Honda Accord vs Toyota Camry

zitch

The reliability difference between the Accord and the Camry is probably almost non-existant. Both Honda and Toyota have a good history of putting out reliable vehicles (with a rare snag here and there). You just really can't go wrong either way in terms of reliability, IMO.

What you should look at is reliable dealers in range (a bad dealer can sour any vehicle for someone, reliable or not), ride preference (soft and comfortable for the Camry, or firm and sporty for the Accord), exterior and interior style (totaly subjective), features (Camry sports a split rear bench, where as the Accord only has a pass through to the trunk from the passanger cabin and can only put the whole seat down. The Accord does sport 8 drink holders for 4 people, and lots of little storage areas around the passenger cabin. These are only a couple of examples), vehicle space (The Accord seems to have more rear seat room, while the Camry has a larger trunk).

I chose the Accord because I liked its firm and sporty nature compared to the Camry. Then again, alot of people have complained that the Accord is too harsh on rough pavement or railroad tracks, and that is a legit concern. Again, it's pretty much your preference.

toycash

Many people seem to keep talking about the difference in ride and handling, with the Camry being softer. The difference is that the Camry offers the SE for people who want the firmer suspension and more Euro-like trim.

talon95

It's overall balance. The only test of which I'm aware between the Camry SE and the Accord EX (both 4 cylinders with stick, 2003 models) is in Car and Driver.

The Accord won that comparison, while the Camry was awarded 4th place.

Both cars were awarded an 8 out of 10 for handling, and a 9 for ride. And the Accord bested the Camry slightly on the skidpad, while the Camry was slightly ahead in the emergency lane change.

But the biggest differences were in the subjective evaluations. While the Accord was lauded for "marvelous balance", the Camry was criticized as "bland to drive". They spent 3 paragraphs praising the Accord's handling, saying things like:

".. the driver's perception is of a car translating directives with fluent responses."

"... the Accord feels light on its feet, ready to change direction any time."

They complained only about limited roll stiffness which prevented quicker speeds in the emergency lane change. Probably a consequence of Honda's attempt to achieve a smoother ride while minimizing any negative effects on handling.

In the Camry report, they didn't even touch on the handling at all... the only mention of the suspension was in regards to how it affected the ride. That's a good indication that the chassis dynamics left them underwhelmed because, as shown with the Accord and the Mazda 6, they're effusive with their praise when they enjoy a car's handling.

So the Accord isn't just about a firmer sporty ride. It's about the overall balance of its chassis and the accuracy of its steering. And it's much more about overall feel than it is about instrumented numbers, as shown by this test. Simply giving a Camry a firmer suspension doesn't give the Camry the Accord's balanced road manners.

IMO, if you're really into a firm (yet supple) ride and sporty road manners, the Accord should be your choice. Of course, if you prefer a more cushioned, insulated ride with less sporty (yet very competent) handling, the Camry is your car. In most other areas, they're very well matched.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article- - - _id=1807&page_number=1

alpha01

Accord EX 1st, Camry SE 3rd. Both V6 models.

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/101056/article- .html?tid=edmunds.h..wkedmunds.comparisons.1g.*

murray53

I owned a 1988 Camry, have driven the 2004 Camry and now own a 2002 Accord and the ride characteristics are distinctly different, although to many either of the newer ones would be considered excellent. My impressions are also that Toyota has emphasized ride smoothess over handling on the current generation cars. It's hard to argue with their success, though.

murray53

I have Michelin Energy MXV4 Plus tires on my Accord and I would bet that they are better quality than the standard tires on a Camry. Both Toyotas I owned had lousy OEM tires which didn't last long. I replaced them with better ones and the difference was like night and day.

mcgirl0730

I just bought an 04 V6 LE Camry and I have never driven a Honda. I've owned only Toyotas. From what I've heard from people, the Accord's performance is better but the Camry provides a smoother ride. I think that these cars are very reliable and have good reputation, but cater to two different groups of drivers. I would rather have a smoother ride. My brother likes to drive his car aggressively. So it's all a matter of preference.

zitch

Very good points. I know that the Accord gives me confidence in its abilities under normal driving conditions. Normal driving conditions for me include: avoiding a concrete block that fell off of the pickup truck in front of me, going around the goofball that stuck his hood halfway into my lane while trying to turn left across a 50 MPH city street, and missing the 18 wheeler that was forced into my lane by the idiot *backing down the interstate*! Ok.. those weren't exactly normal driving conditions, but the Accord gave me the confidence to see the danger, decide quickly the best way to avoid the danger, and input signals to the vehicle to avoid the danger, without having to worry about whether the vehicle can handle it or now. It does what I tell it to without fuss.

