Honda Accord Review

Chosen by some reviewers as the #1 midsized sedan, the 2006 Honda Accord is consistently rated one of the very best. The four cylinder Accord is considered a great value.

A summary of all reviewers on Autos.com rates the 2006 Accord 3rd best of 20 mid-sized cars [1]. The only siginificant critique mentioned by some reviewers is that the Accord lacks a bit of excitement and crispness in handling.

On the other hand, the Accord LX and EX sedans offer comfort and convenience features that make them great for daily commutes. With an optional leather interior, the EX dresses up to become an affordable luxury sedan. Alternatively, combine the Coupe with a V6 to create a sporty two-door that is also ideal for commuting.

See also the main fact sheets for the 2006 Honda Accord and Honda Accord Hybrid.

High Points

Acceleration
Roomy interior
Safety
Reliability
Build Quality
High resale value; see typical used Honda Accord prices by year[2].

Low Points

Small trunk. The Accord's trunk measures 14 cubic feet (11 for the Hybrid version because of its extra computer and battery pack), compared with the 2006 Toyota Camry at 17 cubic feet and the 2006 Nissan Altima at 16.
Rear seat entry for the coupe.
Small interior space for tall or large people.
Seats are very hard and poorly shaped.
Back seat is uninhabitable by anyone but the smallest of children.
4 cylinder engine is coarse at low rpms and makes the car feel underpowered.
Low quality interior/dash (hard and hollow plastics).
Poor at-the-limit handling due to skinny tires.

Performance and Handling

The 2.4 liter twin-cam four-cylinder Accord is powerful, with 166 HP. The engine is very smooth and responsive-- never whiney. The 3.0-liter V6 is light and very powerful, with 244 HP. The V6 Accord is amongst the fastest in the class.

The Honda Accord Hybrid, with 253 HP, is faster than the regular V6 sedan from 0 to 60 miles per hour and gets much better gas mileage. When cruising, the engine operates on just three of six cylinders, though you do not notice the transition. The engine shuts off at stoplights, restarting instantly when the driver releases the brake pedal. A separate compressor keeps air conditioning blowing when the engine is in its temporary off mode.

All of the Accords strike a nice balance between ride and handling. The suspension is smooth, but not mushy. When driven hard, the Accord is very stable. A few reviewers note that handling is more sporty on the Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, and perhaps the Volkswagen Jetta.

The five-speed automatic transmission is remarkably smooth. The drive-by-wire throttle has perfect timing.

The five-speed manual gearbox is smooth and fun to drive as is the Accord EX V-6 with six-speed manual transmission.

Though an admirable performer in its class, critics seem to ding the Accord for its boring driving characteristics. Car and Driver notes, "[The] EX four-door was exactly as passionate as Lt. Commander Data running a routine systems check on the bridge of the Enterprise."

The Accord seems to do well in most weather conditions. One driver notes, "It handles securely in ice and snow and gives an excellent feel for clean roads without imparting fatigue."

Gas Mileage: 1st Place

According to EPA estimates summarized on Autos.com, the 4 cylinder Honda Accord ranks 1st of 20 mid-sized cars [3]in fuel economy:

4 Cylinder: 24/34
6 Cylinder: 20/29
Hybrid: 25/34

It's worth noting, though, that the gas mileage of the top vehicles in this class varies only slighty-- by a few miles per gallon.

Safety: 5 Stars (out of 5)

All Accord models achieved five-star safety ratings for driver and front-seat passenger in the federal government's frontal crash test. See the Honda Accord NHSTA crash test results[4].

ABS is standard on all models. Luxury models are equipped with Electronic Brake-force Distribution. ABS helps prevent skidding; EBD distributes braking force to the tires with the best grip.

All Accords have side-impact and curtain airbags, in addition to the required dual front airbags. All V6 models come with Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) and Brake Assist. EX V6 models are also equipped with traction control.

See also the Accord safety info page[5] at Honda's corporate site.

Reliability and Maintenance: 5 Stars

The Accord is low maintenance. There's no scheduled maintenance for at least 105,000 miles, except for oil changes, and even those are required only every 10,000 miles. Both engines run on regular gas.

Consumer Reports and others rate reliability 5 stars (out of 5).

Interior and Comforts

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Front seats are wide and tall; legroom is generous. A tilt-and-telescope steering wheel is standard. Seats are lower in the coupe and the side bolsters are more snug.

Rear seat legroom is standard for the class.

Interior space is used efficiently, with a good-sized glovebox, a big center console, and a bin under the audio system that holds 12 CDs. The Accord offers coinholders, cellphone cord hooks, grab handles over every door, console lights, power outlets, and sunglasses holders. Up to eight cupholders are provided.

Honda and Acura's navigation systems are among the best. The navigation system uses voice technology. By pressing a button, you can use your voice to enter commands, change temperature, or change songs on a CD.

Honda's intelligent dual climate control, packaged with the navigation system, attempts to maintain the perfect temperature for driver and passengers.

Exterior

Both the Honda Accord sedan and coupe were face-lifted for 2006, with a a sharper snout, and a new grille, bumpers, and tail lights employing LEDs which light up faster and provide longer life.

The two-door coupe is very different from the four-door sedan in styling, sharing a family resemblance, but little more.

The Accord's buld quality is very high-- you hear the quality when you close the doors.

A common critique is the bland styling of the vehicle, but owners seem to quickly overlook because of all its other strong attributes. One drivers says, "It's not an ugly car, but it's not striking...Once you sit in the car, though, you'll forget about what the outside looks like."

Styles and Options

The major decisions with the Honda Accord are:

Coupe or Sedan
4 cylinder or V6
Cloth or leather upholstery
Trim

Sedans are available in VP, LX, and EX trims:

The VP is new for 2006, replacing the DX. The VP is better equipped and comes standard with air conditioning, cruise control, daytime running lamps, power locks and keyless entry. The VP has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission (MSRP of $17,995).

LX ($19,775) and EX ($22,200) sedans add more. The new LX Special Edition has 16-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel-disc brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), in-dash six-CD changer, steering wheel audio controls, body-color side sills and carbon fiber interior accents. The EX is available with leather upholstery, a DVD navigation system, and XM Satellite Radio.

LX V-6 ($23,950) and EX V-6 ($26,850) add not only a 3.0-liter V6 and automatic transmission, but 17-inch wheels and tires and more luxury equipment as well, including a power glass sunroof and heated side mirrors. All V6 models now come with Vehicle Stability Assist(VSA) and brake assist. Leather is standard on the EX V6. A six-speed manual transmission is now available in EX V6 sedans as well as coupes. Coupes are available in LX ($19,875) and EX ($22,300) only and come standard with the four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission is available. The LX V-6 coupe ($23,900) comes with the V6 and automatic. The EX V-6 coupe ($26,950) is a performance-oriented model, and comes with either the five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission as a no-cost option; it also has leather seats.

Coupes are available in LX ($19,875) and EX ($22,300) only and come standard with the four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission. An automatic transmission is available. The LX V-6 coupe ($23,900) comes with the V6 and automatic. The EX V-6 coupe ($26,950) is a performance-oriented model, and comes with either the five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission as a no-cost option; it also has leather seats.

Honda Accord Hybrid ($30,140), combines a V6 gasoline engine and an electric motor to provide more power: 253 vs. 244 for the gasoline-only V6. The Accord Hybrid gets substantially better fuel economy: 30/37 miles per gallon City/Highway vs. 21/30 for the standard V6. It comes standard with a power glass sunroof, heated side mirrors, and VSA.