Honda Accord - 2003 Redesign

hduggal

Hi!

Could anyone point me to any pics of an Accord in the new Graphite Pearl color? Is the graphite pearl really a Black variant, a grey variant or something else. Also, is it a metallic lustre color such as the one on Nissan Maxima or something different.

Are the coupe pics at this link black or the "graphite pearl"? http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=26225

Thanks a lot.

robr2

Honda options have been dealer installed for as long as I can remember.

Yes, this does allow the dealer to price the options at whatever price they want, but then again they can do the same with the vehicle. Honda has little control as to the street pricing by the dealers - they are independent businesses.

Honda's website allows you to configure the vehicle as you wish and the summary will give you their MSRP for the accessories and an installed cost at $70/hour. This at least gives you a starting point on the accessories.

bowke

...there are a whole slew of pics of the new accord right here on edmunds...IMO, this is a very attractive car. most opinions ive seen posted are either all positive, or slightly negative on exterior, but ive not seen one negative comment about the interior...VERY sharp!!!

wgr...this "cowboy" approach is nothing new to the auto industry...take saturn for instance...they negotiate price on exactly zero of their models...
now, if they built a better car, or dropped the sticker a little, they would sell boatloads more.

honda, on the other hand, DOES build arguably the best car in the world, and keeps even their sticker prices competitive, so this "cowboy" pricing is quite warranted.

people complain about salesmen being arrogant, but i think its the other way around...the only reason people dont buy these models that are not discounted, is the fact that they themselves are too arrogant to admit that the sticker price is fair. so who do these people blame when talking to friends?

they won't say "im too cheap to buy a car at sticker, no matter how good it is"

they say "the salesman was too arrogant"

are some salespeople arrogant? yes. most? no.
if arrogance is saying "no" when someone wants a discount on a crv, pilot, or odyssey...then i guess i am arrogant...lol.

tjs723

the new v-6 is rated at 240bhp....... supposedly the car is MUCH quieter. with a bias toward handling. incidentally....... i paid$23,500 for my 2001 EX V-6 coupe in May of 2001. right njow. i could buy a 2002 EX V-6 coupe for $22,700, but i think i'd rather have te e2003

mart7

Exactly how many intelligent consumers bring in true market value on Civics and Accords printed right here at Edmunds and then look at you like they have accomplished something great. Yet that same customer will come in for an Odyssey with no research materials but still asking for some unreasonable pricing. The same thing will happen with the 03 Accord. It will still be more cost effective over the next 5 years than any vehicle in its class even with a price increase and even with a reasonable markup. The people that enjoy the vehicle and still walk away for an imminently more expensive vehicle are doing so out of share spite. Most consumers are more concerned with keeping the pocket of a salesman light, than actually getting the best vehicle, all while actually spending more money because someone gave them a rebate. Ride & drive Accord 2morrow will post.

inky4

How is it some dealers give customers build dates like 8/28 to 9/01 for Accord Ex etc.
Others just talk about montly allocation and will come in when comes in ...
While yet others say a VIN has been assigned..
what does all this mean to us?
thanks
INKY

jrct9454

It means some dealers are willing to pay more attention to the available information on the Honda computer system than others...

bowke

some dealers also pre-sell vehicles...we've sold almost half our sept. allocation already...some do it by a "first-come, first-serve" basis AFTER the cars arrive, so they dont care when its built.

mart7...where are you? im in louisville, ky and our R&D isnt till the 9th in cinci...incedentally, the launch date...lol...i'll be in cincy when people start buying the things...that really sux!!!

hduggal

This is my first Honda and I therefore am not too familiar with Honda's ordering processes. However, I'll have a tough time believing that Honda would be any less automated and methodical in their processes than (say) German manufacturers. I remember that when I ordered my last car (bmw), the dealer was able to give me the exact week of production at the time of order-entry, the VIN number a few days thereafter and many other timeslines down to the day the car would be on the ship etc. I am sure Honda's ordering system would be upto the same standards, its just that a large number of Honda dealers are either not concerned enough to look up this info and communicate with the customer or possibly are just too unfamiliar with the process to be able to look up the info. Considering that 90%+ of Hondas are sold off the lot rather than have to be ordered based on customer specs, this seems slightly understandable but still not acceptable!!

deluxcar

noslo, you said:
"We...are looking to get rid of our big boat Avalon".

