The 2013 Accord vs. The Competition

[Markus]

Originally Posted by molson.david

+100
there is no "best" for everyone.
and there is one big issue with every test results based on somebody opinion(5-6 editors still only 5-6 opinions): it is somebody opinion only...
they say Kardashian is hottest women in Hollywood...well, I got different opinion.

Exactly. When I buy a car I consider the models available given my budget and needs/wants. After narrowing down my choices I then test drive them. I may or may not read magazine reviews and I certainly don't make any decisions based on magazine ratings. If I like the car and it fits my needs and budget then I buy it. I don't concern myself with what others think of my purchase and I don't give a damn how 5-6 journalists rate the vehicle I chose.

Based on the poor quality and poor reliability of my 8th gen Accord I may or may not consider another Honda product.

[Dreamacre]

Originally Posted by Markus

Exactly. When I buy a car I consider the models available given my budget and needs/wants. After narrowing down my choices I then test drive them. I may or may not read magazine reviews and I certainly don't make any decisions based on magazine ratings. If I like the car and it fits my needs and budget then I buy it. I don't concern myself with what others think of my purchase and I don't give a damn how 5-6 journalists rate the vehicle I chose.

Based on the poor quality and poor reliability of my 8th gen Accord I may or may not consider another Honda product.

BUT-

4 out of 5 Dentists use Trident!

[II Kings 9:20]

This is all very interesting and nothing is settled by MT, C&D, sales figures, forum proclomations, etc. Ultimately it's all about you and what you like about the car-that's all.

We can debate all day about this and that. I am on the Camry forum and there is a real obsession over there about a quiet ride. If I didn't know any better I would think my dad is over there under a fake name because all he talks about is a smooth quiet ride, nothing else (my exaggertaion) matters.

I have owned 56 cars in in my 51 years from Acura x2, to Alfa x2, BMWx5 , Buick, Chevy, Citroen, Honda, MB x9 (including a 1970 300SEL 6.3), Merkur, Olds, Peugeot, Toyota to Saab. 3 Diesels are in the mix, how can I possibly be concerned about noise? New gen Diesels are quiet but not as quiet as the beloved cacoon on wheels Camry (not busting it's chops, it is quiet and soft in a Buick kind of way)

Which is better Camry, Accord, Altima, Fusion, Malibu, Sonata?

They are all good and have various pros and cons some of which are more or less important to some than others. Its OK to have that brand loyalty (which I obvoiously don't) but your brand loyalty can not convince someone else that a car is better or worse based on o-60, 1/2 MPG, or 1db of excessive noise, or your personal preference.

I realize the debate is all in good fun and we all like to pontificate (otherwise we would not be here) but claiming superiority of one brand over another is rather meaningless when each individual declares that choice when they pony up the $$ to buy their car. At that point, the debate is over.

Not sure what all that means other than I like to hear myself talk since I am the world's expert on my opinion .

[H_CAR]

Originally Posted by Markus

Exactly. When I buy a car I consider the models available given my budget and needs/wants. After narrowing down my choices I then test drive them. I may or may not read magazine reviews and I certainly don't make any decisions based on magazine ratings. If I like the car and it fits my needs and budget then I buy it. I don't concern myself with what others think of my purchase and I don't give a damn how 5-6 journalists rate the vehicle I chose.

Based on the poor quality and poor reliability of my 8th gen Accord I may or may not consider another Honda product.

I too experienced poor reliability with my Honda product. It is a 2011 Odyssey and the issues I've had with it are issues you'd expect at 100K... in a Chrysler product. Though I have to say, every issue I have had was fixed under warranty and every time I was given a loaner vehicle and there was no hiccups in between.
The only reason I would consider another Honda product is because they generally make great products compared to other cars in the class. Now, it is true that the 8th gen Accord was not as great as the 7th gen, but better than every car in the class at the time. I've also acknowledged that every brand builds a lemon, and it just so happen'd that I bought that one. Now, this does not minimize your concerns or mine, but stuff does happen. I own a 2012 CR-V and that car has been trouble free since day one. Just my 2 cents.

