And it is when I’ve stopped fiddling with the cruise control buttons that Karl’s running commentary of the car’s specifications noticeably ceases, the volume of his voice lowering in direct opposite to the rise of the car’s speedometer past the 160kph mark. Maybe it was a mistake to inform me that another reporter, whose identity I will protect by referring to him as "A. Ilagan" (or "Aris I.", his other alias) of another broadsheet with the baffling acronym of "MB", had driven the Accord to 200kph only a few days previous.
Ahhh, 200 kph. A velocity high enough to satisfy most speed junkies, yet low enough to still be acceptable in responsible, civil society… I think. 100 is mediocre, 300 is too much, but 200? Just right. Anyway, in my zest to find out the truth of this secondhand information, a stomp of the drive-by-wire throttle sends the Accord hurtling past lesser cars, the 5-speed automatic selecting the lowest gears possible, the V6’s 24-valves singing a fine tune.
At 100kph, the V6 is hardly stressed, your right foot hardly stepping on the gas pedal. At 150kph, the Accord is a happy cruiser, the motor humming along at around 3,000 rpm, its melodious VTEC orchestra only drowned out (sadly) by noticeable wind and road noise. The noise increases as the speedometer needle climbs toward the 200kph mark, but so does the satiny growl in the engine bay.
It is a rich, full-bodied, slightly high-pitched (but never obtrusive) multivalve yell that will remind Accord drivers how astute they are. For here is a practical, right-sized, family car that will indulge their cravings for speed without having to resort to a German marque, which in any case would be way beyond the Accord’s sub-P2M price bracket.
Ever closer to the "200" mark, the hands get just a little bit sweaty, the eyes squint some more, intensely scanning the road ahead for potential disaster, the right foot ready to lift off the gas and slam on the brake pedal. But nothing gets in our way, a return to sanity and lowered blood pressures assured as soon as we hit 200kph and decelerate to a more stately 160kph. Isn’t it great that, with the right car and the right engine, we can say 160kph is a "stately" speed with a straight face?
Oh, and Karl has resumed his commentary. I learn that when this car is officially unveiled, the 2.0-liter motor previously available will be phased out. Instead, a 160PS 2.4-liter will be found in the VTi and VTi-L models. Buyers that go whole hog can get the V6 that we’re driving, a 3.0-liter 24-valve VTEC with a 5-speed automatic to one-up V6-equipped Toyota Camrys and Nissan Cefiros.
While Camry and Cefiro buyers can appreciate their cars’ plush appointments, Accord buyers will revel in their car’s precise handling skills and abundance of power: the aforesaid 240PS at 6,250 rpm and 29.3kg-m of torque at 5,000 rpm. Perhaps they will also go BMW-hunting, because a 3-series Bimmer closest to the Accord-Camry-Cefiro price range has only about half the power of the Accord. No price had been set for the Accord during our preview drive, but a safe bet would be near (hopefully, below) the Camry V6’s P1.680M price tag.
In classic "sleeper" style, there is nothing much to visually differentiate the V6 Accord from the lesser 2.4 models. Fit and finish is typically excellent. V6 and 2.4VTi-L models actually share much the same spec: 16-inch 60-series wheels, leather, simulated woodgrain, foglamps, power folding side mirrors, auto climate control, steering wheel integrated radio controls, power front seats, front and side airbags… the works.
The cabin is an example of good taste bordering on minimalist: handsome Optitron gauges, low-glare plastics and resins, shame about the fake wood, though. As usual, the ergonomics are perfect, buttons and dials intuitive. V6 and VTi-L buyers get an 8-way power adjustable driver seat. When matched with the tilt-adjustable and telescopic steering column, it virtually assures every size of driver the perfect driving position. Exclusive to the V6 are turn signal lamps integrated into the side mirrors, and a power moonroof that does much to literally brighten up the interior. And a window-lowering function in the remote key fob to air out the car as you approach it on a sunny day — perfect for impressing dates.
Despite using a softly sprung suspension, the Accord is very much a car best appreciated from the driver’s seat. Using independent double wishbones in front and 5-link double wishbones at the back, it’s not as taut as a Mazda6’s or a BMW 318i, both of which take hard curves with a near-flat cornering stance, but it is more absorbent of the rough stuff.
Steering turn-in is as sharp as before, and there seems to be a more reassuring increase in heft as the speeds rise. Traction control is also standard kit for the V6, reigning in potential torque steer in hard accelerations. Pedal feel from the all-disk brakes is also precise and easily modulated, backed up with ABS, EBD, and Brake Assist. In high speed cruising and tight switchbacks, the car responds calmly and precisely, no wild body roll or rear-end swinging at the limit. In other words, the car goes, stops, and turns with little visual fanfare but much eagerness and competence. No wonder it keeps showing up in Car & Driver magazine’s "10 Best" list year after year.
It’s easy to surmise that the V6’s looming debut is a reaction to the V6 models of the Camry and Cefiro, but one suspects the Accord buyer is a different kind of animal from the Toyota or Nissan buyer. The creature comforts are there, but they play a supporting role to the driving dynamics. It’s all a bonus for the mature, enthusiast driver — one that appreciates a satisfying drive with a supremely competent, low-key machine doing his bidding.