I can't say that the Camry can or cannot give me that kind of confidence, only because I've never driven it in those types of scenarios.

This does remind me of the Mitsubishi Galant commercial that shows the Galant and the Camry driving side-by-side behind a truck. The truck's back gate was open with two people inside tossing things out of the back of the truck and you'd watch the cars maneuver to avoid them. Stuff like boxes, bowling balls, chairs, tables, and so on, and (possibly due to exaggeration of the driver's part) you can see the Camry having obvious issues getting back in line (back end wobbles a bit, etc.), while the Galant just glides back and forth. The commercial ends right when you two baby grand pianos (or something big like that) just get pushed out of the back of the truck, and the commercial directs you to a website to see what happens.

I just found it silly that they picked on what's known to be the "less agile" of the "Camcord" vehicles. I wonder if they tried that with the Accord and didn't get the same results.

talon95

"I just found it silly that they picked on what's known to be the "less agile" of the "Camcord" vehicles. I wonder if they tried that with the Accord and didn't get the same results. "

Of course, they did use the Accord for the more dramatic looking braking test...

alpha01

"The truck's back gate was open with two people inside tossing things out of the back of the truck and you'd watch the cars maneuver to avoid them. Stuff like boxes, bowling balls, chairs, tables, and so on, and (possibly due to exaggeration of the driver's part) you can see the Camry having obvious issues getting back in line (back end wobbles a bit, etc.), while the Galant just glides back and forth."

Alot also has to do with the smoothness with which the drivers thread the steering wheel. Yes, the Camry definitely will roll more than the Galant GTS, but you SEE the more violent actions of the drivers of the cars in that commercial. And not only did they pick the less athletic of the Camry/Accord duo for that test, but since they chose the GTS trim Galant, dont you think it would have been a better contest with the Camry SE?

This generation Accord seems to have longish stopping distances, according to most mags I have read, so obviously, the Mitsu folks designed the test wisely.

It doesnt matter much, IMO. In edmunds.com comparison test- where did the Galant finish? And in sales, obviously, Mitsu's assailing the Camcords in the commercials didnt pull much weight- Galant sales are only as good, or worse, than the outgoing generations.

Poor Mitsu.

For me, major points to the Honda folks for standard side curtains for 2005. I do, however, like almost all of the significant upgrades to the Camry for 2005. But Toyota missed an opportunity to best Honda by skimping out on the safety issue.

~alpha

zitch

True, and I hope that Accord can remedy this brake issue. Of course, every brake test between the Accord and the Camry I've seen has always used the Camry SE, which I believe uses summer performance tires, where as all of the Accord trims uses a harder all-seasonal tires. Would this play a factor in the stopping distance?

It still doesn't excuse Honda from the warped rotors issues that some people are having.

murray53

I happen to agree with you. I drove 2 2004 Camry rental cars for a couple of days each and found them competent but uninteresting, looked into buying a Mazda 3s but found that there were too many complaints about poor a/c, inadequate MPG (combined with a 15 gallon tank), hard to obtain parts, and expensive oil changes. I wound up buying a used 2002 Accord SE which so far (only have it one week) I am very pleased with (except for the dealer, that's another story). I look at it as a good compromise between the fairly stiff suspension on Mazdas and the overly soft suspension of Toyotas. I can't really use "zoom-zoom" on surburban Long Island streets anyway. Honda's handling and braking are more than adequate for any normal use. The styling is very nice and the paint flawlessly applied. The Accord seems to have almost as much interior and trunk space as many larger and more expensive (and less fuel efficient) cars. I am sure that is why so many people in my area own them (as well as lots of Civics).

alpha01

... which is why Toyota followed Honda's lead and uses electroluminescent instrumentation in all Camrys now, as well as covered center console, upgraded interior accents, etc.

~alpha

xletoy

I could not agree with you more, the Toyota Camry is by far a more refined car, with many of the luxury's of the high end cars, Lexus MB's BMW I drove all at a car show- for the cost of a Camry VS the high priced lot, the Toyota Camry is a good buy.

peter pan

My wife just went through a gruesome driver-side collision in a 93 Camry with a pick up truck. She was lucky that the truck hit her car square in the middle so the roof collumn absorbed some of the force of the impact. The car is totaled.

The front airbag was deployed but her head hit the top left corner of the windshield causing multiple larcerations on her left forehead and a hematoma the size of an egg inside her brain. She also suffered 3 broken ribs, a collapsed left lung and larcerated kidney. Her condition is stable after 4 days but she will be in intensive care for at least 2 weeks.

A year ago I came to the conclusion that I would not buy any future car without side and curtain airbags for both front and rear seats! These safety features are worth your lives, your limbs or hundreds of thousands of dollars in pain, suffering and lost wages!

When I was looking at the Camry in July 2004, it was impossible to find any 04 Camry with side and curtain airbags at any trim level in Southern California! Honda made a great move making side and curtain airbags standard on the 05 Accord. I am very disappointed in Toyota for not making them standard on the 05 Camry.

I also wanted a SE but there were very few in California and the dealers wanted premium prices.
Toyotas produced a lot of 04 Camrys and Corollas with standard transmissions which the dealers could not sell and had to discount heavily!

By the way, the Accord has double wishbone suspensions, front and rear, which are only available in the upscale GS and LS Lexus, MSRP from $42K to $65K. In emergency maneuvers, the Accord's tighter suspension would probably beat the Camry by a wide margin with clear implications of better accident avoidance before one has to rely on airbags as the last defense.

I am not even talking about possible quicker throttle response, faster acceleration, better tires in an Accord if I have to dodge a big truck gunning for me!

Toyota seems to misread its customers' preferences or has little regards for their needs. Toyota also seems to try to sell cheap cars for higher prices with expensive options than competitors.

I am now convinced that Toyota is always behind Honda at least 2 years in all major and critical features, for example, ABS, 5-speed auto transmission, side airbags etc...

Why am I sounding like I am trying to talk myself into a Honda over a Toyota??? Would like to have more comparisons re safety features and performance on these cars from members of this board.

petl

I tend to agree with some of your statements. Toyota has never been quick with change. Slow and steady progress is their moto. What gets me is that they seem to be setting new sales records every month. They must be doing something right. Maybe they are better at judging the market than we think. Everytime I consider buying a vehicle from another manufacturer, I always chicken out. I guess it's because I've been lucky so far with the 9 different Toyota vehicles we've purchased since 1984. Some were boring, some a little expensive, heck one wasn't all that good looking but they all served us well, so far. Good Luck with whichever vehicle you choose.

alpha01

Toyota offered side curtains on more models of the Camry from the get-go with the 2002 model year. The Accord gained side curtians only for 2003, and only on the EX V6. For 2004, you could only get the EX 4 with optional side curtains, or the EX V6 with the feature standard.

The Accord still does not offer stability control, which the Camry does, on both 4 and V6, though its probably a very tough option to find on the 4. If you want to talk about accident avoidance, stability control is the way to go. Reference the recent study:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/nhtsa/announce/press/pressdisplay.cfm?ye- - ar=2004&filename=pr42-04.html

And yet, no stability control is available on any Accord, at any price.

