2005 HONDA ACCORD EX V-6

2005 HONDA ACCORD V-6 SEDAN

Every fall I anxiously await the unveiling of the next years new car models. I like to checkout and test drive at least two of the new cars every month. Even before I was old enough to drive, I always waited with anticipation for the fall to come, because it was then that I could see the new model cars debut for the upcoming year. Now that I am old enough to drive, I can go the dealers and test drive those wonderful cars for myself.

They say that the only job where you start at the top is digging a hole. Nevertheless, I felt that it would be nice to start with the top of the line Honda Accord EX, and work my way down. This year I am in the market for a new car, and by starting at the top, I felt that I could figure out just what features were available, and which ones were actually essential to satisfy my needs. With this in mind, I had the thrill of test driving the 2005 HONDA ACCORD EX V-6 SEDAN today.

Upon entering the showroom my eyes were greeted to an Accord EX V-6 Sedan painted in a Satin Silver Metallic color. The first thing that I am attracted to by a new car is it's styling, and the Honda Accord has gorgeous, sleek aerodynamic lines that make it appear to be moving even when it is standing still. I was to learn later during my test drive that the aerodynamic shape also cuts down on wind noise, which I am sad to say has been a problem with past Honda Accords that I have owned. The newly designed head lights and tail lights add to the classy appearance, and these along with the 16 inch allow wheels, make it resemble a more expensive European luxury car than a mid-priced sedan.

After walking around the vehicle and admiring its clean sleek appearance, the next thing one is naturally drawn to is the interior. The interior was decked out in soft black leather, with leather trim, and an eye-pleasing symmetry of design. The seats were so comfortable, both in the front and the back, that I began to wish that Honda also made easy chairs so I could get that same comfortable feel of the driver’s seat in my own living room. The rear seats had a fold down rear arm rest for added comfort, and there was plenty of leg room and head room for 5 adults. This model has an 8-way power adjustable driver's seat, which also has a power height adjustment, and the addition of the adjustable lumbar support is something that a driver will really appreciate on those long trips to visit the relatives, or when stuck in rush hour traffic. This model also offers 2 level heating for the front seats on those cold winter mornings.

The next impressive interior feature was the leather-wrapped steering wheel on the EX V-6, with the Audio controls built right into the wheel. This feature is great for a number of reasons. Besides the obvious convenience of being able to adjust the volume or change stations on the audio system, this innovative feature permits you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. I again began to think of the person who rear-ended me a few years ago, in rush hour, on the highway because they were supposedly adjusting their radio, and I wished that their car had possessed this feature. We both would have appreciated it. By the way, the car comes with a 120 watt AM/FM, 6-disc CD changer, and this particular model had XM Satellite Radio, so that any listener can be happy. The sound system also had six speakers, and was also exceptional, especially the enhanced bass response. All of the controls that were mounted on the steering wheel were also illuminated for ease of use in low light conditions. The steering column also was equipped with both tilt and telescopic capabilities. This model also had a Honda Satellite Linked Navigation System, which I confess, I could not figure out how to use. A salesman was later kind enough to show me how it operates, and it was quite impressive. Apparently it receives signals from a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) which will tell you where you are anywhere in the lower 48 States (sorry Alaska and Hawaii). What happened to the days when you could just roll down your window and ask someone for directions?

The instrument panel was both attractive to the eye, and very ergonomically designed as well, with excellent ease of use, both visually and manually. All of the indicators on the gauges had sufficient illumination for even tired eyes. The map lights were powerful enough to actually permit you to read a map in the dark. As with previous late model Accord Sedan's, there was a center console with two built in storage bins, and there were two convenient 12 volt power outlets, which come in useful for recharging gadgets such as cell phones. The lower bin is large enough to handle CD’s cases. There are also eight beverage holders strategically placed throughout the car for those long trips, or for that extra cup of coffee on the way to the office.

Living in an area that is full of allergens I was pleased and also impressed with the micron air-filtration system that's capable of filtering out allergens and dust. The fan on the climate control system was also both powerful and quiet, and the heat came on very quickly, which I was pleased to see on such a cold winter’s day. Aside from the obvious advantages of a good climate control system, there was the ability for the driver to open and close all four windows on the car with an automatic power control located on the driver’s door, in addition to a power moon roof with tilt feature. Let me tell you this is a really great feature on a hot summer day. If you roll down all 4 power windows and open the moon roof to the air, the resulting convection current while you are driving permits you to very quickly cool down the interior of the vehicle with the flow of outside air even quicker than with the AC.

Safety is also something that has always been on my mind, having lost several young friends, relatives, and acquaintances to car related accidents and automotive injuries, as well as having been in a number myself (none of which were my fault of course). This Honda comes equipped with dual-stage dual-threshold front airbags which inflate at one of two rates based on the severity of the crash and seatbelt use. This variable rate deployment of the air bags is a really great feature as it would have prevented a friend of mine from breaking his nose with his own hand when his air bag violently deployed during a minor crash in a supermarket parking lot when his air bag burst open and pushed his own wrist violently into his face. There are also front side airbags, and side curtain bags which can help to prevent head and neck injuries. The energy absorbing front and rear crash zones, as well as strong steel beams aligning the passenger compartment, also serve to provide added protection for the occupants. Visibility for the driver out of the front, rear, and sides was also quite good. There were also many other safety features too numerous and to technical for me to mention in this short space, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Accord with a 5 Star crash test rating, which is the highest that they give.

Now for the test drive. This model Honda sports a 240-hp, 3.0 liter VTEC V-6 engine. VTEC stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control, which is beyond my limited mechanical engineering abilities, but I do understand that this serves to maximize low end torque and high end horsepower. The bottom line is that to me, the engine ran smoothly, quietly and powerfully, and I had no difficulties entering highway traffic, and rapidly accelerating to highway speeds. The 5-speed automatic transmission changed gears smoothly and seamlessly both accelerating and in going up steep hills. This model of the Accord gets 21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway, according to the EPA mileage estimates, and the fuel tank holds 17.1 gallons. The power rack-and-pinion steering, double wish-bone suspension, and front and rear stabilizer bars made the handling excellent on reasonably sharp turns. You get the true feel of the road, without the fear factor. The Accord's Traction Control System also enhances traction and vehicle control by preventing wheel spin when starting out on a slippery surface. I had to take Honda's word for this though because it was a dry beautiful fall day. I tested the four wheel disc brakes by coming to an abrupt stop, and the Accord’s Antilock Breaking System and Electronic Brake Distribution (this somehow electronically takes into account passenger and cargo weight distribution), which is designed to help control skidding, handled the task quite well, and I was able to make a clean, straight stop, with no swerving or loss of control.

If there is any drawback to this car, and I am sorry to say for Honda sedans in general, it's the one complaint that I also have about my current 2000 Honda Accord, and that is that they do not have a very quiet ride. I can assure you that this car is definitely quieter than my current 2000 Accord. But one can still hear unwanted road noises, both from the tires on the road and from the wind on the body, especially in the rear of the car while it is driving. But it is definitely an improvement over what I am now driving. Although this extra bit of white noise may muffle the sound of your mother-in-law coming from the back seat, this unwanted noise can prevent the accomplished audiophile from appreciating the subtle nuances of a good piece of music as you are driving. HONDA, I have asked you before, and I ask you again, please do a better job of insulating and sound proofing!

The bottom line for me is that the 2005 Honda Accord EX V-6 is a vehicle that I feel I can honestly recommend to any of my friends and family, and it is highly likely to be the new car I purchase this year.