As an owner of an Avalon I can tell you it is no boat compared to the Accord. Consider these statistics for the 2003 Accord and 2003 Avalon:
Length: Accord 189.5" Vs Avalon 191.9"
Width: Accord 71.5" Vs Avalon 71.7"
Height: Accord 57.1" Vs Avalon 57.1"
Wheel Base: Accord 107.9" Vs Avalon 107.1"

Based upon the above the two vehicles are very similar in exterior dimensions. No data on interior space for the Accord but I suspect the Avalon will be bigger since it is classified as a fullsize car.

For exterior styling I will give a big edge to the Accord, but once you sit in or drive an Avalon XLS you probably will not give the Accord a second look.

hduggal

What exactly does the "month of allocation" mean in Honda terminology: when they will be built or when they will be delivered or neither.

What is the earliest month for allocation for '03 Accords: August or September.

BTW, thanks for the info about Graphite Pearl yesterday. I went ahead and ordered it.

jrct9454

...and in that one area, the Avalon tends to be just a bit on the porky side.

When you have the prospect of being able to buy an '03 Accord EX V6 with a complete safety package and nav system for something around $28k, you have to want the softer ride and [we can only assume] slightly quieter interior an awful lot to go for an Avalon.

The styling of the Avalon makes it look like a bulkier piece than it actually is - a deliberate choice on the part of Toyota, I always assumed.

Kirstie_H

Isn't the Avalon engine waaaaay bigger?

kirstie_h
Roving Host & Future Vehicles Host

branch15_5

Per Edmunds, here are the interior dimensions:

Measurement --- Avalon --- 03 Accord
Front head ------ 38.7 ---------- 40.4
Front hip -------- 55.2 ---------- 54.6
Front shoulder --- 58.4 --------- 56.9
Front leg --------- 41.7 --------- 42.6
Read head ------ 37.9 --------- 38.5
Rear hip --------- 55.1 --------- 53.5
Rear shoulder --- 58.1 --------- 56.1
Rear leg --------- 40.1 --------- 36.8

The rear hip and leg room are as expected. Some of the others surprised me in how close they are, or that the Accord exceeds the Avalon. Of course, measurements sometimes don't translate to the actual "feel" of the car.

bowke

....i think his statement about "big-boat avalon" had very little to do with the car's physical size, and more to do with its ride...if you take a turn too quick in the avalon, you'll basicalle scrape the side mirrors...

hduggal...month of allocation has to do with what month the car will be built...if you order a car that is not on a dealers allocation list, it will go on the next allocation, which is usually 1 1/2-2 months later...once its on that allocation, the honda factory determines when in that month it will be built...could be the 1st of the month, could be the 31st...noone knows until the factory schedule is published. hope that helps.

jrct9454

I'm surprised at you: no, the Avalon does not have a bigger engine, and in fact for '03, not only is the size the same, but the Accord will have the advantage by 30 hp; slight advantage to the Avalon on torque.

I've always rather admired Honda in the way they have disguised the size of the Accord as it has grown in recent years. It always looks a little smaller than the competition, even when the opposite has been the case. Vs the Avalon, there is a noticeable difference in the back seat, and that's about it. But it's the ride and refinement that have separated these two, and it just could be that the Accord may have closed most of that gap in the new car. Only a personal drive will tell...

robertsmx

And that is something I like about Accords. A big car but feels a smaller than it is to drive as well. Also, largish trunk, and boxy shape makes the Avalon look larger. The worst part about Avalon is not its styling however. Its strength is also its weakness. Complete isolation rules, besides the floaty ride. OTOH, Accord's suspension, although not sport sedan like, is tuned to settle down bumps faster. Take an Accord versus Camry/Avalon/Maxima & Altima (non-SE) over the same bumps, at same speed, you'd notice that Accord settles immediately, and others will take a while. Honda compromised this aspect with 2001 Civic, and realized the mistake, so I doubt 2003 Accord would do it any differently than the current Accord.

talon95

is already better than the Avalon for my tastes. Not if you're looking for a soft, ultra isolated Buick type ride, but most Accord owners aren't in that category.