Yes, the Accord does have a tighter suspension and its double wish-bone. But guess what? In terms of evasive manuevers, event the non-VSC equipped Camry XLE will outperform the Accord. This is info from Mitsu's website, in which the Galant GTS V6, Camry XLE V6, and Accord EX V6 were compared (really it should have been the Camry SE V6, but obviously Mitsu didnt want to get in over its head). The Accord may feel sportier, but the numbers indicate that the dyanmic capability goes to the Camry:

http://www.mitsucars.com/galant/accident_results.html

And again, for braking, the Accord bringing up the rear:

http://www.mitsucars.com/galant/braking_results.html

Quicker engine response? That is one are that Accord does better the Camry...

http://www.mitsucars.com/galant/acceleration_results.html

But even so, with 30 extra horses, the Accord managed just 4 tenths quicker to sixty. What about the Camry's 3.3L? Im thinking it would be at least neck and neck, if the Camry didnt actually have the advantage.

And since when does the Accord have better tires?

Want the "safest" of the Accord Camry duo, IMO? Get the SE V6 Camry with VSC/Side Curtains and 17-inch all season tires.

~alpha

bd21

Great job at clearing some things up. They are both good cars that can be configured pretty closely. But I agree with you, stability control is a big plus. Honda does have a little better crash score, so again it is definetly a personal call. However, both cars are very safe compared to most others on the market for their class.

peter pan

Why does Alpha01 sound like Toyota's National Sales manager?

Besides good brakes with ABS, your concerns with Vehicle Stability Control (Toyota's term) is valid.

I was driving my wife's 93 Camry (120K miles) one night at about 65 MPH on the freeway. When I changed 1 lane fairly quickly to avoid a merging car, the car's front wheels bobbed from right to left violently. The front tires, which were new Michelins, were sqealing; the front shock absorbers were alternately going through their full travel ranges. The car weaved left and right, sometimes skidding sideway, through 2 freeway lanes for about 30 seconds before it went straight again!

The car's front end was bobbing up and down so hard, it was completely out of control, I really thought it would roll over. Luckily there was no other cars on the freeway late at night. Otherwise I would have wiped out many of them! I was pretty scared eventhough, when younger, I used to race production cars at high speed, and piloted planes through some severe weather!

I brought the car into a Toyota dealer. They explained that the front-wheel drive design coupled with worn shock absorbers were most likely the cause of bobbing/skidding problem. But they would not know for sure until they replicate the incident....I immediately bought new Japanese gas shocks for the car! The folks in the snow belt may prefer front-wheel drive for extra traction and control on slippery and icy roads, but not me!

I decided to buy a Lexus GS300 for its rear-wheel drive, vehicle stability control, emnergency brake assist, its 6 airbags and its beefier frame. It does not have airbags for rear occupants though!

We were in the process of upgrading to more Lexus when my wife took the 93 Camry out for a local run and got in the accident! I feel very sad that if my wife had taken the Lexus, she probably got out of that accident with much less severe injuries!

Again, I agree with you 100% that vehicle stability or skid control system is vital to prevent or to reduce probablity of accidents in the first place. The airbags are last-ditch defense!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences! May God find you in good luck and good health!

18fan

Sorry to hear about your wife's accident. Glad to hear she survived it, and hope she heals & recovers quickly.

--18fan

boomchek

Hope your wife will be all right Peter Pan.

Just want to throw in some interesting points about the handling of the Camry, Accord and Altima.

I sell Hondas for a living and part of our training (my favourite part) is going out on a closed off road course and driving our cars (Civics, Accords etc.) side by side with our main competitors. On a recent "ride and drive" we got to compare the Accord, Camry, and the Altima all in 4 cyl. automatic trims on a closed off road course, and driving in regular traffic on regular streets. I will admit the Camry is a much softer ride, very comfortable, and comparable to many domestics such as Caddys or Buicks. The Accord on the other hand is more tuned for sportier driving and will have a bumpier ride. The Altima is the speed and style champion but lacks the refinement of either the Camry or the Accord.

However when you take the three on a road course and test their handling and braking at their very limits, then you see the differences. I found the Altima is the quickest of the three but has a very wide turning radius making it difficult to maneuver through tight turns at high speeds. The Accord handles very well through precise suspension and steering geometry making it a snap to keep control in emergency maneuvers. This is very typical of not only the Accord but also the Civic, both vehicles having less HP than the competition, meaning slower straight line acceleration but having superior handling. To my surprise I found the Camry to have better handling than the Altima due to more precise steering, but the Camry's brakes were the worst of the bunch. I drove the Camry and the Accord back to back and found that the brake pedal travel on the Camry was about one and a half times longer than the Accords. I almost drove the Camry into a set of cones because I wasn't expecting the brake pedal travel to be so long.

