Car Review - 2005 Honda Accord
Coupe
2005 Honda Accord Coupe: The Weekly Driver Review
by James Raia
Just inside the guard gate, the world renowned 17-Mile
Drive in Carmel, Calif., begins with a primarily downhill
and often winding two-lane road to Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The tree-lined route features lavish, oceanfront homes
and a predominately forest-like setting along California's
central coast.
It's a perfect several-mile locale for drivers who like
to shift through gears. And it's not-so-surprisingly pleasant
while doing so in the 2005 Honda Accord.
With its V6, six-speed manual transmission offering, the
exceedingly popular model crosses categories. The Accord
is listed as a midsize vehicle and it's often compared
to the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.
But the 24-valve, 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower coupe is just
as much sports car as it is anything else. And it provides
one more reason why the Accord – in its more than
25 varieties – is among the most popular and most
often best-buy categorized vehicles on the road.
During my weeklong test drive, I drove the Accord Coupe
round-trip from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula.
The interstate portion of the journey included about 400
miles. I drove the aforementioned section of the 17-Mile
Drive six times round-trip on clear, blue sky days and
in heavy rain. It made little difference.
In all driving conditions, the Accord Coupe performed
with confidence. Steering and handling is responsive and
poised. Lane changes are smooth. While not as quick as
other vehicles categorized as sports cars, the Accord
Coupe accelerates well and finds its ways through gears
more than adequately. Its 17-inch wheels further add to
the tight road feel. The Accord's ride is also adequately
quiet.
Like all Hondas, the Accord Coupe's interior is designed
in a straightforward manner. Gauges and all instrumentation
are clean and used simply. The navigation system is likewise
efficient and easy to learn.
Despite its coupe status, front-seat passengers have comfortable
leg, body and head room. Back seat passengers (two fit
comfortably) have easy access. Side rear-view vision is
slightly impeded by headrests and side pillars. The driver's
seat, while comfortable for a six-foot, 185-pound driver,
is void of the superior seat cushioning of high-end vehicles.
Standard interior features are plentiful: leather-trimmed
seats, AM/FM, six-disc CD with six speakers, XM satellite
radio, heated front seats, power window and door locks,
illuminated visor vanity mirrors, cruise control, exterior
temperature gauge, sunglass holder and well- positioned
armrests and storage compartments.
Finding fault with the Accord is difficult, but cargo
room could be better, and average city mileage numbers
aren't special. Yet, the Honda Accord has built its reputation
through the years for good reasons. It does everything
well, and offers reliability and great resale value.
Whether a buyer opts for the base LX four-door, four-cylinder
sedan, the EX V6 four-door sedan or the EX, V6 coupe,
the sportiest model of all, it's hard to improve upon
the Accord or find any vehicle with more to offer for
the price.
2005 HONDA ACCORD COUPE
Safety features – Dual-stage driver and front passenger
dual-stage front, side and side curtain airbags. Antilock
brakes.
Fuel Mileage (estimates) – 20 mpg (city), 30 mpg
(highway).
Warranty – Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles;
Power train, 3 years/36,000 miles; Corrosion, 5 years/unlimited
mileage Base price – $28,880.
About the Author
To read more car reviews or to subscribe to his free electronic
newsletters, visit James Raia's web site: http://www.ByJamesRaia.com |
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