 |
|
FIRST LOOKS All-new 8th Generation Honda AccordApril 22, 2008 11:22 PM Author: Chips |
|
The Accord began life as the second international car model for Honda some 30 years ago. It was first introduced as a hatchback and then a sedan with the distinction of having front-wheel drive at a time when Japanese sedans in its class were mostly rear-wheel drive. Though still a relative newcomer to making cars even in the 1970s - although already the world leader in motorcycles - Honda had already gained respect for its engineering talent with the CVCC engine which could meet the tough emission control standards in the US without the use of a catalytic converter. Thus when this new model made its debut, the automobile community paid attention. 32 years and over 16 million units later, the launch of a new generation of the Accord for the eighth time still draws a lot of attention because Honda is well known for introducing practical innovations in its new models. This time, it's the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology which was first used in the latest Legend launched two years ago. The concept is not exactly new and a few manufacturers tried it out in the 1970s but somehow never got it right. Honda has and it is unlikely that it will have to withdraw the technology due to flaws in the design because Honda almost never gets things wrong.
"We did extensive surveys around the world and we found that Asian customers, in particular, wanted more space inside the car along with more comfort," said Kenzo Suzuki, Executive Chief Engineer from Honda R&D who was present at the media preview today. "We also learnt that the time spent in the car on daily journeys was quite long and therefore providing more space would enhance comfort." Indeed, the dimensions of the new Accord are a big difference from the first generation which is more comparable to the Civic of today. It's grown in size over the years but this time, Honda's designers made the big leap and in the process, they also elevated its status by adding luxury and sophistication in its appearance.
Emphasising the substantial change, Atsushi Fujimoto, CEO/MD of Honda Malaysia, said that the latest generation is no mere facelift or enhancement of the previous generation. ""The all-new Accord will evoke an all-new emotion that makes a refined and sophisticated statement with pure luxury and performance for the Accord owner, like never before. It represents an upscale shift to a significantly more refined, dynamic and sophisticated sedan," he said. There are two styling themes used for the new Accord, one for the US market and another for Europe. The one for the Asean market is based on the US variant (which is usually the case) but has cosmetic differences which reflect the Asian preference for a bit more ostentation. The front end is bold with a 'frame' around the grille and distinctive headlight units. Character lines give the car a sculpted look which strengthens its 'character' but at the same time, there's a lithe profile to the car which gives undertones of sportiness. Almost everyone who first sees the car tends to remark that there's 'a bit of the BMW 5-Series' in the rear roof pillar though!
The dashboard design has a 'Honda signature' to it which means it scores high marks for functionality. A lot of ergonomic studies must have been done to optimise the layout of various elements and for the new Accord, all elements relating to providing the driver information have been positioned along the same level. This means the screen showing such information as the air-conditioner, radio and CD settings is at the same level as the instrument panel, so the driver only shifts his or her head left and right, without having to lower it as well. That also allows the eyes to maintain some peripheral view of the road ahead, contributing to driving safety.
And now on to the powertrains. As before, there are 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre petrol i-VTEC engines and they are essentially upgraded versions of those used before. Outputs have increased for both engines: an extra 6 ps and 2.9 Nm to 115 kW/156 bhp and 189 Nm, respectively for the smaller engine, and 10 ps and 3.9 Nm to 133 kW/180 ps and 222 Nm, respectively for the bigger one. The latter engine is claimed to be the most powerful in its class and yet offers 8% better fuel economy (2.0 is 7% better). The details of how the outputs have been raised were not provided but they would have been things like reduction of internal friction, new materials, lighter parts, etc. The use of a SOHC cylinder head for the 2.0 engine is said to be because it is the 'best balance for power and fuel economy'. The 3.5-litre SOHC V6 engine is the technological showpiece but unfortunately, it's something which only 60 Malaysians will get to enjoy this year (the number which Honda Malaysia expects to sell). As mentioned earlier, it has VCM which is a system that switches the number of cylinder in operation from 6 to 4 to 3, depending on driving conditions. The concept offers advantages in terms of high output when needed but when the high power is unnecessary, as in town driving, running on less cylinders reduces fuel consumption. In fact, Honda claims that the new 3.5-litre engine consumes 6% less fuel than the previous 3.0-litre engine which produced 35 ps less power. So this is one unique case where a bigger displacement does not mean higher fuel consumption.
