Honda Accord VTi: Solid Style

As a sort of backhanded compliment to the sad state of the South Super highway and the dozens of inebriated drivers on it at past midnight on a Friday, these provided a quick and much appreciated opportunity to see just how nicely set up the new Honda Accord is. This is because at speeds between 120 and 140 kph, with that silky smooth 152 PS VVT-i engine getting a light workout, the car will accelerate, brake, and change lanes without making you break into a cold sweat every time another dolt suddenly decides to swerve in front of you despite your insistent beeping of the horn and flashing of its high beams. Now in its third generation of being locally available, the Accord just keeps getting better.

If the first generation looked a little too svelte and the second one looked a bit too bland, then the stylists made sure critics would have far less descriptive words to say in the negative about this erstwhile medium size, middle class family car. The Accord’s broad-shouldered, sharply creased fenders and huge multireflector headlamps are reminiscent of Honda’s S2000 sports car. In profile, there’s a fascinating character line from the tip of the headlamps running all the way up the front fender, merging into the base of the greenhouse, and then continuing all the way back to the trunk.

While the rear end doesn’t look as good as the rest of the car, what with its overly mature "Hey, check me out too if you also dig the Cefiro" taillamps and rear fascia design, the wraparound portion of the taillamps do complement that sharp side view while keeping other drivers at night guessing what kind of European car just blew by them. After two generations of Accords that looked well built but lacked a little bit of character, this generation has presence in a (dare I say it?) European sort of way.

You know how BMWs, Volvos and Mercedes Benzes manage to look expensive even just standing still, and even if you took off the badges and aged them a few years? The Accord has that solid, unified look about it, a confident but not too aggressive stance born out of chiseled flanks, rich looking paint, and a restrained use of chrome and other brightwork normally used to jazz up a car’s looks. It’s not a styling knockout, but neither does it look ordinary anymore.

"European" is probably also the best word to describe how the Accord is to drive. There’s precious little wind noise at high speeds thanks to that apparently aero body (even the side mirrors housings are designed to cheat the wind), and the ride is smooth without feeling harsh, soft but not flabby. The better part of the VTi’s P1.28 million peso asking price as of press time probably pays for all the engineering underneath the skin: i-VTEC engine with Variable Timing Control of the twin cams, 5-speed automatic transmission, and a four-wheel double wishbone suspension. A rear floating subframe and a new engine mount (compared to the previous generation) further reduce vibration.

Race the engine to the rev limiter and there’s only a faint tremor in the steering wheel. Engine noise is a hushed snarl. There’s just enough vroom-iness that makes it into the cabin to remind you you’re having a good time without making you feel like a boy racer. Drive over ruts, railroad tracks, and other everyday road imperfections and the car just soaks them up without letting your body know too much about them. Cruise at 130, swerve to the left to avoid yet another drunk, then go back to your lane, and the car just goes through the motions without missing a beat.

No theatrics, no dramatic body roll or screaming tires to remind you just how close you came to being the next day’s headline in the Metro section. It’s too bad there’s no manual, not even a "Tiptronic"-style manumatic like with the Japanese version, but the slushbox is quick to the draw and the five ratios are perfect for 90 percent of the kind of driving it will ever see in this country. The Accord is no sports car and it’s a little on the soft side to be called a proper sports sedan, but it’s a car that lets you explore the limits of its front-wheel drive chassis safely and confidently.

About the only thing I’d wish for is a little less assist with the power steering. It’s a touch too light at speed — probably tuned more for folks twice my age — but on the whole, it’s okay because it has quick reflexes well matched to the athletically inclined suspension and a decent turning circle as well. And while we’re whining, must those A-pillars be so HUGE? I’m sure they contribute a lot to that solid, Euro feel, but they sure block the view when cornering. Not a big deal when going straight ahead — the view out is typically expansive, by the way — but take extra care not to sideswipe the poor folks crossing that intersection you also happen to be turning in to just because the pillars hid them.

Frankly, I think people who bought Accords before not so much for the styling but because they were well made will be an easy kill for salesmen the moment they step into a dealer showroom these days. And for erstwhile other-brand customers? More or less the same thing. After they’ve been lured by the subtle musculature of the car, the "get inside and savor that new car smell" part should be the hook that’ll have them seriously considering parking this Honda in the garage sometime soon. Open the door and the gauges light up, beckoning you to sign the darn check already and drive the car home.

The cockpit is a nice work of avant-garde style and functionality. Smoothly blended curves, creases, and sharp angles joining the door panels, hood binnacle, center console, and dashboard in a sober ash-toned theme. The center panel is dominated by stereo and A/C controls with soft touch buttons and dials that feel expensive. The stereo was, thankfully, also a part of the design process. It’s integrated into the design of the cockpit with instantly intuitive controls and a large LCD screen that matches the gauge. There are lids on the center that conceal compartments for the usual stuff like CDs, cellphones, chargers, soda cans, and the like, and they open and close with a smoothly damped motion that echoes the European marques.

Apart from a rather tiny glove compartment and flimsy, folding grab rails on the ceiling that feel like theyíd snap off if you gave them a hard tug, the interior basically affirms that yes, your P1.28 million was money well spent. If leather and old school "woodgrain" are your thing, or if you just find the VVTi’s interior a little too dark, you can get a warmer looking atmosphere in the P1.398 million VTi-L. You also get 16" wheels, automatic dual zone climate control, side airbags, power retractable door mirrors, an 8-way power adjustable driverís seat, and a 6-disc in-dash CD player with steering wheel integrated audio controls as well as some other good stuff. As it is, the VTi is already a lot of car for the money (assuming you have the money, of course): 15" wheels, telescopic and tilt adjustable steering wheel, power height adjustable driverís seat, smart airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, all-disk brakes, ABS with EBD, etcetera, etcera. Move over, manong. The boss will be driving this car.