Honda Accord

Honda Accord 2012

General information
Despite riding out its current configuration and styling towards its last year or two, the Honda Accord still proves to be one of the best options out there in its class for ride comfort, styling, performance, value, interior space, and features.

Being in a segment that is hard to stand out in, that is exactly what the Accord manages to do. Be it the coupe or sedan that you’re interested in, the 4 cylinder or the V6, the performance will be to your satisfaction. The 4 cylinder models prove to be good enough with smooth rides, rendering the V6 almost redundant unless you plan on hauling heavy loads. With good body control, strong brakes, brilliant handling, and responsive steering, the Accord range infringes on the luxury car segment benefits. Fuel consumption has always been a strong suit for the Accords, though it does fall behind slightly when compared to the new Kia Optima or the Hyundai Sonata.

Interior
The foresight in the 2008 redesign for the Accord is paying off. With the sedan (and even the coupe) looking as fresh as it did 4 years ago, it manages to compete well with its competitors with minor changes here and there. This year’s model is running on the modifications made last year to the instrument panel, new wheel designs, a new grille design, and other small changes.
The interior trim and materials offered by Accord range from the garish to fashion-forward. The choice though remains with you on choosing your own combination for the interior. Its instrument panel though looks good, but is a little impractical in its button placement, paying more weight to looks than ergonomics. The materials used too don’t offer a high finish feel though the Accord does manage to balance it out with styling, when compared to the Toyota Camry or the Ford Fusion.

Specifications
If you’re a little open minded about the 4 cylinder engine and are willing to give it a chance, you’ll be surprised by what you get. With responsive and smooth 2.4 litre, 4 cylinder engines forming the entry level for the accord, you get great performance out of these. Available in a 177 hp and 190 hp versions, both offer you roughly the same feel. The V6 engines step up the game, with 271 hp on offer along with VCM - Variable Cylinder Management to reduce the engine noise and vibration in the cabin.

The 4 cylinder models offer a manual transmission with 5 speed in sedans and 6 in coupes. While they definitely add to the driving pleasure, the auto transmissions too are quite smooth and responsive.

Driving experience
For the most part, the Accords can hold their own against bumps and rough patches, though occasionally you might notice a little (ignorable) harshness. Though the interior options offered are plenty, there is a risk of turning it into a garish mess.
The 177 hp Accords prove to lack in merging and passing maneuvers, though the EX models with 190 hp manage to easily overcome those limitations. A rough idle with significant vibration is one of the issues faced in most 4 cylinder models. The V6 models are of course the quickest of the options, overcoming the passing and merging issues with ease.

The Accord LX-P with auto transmission manages to deliver 9.5 km/l for combined driving, with most other models staying within a tiny range of this.

Ups and Downs
For a car that delivers on most fronts, the noisy idling (and overall noise) proves to be the main irritant.

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Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry 2010

General information

In its fifth generation, the Toyota Camry is by far one of the best selling cars that we have seen in recent times. Dominating the mid-size sedan segment is no longer a target for Toyota, but only a challenge to increase the margin of domination. The new Camry has improved on many aspects – ride, performance, handling, greater interior space, and value for money – are just a few.
The core of the Camry comprises the 2.5 litre petrol engine that unleashes all the awesomeness. There are 4 models in the Camry range, namely: Altise, Atara S, Atara SX, and Atara SL.

Interior
Toyota has stepped up its game with the new Camry improving on its interior offerings. A modern look is highlighted by a contoured dashboard design, new seats, new instruments and new materials. More space has been added to the new models, making it a more comfortable ride.
The Camry Atara SL has a clear up-market feel to the interior with beige leather interior, black carpets to contrast and a wood grain trim to finish the look. The instrumentation provided is a three gauge lay, with a fuel consumption gauge.

The new steering wheel is impressive with quite a few (but very simple) buttons to control audio, phone via Bluetooth, etc. It is also adjustable for rake and reach. Another aspect that impressed is the clean centre console layout. The audio and navigation unit along with the gear and cup holder unit offer an uncluttered, easy to use format.
The Atara SL comes complete with a 10 speaker JBL audio system, along with a seven inch touch screen, live traffic updates and digital radio. Not much more you can ask for, right?
Though there is more! A blind spot warning system (what’s that, you ask?)  helps warn you of vehicles when taking turns with your indicators on. There is also an auto high-beam adjustment feature that dips your high-beam for other cars.
The luggage space is spacious 515 litres with a 60:40 split fold in the rear seat for greater storage versatility.

Specifications
As mentioned earlier, the power is driven by a new 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine. The Atara range peaks at 135 kW/ 235 Nm, while the lower model Altise isn’t left far behind at 133 kW/ 231 Nm.

The new powerplant along with the six speed transmission significantly refine the performance of this vehicle. Proving their commitment to greener technology, Toyota has improved on the mileage, with 7.8l/100kms being the current average (1 whole litre better than last year) and emissions too reducing to 183g/km (a 25% reduction).

Driving experience
A smooth ride is what the Camry delivers with all its improvements over an already smooth riding car. Easy, effortless gear shifts and the electric power steering make it a great experience. Be it the highways, the winding country roads, or the city traffic, you will be pleased with its performance.

Ups and Downs
Though there are many things that are left to be desired, they remain issues for the next segment, not the one that the Toyota Camry has perfected. If we had to point at one thing, it would have to be the lack of a diesel variant. Then again, the upcoming hybrid should take care of those issues.

The overall value proposition offered is undoubtedly one of the best out there on the market in any class (on a value/class evaluation). That apart, the Camry has managed to bring a lot of new features to this segment that have till now been left as optional upgrades at best.

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