Last week my husband and I were supposed to go away for two days, but life got in the way and we had to cancel our trip. We had planned a mini-vacation, and the people at Honda offered the opportunity to test-drive their Honda Accord Sedan for a week. They delivered it in time for our trip.
I was excited. I’ve always loved the Honda Accord. That’s saying something since I’ve never been a car person. (My father recommended the first car I bought; since then my husband and son help me decide which ones to choose.)
I know next to nothing about cars, other than their color, how the interior looks and feels, whether the stereo provides good sound, if there’s plenty of legroom, and whether there’s a place for my coffee mug, water bottle, sunglasses and phone charger.
This Honda passed those tests.
We brought our newborn son home in my Honda twenty-one years ago. My husband had a Honda, and now our son drives it, with 120,000 miles, to college every day.
So I’m a little sentimental about the Honda Accord.
It’s always been a reliable car that drives smoothly, handles well and, despite the snow and ice we have on the East Coast, provides a safe ride.
After cancelling our trip I told my husband and son to drive it for the first few days. They were more than happy to oblige. They love talking and reading about cars, and jumped at the chance to drive this new Honda.
“The Accord has the look, the road manners and the feel of a luxury car. I was particularly impressed by the smooth-shifting transmission.” ~ My husband
"The Accord has an exceptionally luxurious interior, impressive MPG, a smooth ride and handling that is responsive yet a little light." ~My son
When it was finally my turn and I took my seat at the wheel it immediately felt luxurious. The softness of the black leather interior along with the comfort and back support of the driver’s seat all felt familiar and wonderful.
Having the worst sense of direction (I frequently get lost even with my GPS) it was nice to rely on the intricate navigation system that Honda provides. I’d never have to worry again about getting lost in Newark late at night or driving in the wrong direction on a major highway. (Don’t judge me!) The Honda’s navigation system is easy to use and hear.
There’s a lot of comfort in that.
I enjoyed the wide array of choices for listening to music. The safety feature of a lane departure warning to warn drivers about “un-indicated” lane departures, and the rearview camera feature turned on while in reverse, are both important options to have.
And, of course, the push start button, with no need for a key, was so cool and so George Jetson-ish.
The most striking aspect for me was how quiet the ride was. Since owning my first Honda I’ve had other cars, and they’ve all had differing degrees of outside or engine noise that disturbed my ride. With my acute hearing a “quiet” car is very important. So I was pleased at how quiet the cabin was without any ambient noise.
Their noise cancellation system certainly does the trick.
One thing I was not keen on was the integrated blind spot mirror. I found it distracting and hard on my eyes, finding the need to physically turn my head from left to right to locate each blind spot.
My review would not be complete without mentioning how good on gas the Honda continues to be. I’m always amazed at how much more we save on gas with the Honda over some of the other cars we’ve owned.
The three of us enjoyed our week with the Honda (I hated giving it back!) And when I’m ready to purchase my next car, I won’t need anyone else’s recommendation.
NOTE: I was provided with the Honda Accord to test-drive for one week. My opinions are solely my own.
Very cool! My husband and I both owned Hondas and found them to be exactly as you describe. Love the quotes from your car experts!
I loved the Accord I had 20 years ago and they've only gotten better.
We're a Honda family too. We've had a Pilot for years (Steve's car, when he's not commuting by bike), and I drive an Accord (passed down to me from my Dad). Not only are they great cars, but the Honda dealer in our town offers the best service anywhere. Truly, they are so awesome, I would stay with a Honda, just so I could see them every once in a while.
You look good in it! A quiet smooth ride is not to be white washed. From a gone wrong root canal to a bad headache a rough ride can be painful. I like 4 doors and a sunroof,I wish you could pass it on to me to try too!
I'm seriously considering a Honda Accord when my lease is up on my current car. And how funny that we both wrote about cars today!
I'm not a car person either but my kids love Honda and this just adds to make me feel positive about it.. My husband just drove over my foot and I'll just say a Honda would have been less weight and less injury. Haha
My husband and I both drive Hondas...we love them. I am not surprised you liked this one, Cathy...it looks awesome! You are right...they are great on gas!
Looks like a great car and looks like you were having a blast! You look like a natural behind that wheel!
Honda's rock! I've owned several myself. They last a long time and they're only getting better with the latest technology.
We are looking for a new car and, based on this, we need to look at a Honda! I love your point of view and would never judge :)!!!
Great review Cathy!
Oh, I love driving.... i'm a Toyota girl myself, but Honda was on the short list. I have to say that when I tried buying American in the car department, I had major problems with recalls and the like!
Cathy, I come from 3 generations of Honda drivers! They run forever and NEVER need crisis maintenance. And besides, you look fabulous in the driver's seat! 🙂
Beautiful car. I've driven a few Honda's in my life and they are made so well. Fun for you!
Never had a Honda but will have to consider it as my next car after reading our review
I've never had a Honda, although my daughter and son-in-law LOVE their Pilot (which replaced their Accord).
How fun for you! So great you've ventured into auto test drives! Cheers!
We just leased a new Honda Sports model. Well, my husband did. I'm still driving my truck, but I get to be a passenger in his new car. And it makes me feel like a Queen for the Day!
We're looking for a new car but it's such a hard decision! That and dealing care salesmen yuck! But I have an 07 HHR and it has 298, 000 yes you read that right! It still runs great but I mean really how many more can be left?!?