[II Kings 9:20]

My brothers 05 Ody with 85K has had motor mounts replaced and a new fuel pump among a few minor things. The interior filled up with gas vapors and he had to have it towed to the dealer.

How is it that you talk to people who say "I have 200K miles and all I do is change the oil". My 04 MDX with 115K has been to the shop for 1 repair. A faulty seat belt buckle that as a safety item according to Acura has a lifetime warranty and fixed for free at about 90K. Otherwise norman maintenance like oil, trans/diff fluids, timing belt (I did a pre emptive strike and replaced the WP even though it did not need it), brakes, air and cabin filters and that's it.

[FlipAccord13]

The way I see it, as long as one is satisfied with their choice and the car has a good longevity. That's what matters the most. Less problems with car parts going bad and more great memories of driving it.

[benjaminh]

Originally Posted by molson.david

actually I was talking about passat...
"please note where the "best of the best" is..."
passat first place in the MT test vs passat real popularity (aka sales numbers).

....there is no "best" for everyone...

Oh, you were talking about the Passat. I'm sorry. My mistake.

And you're right, there's no best for everybody. If the Camry fits your needs best, that's just fine.

And I realize the Passat's a fine car too, as are the others that were tested.

I plan to buy a 2013 Accord for what to me are some very good reasons. But obviously everyone gets to make their own call on this and have their own favorites.

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted by Dreamacre

This is the same Motor Trend who picked these winners-

2002 Ford Thunderbird
1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan
1983 American Motors Renault Alliance
1981 Chrysler K-cars, Dodge AriesPlymouth Reliant
1971 Chevrolet Vega

They picked the 07 Camry as Car of the year yet rip the 12 to pieces. After one year and 17k miles my dad likes his just fine. No issues with his first year generation Camry.

http://www.motortrend.com/auto_news/...all.html?ti=v2

[krispykreme]

Originally Posted by benjaminh

.

Motor Trend attacks the Camry as a substandard car in this class.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...n/?ti=v2&rec=1

6TH PLACE: Chevrolet Malibu LTZ
Tight with room -- not with fuel Talk about a comedown. What had previously been a sedan we'd regularly praised -- and GM's best-selling car -- finished dead last. How could the likable Malibu have fallen so far? Mostly this: a retrograde interior, a nearly useless rear seat, and the thirstiest powertrain in our group....

5TH PLACE: Toyota Camry XLE
Best-seller, but far from the best

Will Toyota care that its latest Camry finished fifth? Not likely. Over three decades Toyota's midsize sedan has won a huge, faithful, and mostly well-deserved following. The Camry has become the easy, go-to choice for buyers in search of a roomy, efficient, comfortable, reliable four-door that does it all. It's not surprising that the latest, ninth-generation U.S. version is, as we go to press, America's best-selling automobile.

The competition has crept up, though. And the Camry itself is -- dare we say it? -- showing signs of weakness. True, the basics are still there: a genuinely huge and inviting rear seat, impressive real-world fuel efficiency (we observed 26.1 mpg), a full complement of conveniences, and aggressive pricing ($25,570 base for the topline XLE). So why aren't we in love?

Ask Febbo: "This car is just so cynical. Horribly executed, and not a drop of passion anywhere. Interior looks like it was designed by the accounting department. Monochrome display for the HVAC system could have been developed in the '70s. The knobs are cheap, the buttons are cheap, everything is built to the lowest price."

Febbo isn't alone. Writes Seabaugh: "Did Toyota even try? Seems like they just phoned it in. Cabin has way too many hard plastics, a shoddy infotainment system, a dash so shiny it reflects into the windshield in direct sunlight. This is the McDonald's of cars: billions and billions served. But that doesn't mean it's good." The Camry rides softly but not particularly well....

