have been re-shaped for 2011. The effect is a slightly more pronounced snout than before. In back, the lip of the trunk lid and the taillights have been tweaked for a crisper, even more substantial look. In general, the Accords maintain their contemporary yet notably conservative design, highlighted by a strong character line that slopes down and forward like that of the Acura TL,
though the Hondas are much less angular than the Acuras. All Accord variants maintain the Honda hallmarks of narrow windshield pillars and a low cowl that promote good forward visibility. The sedan's rear door pillars have a pronounced kink popularized decades ago by BMW, and the four-door Accord might be mistaken from a distance as a BMW 5 Series or some other European luxury sedan.
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