The only characteristic on which I hope the new Accord is closer to the Avalon is sound isolation. I still want that near-perfect feel of the road that the current Accord provides, just with less of the road and impact noise... not that it's that bad now, but it could be better. At any rate, I hope that, aside from that, the new Accord's ride is nothing like the Camry's or Avalon's... let fans of those cars say that they ride "better" than the Accord. My definition of a superior ride is completely different from theirs.

bowke

this was actually one of the main goals of the new accord...noise reduction in all facets...road, wind, and engine. i think if honda sets out to do something with a specific goal in mind, they do not often fail.

essweb

It is possible that Honda has not yet release the pricing for 03 because it is going to be the same or lower than the current model. It will greatly hurt the selling of the rest of the 02.
With the MDX/PILOT/ODDSEY line selling above MSRP, maybe Honda like that kind of publicity, that Honda is hard to get, and worth waitting for. If the new accord is bigger and better, yet cheaper, then it is certainly going to create the same effect. TL dropped its price, and it has been selling like hot cakes.

jrct9454

...but Honda has made it pretty clear through their press sources that there will be small price increases across the board. It won't be cheaper, but it won't be significantly more expensive, either.

Since the combination of equipment, specs, and trim levels match up well against all of the available competition, it's hard to see why they need to reduce prices, when there are clearly at least a few things that need to be paid for, like universal ABS and the 5-spd automatics. The rumored 1-2% increases sound like a pretty inexpensive price to pay, to me, anyway.

forumshopper

Sorry if this has been posted already, but I thought you might be interested in news about these new accessory options.

I tried to include a link to the news release, but the board wouldn't let me post with words exceeding 115 characters.... The full release can be found at http://www.hondanews.com/forms/honda/index.html with the title of "New Accessories Abound for 2003 Accord."

Anyway, here are some snipets.

"The new MP3 Player will play compact discs burned with MP3, WMA or standard audio files. Offering near CD audio quality, more than 10 CD's-worth of MP3 music files fit onto a standard recordable disc."

"The available XM Satellite Radio delivers 100 channels of satellite radio programming that is accessible across the entire country 24 hours a day. With more than 136,000 subscribers as of June 30, 2002, XM Satellite Radio will be available October 1 on the Honda Accord, Pilot and Acura MDX."

"The DVD-based rear entertainment system (available on the Accord Sedan for the first time) features a flip down 7-inch high-resolution TFT-LCD screen mounted for use by the rear passengers, a wireless remote control and wireless headphones. The system allows front and rear passengers to listen to separate audio sources and offers separate inputs for video cameras, game consoles or other devices."

"Also available for the new Accord is an integrated hands free system for cell phones that works with a wide variety of existing cell phone types and services in the United States. The system allows for hands free operation as the caller's voice is picked up by a microphone directed to the right front speaker. Vehicle audio systems automatically mute and resume in conjunction with the phone call, and the system is auto-answer capable. The cell phone conveniently stores in a cradle inside the Accord's console and re-charges the cell phone while in use. A wide range of cell phone adapters come with the unit."

bowke

no, the accord wont drop in price...look for msrp on an exv6 to be around $26000 after D&D, give or take $200. lx auto 4-cyl. should sticker close to $20500. since these are the most common 2 accords, this should give you all a good idea.

we have been installing XM radio in all honda products for about 6 months now...not a honda accessory, but from a local auto-electric shop.

mzxi

I am wondering if anyone knows when Honda will actually start shipping the cars to dealers. I have mine assigned with a VIN number and know that the ride and drive is scheduled on sept 3rd in Cinc. I have heard that the cars will be at the dealer lots also on this date. Just trying to confirm. Thanks

ickes_mobile

Maybe I missed it, but what are you getting?

