Midsize Sedans 2.0

backy

Any car benefits from ESC. The only reason it's not on the Accord I4 is to keep its cost down relative to the competition. Same reason Hyundai doesn't offer ESC on the Elantra in the U.S. ... yet.

lilengineerboy

Any car benefits from ESC.

Oh lets not start up with that discussion again. :lemon:

pat

Good thought. But a) I already carry the mantle of evil hostess without making any special effort, just ask the people here , and b) they are already crazy, aren't they? :P

Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding!!! We is ALL crazy and we is ALL evil, yes?? :shades:

benderofbows

As a 2007 Accord LX 5-speed owner for 5 months and 6k miles now, I can respond to some of the recent comments about the Accord.

Interior plastics- as targettuning mentioned, "soft touch" plactics do have a downside. While the Accord's plastic feels wonderful and doesn't scratch very easily, it has taken a few slight marks from my Labrador which the "hard" plastic in my old Ford easily shrugged off. It is a tradeoff between comfort and durability.

Traction control (4 cylinder)- this isn't really necessary once you get used to the car. I've gotten the hang of launching quickly but cleanly on dry surfaces, but wet surfaces are much harder. Basically, all most traction control systems do is cut power when wheelspin is detected, something I can do myself. Limited slip would be nice and would help much more, but also isn't necessary in this car.

ESC (4 cylinder)- I've tested the handling probably as far as I ever will and found it to be very satisfactory. However, I could see the value in having ESC there "just in case." I had a 1991 Mazda 626 that did not have ABS, and got myself into a situation which ABS would have likely saved me from.

targettuning

You are correct if the Accord doesn't have something it is for a reason and the reason is... MONEY. They are cheaping out, leaving off useful..but non government mandated(yet)safety features. One can get a MUCH better equipped sedan for less. Same goes for the Civic. They are both priced at the ragged edge (upper edge)for their size class. Wave the Honda "H" at consumers and they are like Pavlov's dogs slobbering to buy one based on previous reputation (deserved or not). I did. Same for used car buyers who would rather buy a used Civic or Accord with expired or nearly expired warranty (I know, never would be needed) and X amount of miles than a new "something else" that may have more comfort and safety features, no miles and long warranty (I know it probably will be OVER used). Bah!

benderofbows

"You are correct if the Accord doesn't have something it is for a reason and the reason is... MONEY. They are cheaping out, leaving off useful..but non government mandated(yet)safety features."

Well, why did it take so long for Ford and Nissan to make ABS standard on the Fusion and the Altima? A few posters here have said that some consumers prefer NOT to have ABS. While I would not have forgone ABS on the Accord to save a few hundred bucks, I also would not have wanted to pay a few hundred more for traction control, either.

I might have paid a few hundred more for ESC, but that is speaking for myself and others may feel differently.

andres3

Well, you have to remember that certain things in life are definite, and will happen no matter what.

You might not ever need or use ABS. You certainly might not ever need or use ESC/ESP.

You will always have peace and comfort of mind everyday you drive your Honda, knowing full well it'll never leave you stranded.

You will always enjoy the quicker acceleration up the freeway on-ramp and the more comfortable seats and interior quality. You will always enjoy not having to feel the car leaning at a big angle every time you take a turn at higher speeds. You will always enjoy superior transmission smoothness and fuel economy.

Lets not overlook things that benefit you everytime you drive vs. things you may or may not ever need or use.

lilengineerboy

Traction control (4 cylinder)- this isn't really necessary once you get used to the car. I've gotten the hang of launching quickly but cleanly on dry surfaces, but wet surfaces are much harder. Basically, all most traction control systems do is cut power when wheelspin is detected, something I can do myself. Limited slip would be nice and would help much more, but also isn't necessary in this car.

Wow, so what you are saying is knowing how to drive reduces your need for electronics that drive for you?

lilengineerboy

You will always have peace and comfort of mind everyday you drive your Honda, knowing full well it'll never leave you stranded.

This might be real or imagined, but the placebo effect is definitely measurable. Alas, in my case this was not to be, with the Accord being our record holder for number of times on a hook.

andres3

You sure some domestic vehicle manufacturer factory worker didn't put sugar in your tank of that Accord?

targettuning

Same reason, auto manufacturers fall into two basic categories. Those who voluntarily give consumers all the latest safety features without having to check option blocks to upgrade to the "primo super bling" model to get them (if available at all) or arm twisting by Uncle Sam. An example would be Hyundai. And then there are those who resist to the bitter end and money, aka profit, is usually the reason. Looks like Ford, Honda, Toyota, and Nissan, among others, might be examples of those

benderofbows

Every manufacturer is going to have some lemons. I also admit that the quality gap does appear to be closing.