I think MT is being too much trying the slam the camry.

We took a test drive late sunday night.

I think the camry structure and body is much stronger than accord. I did not hear any rattle or squeak.

There are a lot more engine noise than the accord. But over the rough surface the ride is excellent. None of the jarring ride of the Accord EX-L V6 we drove on saturday.

Accord ride is not acceptable IMHO. I don't understand how that can happen unless MT only test on smooth surface. Accord on smooth surface does rides better than camry. But not on concrete and rough surfaces.

Passat is the best car. That i can agree with. I haven't driven the fusion yet.

But i will take the Passat VR6-> Camry SE V6-->Accord V6

[krispykreme]

Originally Posted by benjaminh

Passat 2.5 auto: 0-60: 8.8 seconds.

That's not very good these days. It's about what the 2012 Accord with an auto does, and that's one of the previous generation Accord's weak spots.

2013 Accord cvt: 7.7 seconds.

That's excellent for an auto, and equal to Altima.

Passat mpg auto: 22/31
Accord mpg auto: 27/36

You pay about $400 more a year in gas to drive a Passat, and yet get to 60 more than a second slower?

So the Accord is significantly faster and significantly better on gas than the Passat, and I think the Accord will be safer as well.

And as to quality and durability, I think most would go with the Accord over VW, even though VW has improved.

My take: Motor Trend was trying to justify the award it gave of Car of the Year to the Passat last year by making it a winner this time. I'm not saying that they're lying when they say it's a bit more fun to drive—that might be true—but that doesn't outweigh all of the other advantages that the Accord has.

And to me fun to drive has a lot to do with how fast I get from 0-60. I do that everyday on my uphill ramp as I merge on to the freeway. That's not a theoretical number to me.

I disagree.

The Passat gives driver more confidence and its more rewarding to drive.
The passat stops shorter and have more grip.

I don't like the 2.5 in passat, its very weak and not enough for passat.

Fun to drive is not 0-60. If that is the case, we all be getting a camry SE V6 which is faster than either Accord V6 or Passat VR6.

Passat just feels much more solid than all cars in this comparison.

[MM49]

Why so much hate against Camry? The number of sells should be enough to tell people the story. Camry is much more quite, smooth, and much more comfortable vs Accord. Accord always had more road feel to it. Reliability wise they both are pretty much same (while way ahead of others) Camry quality has gone down way too much while Honda still gives you the luxuries feel in quality in a car like Accord. There is a saying "a person who drives a Toyota would never be able to get used to how a Honda drives and a person who drives a Honda would never be able to get used to Toyota" Which in most cases is true! A lot of people get used to how quit, soft, smooth, and comfortable Camry is that they immediately feel the difference while driving a Accord and end up never buying one. For me I just like they way my Accord feels and drives(of course there are a lot of other things as well). Camry sure is comfortable and really soft but I just like the touch of the road and more in control feeling that I get while driving Accord. Camry is definitely on my list for my retirement but for now sticking to Honda/Acura . I'm a brand loyal that is JAPANESE

I drove a lot of new Passat's and they are definitely a great car.

[stevencrosbie]

Originally Posted by Markus

Based on the poor quality and poor reliability of my 8th gen Accord I may or may not consider another Honda product.

I would agree. This thread sounds like people are trying to use magazines to make them feel better about their purchases.

As well, I put my money where my mouth is when it comes to opinions. This is why I have a 2011 F-350 diesel even though it didn't win the comparos.

This followed me home two months ago.







Its the turbo and for the price, Honda can't touch it. You can't buy a base Accord for what I paid for this ride, and I have Nav.

The Elantra was sold tonight. Sad to see it go, but its going to a good family who needs the car. I sure didn't.

I don't care what the stupid mags say. These guys don't know sh!t about what I view as important or not. For me, it came down to the VW TDI and this. The price difference between the two rides made the choice easy for me.



