Coupe Comparo: Accord-Eclipse-Altima

[Trip]

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/112_0804_fwd_coupe_comparison

Accord - Eclipse - Altima

Acceleration to mph:
0-30 2.2 sec 2.3 sec 2.3 sec
0-40 3.3 3.3 3.4
0-50 4.3 4.4 4.5
0-60 5.7 5.8 5.8
0-70 7.1 7.4 7.5
0-80 8.8 9.2 9.1
0-90 10.9 11.6 11.4
0-100 13.4 14.1 13.8

Passing, 45-65 mph: 2.5 2.8 2.7

Quarter mile: 14.0 sec @ 102.5 mph 14.3 sec @ 100.6 mph 14.3 sec @ 101.7 mph

Braking, 60-0 mph: 127 ft 118 ft 127 ft

Lateral acceleration: 0.88 g (avg) 0.87 g (avg) 0.87 g (avg)

MT figure eight: 26.7 sec @ 0.67 g (avg) 26.9 sec @ 0.65 g (avg) 27.2 sec @ 0.64 g (avg)

Top-gear revs @ 60 mph: 2100 rpm 2000 rpm 2100 rpm

[chanke4252]

sounds about right, given that both of those other cars kind of suck.

[A&Fbro28]

Good article but you think these mags could get simple facts right as i quote this article: "Like the six-speed manual transmission, this 3.5-liter V-6 engine is exclusive to the coupe-the sedan's six has the cylinder-deactivating VCM system that helps it get better fuel economy." One word... WRONG!!!

[mb27]

Good article but you think these mags could get simple facts right as i quote this article: "Like the six-speed manual transmission, this 3.5-liter V-6 engine is exclusive to the coupe-the sedan's six has the cylinder-deactivating VCM system that helps it get better fuel economy." One word... WRONG!!!

Well, their wording is a bid odd but they are basically correct - the V6 w/ 6 speed is only on the coupe. The only way to get the 3.5 liter V6 without VCM is on the coupe... so it is "exclusive" as they put it.

[HondaPOD]

Well, their wording is a bid odd but they are basically correct - the V6 w/ 6 speed is only on the coupe. The only way to get the 3.5 liter V6 without VCM is on the coupe... so it is "exclusive" as they put it.

He thinking they are saying that the coupe is EXCLUSIVE with the 3.5 V6. Not the sedan.

[jblaust]

sounds about right, given that both of those other cars kind of suck.

I think I detect a little haterade here..

[chanke4252]

I think I detect a little haterade here..

little bit of haterade, only for the eclipse though. The altima isn't terrible, though it still kind of sucks compared to the accord in pretty much every way. They managed to take a car, pretty much halve the practicality-factor, and it still performs worse than the very practical accord in pretty much every way. I probably wouldn't hate myself if I had to buy one, but they really should have done so much better w/ it. Can't say I can really expect a ton more out of nissan though. Plus, the 8th gen coupe just looks a lot better than the altima coupe in person. The altima coupe looks like an afterthought in person, though in pictures it seems a lot nicer. And how mitsubishi managed to basically destroy the eclipse is beyond me. it used to be a really cool car. I'm not a huge fan of the 8th gen in general. The coupe has a nice looking exterior, and I'm sure I would be happy with it if I were to buy one, but it's not really for me.

[jblaust]

Alot of people feel the same way about the new accord. I get mixed reactions about it. Mostly postive feedback especially when people see it in person they go crazy. Everybody thinks it looks like a 7 series BMW or an Infinity in person. Only negative I have gotten is from people online who have never seen the car or have older gen hondas and cant get used to the new look. Lots of opinions about it needing to be lowered, but i knew that before i bought the car.

[Trip]

Good article but you think these mags could get simple facts right as i quote this article: "Like the six-speed manual transmission, this 3.5-liter V-6 engine is exclusive to the coupe-the sedan's six has the cylinder-deactivating VCM system that helps it get better fuel economy." One word... WRONG!!!