Hyundai is one I have been really impressed with lately, from reading reviews and reports plus having driven an Azera. However, they still have major problems convincing the public of their quality and adding value behind their brand name.

From my experience and the experience of my immediate family, what makes the most difference between Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus versus some other makes is how the manufacturers and most dealers stand behind their products. I can speak on behalf of Honda and Toyota in that they really want you to be a satisfied owner.

I can't say the same for Ford, once again based soley on my personal experience. I don't have any experience with Hyundai.

lilengineerboy

You sure some domestic vehicle manufacturer factory worker didn't put sugar in your tank of that Accord?

While my results might not be typical:
Pretty sure...the fuel system...well except the main fuel relay that is designed to fail before 80k...has been fine. The radiator, suspension system (upper control arms, sway bar links), brake system (master cylinder, clutch slave) and engine electrical system (3rd distributor) have had issues though.

I would say after 10 yrs/100k or so you are on borrowed time, so stuff that happens after that isn't the car's issue.

On the up-side, 30 mpg in mixed driving on the last tank ain't so bad. And again, I don't think the car is that bad or anything, its just fun when the Honda sales guys would come over to help me out of my "unreliable Ford" when I was there to pay for the towing on the Honda.

The Contour did leave me stranded once, for a $400 waterpump at 120k. Had this been a Honda, it would've had at least 1 $800 timing belt service by then where they would replace it anyway.

benderofbows

Hyundai is not reducing their profit margins by including all of these features out of the goodness of their hearts; they are doing so as a method to increase sales. They are still dealing with a bad reputation due to their past, as well as a somewhat down-market brand name, and their long warranty and high content for the money are meant to help overcome this.

targettuning

Reference: ABS...ESC/ESP...traction control and toss in side curtains front and rear..active headrests too while you are at it. File under: rather have it and not need it than need it and, well, not have it. Close file. Please, enough with the Honda commercial already. The idylic eternal drive through the country side with sun shining and birds chirping. Honda's will break.

mz6greyghost

Over the past two days, my wife and I have finally been able to go out and actually test-drive a few vehicles that she's considering. The vehicles are listed in the order we tested them:

'07 Altima 2.5S (6 speed manual with convenience plus package): To be totally honest, I was VERY surprised at this combination from Nissan. The interior is head-and-shoulders above the previous-gen, both in fit-and-finish, and the quality of materials. The seats were very comfortable, and there's plenty of room for tall drivers like myself. The drive itself was excellent. The 4-cyl has more than enough go when it's loaded with 4 adults and A/C at full blast. The 6-speed was smooth, and easy to modulate, as well as the clutch. The steering was a little light for my tastes, and cornering still isn't close to the standard that the Mazda6 sets (IMO). All in all, a remarkable improvement from the previous-gen model.

'07 Altima 3.5SE V6(6-speed manual with sport package): Yes, it's 95 more HP than the 2.5, and yes, it's noticeable especially during acceleration, but I still felt a little torque-steer here and there, and the difference between this and the 2.5 isn't nearly as large as I thought it'd be. Yes, the 3.5 goes like stink, but the 2.5 is no slouch, especially with the 6-speed. Overall, it still felt heavy compared to both the 2.5 (obviously) and my Mazda6 (V6 with 5-speed manual), and the handling wasn't there either.

After both drives, my wife preferred the 2.5, for the gas mileage, the use of regular fuel, and the $4K price difference, which she feels that the 3.5SE wasn't worth.

'07 Ford Fusion SE V6 AWD: We didn't drive it, but after sitting in it, my wife wasn't impressed, saying that the interior looked and felt cheap. The SEL may have been better, but there wasn't one in sight, so we left.

'07 Mercury Milan Premier V6 AWD (with moonroof): Compared to the Fusion, this was MUCH nicer to both my wife and me. Better materials, fit-and-finish, and the overall layout was very nice. The drive was good, very good in fact. The ride was VERY smooth, and the power from the V6 wasn't near the Nissans V6, but it still pulled well, even with AWD. And according to my wife and me, the NVH of the Milan was no better or worse than the Nissans.