I know when I ordered my Contour, I got the VIN at the start of production, then I got a ship date, arrival date, and finally delivery.

wgr

My God, you people are talking about these cars as if it were oxygen and your air supply was on empty. It is only a car for God's sake. Calm down. Priorities !!!

mzxi

As a Honda supplier, I am very interested in the "final product". I have seen and driven many of the prototypes, but always want to see the final production version. I agree it is only a car, but when you have worked on a project for 5 years, it is your top priority. Find another place to post if you don't like the topic!!

jud95accord

I was just at my Honda dealership here in Houston and the sales manager said all the dealerships are getting 2 Accords to show everyone on Sept. 9th. I am very excited about my accord arriving. I think it was "born" yesterday! I haven't bought a new car in 8 years so this whole waiting, etc. is exciting. The heck with other 'priorities'!

bowke

the ride and drive in cincinnati has been pushed back to sept. 9th...dealers will have a number of them on that day as well(how many depends on the size of the dealer), and they will be for sale on the 10th.

wgr...not only are cars exciting for alot of people, but this is my livlihood. if you have a problem with it, you shouldnt be on this entire website. edmunds is about nothing BUT cars, buddy.

inky4

I like cars.
My neighbor likes bass boats and fishing.
My other one is a golf fanatic.
Yet another, is busy with church work.
My wife has zillions of horrible beanie babies...
Need I go on.
We all have our thing--and a "thing" is good unless the compulsion becomes what we worship.
Friday morning thoughts from someone wanting his now Accord since old car is sold.
INKY

gschul6884

I just called my dealer in New Jersey to get his report on the ride and drive he attended. He was told that there will be an increase of 1 percent.
He was very impressed with the performance of the new cars

George S.

qgu

and they repeatedly try to sell their cars above MSRP and try to use this website to justify their actions. I do not think these annoying dealers belong to this website.

talon95

Just got my October C/D, and it features their first road test of the 2003 Accord. They officially show the Accord just beating the Altima V-6 (both automatics) in both 0-60 (7.0 vs. 7.3 seconds) and 1/4 mile (15.5 vs. 15.6 seconds). Not that Accord vs. Altima is important to me in any way, but people are sure to ask.

And they really liked the 5-speed auto, calling its shifting "intuitive".

They liked the ride and handling, although they did note a bit more understeer under certain conditions. Their overall comments concluded "... the Accord maintains a more even keel in most circumstances and feels quite stable under extreme flogging."

They were less excited about the added heft to the steering effort, saying it made the Accord feel bigger. One of the writers said that in his opinion, the additional effort provided "... no real dividend in precision or feedback."

Overall, it was a very positive review.

silverk21

Here are a few links to pics of a blue coupe I found on TOV. Interesting color? Appears to be a V6 and is fitted the 5 spoke wheels, unlike most of the pics I have seen that feature the 7 spoke on what also appears to be a V6. Maybe the 7 spoke are the 17" on the V6 MT?

http://www.geocities.com/ilr418/AV6-01.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ilr418/AV6-02.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ilr418/AV6-03.jpg

bowke

...i, as a dealer, am also a car guy...i love automobiles, and this is one of the best places to chat with others about cars. sometimes, i might have some keen insight into the workings of a dealership. other times, i may be able to offer advice on the best way to get a good deal, as im not selling you a car, so i dont care what it sells for...you may want to pay attention instead of griping.

my other motivation is to find out what the public thinks of my product...this gives me insight into what the average "joe" has as his/her motivations.

if you have a problem with me defending MSRP on a new accord, maybe you just dont know how to negotiate a deal and are a little self-conscious??? look inward, my friend...not outward for your answer.

ex_az1

I'm probably going to be buying a 2003 Accord EX V6 in the next several months (I was in an accident recently and the guy who hit me totalled by car). Any idea when I could realistically expect to be able to negotiate a reasonable price on them?

bowke

on the v6, probably not for awhile yet...maybe springtime, maybe end of '03 model year...4-cyl. models probably by the 1st of the year though.

snowdon

Went to the dealer to see if I could put a deposit down on a new Accord Sedan EX-V6, I walked into the showroom and was looking at the S2000. So I played like I was interested, before they knew my name they gave me the keys to one. It was an awesome car, so no new accord, a new S2000 coming to my garage soon.