So it all depends what driving style you like as many people love the Camry's every day soft comfortable ride whereas many of my Accord customers prefer the Accord's styling and sportier driving characteristics. But it just might be the precise handling that may help you keep control on the road when avoiding a hazard, and ultimately preventing a collision.

Hope this helps a bit. And we weren't allowed to crash test the cars so can't give you any input on that.

pzev

I have been driving a 2003 Accord since Oct 02, and have done close to 40k miles. I had a tranny issue and it was replaced promptly by Honda, and I really appreciated the speed with with the issue was resolved.

Even after this happening, given a choice, I will still pick an Accord over anything else in the segment for its virtues which I feel I value more than maybe someone else would.

With all the faults I find with the Accord and Honda in general, if I had to choose a midsize sedan this second I would actually go with the Accord so I agree with you there. What shocks me though is you have said the transmission went out at 35k (I believe this is what you said in another thread somewhere). Had the car hit 36k would Honda have covered the transmission repair? As good as the car may be for you how can you have so much confidence in a car that you were so dangerously close to paying an expensive repair on? On a car that wasn't even 3 years old? Honda really needs a 5 year powertrain warranty.

lmacmil

Anyone recently purchased one of these after comparing & driving both? The 3.3 liter engine makes the Camry competitive power-wise. Feature-wise, they are similar. SEs locally are all equiped with stability control and side curtain airbags. I was pretty impressed with Camrys I have rented. Haven't driven the Accord yet. Longer powertrain warranty on the Toyota. Honda seems to be having tranny problems recently. The mags give Honda the handling edge but Toyota the better ride. Seems like a tough call.

peter pan

Hi Boomcheck,

Thanks for your concerns for my wife.

I has a Nissan 280Z which I used to do some racing with. By 80K miles, some of the chrome trims were falling off since they were just glued to doors. The stick knob just broke off. Head lights kept burning out and one would have to take off the tire and plastic lining to change the bulb...I burned the engine by 100K and have not bought another Nissan product since.

The standard and LE Camry has 2 rear drum brakes which really don't work after a few years. You would have to replace and adjust them often to make them work. I prefer the SE and the XLE which have all 4 disc brakes which can take full advantage of the ABS. The brake pedal travel distance can be adjust to be shorter to your liking however.

I never had the chance to test the emergency braking on the Camry. The car always seems to stop in straight line. On wet road, ABS could definitely prevent a lot of fender benders. The key is to use genuine OEM brake pads for maximum performance and to prevent squeaking etc...

I found brakes on the Lexus GS300 is so much better that when driving a Camry, I am scared stiff that the brakes would not stop the car. It's all relative to what you are used to.

I was looking for cars at the Beverly Hills Lexus dealer (Jim Falk Lexus). They stored their cars in various structures in BH and Century City... so one of the sales guy took me out in a GS400. He drove like a maniac in the movies on crowded streets , i.e. like good guys dodging Mafia hitmen... The car could accelerate like a rocket, and stop very smoothly and quietly on a dime. When it was my turn to drive, he encouraged me to abuse the car as much as I want since the car could take it! I was not impressed at all with the demo rides in Mercedez-Benz and BMW cars! This guy was the only guy who could really convince me the Lexus GS is worth twice a Camry or an Accord, and possibly a MB!

The sales people at Beverly Hills Lexus are also very low key and very nice to deal with, compared to all other dealers I visited. They have large inventory of cars and offer fanstastic deals with no haggling. I encourage everyone to check them out for a ride of your life!

Styling is very subjective, although there are
somewhat a consensus on what are obviously beautiful and ugly! I found the syling on the new Accord, especially the hood, the trunk, the rear bumper, and the downward sloping lines on the side ... amateurish and just plain ugly.