Notice the quote says "this" 3.5L V6 meaning the engine in the coupe that was tested. As others pointed out, this is accurate. The 3.5L in the V6 6-speed coupe does not have i-VTEC or VCM. It does have a unique intake manifold and exhaust as well as its own cam profiles. I'm pretty sure the only thing it shares with the V6 engines coupled to the automatic is the block, cranks, pistons . . .

[jblaust]

I read a dyno test for the new accord and the 6 speed manual out performed the automatic.

[jblaust]

Independant dyno test for 2008 accord coupe 6 speed manual.

http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-article?article_id=719873

Well, it looks like you can always count on the TOV reader network to come through in a pinch. We hadn't been able to get a 6MT Accord V6 on the dyno up till now, so TOV reader Rae volunteered to bring us his brand new V6 Coupe for testing as soon as it was broken in. After 1000 gentle miles, Nov 3rd was the day and he showed up bright and early with his beautiful Belize Blue Pearl example at the Church Automotive Testing dyno facility in Wilmington, CA.

Given the relatively disappointing results from Jeff's testing of the 5AT V6 Sedan, both Rae and I had some trepidation about what the results would be. On the other hand, Jeff had reported from his test drive of the 6MT Coupe that it felt nearly as strong as the new TL-S. Rae had also owned a previous generation V6 Accord and stated that the new one felt much, much stronger. So, we decided to stop guessing and do some testing.

After carefully removing the Accord's elegant 18" alloys, we bolted up the Dynapack and let her fly (Video Coming Soon). The numbers came up and I blinked in astonishment. So we ran another run - it repeated within 1 hp. So we ran another one, and it was within 2 hp. The numbers were legit. 268 hp and 248 lbs-ft of torque - at the hubs!

Now, for comparison purposes, the current TL (formerly rated at 270 hp and now at 258 hp), puts down 235-240 hub hp. Even my 286 hp (298 hp old rating) Infiniti G35 only puts down 265 hp. Here are a few comparison plots for you to peruse.



08 Accord vs. 05 Infiniti G35C 6MT

08 Accord vs. 04 Acura TL 6MT

Rae was also kind enough to let me spend a half and hour driving his car and I was very impressed. The new Accord suspension has a well damped, but long legged feel usually associated with fine European cars. It absorbs bumps adroitly in mid-corner, while delivering a controlled ride. Our testing time was limited, but we did return a peak cornering force reading of 0.94g with an average of 0.88g. Not bad for all-season tires. Those same all-season tires were a bit of a hinderance in acceleration. Despite having close to 400 lbs of people in the car, the Accord would still start to spin its tires at the top of first gear, no matter how gently it was launched. Furthermore, any sort of aggressiveness on the 1-2 shift would result in another 10-20 ft of wheelspin. Nonetheless, we were able to record a 5-60 time of 6.2 seconds. 0-60 was also capped at 6.2 seconds due to our inability to put down a good launch. Once we get acceleration tester par excellance Jeff Palmer behind the wheel sans your author's extra mass, I suspect we'll see 5-60 times in the 6 second flat range, with 0-60 times dipping into the 5's, only limited by traction.

Beyond the hard numbers, the Accord V6 has a powertrain that feels exceptionally lively. As Jeff had previously noted, it feels very much like the TL-S, only without the traction of the LSD. The response to throttle inputs is almost electric, with huge midrange urge. When I got back into my modified G35 (280 hub hp and 270 lbs-ft of torque), it actually felt a bit slower because the response to the throttle seemed far more muted than in the Accord. Perhaps Honda's engineers have finally figured out how to use an electronic throttle to improve the driving experience rather than hinder it (TSX, Si).

We'll post video and more graphs soon enough, but the 6MT driveline is a definite winner. In fact, the entire Coupe is an outstanding vehicle. It is a shame, however, that this engine (and tranny too) didn't make it into the sedan.

[jblaust]

www.vtec.net/articles/view-article?article_id=719873

wont post????