'07 Honda Accord EX (4-cylinder, 5-speed manual): Another nice ride, with great fit-and-finish, and quality materials. My wife wasn't impressed with the controls for the radio and HVAC arranged as they were. The 4-cylinder performed well with the 5-speed, and was SLIGHTLY quieter than Nissans 2.5. The steering is too light and the brakes felt soft, but the handling was pretty good.

So far, she's torn between the 6-speed 2.5 (with it's fuel economy and features for the price) and the Milan V6 AWD (for the nice interior materials and fit-and-finish, and the AWD). Right now, her biggest decider is whether or not she can trade in the fun of a manual for the AWD that is needed in this climate (driving through winters in upstate NY, with over 150" of snow per year, and lake-effect events that almost happen instantaneously).

And yes, she CAN have the best of both worlds with the Subaru Legacy, but we've yet to try it out, and plan to within the coming days. I'll keep you posted.

targettuning

And so the consumer wins anyhow regardless of motive. Wish I could say the same for the others.

lilengineerboy

Same reason, auto manufacturers fall into two basic categories. Those who voluntarily give consumers all the latest safety features without having to check option blocks to upgrade to the "primo super bling" model to get them (if available at all) or arm twisting by Uncle Sam.

I think Toyota and Honda do a pretty good job as well, ABS is standard even on a Civic DX or Accord VP, as well as some of the Scions. I was impressed by that personally.

It should be noted that GM made ABS standard on every vehicle they made in the 90s for a while but stopped doing it because the public said they would rather have an in-dash CD player :sick:

backy

Not having a smooth shifting transmission won't kill you--literally. Not having side airbags, or collapsible steering column, or ABS, or maybe even ESC could kill you, or a loved one. You might never use airbags or ABS or ESC--hopefully you won't ever use them. But if you need them that one time and they aren't there, you would surely miss them.

The leather steering wheel cover and 8-way adjustable driver's seat on my Elantra feel good every time I drive the car. But not having them won't kill me.

urnews

... with the Accord being our record holder for number of times on a hook.

What? An Accord on a towing truck? Surely, you jest. Tell us more. I thought all Accords were invincible (even though I've previously read otherwise).

goodegg

Honda's will break.

Honda's what will break?

jeffyscott

Well, why did it take so long for Ford and Nissan to make ABS standard on the Fusion and the Altima?

ABS was always available as a stand alone option on any trim level of Fusion.

IMO, any optional safety features ought to alway be made available as extra cost options on every trim level, without requiring other upgrades. In the case of the Accord, they have ESC available but only if you buy an expensive model.

mz6greyghost

You will always have peace and comfort of mind everyday you drive your Honda, knowing full well it'll never leave you stranded.

You will always enjoy the quicker acceleration up the freeway on-ramp and the more comfortable seats and interior quality. You will always enjoy not having to feel the car leaning at a big angle every time you take a turn at higher speeds. You will always enjoy superior transmission smoothness and fuel economy.

Be sure to contact Honda so they can send the check to the right address...

targettuning

Ah, maybe one,or more,of the thousands of bits and pieces designed and assembled by fallible (human) Honda employees. Even the occasional misbehaving robot welder or part handler.

benderofbows

Great post.

Definately, get the manual!

I wanted to look at the Altima 2.5 6-speed manual, but I knew that since it was a new design, I wouldn't be able to get nearly as good of a deal as I did on the Accord (under invoice).

jeffyscott

And yes, she CAN have the best of both worlds with the Subaru Legacy...

She could also get that in a speed6, as I am sure you know.

pat

We are NOT talking about manufacturers here. If you want to contribute to this discussion, please make your post specifically about one or more midsize sedans. Otherwise your post is going to disappear and if that continues to happen, your posting privileges are going to disappear.

benderofbows

ABS may have been available as a stand-alone option, but very, very few of the Fusions I looked at (and we are talking several dealers over several months) had the option, regardless of trim level.

mz6greyghost

I wanted to look at the Altima 2.5 6-speed manual, but I knew that since it was a new design, I wouldn't be able to get nearly as good of a deal as I did on the Accord (under invoice).

True, but the $22K sticker for the 2.5S was nice compared to the $25K sticker on the Accord, and it seems that the Accord dealer wasn't nearly willing to budge, since the manuals "are so rare" and that was his "last 4-cyl manual" before the redesigned '08 comes out.

andres3

Since Honda paid for the transmission replacement in my Accord out of warranty, and then I turned around and sold it at 65K miles at 50 months old for 53% residual/resale value (including my tax, title, license costs originally), I'd say I owed Honda that nice endorsement of their midsize model, the awesomely amazing Accord.