The Accord's interior is overstated with the large speedometer in the center of the dashboard. Honda's designers tend to overdo their styling whereas Toyota seem to achieve the simple elegance of classic beauty for their cars.

307web

The Camry's dashboard is hardly "elegant."

alpha01

Actually, with the upgrades this year, Id say the Camry's dash is just as elegant as the Accords. The Accord's is more stylish, but with a less conventional radio display and setup that takes a bit of time to get used to, in my opinion. The Camry XLE plood is among the best in the class as well.

Peter Pan... for what its worth, the Accord DX and LX ALSO use drum rear brakes.

~alpha

boomchek

In personal opinion I'd pick the Accord styling over the Camry any day, not just because I sell Hondas.

But to put in in perspective in terms of STYLING ONLY I would rate the Altima first, then the Mazda 6, then the Accord, and finally the Camry last.

anonymousposts

The interior of the Camry looks a bit "old" to me even with the updates for 2005. Other than the less engaging steering the interior was the only thing that kept me from considering the Camry. Although I still would have bought the Accord even if the Camry had an interior more to my liking. Just different strokes for different folks.

307web

The new gauges and the plastic wood doesn't do enough to make look elegant. The Camry dashboard still looks very dated, like a late 1990's Buick Century.
The Solara does have a nicely styled interior and I had hoped the 2005 update would have made more dramatic improvements to make the Camry interior more similar to the Solara.
The exteriors of both are not that great (but the 2005 update is an improvement for the Camry), but the interior of the Accord looks more modern.

petl

Until recently I always thought that the Accord was a nicer looking vehicle than the Camry. My 1986 Camry was a box compared to others in the category. However, the one thing the Camry always had was a classy look (not to be confused with good looking) and feel (except for model years 1997-2001). The current Camry model seems (in my humble opinion) to be the best looking Toyota has produced. It also has that classy elegance that was lost in the late 1990's.

ian721

I also love the Gen 5's styling. But part of me still thinks the Gen 3 takes the cake. That car was the classic Camry and all the others are catching up. And as the owner of a Gen 5, I can only hope that it lasts as long as all those Gen 3's I still see riding around everyday. They're literally everywhere more than 8 years after they stopped production.

Forget the Gen 4 -- one of the ugliest cars on the road IMHO.

307web

Lots of generation 2s are being stolen.

petl

I agree with your take on the Gen3. I gave my 1994 LE to our son when I purchased the 2002 XLE. It still looks great. And, even though he doesn't maintain like I did, it still runs pretty darn good (it has near 300,000 kilometers - 180,000 miles). As stated in my previous post I also did not like the gen4 styling.

murray53

I am assuming you mean the second generation Camry (87-91). I guess there's still a demand for parts for these cars even though the newest of them is almost 14 years old. I still see many of them on the road in my area. I had one until recently and I think that it was one of the most reliable and most popular models Toyota ever made. Even today that body style doesn't look that dated compared to other cars made in the late '80s or early '90s. The 1988 and 1989 models were at or near the top of the most frequently stolen lists for several years in a row.

boomchek

I could be getting old, but I love most Honda and Toyota designs up until about 1997. Maybe it's the cars I grew up with and they tend to stick in my head.

You never know, there could be a generation of Aztek lovers out there in a few years!

inform_me

I got an offer for an 05 Camry LE with Extramile option and Leather at 21800 + TTL. This includes TDA (299), MAF(275), 2% holdback (399), PIO Holdback (347), Fleetprice protection (160). similar Hondas sell for $22K + TTL as per websites.

I wanted a basic LE and am just interested in may be a leather seat.

Do you think Extra mile protection for 1050 and leather for 1150 (at invoices) are accurately priced? I donot see these prices on Edmunds or KBB.

Toyota has $1000 off till this weekend.
Is it off MSRP or can we ask it off invoice?

Don't you think that TDA (299), MAF(275), 2% holdback (399), PIO Holdback (347), Fleetprice protection (160), are just profits for Dealer and could be avoided?

