Direct front and rear visibility is nothing great as the sharply drooping hood line is hard to see especially during stop-and-go traffic situations as well as tight parking maneuvers.  The same is true with the rear thanks to the car’s smallish rear window and a flat trunk line (we actually hit a parking post once).  Side visibility however is superb thanks to over-sized mirrors and large windows.

The real weak point of the Honda Accord it seems is the Goodyear NCT3 195 / 65 VR 15 tires.  Even at a lowly 30 psi, it doesn’t give confidence inspiring grip through cornering as it tends to squeal even at relatively gentle curves.  Our 1991 Mitsubishi Galant GTi shod with 195/60 HR 15 Bridgestone Turanza tires didn’t produce the same problem.  Pumping up the pressure to 35 psi up front makes things worse.  The relatively narrow tires cannot take the VTEC’s rocket-like acceleration.  There is a tendency for the wheels to fidget around causing severe instability during hard acceleration.  To cure this problem, we’ve been debating whether to inch-up the Accord’s tires and wheels to 16-inchers with high-performance 205 / 55 VR 16 tires as the minimum. 

In engine department, the 2.3-liter SOHC VTEC is still great.  Although not as silent as the new i-VTEC engine found in the 2002 CR-V or even the Toyota Camry’s 2.2-liter unit, the Accord power plant delivers great performance figures with a good exhaust note.  Mated to the solid 5-speed manual gearbox, this car is a surprising stop light sprinter.  Though the travel between gears is bigger compared to the Nissan Cefiro manual, it engages each gear with precision.  Strangely enough, that is offset by the Porsche 911-like stiff clutch pedal which makes the Accord a hassle to drive in heavy downtown Manila traffic. 

Fuel consumption is a mixed bag as the Accord could go as high as 7.5 kilometers per liter to as low as 5.9 kilometers per liter, all in city-driving conditions.  During the time we’ve had this car, it is fairly obvious that this car doesn’t prefer any kind of fuel.  As long as it’s unleaded, it will deliver the same kind of fuel mileage any time.  High-octane variants such as Shell Velocity, Petron Blaze or Caltex Vortex Gold do little to improve the Accord’s performance or fuel mileage.

With only 10,000 kilometers or so to go in our long-term test fleet, we still have to report on anything significantly negative on the Honda Accord VTi-L.  A great everyday performer, this car is definitely a great companion for everyday use.  Though not as agile as the smaller vehicles, the Accord is perfect for a family of four or five as it has great interior space, a huge trunk and driving characteristics that won’t leave good old dad bored. 

This car will also appeal to those who want painless ownership.  Though the service bills may be a bit higher compared to the Toyotas, it gives out fewer problems in the long-run. 

Perhaps the only problems with the Accord lie not on the car, but in the service.  Since we got our Accord, we’ve encountered problems with service centers in Honda Cars Pasig and Honda Cars Quezon Avenue (owned by different companies).  A slight improvement when it comes to customer care should be a priority for Honda Cars Philippines if they want to keep an already satisfied owner even more satisfied.

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