Test Drive: 2007 Honda Accord EX-V6 Sedan W/six-speed Manual

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The current Honda Accord is coming to the end of its five-year life cycle and will be completely redesigned for the 2008 model year – a glimpse of the eighth generation Accord styling was provided at the Detroit auto show in January with the unveiling of the Accord Coupe concept (see www.autos.ca/news/07detroit/070109-4.htm)

In the meantime, Honda has been making some improvements to the existing model: side and curtain airbags were made standard equipment in all Accords in 2005 and a new Accord Hybrid model was introduced that year; the exterior styling was freshened in 2006; and more standard features were added for 2007. 2007 Accord SE four-cylinder sedans ($26,500) for example, have a new standard six-disc CD changer and steering wheel audio controls, a driver’s seat with power height and manual lumbar adjustments, and illuminated power lock and window buttons – all for only $200 more than 2006 SE models.

2007 Honda Accord EX-V6. Click image to enlarge

2007 Accord EX-L four-cylinder models ($30,500) now include a new standard bi-lingual navigation system for an extra $1,000 – inexpensive when you consider most navigation systems are in the $2,000-$4,000 price range.

For driving enthusiasts, perhaps the most important upgrade for 2007 is the availability of a six-speed manual transmission in EX-V6 four-door sedan – this transmission was previously available only in the two-door EX V6 coupe. A five-speed manual is still offered in four-cylinder Accord sedans, but this is the first time a six-speed manual has been offered in the V6 sedan.

You’ll have to pay more to shift more, though. The six-speed manual transmission adds $700 to the price of an EX-V6 sedan. With the five-speed automatic transmission, its base MSRP is $34,200 – with the six-speed manual, it’s $34,900. Still, for drivers who want the practicality of four doors and the fun of six speeds, the extra money may be worth it.

2007 Honda Accord EX-V6. Click image to enlarge

Inside, the EX-V6 with the six-speed manual has a unique leather and aluminum shift knob; leather-wrapped steering wheel; leather upholstery with heated front seats; eight-way power driver’s seat with manual lumbar adjustment; four-way power front passenger seat; 120-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with six-disc in-dash CD changer and six speakers; illuminated audio controls on the steering wheel; front, side and curtain airbags, power glass moonroof with sunshade, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote door and trunk locking/unlocking, remote power window operation, power windows and locks, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, single fold down rear seatback and centre pass-through, and outside temperature gauge.

Major options on the EX V6 include a rear DVD entertainment system with screen and headphones ($2,795), cassette player ($358), MP3 player ($658), wood or metal dash trim ($156), rear lip spoiler ($617), and special alloy wheels ($1,787). I was surprised that fog lights ($669) and a block heater ($166) are optional – they should be standard on this top-of-the-line model.

Interestingly, an optional navigation system is available on the EX-V6 with the automatic transmission, but not on the EX-V6 with the manual tranny.

2007 Honda Accord EX-V6. Click image to enlarge

The Accord’s brightly-lit gauge cluster is easy to read at a glance, and the centre dash display features large, readable white letters on a dark background. The centre display includes the time, radio station and band, driver and passenger temperature settings, fan speed, and ventilation settings.

The large dials and buttons in the centre stack are easy to reach and operate, but I’ve always found the layout of the controls confusing. For example, the radio volume dial is in between the two temperature dials. While driving, I’ve often turned up the temperature by mistake when I meant to turn up the radio volume.

Things I do like about the Accord’s interior are the comfortable, multi-adjustable power front seats with High and Low heat settings; the tilt and telescopic steering wheel; the large storage bin at the bottom of the centre stack with a flip-up cover to keep things out of sight; the large bi-level storage bin and armrest between the front seats; the standard automatic up and down function on the driver’s power window; remote power window operation with the remote key; and the illuminated buttons for the power windows, door locks and mirrors.

The rear bench seat offers decent legroom and headroom and there’s a centre pass-through to the trunk. One glaring fault with the car is the unavailability of split rear folding seatbacks. The whole rear seatback folds down in one piece which makes it impossible to carry cargo on one side and a passenger on the other. I can’t imagine why Honda hasn’t fixed this.

Another small matter is the lack of a centre rear head restraint which will probably be corrected in the next generation model. As well, in a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) test of head restraints, the Accord’s front head restraints were rated “poor” for whiplash protection in a rear-end collision.

The engine cruises along effortlessly and quietly on the freeway revving at just 2,100 at 100 km/h in top gear and 2,500 rpm at 120 km/h. The six-speed shifter has short shift gates, and moves between gears with a buttery smoothness. Clutch effort is light and there’s a large footrest next to the clutch pedal to rest your left foot.

Energuide fuel economy ratings with the six-speed manual transmission are slightly better than with the automatic transmission – 11.4 city/7.2 hwy – but that’s assuming you’re driving in a frugal manner rather than in a ‘sporty’ manner.

The Accord’s fully independent double wishbone suspension and standard 215/50R-17 all-season radials provide sure-footed handling, and I found the ride to be a good combination between comfort and performance – but there’s no getting around the fact that this is a front-wheel drive car with approximately 60% of its weight over the front wheels. It doesn’t have quite the balanced handling of a rear-drive car such as the Chrysler 300. In its favour, winter traction is superior to rear-drive vehicles and the Accord EX V6 also features standard Vehicle Stability Control (VSA) to help prevent loss of steering control on slippery surfaces, and Traction Control to help mitigate wheelspin under acceleration. Drivers have the option of turning off the VSA.

I found the variable assist steering to be light enough for parallel parking and firm enough at high speeds for a sportier driving feel. The Accord tracks well at high speeds and brakes quickly with a firm pedal feel and short stopping distances.

2007 Honda Accord EX-V6. Click image to enlarge

Overall, the Accord sedan gives the impression of being solidly built. The body is very tight and there are no disturbing suspension noises or body creaks. Though not in the same league as entry-level luxury sedans like the Infiniti G35 and BMW 328i, the Accord EX V6 offers nevertheless offers comparable luxury, refinement and acceleration for much less money. And in its last year before a changeover, Honda dealers may be willing to provide additional discounts and incentives.