Last time we had this much fun, we were using our lunch money and somebody got four hours of detention.
At our 2007 10Best competition, we calculated that the average U.S. transaction price for a new car was $28,400. That was the average. So you wouldnt expect you could slice $8400 from that sum and still be rewarded with a full measure of vehicular va-va-voom. Tell the bartender you want to deduct a buck from your next draft beer, and all youll get is foam, right?
It used to be that the bottom feeders inhabiting this niche were plasticky and good for about three years worth of hard daily use. They were the cars youd get when you told the rent-a-car clerk, Ill take whatevers cheapest, an utterance youd regret about a mile from the airport.
But you know what? The sub-$20,000 category is nowadays populated by some alluring characters, and they arent all as slow as politicians doing math. Consider: The average 0-to-60-mph sprint in this 10-car group consumes only 7.4 seconds. Thats just a 10th behind, say, a Saturn Sky roadster.
To make the cut, co
ntestants must boast a base price at or below $20,000 and must be available in showrooms throughout the bulk of calendar-year 2007. Production cars onlyno aftermarket specials, although tuners aplenty exist, should you desire more puissance. If two cars post identical 0-to-60 dashes, then the car with the quicker quarter-mile sprint gets the nod. If theyre still tied, then the winner is the car that first reaches 100 mph, then 110 mph, and so forth. Simple. Like us.
We know its unlikely that any of these 10 will draw the sort of attention that causes parking valets to bump you to the head of the queue. But neither will they draw attention from the constabulary or from your insurance agent.
Theres a Zen-like purity in that.
Tenth Place: 2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5i
Base Price: $18,620
0-to-60-mph time: 7.9 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.0 sec @ 86 mph
Theres good noise, and theres bad noise. Since 2001, weve loved the endearing growl of Subarus boxer engines, and it is fair to say that, of the 10 cars on this list, only a variety of Honda Civics have supplied us with as much fun as have Subaru Imprezas.
The shift linkage is quick and positive, the controls are all where they should be, and the platform still feels taut and solid. The ride is decidedly firm, but the suspension is difficult to upset, and there are no extraneous body motions. The pedals are heel-and-toe friendly. And the Impreza is the only car on this list to offer all-wheel drive as standard equipment, a big deal for Snowbelters.
Few economy cars on the planet are as visceral, as hard-wired to the drivers inputs. But if this is an honest, no-frills piece of engaging engineering, it is also showing its age. Clutch takeup is slightly abrupt, making smooth launches tricky. Theres a little too much transmission windup. And the growl at WOTyeah, we still love itnonetheless needs to decrease by at least two decibels.
Good news: Most of what we dont love about the Impreza is said to have been addressed in the replacement model, due this fall. The cramped front and back seats grow, as does headroom. And the ride should relax a titch, courtesy of a longer wheelbase and a new rear suspension. Whats more, the single gaping nostril in the grille will disappear, a styling cue loved only by its creator.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $18,620
ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 150 cu in, 2457cc
Power (SAE net): 173 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 166 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 99.4 in
Length: 175.8 in
Width: 68.5 in
Height: 56.7 in
Curb weight: 3037 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 23.1 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 34.1 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 9.0 sec
Standing -mile: 16.0 sec @ 86 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.80 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/29 mpg
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Ninth Place: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS
-to-60-mph time: 7.8 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.3 sec @ 87 mph
Its hard to believe that this is the ninth-generation Mitsubishi Lancer, because the Lancer nameunless its attached to the trunk of an Evoremains about as well known as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. This latest Lancer is a first cousin to the Dodge Caliber, sharing both its platform and 2.0-liter 152-horse engine. For 2009, the Lancer adds the 172-hp 2.4-liter engine, also from the Caliber, as an option.
With its convex swath of faux carbon-fiber trim, the dash looks classy, and the three rotary HVAC controls are a paradigm of logic. The front seats are aggressively bolstered without being intrusive, all controls are intuitive and correctly located, and the back bench is roomy for two adults.
The steering feels natural, with appropriate heft at all speeds, and body motions are nicely damped. But the ride is firmperfect for Californians but noticeable in the frost-heave states.
What detracts most from an otherwise compelling package is the edgy engine noise making its way through the firewall, plus the somewhat flinty road noise filtering up through the suspension. Its a beef weve likewise aired upon stepping out of the Caliber.
This latest Lancer nonetheless looks the parthunkered down and urgentand the name may now finally register on buyers collective consciousness. What it still lacks, however, is the Nissan Altimas refinement and the Mazda 3s smile-per-mile quotient.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $18,115
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998cc
Power (SAE net): 152 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 146 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 103.7 in
Length: 179.9 in
Width: 69.3 in
Height: 58.7 in
Curb weight: 3050 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 8.3 sec
Standing -mile: 16.3 sec @ 87 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 170 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 21/29 mpg
Eighth Place: 2007 Honda Civic
Base Price: $15,605
0-to-60-mph time: 7.7 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
The latest Honda Civic is radically raked to direct air over a windshield as vast as a minivans, and its front apron looks about as aerodynamically massaged as that of Dale Jr.s Chevy.
The George Jetson treatment continues inside, with a two-part instrument cluster. First, theres a red, white, and blue tach on the lower half of the dash. Then theres a huge digital speedo on the upper half, perched just below the windshield like a pulsing neon eyebrow. The layout polarized C/Ds editors into two warring camps.
Otherwise, traditional Civic attributes abound: a light clutch and shifter. Supportive front seats. Crisp handling. Steering that involves you with road textures while isolating you from kickback. Fit and finish that no manufacturer can top at this price. And C/D-observed fuel economy of 33 mpgamazing for an engine we were endlessly zinging to its 6800-rpm redline.
In a six-car comparison test called <LINK>Sensible Shoes, a Civic LX finished third. It would have scored higher were it not for the wild dash and for one very un-Honda-like trait: noise. At wide-open throttle, our Civic made more racket than all but one in that group. And at idle, it was noisier than all of them. Hondas NVH engineers need to retake their Civics exam.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $15,605
ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 110 cu in, 1799cc
Power (SAE net): 140 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 128 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 106.3 in
Length: 176.7 in
Width: 69.0 in
Height: 56.5 in
Curb weight: 2701 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 8.6 sec
Standing -mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 125 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 191 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 30/38 mpg
Seventh Place: 2007 Hyundai Tiburon GT
Base Price: $19,995
0-to-60-mph time: 7.6 sec
Quarter-mile time: 15.7 sec @ 88 mph
We first sampled a Hyundai Tiburon in 1997. Back then, it was an ungainly little coupe that was long on economy but short on refinement. A decade later comes the freshened 2007 edition. Bit by bit, Hyundai has massaged the initially personality-impaired Tiburon into a composed commuter, an accomplished tourer, and an acceptably sporty back-roads burner.
The GTs 172-horse V-6 is virtually vibrationless at idle and revs smoothly and urgently, never sounding like its breathing hard. The five-speed linkage moves more cleanly than before, and the clutch is light, although engagement is near the top of the pedals travel. Indeed, all three pedals are closegreat for heel-and-toeing but a problem if youre wearing Doc Martens.
The steering is accurate, although its almost too quick upon turn-in and is occasionally disrupted by mild torque steer. The Tiburon nonetheless tracks like a much-longer-wheelbase car. Whats more, all of the interior surfaces are now satisfactorily renderedif a little dourwith a center stack that is a picture of clarity.
Despite the Tiburons 17-inch Kumhos, its ride is sufficiently cushy to satisfy most over-40-somethings. Theres more body roll than wed prefer, but the oingo-boingo rarely seems to upset the chassis, which can eke out a satisfying 0.84 g on the skidpad. And the brakes are phenomenal, stopping this handsome coupe in the same distance as the last Honda S2000 we tested.
The biggest knock against the Tib is that large Americans may not fit in it. The seat cushions are narrow. The footwells are cramped. Headroom is so meager that youll want to bypass the optional sunroof. And the rear seat is useful only for four bags of groceries.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door coupe
BASE PRICE: $19,995
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 162 cu in, 2657cc
Power (SAE net): 172 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 181 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 99.6 in
Length: 173.0 in
Width: 69.3 in
Height: 52.4 in
Curb weight: 3114 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 20.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 37.1 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 7.7 sec
Standing -mile: 15.7 sec @ 88 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 136 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 19/27 mpg
Sixth Place: 2007 Honda Accord
Base Price: $19,220
0-to-60-mph time: 7.5 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
If a pro athlete made it onto the all-star squad 21 times, youd either call him Your Holiness or on steroids. In the last quarter-century, the Honda Accord has qualified for 10Best honors in all but four years, yet its never landed on that list by dint of force.
