Review: 2003 Honda Accord Coupe EX V6
SEE ALSO: Honda Buyer's Guide
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS One day during my recent week with a new top-of-the-line Honda Accord EX V6 coupe, I came back to the car after running errands and found a first-generation Accord hatchback parked next to it. That produced a moment of surprise and reflection. There has been a little change in the Honda lineup in the past 27 years. Yes, it has been almost three decades since the debut of first Honda Accord. Born in the era of rapidly rising fuel prices and intermittent shortages, the 1976 Accord combined efficient space utilization with great fuel economy. By today's standards, it was small, Spartan in equipment, and its main luxury feature was the ability to cruise past the lineup at the gas station. The newest Accord has moved considerably upscale in design and equipment, particularly in EX trim, but continues the Honda standard of value and economy. Like the newest Accord sedan, with which it shares underpinnings, the 2003 Accord coupe has gone upscale in size, equipment, and performance. LX and EX trim levels are offered with a 2.4-liter, 160-horsepower four-cylinder engine, while the EX is also available with a 3.0-liter, 240-horse V6. Sport-minded drivers take note - the EX V6 can also be had with a six-speed manual transmission. Coupes have not been the most popular vehicles in recent years. That may be understandable - many coupes emphasize style or performance over function, making them unsuited for everyday, only-car use. These problems will never happen to the 2003 Accord coupe driver. After a week in the V6, automatic transmission version, I've found that it's a typical Honda. That is to say, space efficiency and fuel economy are still top priorities, but not at the expense of the driving experience. It's grown more inside than outside, and combines style, comfort, and efficient performance in the way that Honda does best. APPEARANCE: Although there is some similarity in style ahead of the windshield, the Accord sedan and coupe share only their headlights. As with the sedan, those lights, and the angular shape of the front fenders, give a passing nod to Honda's technology-leader S2000 sports car, although the Accord is considerably larger. A wedge-shaped profile courtesy of the high shoulder line, and a sharply-raked windshield and backlight give the Accord coupe a sleek look that combines luxury with sport. The new bodywork is also very functional, designed for low aerodynamic drag to increase fuel efficiency and stability and decrease wind noise. COMFORT: In EX V6 trim, an Accord Coupe will disappoint only someone who absolutely has to have a luxury-brand name and wood trim. Seating surfaces and the steering wheel rim are leather, the console trim is aluminum veneer for a contemporary sport look, and carefully-designed soundproofing results in low noise levels. Both the power-adjustable driver's seat and manual front passenger seat are very comfortable, with good support for long drives. The driver is treated to a tilt and telescope-adjustable steering wheel. LED-lit instruments are easy to read in any light, and all controls are placed for easy use. The rear passengers are not an afterthought. If room and access aren't quite up to Accord sedan standards, they are still remarkably good, and two large-average sized people fit easily, with the center best for a smaller person. The trunk is huge, and the rear seat is split 60/40 to fold if really large items need to be carried. There is no need to compromise between form and function with the 2003 Accord Coupe. SAFETY: With a strong central structure and controlled crumple zones, the 2003 Accord was designed to rank at the top of all safety test ratings. Antilock brakes are standard on all new Accord sedans and coupes, and side airbags are available in LX four-cylinder models and standard in all V6 models. ROADABILITY: When designing the new Accord's structure, Honda engineers benchmarked much more expensive European sports sedans and coupes, and it shows. In ride and handling, the Accord EX V6 coupe feels like a much more expensive car. A rigid unibody structure and a revised and recalibrated fully-independent double-wishbone suspension provide the smooth, quiet, well- damped ride of a European luxury-sports car. Sixteen-inch 60-series tires are standard on automatic-equipped EX V6 coupes, while models with the six-speed manual transmission get 17-inch, lower- profile wheels and tires for slightly crisper turning response. PERFORMANCE: Some things never change. Even though its 3.0- liter VTEC V6 engine makes 240 horsepower at 6250 rpm and 212 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm, the Accord EX V6 Coupe is rated by the EPA at 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, as good or better than many ``economy cars'' of the past. And it has an LEV emissions rating and runs on unleaded regular. If the power and torque maxima seem high, VTEC variable valve timing and lift technology is used to fatten the low- and mid-range to the point that an automatic transmission may be the perfect match. There is never any power shortage, even for fast acceleration in traffic or while passing. The five-speed automatic is smooth and efficient, and uses ``grade logic'' programming to downshift smoothly on hills, and is very civilized. Acceleration is immediate. For the performance-minded, a six-speed manual gearbox is available at no extra cost, and should add to the already good fun-to-drive factor. CONCLUSIONS: Combine characteristics of a personal luxury- sport coupe with power and fuel economy and you get a 2003 Honda Accord EX V6 Coupe. SPECIFICATIONS 2003 Honda Accord Coupe EX V6 Base Price $ 25,900 Price As Tested $ 26,360 Engine Type single overhead cam 24-valve V6 with VTEC variable valve lift and timing Engine Size 3.0 liters / 183 cu. in. Horsepower 240 @ 6250 rpm Torque (lb-ft) 212 @ 5000 rpm Transmission 5-speed automatic Wheelbase / Length 105.1 in. / 187.6 in. Curb Weight 3294 lbs. Pounds Per Horsepower 13.7 Fuel Capacity 17.1 gal. Fuel Requirement 87 octane unleaded regular gasoline Tires P205/60 VR16 Bridgestone Turanza Brakes, front/rear vented disc / solid disc, antilock standard Suspension, front/rear independent double wishbone / independent multilink double wishbone Drivetrain front engine, front-wheel drive PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city / highway / observed 21 / 30 / 23 0 to 60 mph 7.0 sec Coefficient of Drag (cd) 0.29 OPTIONS AND CHARGES Destination charge $ 460