The only real experience I have with the Honda Accord is occasionally driving my father's cramped 1999 EX, so I was overwhelmed with the space when I got behind the wheel of our 2013 Accord EX-L test model.
The sedan's interior is roomy and comfortable. The large front seats are easy to slide into and supportive, while the back seats are equally spacious for adults, and my three children had tons of foot room. Ample head space made buckling my youngest into his car seat a breeze. It was surprising to learn that the 2013 Accord is actually a tad shorter than last year's model.
Performance-wise the Accord was lively through corners, and its suspension was smooth with just enough firmness — a combination that's hard to find in the midsize sedan market.
There was plenty of pep from the sedan's 185-horsepower, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission, or CVT. The Accord's efficient CVT worked so well that I never thought about the transmission during my week evaluating the sedan. Our test Accord got 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which is excellent given the sedan's size.
The test Accord came equipped with Honda's unique Lane Watch system, which uses a wide-angle camera mounted under the passenger-side mirror to show what is going on in the right-side blind spot. The view appears automatically when the right turn signal is activated or can be left on with a button on the end of the turn signal. The right-side rear-looking view appears on the eight-inch center display screen showing an 80-degree view. Lane Watch, which takes the place of sensor-based blind spot detection systems that many automakers offer as an optional upgrade, gives drivers a bit of added confidence when making right-hand lane changes. The left side mirror gets a convex outer edge to reduce the blind spot, but no camera. The technology certainly provides confidence while driving in heavy traffic, but does not replace the need to take a thorough look around before making a lane change.
Additional safety features include anti-lock disk brakes with brake assist, an electronic stability system with traction control, a backup camera and six air bags. Our test model also had the optional forward collision and lane departure warning systems.
At the heart of the Accord's stylish and well-built interior is a center stack comprised of a three-tiered media center. An eight-inch dashboard display sits over a smaller touch screen for inputting data. Below these two displays are dual climate controls and a master dial for controlling navigation, phone, music and vehicle information. At first, it seems a little overwhelming, but the system is intuitive and avoids the dreaded drilling down through menus.
The 2013 Accord makes my dad's '99 look like an antique. It's mind-boggling when you consider the technological advances realized in just over a decade. The engine is smaller yet equally powerful. Honda's continuously variable automatic transmission, a design not always executed well by other automakers, is flawless in the Accord, resulting in respectable fuel efficiency and lively driving performance. The available and optional safety technology is on par with many high-end luxury sedans.
The 2013 Accord is a wise choice in the midsize sedan market, not only for the reasons mentioned, but for its high resale value as well.
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