[PanzerLeader]

Having owned a 91,93, 01, 03, 04 and now an 07. My vote is for the 1993 Accord EX. Factory steering and handling were great. You could actually feel the car "squat down" at 70 mph. Great 4 wheel double wishbone suspension. The steering you could feel tighten as speed was increased. Braking was great as this was the first year I believe for 4 wheel disc brakes. Cruise all day at 90 and feel you were in an Indy Race car. Of course that year Accord was about the same size of todays Civic or perhaps smaller. None the less, the car was flawless. Now, you have to modify the hell out of the newer Accords with aftermarket parts. I wish Honda would make the High Performance Suspension Package available on the coupes for the sedan.:notworthy

 

[reframmellator]

My vote would go to my '94 LX 5MT w/ABS. I'm told it was a fairly rare combo back then. If memory serves it was actually slightly smaller than your '93. Slightly underpowered by today's standards, it got 31 mpg in what passed for city driving and 35 mpg on trips, even at 280k. Cut and ran like no one's business. Smooth, quiet, and even my son, who inherited the car at 240k, still misses the car.

Second is my '07 SEI4. I never thought I'd say this, but I really like the 5 spd AT.

A close third is our '04 EX 5 spd with six air bags. The '07 just seems to be smoother and a slightly better handler.

A close fourth is my wife's '99 EX-L V6. We bought it used, and I always thought the car was heavy in the front, until I was doing the rear brakes and found that BOTH rear antisway bar links were sheared off, for who knows how long. It handles much better now, but is still more of a boulevard cruiser than any of the above.

But not as much as our '01 EX 5 spd. The consummate highway car (if Honda built a Buick, this would be it), but never handled all that well, IMHO.

 

[2014MSM]

Well I've owned 3 Accords, an '89 Coupe (LXi, 5 speed), a '96 Sedan (LX, auto) and now my '06 Sedan (EX-L, 5 speed). Never cared for the '96, the '89 was on the smaller side compared to the 6th generation and up, but handled well. This was probably due to it's size, however, it was very underpowered even for those times. I love my '06, but I can certainly feel that I am driving a much bigger car and it's reflexes are not as sharp even with all the mods I've done. Howerver as far as comfort and power it's the winner in my book.

 

[flcma99]

My vote would go to my '94 LX 5MT w/ABS. I'm told it was a fairly rare combo back then.

I had an even more rare combo back then. A 1994 DX Auto w/ABS. The dealer service and salepeople hardly believed it anytime it went back to get service. They'd "borrow" the key to see the "ABS" light on the dash. Also, had a 1995 EX Auto at that time. The EX was tighter and more solid, maybe from extra weight and sound deadening, but I think being built in Japan was the difference with the 1995.

I loved our 1988 DX Auto. It just ate up the hightway miles with ease. It had a sleek profile for a family sedan of that time.

My favorite of all time though, it still my Silver Bullet. A 2001 EX V6. That car was fast, responsive, and had decent interior space. Althought compared to the 7th and 8th generations, it would be cramped.

I am actually looking foward to a 2009 Accord or TL. Just holding out to see what the Acura looks like and where it prices at. And, see who gets the diesel first. One of my friends just traded her 2001 Accord V6 coupe in on a new 08 V6 Coupe. The difference is amazing -- solid, still responsive, and more spacious.

 

[stiller fan]

i agree with the OP.... the 93 seemed to be the best, more reliably built car by honda. they had the fewest "bugs", and could cruise at 70mph+ effortlessly for weeks on end....

 

[Accordlover]

I think anyone who hasn't owned every Accord can't accurately state the best one, but anyways... :lmao:

My favorites are the 89 SE-i, 93 SE, 94-95 EX, 96-97 EX V6, 97 SE, 00 SE Sedan, 01-02 EX V6, 03-05 EX I4 5MT, 05 EX V6.

We've had an 84, two 86's, a 94, 96, and two 03's.

I've driven 2 86 LX's, a 5MT and a 4AT, 93 SE, 94 EX 5MT, 95 EX V6, 96 LX, 01 LX 5MT, and both of the 03 EX's, 5AT and 5MT.

My favorite one is the 2003 Accord EX 5MT. - It's tight, solid, firm and responsive. The K24 sounds like a little V6 at WOT and it moves briskly with beautiful rev motions. The whole car is such a step forward for the Accord in general.

I read a few votes for the 4th gen, but I don' think those people owned a 5th gen (stiller aside, cause his mom has one) which was basically a 4th gen with different sheet metal, a better power plant, suspension and steering.

Compared to a 4th gen, the things I felt the 5th gen improved upon were...

Much better ride quality and dramatically less road noise.

Stability on the highway was much improved as well as handling due to a tighter suspension setup.

Steering response is a LOT better on the 5th gen.

Materials in the interior got better in the 5th gen, aside from fabrics. - The leather was much improved.

Engine noise and power are much better.

The 6th gen is close to winning my heart, but to be my favorite, you can't have transmission problems.

 

[stiller fan]

I think anyone who hasn't owned every Accord can't accurately state the best one, but anyways... :lmao:

My favorites are the 89 SE-i, 93 SE, 94-95 EX, 96-97 EX V6, 97 SE, 00 SE Sedan, 01-02 EX V6, 03-05 EX I4 5MT, 05 EX V6.

We've had an 84, two 86's, a 94, 96, and two 03's.

