Photo by Mario James
Honda's BMW fighter, the '09 Honda Accord. Priced like the ultimate European yuppiemobile at $5.9 million.

Mario James, Gleaner Writer

IT HAS been a long time coming. Automotives first saw this Honda at the Automotive Dealers Association trade show last year. The way it looked was not accepted by everyone at the show; however, the new dimensions and gargantuan power curve - at least in six-cylinder guise - made it clear that the new Accord was hankering to take market share away from the BMW five series.

Accord's new silhouette is longer and taller than its predecessor. To cement its challenge to BMW, though, it is also bigger than the erstwhile five series. In the all-important area of rear headroom, Accord is a full 11mm more spacious. BMW doesn't include legroom figures in its brochure but eyeball comparisons say that Accord is bigger there as well. Front seat headroom in the Honda flagship is in a class by itself, enjoying a more than five-centimetre advantage over BMW.

Roomy interior

Accord, though, is guilty of cheating in the interior design department, culling shamelessly from the five series in centre console design and layout. But it works. Ergonomically, controls are where they should be, and the armrest between the front seats is big enough for a pair of ham hock-sized forearms. Entry and exit into this roomy interior is most dignified. Folks used to smaller rides will appreciate not having to wedge their feet against the steering wheel in order to get in.

Power everything is the order of the day, including an eight-way adjustable driver seat with lumbar support and the by-now-garden-variety six CD changer. There is no driver interface system paralleling the I-Drive in the Beemer, but it is not missed. Safety features are par for the course with a dual stage, dual threshold front SRS system, as well as curtain airbags. Leather is available as an option.

Seated in the lap of luxury, Automotives tested the SiR on the open road. Pottering around town proved how tractable the V6 is. With its five-speed automatic, the car is very responsive at low revs, its torque curve showing much meat at low revs. Accord's off power balance is neutral. But unleashing all 268 hp in corners will induce the back to step out, a slide that is easily controllable - and fun to correct.

Tyre size difference

This characteristic is due in part to the tyre size difference front to rear, as the front wears 16 inch 215/60 R16s and the back are shod with 17 inch 225/6017s. The steering is a tad slow if you like to push, but it has a nice feel to it around town. With Honda's Variable Cylinder Management, the computer can turn off up to three cylinders at a time, improving both mileage and emissions.

The 3471 cc Accord engine is as powerful on paper, but it needs nearly 500 cc more displacement to achieve its horsepower figure than the five series. The five is also gruntier out of the corners, with its torque peak coming in 1,000 rpm sooner. However, once the VTEC comes into play, the bent six wails with the authority that Honda owners have come to love and detractors loathe.

On our test loop the slant-eyed oriental was slower than the acceleration times posted by the 530 - to 60 miles an hour. After that, though, especially in the 50 to 70 mph overtaking range, the Honda was quicker. Electronics get in the way of the fun, as the Honda's Vehicle Stability Control system does not allow for full throttle to be applied until vehicle speed is greater than 10/20 miles an hour. If allowed, the front wheels would do a decent Chernobyl impression. Braking, too, was decent, coming to a stop in under 130 feet from 60 mph. The ride is on the supple side of plush, its sub-frame mounted front suspension and isolated McPherson rear working in concert to remove unwanted vibrations from the cabin.

Honda Accord has made the move from compact to full size sedan, a journey 32 years long. The car is as big as a Buick, but feels positively glued to the road. It offers a lot of the amenities that the European luxo-mobiles do for $millions less, and pampers its occupants without being ostentatious. It was, and remains, a class act.