Please reply as I have to make a decision in 24 hours..

thanks

hmurphy

My 94 Camry was a dream, but I sold it to buy an 03 Accord, for safety reasons. I was 26 when I bought the Camry and wasn't very aware of crash testing, etc.

Older and "wiser" at 32, I wanted a car with all the latest airbags, etc. Unfortunately, my brand new Accord had recurring brake problems, so I ended up trading it in on an 04 Toyota Highlander.

I sometimes feel guilty thinking about the clearly disinterested teenager who ended up buying my Camry. Does he appreciate her as much as I did? Probably not. Whenever I see a white Camry from that era, I think about my old reliable baby.

ian721

"Don't you think that TDA (299), MAF(275), 2% holdback (399), PIO Holdback (347), Fleetprice protection (160), are just profits for Dealer and could be avoided?"

Yes, absolutely. I don't know what TDA and MAF stand for, but that all sounds like crap and I saw none of those on my contract when I purchased a few months ago. Do not negotiate the price of the car and then let the dealer add on those FIVE (!!!) mark-ups afterwards (not that it sounds like you did that). Make it very clear that you are considering those items as part of the base price of the car and not as separate items.

Then take that offer to another Toyota dealer and see what they say. If you're really after a "basic LE" then you should be paying a lot less, though I don't know what the leather and Extramile (?) options cost.

inform_me

Thanks. I found another dealer who would charge me invoice minus some rebates plus TTL. I may buy from him. I would post details, if the deal falls through. The Leather (L1) package has invoice price of $ 1114 as per NADA, KBB. Dealer transportation charges are non-negotiable, I guess. And ofcourse the dealer is giving me only fair retail value of KBB.
What do you think?

alpha01

the Leather at Invoice part of the deal. Leather is not a factory option on the LE, so if you're seeing invoice price from kbb or NABA, its probably not for the leather thats actually being installed post production, and not by the factory.

In this case, its up to you to decide if leather is worth $1114 or not. For me, its not.

~alpha

peter pan

I have a 89 CAMRY (Gen 2), made in Japan, with 250K miles on it. It still runs strong after 2 minor door-bending accidents.

I can cruise at 95 MPH on long trips without any problem. The car still tracks straight, the steering precise, brakes are decent.... everything in the car is original except one timing belt, a few brake rotors and the power steering's upper stainless-steel lines.

The suspension of the old 89 Camry was firmer than the newer generation, giving much better feels for the road. I have more confidence in the handling of this car at high speed than the 93 Camry! The ride feels tight and taut, similar to, but not as quiet as the MB E320.

It's amazing that the struts in this 89 Camry are still working properly after 250K miles compared to a 93 US Camry that wore them out after 120K miles. The car was on the 3rd new radiator when my wife totaled the car at 200K miles in a broadside accident.

I am convinced that Toyotas assembled in Japan using Japanese components are far more reliable than the US-assembled cars. The US cars may last as long as Japanese cars, but you will probably have to replace components at twice or three times the rate.

ian721

To each his own on the leather. Only two reasons I wouldn't like leather: it's slippery and can make you slide around in the seat when your cornering, and it can get damned hot in the summertime and cold in the winter.

The $1100 price tag is another, I guess.

alpha01

Primarily because you cant get it on any Accord, at any price... unless of course you with the AWESOME TSX....

http://www.iihs.org/news_releases/2004/pr102804.htm

~alpha

lmacmil

Test drove a V6 SE today while my wife's Highlander was being serviced. Pretty nice car. Had all the bells & whistles; leather, sunroof, stability control, 17" wheels, etc. Very nice looking taupe/charcoal interior and black exterior with spoiler. Better looking than the Accord in my opinion. Sticker was $28K so a little higher than the comparable Accord but it had the stability control that the Accord lacks. Haven't driven an Accord yet.

murray53

The second and third generation Camrys were (and still are) very reliable although not exciting cars. The current generation models of both the Camry and Accord seem to be a bit less reliable than their predecessors, though, judging from the posts I see here. Sometimes it's better to keep a car you are happy with, even buying a new car isn't a guarantee against problems these days. You didn't say how many miles you had on the Camry. I hope you have better luck with the Highlander.

hmurphy

Thanks! I love the Highlander so far, and the AWD, stability control, and bazillion airbags make me feel pretty secure.