I've driven 2 86 LX's, a 5MT and a 4AT, 93 SE, 94 EX 5MT, 95 EX V6, 96 LX, 01 LX 5MT, and both of the 03 EX's, 5AT and 5MT.

My favorite one is the 2003 Accord EX 5MT. - It's tight, solid, firm and responsive. The K24 sounds like a little V6 at WOT and it moves briskly with beautiful rev motions. The whole car is such a step forward for the Accord in general.

I read a few votes for the 4th gen, but I don' think those people owned a 5th gen (stiller aside, cause his mom has one) which was basically a 4th gen with different sheet metal, a better power plant, suspension and steering.

Compared to a 4th gen, the things I felt the 5th gen improved upon were...

Much better ride quality and dramatically less road noise.

Stability on the highway was much improved as well as handling due to a tighter suspension setup.

Steering response is a LOT better on the 5th gen.

Materials in the interior got better in the 5th gen, aside from fabrics. - The leather was much improved.

Engine noise and power are much better.

The 6th gen is close to winning my heart, but to be my favorite, you can't have transmission problems.

just FYI, this isn't the first 5th gen that my family has owned. my mom bought another used one back in 99 (1995 accord, gold). that car was pretty nice as well, but towards the end, CEL and other associated issues made us get rid of the car in a hurry.

and, to conterpoint:

- AT's = sportier feel of the car

- ride = disagree with you there, albeit much more body roll around turns tho

- steering = overassisted in the ones that i have driven. i cannot remember if the 95 EX was smiliar as well or not

- all honda's that i have driven for nearly a decade have some road noise...the lone exception is my mom's current 97 with dynamat in the trunk and i believe under the hood as well

- engine noise not there, engine power is debatable.... i feel that my 93 had more power, even after sitting for 2 months, than my mom's 97.

- another thing i don't like about the 5th gens: the AT shifts too early, unless you nearly floor it it seems like.

- less stability in the snow. my family are not fans of the 97 in the snow, whereas, we would take the 93 in a blizzard without thinking twice (at least i would... :banana: )

- for the 6th gen = do what i did...get a MT. problem solved!!!

 

[Accordlover]

- engine noise not there, engine power is debatable.... i feel that my 93 had more power, even after sitting for 2 months, than my mom's 97.

Boy you crazy!

125HP vs. 145HP VTEC motor? No way jose, though one thing I've noticed is that all that noise I don't like in the 4th gen is what made it feel so much faster. :yes:

 

[Accordlover]

- for the 6th gen = do what i did...get a MT. problem solved!!!

I don't want the oil burner! I want a 5MT V6!

 

[stiller fan]

i still think that a 4th gen (at least my car) is faster than a 5th gen.....

i'll concede that maybe once VTEC kicks in, that the 5th gen would be faster.

but, the 4th gen has it beat, due to faster (more harsh) shifting....

 

[ItsaHonda]

I was looking for a clean and low mileage 4th gen (particularly a 1992-1993 EX/SE model) before I found and bought the 96 Accord. The 5th gens were never visually appealing to me, but I was getting tired of looking and the car only had 45k miles on it at the time. Knowing that I was moving out of state and was going to be doing a lot of traveling, I was sold on the low mileage and newer model year. Although I still find the 4th gens much more attractive, the 96 turned out to be one of the best cars I've owned in terms of dependability and longevity. It handled the snowy winters in Detroit pretty well and traveled thousands of miles without missing a beat.

 

[dgs]

i agree with the OP.... the 93 seemed to be the best, more reliably built car by honda. they had the fewest "bugs", and could cruise at 70mph+ effortlessly for weeks on end....

My car can cruise at 70mph+ effortlessly for weeks as well. My normal speed on the highway is 80mph and this car makes it seem easy, like I'm going half that fast.

The OP's question is really open ended. What does "best" mean? Well it means different things to different people obviously. Are we talking about reliability, gas mileage, performance, comfort, safety, luxury features, looks etc.? Too many factors to say any year is the best year. However if you take all of the above into consideration I would say my 07 is as good as the Accord has ever been.

 

[Bowzer]

Out of the 2nd, 4th, and 6th gens I've owned...the 4th gen gets my nod just barely over the 6th. I had a Dark Gray Coupe and that car was just smooooth. Always drove great, handled well, enough room for more than me when needed, nice lines to it, :blah:
THe day I got hit from behind by a drunk driver, I almost cried. But it went back together with the efforts of a really good shop.

I love the other two gens as well...the 2nd gen Hatchback went through hell and back with me as a young driver many times. And it's the one I learned about Honda's engineering prowess as I had it apart repeatedly putting in a big time sound system.

My 6th gen is the official family truckster/car...which my wife loves to drive at 90mph on her business trips. It has made a believer of her in Honda's "feel".

 

[JKC]

91,92 and 93

I know the 1990 is the same but, There are are a few things that i don't like about the 90's.
I have a 91 wagon now and i love that car.

 

[James.uk]

During the 50 years or so that I have been driving, I have noticed that when a company first appears on the market, they make their best cars, Once they have established themselves, then they creep their prices up and reduce the quality of their product.. Sad.. But true.. Honda are no diff to any other company in that respect..

Based on the above observations. Once they get the early gremlins sorted, their diesel cars will be fabulous. for a while anyway.. :yes:
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