While driving the S2000 the salesmen said that the new accord is going to make a dent in the Mercedes E class and BMW 5 Series cars, that this car will be the benchmark for all new cars to come.

I am not sure what they are smoking at this place.

Michael

asethi

I hope you know what you're getting! I can't help but feel concerned about someone who went out shopping for an accord and got an s2000 instead! These are completely different cars!! I hope you know what a RWD, 240 HP, light weight car drives like and how many things you have to take into consideration while driving this car. You'll need another set of tires for winter, unless it does not get that cold where you live. The stock tires only last 8-10 thousand miles... I could go on and on. If you're not an experienced driver, it's really easy to spin this car and get into an ccident. My advice would be to autocross the s2000 soon after the break-in period. If you want more info, check out www.s2ki.com (don't forget to read the FAQ about taking delivery from dealer) or feel free to email me.

Sincerely,

asethi

snowdon

Thanks for your input.

The original plan was to get the accord to replace the Jimmy, wife feels we need two cars with four doors. She has a 02 Suburban.

I was going to keep the Jimmy for the everyday car, and use the S2000 for fun.

I have owned Porsche and Mr-2 Turbo's before, so I feel I can handle the car with no problem.

Thanks for your input.

Michael

yugoboy

"While driving the S2000 the salesmen said that the new accord is going to make a dent in the Mercedes E class and BMW 5 Series cars, that this car will be the benchmark for all new cars to come."

I almost fell of my chair, i have never laughed so hard in my life, you have a point though, whatever that salesman is smoking please pass it around!!!!!

Classic stereo typical honda salesman!!!!

himiler

BMW would give its left nut for Honda's reputation for reliability. Not to mention their sales volume.

bowke

...that the new accord platform will be a benchmark for FUTURE cars that may compete for sport-sedan class...the salesman probably misunderstood the honda rep's words...i heard the same ones, but it was more a look into the future then actually pitting the accord against a bimmer.

coolguyky7

Isn't the new Accord on the current one's platform? Just thought I heard that somewhere.

parker19

I realize that most people here are car fanatics so the more horsepower the better. Still, is 240hp really needed when 169 seems pretty decent ... how much of a difference does it make to have a car with 240hp or 169hp ... is it worth the extra money ... when does the extra horse power pay off ...

robertsmx

Power can provide for a greater sales pitch, whether one needs it or not is a different issue. IMO, if each horse in a car pulls 15-16 lb., the car is powerful enough. Despite the Accord being a really good and well balanced car, it has often been associated with 'blandness', mostly by them who would never appreciate a Honda, no matter what. But, having 240 HP gives something more to talk about, not that it is a necessity. For that reason, Honda didn't take the aggressive route for its 4-cylinder models, which will continue to be 80% of Accord's total sales anyway.

himiler

It's mostly about bragging rights.

azstan

My grandfather did ok with 2 HP...to pull his wagon. 240 HP would have taken too much feed and too much time to clean the barn.

ickes_mobile

of the European Accord (replace the "H" with an "A" and you have the TSX):

I'm surprised that the dash board is the same as the NA Accord. Would have figured the Euro Accord to be much narrower. Good sign for shoulder room. I wonder about rear leg room and trunk space however...

essweb

One thing about BMW is their size. A 330 can only be compared to a civic in terms of size, especially rear seat comport.

I bet a civic can out run a 3 if it was given the 260 HP engine from a TL-S. and a BMW 530 is dramatically slower than a 330, which prove the point.