2013 Honda Accord Driving Impressions

racing_s2k

I too was in a dilemma and could not decide to purchase the 6 cylinder or 4. After driving them both several times, I decided to go with the 4. One of the deciding factors was that the highway mileage estimate on the 6 is based on cylinder deactivation. This feature only works when cruising up to 75 MPH. Once you hit 75, all 6 cylinders stay on constantly. Drivers have reported a steep decrease in MPG. Our state speed limit on the highway was increased to 75 MPH, which means 75-80 in normal driving.

If you have any real-world mileage when driving over 75 MPH for a good length of time I would be interested to know what your average is. The V6 is a terrific car.

marcus216

Nothing wrong with going with the 4cyl. I test drove it and considered it a viable alternative, especially since it was significantly less expensive than the 6 cyl. But I like the extra power and plan on keeping the car 8 to 10 years. I am out on the road occasionally and while the 4 cyl is certainly very peppy, I just like having that big power boost when needed . I have had several road trips in the 6 cyl and am averaging just under 35 mpg highway and yes, I assume some of that is due to VCM in the engine. I will try upping my cruising speed next time to see any difference. Congratulations on your purchase.

daveg12

I absolutely love the transmission on this car! I just came off of a 30 month Acura TSX 4cyl with automatic lease and traded in a a 36 month Accord EX lease. Prior to my Acura, most of my previous cars were manual transmissions. I liked Acura's lease terms but they never had any manual transmissions in stock in my area so I went ahead and got the automatic which turned out to be a real snoozer and I never felt an emotional connection to that car. The manual on my new Accord is the best I have ever used (previous cars w/ manual; BMW 328, Mitsubishi 3000Gt, Toyota MR2 Turbo, Nissan 240sx). The shifting is so precise I really look forward to driving it. The 4cyl engine has plenty of power. It isn't especially fast, but has more than enough oomph to it. The handling is way better than I ever expected out of a coupe based on a family car.
Other cars that I test drove were;
Camaro V6- Like sitting in a small plastic box and looking through a hole. I can't believe that car actually had 300+ horsepower. It felt like it was pulling a trailer. The manual transmission was sloppy and had really long throws. I think it would actually have been better with an automatic.
Dodge Challenger V6- Beautiful, but slower than molasses without a V8. Handled like an ocean freighter with a broken rudder.
Ford Mustang V6- Not too bad, but the interior was a bit too primitive for my liking. Very fast for a V6. Possibly the next generation will be my first American car since 1988. I guess what I dislike most about the Mustang is that I would have to hit the panic button on my key fob in a parking lot in order to figure out which is mine. In other words, Everyone has one already.
Volkswagen GTI- Great little car! but maybe too little. Ok, definitely too little. Quick and handled great. By my opinion it is unfortunately unattractive.
Hyundai Genesis coupe 2.0T- A close runner up but a bit to cramped inside. Very plasticy interior. Quick and handled well. I was unable to justify the lease terms due to, I am guessing, horrible residual value.

My goal was to find a good driving 2 door with a manual transmission that could be leased for around $300 a month with no money down. The Accord coupe is not as performance oriented as most of the cars I looked at, but it didn't have huge faults like the others. It is decent at just about everything and looks fantastic in black. My one dislike is that the seats could use a bit more lateral support. I live in an area with a lot of twisty roads and at speed I feel a little unconnected. Other than that the interior is light years ahead of the others I test drove.