Honda Accord 2.0

The Honda Accord gets a much-needed 2.0-litre powerplant to compete with the likes of Toyota's Camry and Nissan's Cefiro.

What's New
We have always maintained that the current Honda Accord is one of Singapore's most under-rated cars. Even though the 2.4 and 3.0-litre variants launched about two years ago are well put together, comfortable and drive well enough to give some European alternatives in its segment a genuine fright, the number of Accords seen on local roads do not reflect how accomplished this Honda really is.

The reason for its relatively lacklustre showing can largely be placed on the lack of a 2.0-litre offering which is as important to this segment as having four wheels on a car. Essential.

How it Performs
All concerns of the 2.0-litre Honda Accord being underpowered can be summarily banished as its 150bhp four-cylinder iVTEC power unit produces only 10bhp less than the 2.4-litre model. Factor in a weight reduction of 40kg over the latter model and the performance disparity narrows even further than the timing sheet (180kmh vs 195kmh top speed and 11.0 seconds vs 9.8 seconds from 0 to 100kmh) suggests.

Where the Accord 2.0 may lose out to the 2.4 in a straight line, the smaller engine car makes up for it in corners with its sharper handling.With 186Nm of torque on tap, the Accord's unit isn't particularly torquey but the well-spaced ratios of its five-speed automatic gearbox go a long way in masking this deficit.

How it Stacks Up
Understandably, the Accord 2.0 does with a few less features than the more expensive 2.4-litre variant. These include velour upholstery instead of leather, no electrically-adjustable driver's seat and conventional halogen headlamps instead of the bluish-white High Intensity Discharge items.

The application of plastic wood in the cabin is also tastefully more restrained in the 2.0-litre Accord and the steering wheel is wrapped in urethane instead of leather.

While the front occupants still do get airbags and the car still features ABS brakes, side impact airbags are omitted the 2.0 specifications list.

You still, however, get an intergrated stereo and dual zone climate control air-conditioning which, together with the rest of the car still adds up to outstanding value at $86,000 with COE.

Compared to its closest intended rival, the 2.0-litre Toyota Camry which is nearly $1,000 more, the Accord runs the latter close in terms of features. What it little it may give away where cabin space is concerned, it more than makes up for it with sharper handling and a tuneful iVTEC power unit.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Honda Accord 2.0 ENGINE Engine: 1,998cc 16V in-line 4 Max Power: 150bhp @ 6,000rpm Max Torque: 186Nm @ 4,500rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed automatic TOP SPEED 180km/h 0-100km/h 11.0s