The old Camry will always have a special place in my heart, but I'm glad to have a newer car with more safety features.

The Camry had 94,000 miles when I sold it. In my history of cars, that's relatively "young" to give up a car, but I thought it was time.

carguy58

I am not fond of either of the current Accord or Camry exteriors. The front ends of both cars look pretty good. The back ends of both the 02 Camry and 03 Accord Sedan is where both cars totally just lose my interest. Everybody has a disdain for the last generation Camry exterior styling. I don't have a disdain for it that loyal Camry owners do. Maybe because that the 3rd generation looked so good the 4th generation was just a step backward. Its weird though in the mid 90's Honda and Toyota had cars that looked Japanese. The current Camry has a resemblance to the current Ford Tarus sort of and the 03 Accord Sedan has that Buick going on in the back end. I'm just not a fan of Japanese Automakers trying to make their cars look like select Domestic Big 3 models. The best looking Accord's were the youthful looking late 80's Accord Coupe and 96-97 Accord's. Best looking Camry's ahh yeah the early to mid 90's looked good. I actually do like the last generation Camry exterior better than the new one.

Interior: Definately Accord wins out there. The Camry interior was pretty good on the 3rd and 4th generation models. The current interior in the Camry just looks so plain to me and uninspired. With The Accord the interior is a beauty. If Honda can just make the exterior alot better looking on the next generation I would consider it and please no mimmicking Ford or GM on exterior styling.

liuhais

I can get both 2005 Camry SE and 2005 Accord LX (both 4 cylinder) with the same amount: C$31,000 ( in Ontario, Canada ), I won't pay more for better model or options ...
I am struggling which one is better and safer...

2005 Camry SE ( not in Accord LX ):
EBD(Electronic Brake Force Distribution, better brake ),
4 Discs brakes ( Accord only has 2 front discs ),
Fog Lamps, Alloy wheels, wider tire(P215, Accord has P205), Spoiler, Outside Temperature Gauge, 5 year powertrain(Accord has 3 years), shorter emergency brake distance(from report. And I heard that 2003 Accord has brake problem.), seems to have better resell price in Ontario.

2005 Accord LX ( not in Camry SE ):
side airbags, curtain airbags, security system(alarm), better steering(most people say that), better look dashboard(most people say that)

Now, I don't want to drop my coin to make such decision, I would like to listen to your advice for that.
Thanks a lot !!!

bd21

The Camry can be ordered with side air bags and curtains. Also, the SE actually out handles and Accord in test magazines. However, the Accord has slightly better crash scores. They both drive distinctly differently! The Camry has smoother big car ride, while the Accord has a sportier (harsher) ride. However, you are comparing an SE, which is not as smooth as the LE Camry, so you really need to drive both versions to make a call. As far as accident avoidance, traction, and braking the Camry has the advantage, if you get it with VSC. In the end, it's really a personal call. As far as price goes with Toyota's regularly offer rebates, I think you can get a Accord/Camry equally equipped for about the same price. Good luck! Personally, I would buy the Camry. That is what I had my parents buy, after they wanted me to do all of the research for them. They love their 05 Camry LE. My dad thought the Accord drove like an old truck compared to the Camry. He likes the isolated, quiet big car ride. You really can't go wrong with either car.

anonymousposts

I think the Camry drives like a marshmallow compared to the Accord.

Seriously, I love my 2004 Accord. It is probably the best car we have owned overall. I've had the opportunity to both drive and sit in several 02+ Camrys and have not been that impressed. The 4 cylinder engine is MUCH improved over the previous generation Camry though.

In the end it will come down to your personal preferences. If you like a firmer, more controlled ride then you will probably lean towards the Accord. If you prefer a softer, more cushy ride then you will probably lean towards the Camry. Usually you can't go wrong with either choice.

It does not appear that the Camry you are looking at has VSC so I would give the safety edge to the Accord by a landslide. In todays world of SUV's and trucks side curtain airbags could make a significant difference. Hopefully you will never need them though.