[vtective]

Honda makes consistently good, fun cars to drive. That's to be expected.

This time, imo at least, they've made one of the best looking cars too.

http://images.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/112_0804_18z+2008_honda_accord_coupe+front_three_q uarter_view.jpg.

http://images.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/112_0804_16z+2008_nissan_altima_coupe+front_three_ quarter_view.jpg

http://images.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/112_0804_17z+2008_mitsubishi_eclipse_gt+front_thre e_quarter_view.jpg

[ERICH80]

Being A Current Eclipse Owner I Can Personally Testify To The Validity Of The Mt Review Of The Eclipse. Hmm, Where Should I Start. From Day One The Brakes Sqeeled Like A City Bus.talk About Embarrasing. Almost Every Interior Panel In The Car Creaks And Rattles. My Clutch Makes A Weird Noise When I Take My Foot Off It. The Rockford Fosgate 650 Watt Stereo Is A Joke. The Tires That Came With The Car Were Burned Up By 25,000 Miles(i Don't Beat My Car By The Way,i Baby It!) The Engine Didn't Fully Break In Till About 20,000 Miles(believe Me It's True). I Ordered My Accord 6-speed On Saturday And I Can't Wait To Get It Even If It's 12 Long Weeks From Now. When I Test Drove The Car I Was In Heaven. The Accord Feels Much Better In Every Aspect Compared To My Mitsu. I Work At A Bmw Dealership And I Drive Bmw's All Day Long And I Can Say With The Utmost Confidence That The Accord Feels Just As Good As A Bmw As Far As Ride Quality And Fit And Finish Is Concerned. Granted It's Not As Fast As A 335i But Not To Many Cars Are. Besides, If I Had A 335, I Would Probably Lose My Drivers License Because I Would Be Driving Like A Madman. Everybody I Work With Is Giving Me A Hard Time About Buying A Honda When I Can Get A Bmw Lease For Cheaper Than My Accord. All I Have To Say In Response Is At Least My Car Won't Be In For Service Every Week And If I Need Tires I Won't Have To Pay $350.00 Per Tire. Runflats Are Horrible And They Are Standard Equipment On All 3 Series Bmw's.

[Demonik]

Being A Current Eclipse Owner I Can Personally Testify To The Validity Of The Mt Review Of The Eclipse. Hmm, Where Should I Start. From Day One The Brakes Sqeeled Like A City Bus.talk About Embarrasing. Almost Every Interior Panel In The Car Creaks And Rattles. My Clutch Makes A Weird Noise When I Take My Foot Off It. The Rockford Fosgate 650 Watt Stereo Is A Joke. The Tires That Came With The Car Were Burned Up By 25,000 Miles(i Don't Beat My Car By The Way,i Baby It!) The Engine Didn't Fully Break In Till About 20,000 Miles(believe Me It's True). I Ordered My Accord 6-speed On Saturday And I Can't Wait To Get It Even If It's 12 Long Weeks From Now. When I Test Drove The Car I Was In Heaven. The Accord Feels Much Better In Every Aspect Compared To My Mitsu. I Work At A Bmw Dealership And I Drive Bmw's All Day Long And I Can Say With The Utmost Confidence That The Accord Feels Just As Good As A Bmw As Far As Ride Quality And Fit And Finish Is Concerned. Granted It's Not As Fast As A 335i But Not To Many Cars Are. Besides, If I Had A 335, I Would Probably Lose My Drivers License Because I Would Be Driving Like A Madman. Everybody I Work With Is Giving Me A Hard Time About Buying A Honda When I Can Get A Bmw Lease For Cheaper Than My Accord. All I Have To Say In Response Is At Least My Car Won't Be In For Service Every Week And If I Need Tires I Won't Have To Pay $350.00 Per Tire. Runflats Are Horrible And They Are Standard Equipment On All 3 Series Bmw's.



wow....that is alot of pressing the shift key

but at least you are getting an accord :thmsup:

[ERICH80]

The Caps Lock Button On My Keyboard Is Stuck Down. I Can't Help It Sorry

[Demonik]

lol now that sucks!