As a side note, I have seen this new Accord. Its better than the 8 gen as far as looks. That being said...its not special and not a clear winner to me.

[benjaminh]

Originally Posted by stevencrosbie

I would agree. This thread sounds like people are trying to use magazines to make them feel better about their purchases.

As well, I put my money where my mouth is when it comes to opinions. This is why I have a 2011 F-350 diesel even though it didn't win the comparos.

This followed me home two months ago.

[Its the turbo and for the price, Honda can't touch it. You can't buy a base Accord for what I paid for this ride, and I have Nav.

The Elantra was sold tonight. Sad to see it go, but its going to a good family who needs the car. I sure didn't.

I don't care what the stupid mags say. These guys don't know sh!t about what I view as important or not. For me, it came down to the VW TDI and this. The price difference between the two rides made the choice easy for me.

As a side note, I have seen this new Accord. Its better than the 8 gen as far as looks. That being said...its not special and not a clear winner to me.

Congrats on your car! That's a nice looking color. You're right that the 2.0 turbo in the Sonata is quite impressive. It's a lot of car for the money, and I like the styling of the Sonata quite a bit.

Also, I think the Sonata shocked Honda and made them up their game. The Sonata offers such a high level of equipment—including DI injection, bluetooth, etc.—on the base model that Honda felt forced to follow with the Accord. And Honda actually decided to top even the Sonata for standard stuff, but the Sonata still costs a little less.

What's the handling like on the Sonata?

[benjaminh]

Ford says they want to give Camry and Accord a run for their money in the sales race. But first they have to try to pass the Altima, which won't be easy....Ford has a factory in Mexico that makes the Fusion, and now they are also using their plant in Flat Rock, MI, for the car. Between those two factories they should be able to make a lot of cars, if the demand is there. I think Fusion will do better, but I still think it will be fourth behind Camry, Accord, and Altima. And the Sonata's right in there too!


http://wardsauto.com/north-america/r...d-manager-says

SANTA MONICA, CA – Ford expects the restyled ’13 Fusion midsize sedan to outsell the current model and also give the popular Toyota Camry and Honda Accord a run for their money.

Samantha Hoyt, Fusion brand manager, says the new model, slated to hit dealerships this fall, has performed well in internal consumer surveys....

“I think the (Fusion’s) styling gives us a real opportunity to (conquest) those looking for something different,” Hoyt says. “We have to keep our core buyers but bring in new ones.”

....However, the Fusion still has some catching up to do in the Middle Car segment, as defined by WardsAuto. The marque placed fourth in its segment in 2011, behind the Accord, Nissan Altima and the best-in-segment Camry, which sold 308,510 units.

“We’ll see if we can outsell (the) Camry and Accord,” Hoyt says. “It’s going to be a dogfight. But we want to grow profitably, so we’re going to build to demand and we’re not going after a sales race.”

[grover432]

Originally Posted by H_CAR

I too experienced poor reliability with my Honda product. It is a 2011 Odyssey and the issues I've had with it are issues you'd expect at 100K... in a Chrysler product. Though I have to say, every issue I have had was fixed under warranty and every time I was given a loaner vehicle and there was no hiccups in between.
The only reason I would consider another Honda product is because they generally make great products compared to other cars in the class. Now, it is true that the 8th gen Accord was not as great as the 7th gen, but better than every car in the class at the time. I've also acknowledged that every brand builds a lemon, and it just so happen'd that I bought that one. Now, this does not minimize your concerns or mine, but stuff does happen. I own a 2012 CR-V and that car has been trouble free since day one. Just my 2 cents.

Maybe you got a lemon? Our 2011 Odyssey has 18,000 miles on it and has been trouble free, save for a pair of warped front rotors. I don't like the rumble/vibration at 1,400 rpm (some say it is VCM, some say it is the torque converter), but so far, no other problems in this first year introduction model.