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Accord EX-L

Published 9:55 am Friday, November 7, 2008

Over the past month, I have had the pleasure of driving both sedan and coupe versions of Honda’s 2009 Accord EX-L with navigation.

As you might well imagine, there are many similarities between these two kindred spirits, and also many differences. What hasn’t changed with this venerable model is that it remains one of the best-selling cars in the United States.

After a recent weekend trip to Hillsboro, Ore., to support the Kamiak High School Show Band, I’m a bigger fan than ever — of both the Accord and the Show Band. The seven hours of hell from Seattle to this Portland suburb (rain, wrecks and bumper-to-bumper traffic for 100 miles) was sugar-coated by the Accord EX-L coupe.

Aside from my having to constantly shift the six-speed manual transmission (not the car’s fault), the Accord EX-L proved to be a comfortable ride. Front leather bucket seats could be adjusted to taste with fold-down rear seats adding to the cars cargo-carrying versatility. The trunk is plenty big and includes a lockable pass-through for long items such as skis.

The Accord interior is designed for a dynamic, intuitive and upscale presence.

Operation-related instruments are located at the top, and information-related instruments at the bottom. At night, the controls are further separated by color to distinguish between climate controls (green) and audio controls (white).

Both the coupe and sedan were powered by a 3.5-liter, i-VTEC V6 engine that generates 271 horsepower and includes Honda’s latest generation of Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which operates in six-cylinder mode when power is needed, and four- and three-cylinder modes for better fuel efficiency. The result is an impressive 19/29 miles per gallon rating for city/highway driving.

For those looking to downsize, the Accord EX-L is also available with a standard 2.4-liter DOHC, i-VTEC four-cylinder engine. Since we’re talking about choices, the Accord also comes in LX, LX-P and EX trim levels with various engine and transmission configurations.

A premium 270-watt audio system comes standard on both EX-L models, and includes a six-disc CD changer and seven speakers including an eight-inch subwoofer. XM satellite radio is also standard equipment and was well-used on our trip – especially when the Seattle radio stations waned.

The other piece of equipment, which was a godsend, was the satellite-linked navigation system. Simply type in the Hillsboro Courtyard Marriott and my low-tech navigator (my wife) can take a nap. We wanted dinner Saturday night at Red Robin.

Type it in and voila, unbeknownst to us, there was a location 1.9 miles away. Four or five turns later, I was contemplating my bacon avocado burger.

And for those a little more techno-savvy than I, the Accord EX-L also includes MP3/Windows Media Audio playback capability, an auxiliary input jack and a Bluetooth hands-free link.

One big difference between the coupe and sedan is style. Compared to the sedan, which is more button-down, the coupe cuts a sporty, aggressive swath that includes a long hood, sleek roofline and muscular lines that suggest power and heightened agility.

When passing the charred shells of former cars alongside the freeway, safety comes to mind. The Accord EX-L features an ACE body structure that enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes and bumper heights. Other safety equipment standard to all Accord models includes Vehicle Stability Assist (also known as electronic stability control), side curtain airbags, dual-chamber front side airbags and active front-seat head restraints.