[ERICH80]

I'm At Work Right Now So I Guess I Can't Really Complain. I Get Paid To Go On The Internet All Day Pretty Much. Just As Long As My Boss Doesn't Find Out.

[Demonik]

yeah i had a job like that too, gets boring after awhile though

[namegoeshere]

The Caps Lock Button On My Keyboard Is Stuck Down. I Can't Help It Sorry

:scratch:

If the Caps Lock Key was stuck down, then shouldn't you be TYPING LIKE THIS.....THAT IS, EVERYTHING IN CAPS?

http://www.acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/hijack.gif

(sorry :D)

[ERICH80]

You're Right. I've Quickly Run Out Of Stuff To Look At. I Have My Usual Stuff I Check, With This Site Being The Newest. I'm Glad I Found This Site Because None Of The Other Accord Forums Except Temple Of Vtec Actually Have Any Useful Info.

[chanke4252]

v6performance.net is good if you are looking for mod info, though you have to kind of weed through it carefully as there is some bad info on that board. gen7accord is a good forum in general I think, though a little less populated. It is kind of a mix between v6performance.net and driveaccord.net.

[jblaust]

www.2girls1cup . com is a good one too

[Demonik]

cuz that sounds like a car forums haha

[chanke4252]

You know, I really do like the exterior styling on the current eclipse a lot, but that's about all I like about it. It looks like it rides REALLY high though, even for a car at stock height. If it were lower, smaller and didn't suck so bad then I would probably like it.

[sjlee]

I read a dyno test for the new accord and the 6 speed manual out performed the automatic.

That shouldn't be surprising. In general, given the same engine, HP to the wheels is greater on a MT than an AT... you lose more HP to the wheels with an AT.

[HondaPOD]

You know, I really do like the exterior styling on the current eclipse a lot, but that's about all I like about it. It looks like it rides REALLY high though, even for a car at stock height. If it were lower, smaller and didn't suck so bad then I would probably like it.

I almost bought one. Had it for a week, then they took it back bc i couldn't get financed or some bull. Believe me, if it were smaller, it would be an S2000. It is SMALL on the interior, the back seat is a joke.

[chanke4252]

seeing them on the road they look considerably bigger than my 7th gen coupe. Aren't they pretty heavy too? This is why I only like their exterior.

[ERICH80]

About The Caps Lock Being Stuck Down, My Messages Are In All Caps Until I Post Them And It Automatically Changes To How They Look With Only The First Letter In Caps And All The I's Are Lower Case.weird, But Anyway Yeah I Don't Put People In The Back Seat B/c Unless You Are 4 Ft Tall You'll Have No Leg Or Head Room. I Think The Backseat Is Just For Show. As Far As Ride Height Is Concerned It Is Just An Illusion, You Really Don't Sit High.actually You Sit Low In The Car It Just Looks High B/c Of The Hideous Wheel Gap. Unless You Lower It The Car Looks Gay.

[ERICH80]

For Whatever The Reason My Posts Are In All Caps Until I Submit Them Then It Changes To Only The First Letter Of Each Word Is Caps. I Don't Know Why It's Weird. But Anyway Yeah My Backseat Is Worthless. I Can't Wait To Get Rid Of This Car And Get My Accord. It Is A Heavy Car Because The Eclipse Shares A Platform With The Galant Which Is A Fairly Big Car. That Was One Thing I Kinda Liked About The Car, It Feels Well Planted On The Ground And Kinda Gave The Feeling Of A Bigger Car. It Wasn't Till I Drove The Accord That The Eclipse Seemed Really Crappy In Every Aspect By Comparison. They Only Look Like They Ride High B/c Of The Hideous And Plentiful Wheel Gap. People Broke My Balls Constantly About How Gay It Looks Unless You Lower It. I Chose Not To B/c I Knew I Was Gonna Get A New Car But At The Time I Didn't Know What I Wanted.