The mechanism for the VCM is complex and would require a lengthy explanation but what's impressive is that Honda has managed to make the transitions seamless. This was apparent in a short drive at the Honda R&D test track in Japan last year and there wasn't even a shudder to indicate the deactivation of cylinders. Earlier prototypes of other manufacturers which this writer tested in the 1980s would shake and sometimes stall as cylinders shut down. Clearly, the Honda engineers have been thorough in their development process and got it right. The critical part of the operation is when it runs on 3 cylinders The odd number of cylinders generates substantial vibrations and noise and the usual solution has been to use balance shafts. But that's not enough for the V6 so the engineers came up with an Active Mount with Active Noise Control to smoothen the operation on 3 cylinders. All the Honda engines, including the V6, are tuned to run on low-octane fuel so you can use RON92 regular and if this is changed to RON95, that too will be fine. According to a Honda engineer, the engines are tuned to run even on RON90 fuel. Though having high compression ratios above 10:1, one of the ways the RON requirement has been kept low has been the use of more effective cooling jackets around the cylinder head to lower the combustion temperature. Of course, knock sensors are also present to detect any unusual pre-ignition conditions that may occur and if so, the ECU will adjust the ignition timing accordingly. All versions have 5-speed automatic transmission with Shift Hold Control which does a better job of selecting gears, especially on fast winding roads. The result is quicker response which will be appreciated by the sporty driver. If the same applies to normal driving, then there should be more comfortable cruising with less gear changes too. Drivers of the 2.4 and 3.5 can shift using paddles on the steering wheel as well. The chassis of the new Accord is an all-new one and features a variable gear ratio (VGR) steering column linked to a rack and pinion system with hydraulic power assistance. The VGR mechanism is said to give better stability for straight and high-speed driving, and smoother and more responsive handling for low-speed driving. A point to note is the smaller turning circle (1.72 metres smaller) which, along with the reduced turns lock-to-lock, makes parking easier.
When asked if the closeness of the engine and fuel tank to the road would make them more likely to get damaged, Satoru Azumi, a chief engineer and assistant large project leader involved in the Accord's development, said that it should not pose any problems to owners. He explained that at Honda R&D's facilities, there is a section where the 'roughest road in Asia' (wonder where it is) has been reproduced and the new Accord was tested over this section and didn't suffer damage under the car. For wheels and tyres, the 2.0 has 16-inchers with 215/60 tyres while the 2.4 and 2.5 use 17-inchers and 225/50 tyres. Disc brakes, ventilated in front, are fitted to all four wheels. Incidentally, the spare tyre is a space-saver type which, well, saves space; it should not be used for extended periods except to get the car to a tyre shop to repair a puncture on the full-size tyre. Structurally, the new Accord is stronger and stiffer with torsional rigidity increased by 20%. A lot of effort has gone into force-dissipation with the G-CON framework, particularly in collisions involving vehicles of different sizes (which is really what happens in real-world accidents). More high-tensile steel is now used, with as much as 42% of top-grade steel in the structure compared to 13% of the same type of steel before.
As would be expected Active Safety is also provided in generous doses, ensuring that the driver can have the best possible chance of avoiding an accident. There's ABS with EBD and also Brake Assist (which boosts the force in emergency braking) and the 2.0 and 3.5 have Vehicle Stability Assist which comes into action when the car understeers or oversteers (subject of course to the laws of physics and tyre grip too).
Apart from a choice of 5 body colours (3 only for the V6), customers can also personalize their Accord with Modula accessories. As most will know, Modulo accessories are specially designed by a Honda subsidiary so they have the same high quality as the cars. There's an aerokit package which is priced at RM5,300 but you can also buy the items individually, along with accessories such as a carbonfibre dash panel and boot tray. Glass tinting is also offered for RM4,200 and for those who want route navigation, there's a GPS unit for RM2,440. To promote child and infant safety, Honda Malaysia is also selling childseats for the first time and prices range from RM1,360 to RM1,620.
PRICES (with insurance and roadtax)
|
|