Honda specs indicate that I4 has a smaller turning radius than a V6 - at least in 2006... I wonder why? Can anyone explain that? Can anything be done to get those couple of inches back? :)

Can anything be done to get those couple of inches back? :)I don't think it's worth it to try to get those couple inches back. The only time you'll notice is when you're parking or doing a U-turn. You'll need to change out the steering rack and maybe your rims just to get another foot or two back.

Its actually more than a few inches....

I4: 35.4ft.
V6: 38.1ft.

Thats a 2.7ft difference. The turning radius on my 6spd is one of my only bitter points about the car (makes tight parking more challenging).

As far as to why, the simplest answer I can see would be whats under the hood. If you look under the hood of the I4, there is a fair deal of room (hence why its so easy to find room for mods), whereas with the V6 everything is just crammed under there. The only part that doesn't make sense regarding that is in terms of width going from wheel to wheel, the V6 is actually "smaller", as it only has 3 cylinders goign across whereas the I4 of course has all 4 (and this is the reason why the IMA system won't fit in a I4 Accord engine bay).

I know atleast the 6spd uses thicker tires...so maybe that plays into it as well (thicker = less room for them to turn) :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Its actually more than a few inches....

I4: 35.4ft.
V6: 38.1ft.

Thats a 2.7ft difference. The turning radius on my 6spd is one of my only bitter points about the car (makes tight parking more challenging).

As far as to why, the simplest answer I can see would be whats under the hood. If you look under the hood of the I4, there is a fair deal of room (hence why its so easy to find room for mods), whereas with the V6 everything is just crammed under there. The only part that doesn't make sense regarding that is in terms of width going from wheel to wheel, the V6 is actually "smaller", as it only has 3 cylinders goign across whereas the I4 of course has all 4 (and this is the reason why the IMA system won't fit in a I4 Accord engine bay).

I know atleast the 6spd uses thicker tires...so maybe that plays into it as well (thicker = less room for them to turn) :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

Consumer Reports blamed the bigger wheels for the turning radius. For me this was the shocker (going from an Integra to a 06 EX-V6 6sp.)

hey Conundrum, the turning radius on the V6 is actually bigger that what you said, i checked on the honda website and it's 39.6 ft. when i first got the car, i had to relearn how to park all over again, and i came from the Pilot which was surprisingly small to me at only 38 ft. i almost had a heart attack when i made my first U-turn in the accord at this one intersection i always take at my bank. i didn't realize that 1.6 feet in turning radius made such a big difference. but in the end, i eventually got used to it, and anzial, you'll get use to it too. there's really no point in trying to get back those 4 feet of turning radius. after awhile, it'll become second nature to know that you should start your turn-in earlier. and as for the 6sp vs. auto on the V6, i think they both use the same tire dimensions P215/50 R17. i remember reading here on the forums that the previous 6spd had 17 x 7, but now it's 17 x 6.5. where's benjiboy when you need him, he seems to know more about everything.

Yup the old V6 rims are 17x7 and the new ones are 17x6.5 :dunno:

Now your question becomes...how come people can use a TL 17x8 wheel and not mess up anything? :yes:

hey Conundrum, the turning radius on the V6 is actually bigger that what you said, i checked on the honda website and it's 39.6 ft.


I think I figured it out (odd that it would be this way as well)...and we are both correct. The stats I posted actually are correct, that being 35.4ft for the I4 and 38.1ft for the V6 but that is actually for the coupe and coupe only.

For the sedan, they have posted 36.1ft for the I4 and as you mentioned 39.6ft for the V6.

Odd..considering the chasis on both cars are virtually the same and its just the bodypanels that are different... :dunno:

you're right conundrum, i forgot you drive a coupe and not a sedan. considering most stuff are the same on coupe or sedan, the sheet metal and the wheelbase of both cars are different. you have a wheel base of 105.1 while the sedan has 107.9 inches. amazing how 2.8 inches between wheels can translate into 1.5 feet difference in turning radius. like you, that turning radius and the various rattles are what gets me when i drive this car. i hope i don't have follow thoots' footsteps on the rattle issues.

you're right conundrum, i forgot you drive a coupe and not a sedan. considering most stuff are the same on coupe or sedan, the sheet metal and the wheelbase of both cars are different. you have a wheel base of 105.1 while the sedan has 107.9 inches. amazing how 2.8 inches between wheels can translate into 1.5 feet difference in turning radius. like you, that turning radius and the various rattles are what gets me when i drive this car. i hope i don't have follow thoots' footsteps on the rattle issues.

Thoots had a coupe did he not? So far for mine I haven't noticed any rattles (knock on wood big time)...there was once where I had the stereo up and I heard a rattle coming from the driver's door...but it was just my parking RFID card sitting in the bin in the door by the power window buttons.

I do however get a fair deal of roadnoise which I think is made worse by having the HFP suspension...but luckily that doesn't really bother me, and when it does I just turn the stereo up a little louder...lol.

like you, that turning radius and the various rattles are what gets me when i drive this car. i hope i don't have follow thoots' footsteps on the rattle issues.

I have to admit, it's a little horrifying how bad the V6's turning radius is. I had some misgivings about it even before I bought the car and it is definitely difficult making tight turns, especially when parallel parking. This car probably has the worst turning radius of any car I've driven except for a Ford F250. It's really that bad. But, I will admit that this doesn't really translate to that many difficulties other than not being able to squeeze into really tight spots when parallel parking in cities.

On rattles, I'm a little dismayed by the fact that my entire dashboard has starting rattling at only 6,000 miles. Not so bad that it really bothers me that much, but it does strike me as a little too soon in my car's life for rattles.

...It's really that bad. But, I will admit that this doesn't really translate to that many difficulties other than not being able to squeeze into really tight spots when parallel parking in cities.

At first I thought it was just due to the size of the car...but its really more "involved" than that. I've gotten used to it...but if I could submit a few changes to Honda that I would make one of them would be to fix the turning radius.

As far as tight spots it really doesn't bug me much...if a spot is that tight I simply don't park there. Even if I did get it in, there would probably be a good chance someone would hit me with their door anyhow.

My 2001 CL-S :notworthy was over 40 feet--the Accord 6 speed is an improvement :thumbsup: --everything is relative. IMO the higher turning radius seems to be related to higher performance in Honda's world. Doesn't make sense though!

seems to be related to higher performance in Honda's world. Doesn't make sense though!
I believe you are on the right track. I think it has to do with the max angle and max power the CV joint can safely transmit. I guess they figure you have the potential to use full power at full wheel lock :confused: