2003 Honda Accord: Great Family Sedan With Style, Performance & Sophistication

For all its 27 years, the Honda Accord line has not ceased to wow car enthusiasts and competitors. The American Honda Motor Co is not ready to cede their position of status to any other manufacturers either. Even when the Toyota and Passat engineers have been bringing on the market vehicles that become sudden eye-catchers, Honda Accord keeps its loyal band of enthusiasts. These two previously mentioned car manufacturers have become leaders and standards in the Sedan market, that did not prevent Honda Accord from being the best-selling car in America in 2001. And the Accord line is not ready to rest on its laurels either. This is why we have the all-new 2003 redesign. Just a few looks at the Sedan and the Coupe will let you realize that the Honda engineers are dead serious about clutching to their traditions of pleasing the American car buyers. With all the bells and whistles added to this year's models, the Accord is poised to lead once more in this competitive category.

Back up this stuff: Test-driving the EX Sedan

This great sedan of the American household comes in the following trim lines: DX, LX and EX. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to test-drive the EX on a junction of our increasingly busy freeway. The following review will be purely based on my impressions and observations. To tell you the truth, I remained breathless once my time was over. Having been in the Honda family for a long time, I have secretly made up my mind to upgrade to this year's model. All that is needed is the go-ahead from my spouse and kids. Aren't we all in this situation, guys! Truly, buying a car has become a family affair.

Any way, on a typical overcast Fall afternoon in the great Central Valley of California, I set out to explore the 2003 Honda Accord. I was ready for the driving after going to lunch with a colleague of mine. It was unfortunate that the Vietnamese restaurant was not too far away from our office. So I promised myself to find out more about this new sedan.

How does this Accord drive?

All the additions to this year's model have made the sedan very responsive on the road. I am referring to the EX Sedan's 2.4-liter four cylinder engine, 5-speed automatic transmission. It is my finding that the shifting is smooth and responsive. In the end, the sedan provides a superb performance. Some of the equipments you may find on this year's model are anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, tilt and telescopic steering wheel.

How about the interior of the new Accord?

There is no doubt that the interior of the Honda Accord features a blend of driver-focused features and information-oriented technologies. All of this starts with a new seat design that will provide maximum comfort and support. After all, you will be on the seat for the longest time possible. Even after stopping the car at the end of my test-drive, I did not want to get off the seat. I had ample time to check a few other things inside the cabin. There is enough front shoulder, front leg, rear shoulder room. Ample visibility has become a staple of the Honda. It's a feature you can find in practically all of the company's vehicles. Here is a list of other features you can find in this year's model, the EX Sedan:

~Increased front interior

~Increased rear knee room

~New, larger seats with added comfort

~Upgraded audio systems

~LED instrumentation on all models. (There is the new V6-powered Accord Coupe which is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission; Expect more power, improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions from the new 4-cylinder and V6 engines teaming with new automatic and manual transmissions; Some of the highlights of th powertrain include: a new 160-hp 2.4 liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine; a new 240-hp 3.0-liter V-6 engine; a new 5-speed automatic transmission which replaces 4-speed automatic)

~Available dual-zone climate controls

~Sliding center armrest

~Additional and improved bottle and cup holders (That's a must in most of our new vehicles these days!)

~A new multi-functional key which eliminates the need for a remote key fob

Safety, dependability, quality, durability and reliability

For the first time on any Honda, the Accord offers a side curtain airbag system that is available on the EX V6 models. This year's model is true to its past record of safety and reliability. There are sensors in the front passenger seat that automatically disable the side bag in case a person leans into its deployment path. That's the Occupant Position Detection system for passenger seat side airbag.

~Standard dual stage front air bags

~Driver's and passenger's side airbags (See above)

~Added rear headrests in outboard seating positions

~LATCH child safety seat mounting system

The EX already has the next generation of Satellite-linked Honda DVD Navigation Systems which offer enhanced features and the "Touch by Voice" voice recognition system. This is a first on the Accord. Other features include a larger touch screen display, an expanded database covering virtually all U.S. roads and with seven million points of interest. Compare this with the one million points of interest that are currently available on the market. That's a huge head start! The new split screen design enhances the on-screen information with "3-D" route visualization for easier use.

Final thoughts on the EX

Short and tall people will enjoy this sedan. It has a great driving position. The display, instruments and controls a very accessible. Yes, the trunk of this sedan can hold lots of luggage. It will hold more than your grocery bags. If you are going on a trip, it will hold all your suitcases and other equipment. Keep in mind that the trunk has a glow-in-the-dark emergency release handle. If you are inclined or have to carry long items, there is a pass-through behind the armrest that lets you do just that.

This year's model is a great investment in the family's safety and reliability on the road.