Accord LX coupe (4 cyl): A real world review

Here's my story: moved from NY to FL in 2004. Had a 2002 Jeep Liberty 4WD in NY. First job in FL was a 120 mile daily commute. The Jeep's 15 mpg (highway) had to go. (I was filling up every 3 days)! Wanted to get a good mileage car but not a really small economy car (i.e. Corolla, Ford Focus, Nissan Sentra, etc.). I used to own a 91 CRX which was my favorite car back in college so I did consider going with a Civic. I test drove both a 2-dr and a 4-dr Civic, but for $2000 more I could get the Accord. Bigger car, bigger engine, a little bit more sophisticated looking, and a bit safer especially in south florida where driving is like a mad max apocolyptic free-for-all.

Ended up buying a 2-dr LX model. Automatic, four cylinder engine with just the basic options: AC, power doors/windows/mirrors, CD player, regular wheels w/the plastic caps (not alloy rims). My wife didn't understand why I got a 2-dr and she suspects it has to do with a potential "mid life crisis" feeling that I needed a "sports" car but I simply thought it looked better. I guess she was kinda right. I was 31 yrs old (no where near mid-life, more like third-life) with 2 kids, 2 mortgages and I had grown out of the whole Fast & Furious phenomenon both in part b/c I couldn't afford to do any kind of hot rodding and I felt a little bit old to be in that crowd.

Anyway, now my commute is only 22 miles (one way). In the winter time here in S. Florida I was getting about 30 mpg or about 420 miles on one tank of gas (14 gallons). Now it's summer time so the AC has to be on full-time and I get about 360-380 miles on one tank. I drive 95% highway at 70-80 mph. I have no doubt you could get the EPA ratings of 28-34 if you drove 55-60 mph in this car. With gas at around $2.80 per gallon it costs me about $35-$38 to fill up.

As for the car I have no complaints. Critic and Honda-haters will say Accords are idiosynchratic or mundane looking but the coupe definately looks sportier than the sedan. The back seats are big enough for the occasional times I have to put in a car seat and booster for my kids. The doors swing wide enough to get the seats in and out but of course it would be easier with a 4-door (which my wife reminds me of everytime). The interior is very comfortable and more often than not, people who've rode in it are surprised how nice the interior is. One complaint I have is the factory radio which seems underpowered. I use a radio transmitter for my Ipod and I have to crank up the volume to 30 (40 is max). Nothing an aftermarket radio and amp can't fix. Perhaps upgrading the speakers as well.

The engine is 2.4L, 4-cyl, 160HP. The last 4-cyl car I owned was the CRX and things have come a long way. Although it's a four, it feels like a 6-cyl which leads me to only imagine what the V6 Accord feels like (maybe my next car). The 4-cyl is plenty fast on the highway and you're not sacrificing mileage while at it. I change the oil myself every 5K with 5W20 (recommended). At first I thought I'd need a heavier oil like 5W30 or even a 10W20/30 b/c of the florida heat but the 5W20 is perfect for this motor and it's of course what leads to excellent mileage. If you are totally convinced that a 4-cyl car just wouldn't cut it in the V6/V8 world think again and test drive one. You'll be surprised how this 4-cyl engine is pretty fast and powerful. You won't win any drag races but it's enough to survive in the asphalt jungle.

My only complaint, and this is a weird one, is this: when you open the trunk from the outside and say it rained the night before so there is beads of water on the trunk top, when you open it, the water runs off the trunk, into the rain gulleys around the trunk opening and then they flow down towards the area where the rear license plate would be. If you're standing at the back which you would be if you're going to access the trunk, all of that water spills onto your feet. I've had to go to work many times with wet shoes after a rainy night.

Other than this weird event I have absolutely no complaints about this car. There is good reason that Accords are one of the top selling cars every year.