Instead, the Accord earns accolades for being relentlessly agile and fluid. It offers a cushy ride but never wallows. Its steering is light but insistently transmits little e-mails informing of road texture and available grip. The 166-horse i-VTEC four delivers right-now throttle response and squirts to its redline like a spaniel fetching a mallard. The clutch is nearly frictionlessno problem holding it through an entire red light. And the shifter is easy to readslick and positive, such that you make heel-and-toe downshifts not because you have to but because Mr. Honda figured you might want to.
After sampling decades worth of Accords, well just fall back on all the hackneyed descriptors: Solid. Dependable. An ergonomic all-star. Voted most likely to hold its value.
Of course, we werent contemplating resale values when an Accord prevailed in a recent comparo earlier this year. We were just thinking about what wed most like to drive.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $19,220
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 144 cu in, 2354cc
Power (SAE net): 166 bhp @ 5800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 160 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.9 in
Length: 189.5 in
Width: 71.5 in
Height: 57.1 in
Curb weight: 3120 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.5 sec
Zero to 90 mph: 17.4 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 7.9 sec
Standing -mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 125 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.77 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 26/34 mpg
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At our 2007 10Best competition, we calculated that the average U.S. transaction price for a new car was $28,400. That was the average. So you wouldnt expect you could slice $8400 from that sum and still be rewarded with a full measure of vehicular va-va-voom. Tell the bartender you want to deduct a buck from your next draft beer, and all youll get is foam, right?
It used to be that the bottom feeders inhabiting this niche were plasticky and good for about three years worth of hard daily use. They were the cars youd get when you told the rent-a-car clerk, Ill take whatevers cheapest, an utterance youd regret about a mile from the airport.
But you know what? The sub-$20,000 category is nowadays populated by some alluring characters, and they arent all as slow as politicians doing math. Consider: The average 0-to-60-mph sprint in this 10-car group consumes only 7.4 seconds. Thats just a 10th behind, say, a Saturn Sky roadster.
To make the cut, co
ntestants must boast a base price at or below $20,000 and must be available in showrooms throughout the bulk of calendar-year 2007. Production cars onlyno aftermarket specials, although tuners aplenty exist, should you desire more puissance. If two cars post identical 0-to-60 dashes, then the car with the quicker quarter-mile sprint gets the nod. If theyre still tied, then the winner is the car that first reaches 100 mph, then 110 mph, and so forth. Simple. Like us.
We know its unlikely that any of these 10 will draw the sort of attention that causes parking valets to bump you to the head of the queue. But neither will they draw attention from the constabulary or from your insurance agent.
Theres a Zen-like purity in that.
Tenth Place: 2007 Subaru Impreza 2.5i
Base Price: $18,620
0-to-60-mph time: 7.9 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.0 sec @ 86 mph
Theres good noise, and theres bad noise. Since 2001, weve loved the endearing growl of Subarus boxer engines, and it is fair to say that, of the 10 cars on this list, only a variety of Honda Civics have supplied us with as much fun as have Subaru Imprezas.
The shift linkage is quick and positive, the controls are all where they should be, and the platform still feels taut and solid. The ride is decidedly firm, but the suspension is difficult to upset, and there are no extraneous body motions. The pedals are heel-and-toe friendly. And the Impreza is the only car on this list to offer all-wheel drive as standard equipment, a big deal for Snowbelters.
Few economy cars on the planet are as visceral, as hard-wired to the drivers inputs. But if this is an honest, no-frills piece of engaging engineering, it is also showing its age. Clutch takeup is slightly abrupt, making smooth launches tricky. Theres a little too much transmission windup. And the growl at WOTyeah, we still love itnonetheless needs to decrease by at least two decibels.
Good news: Most of what we dont love about the Impreza is said to have been addressed in the replacement model, due this fall. The cramped front and back seats grow, as does headroom. And the ride should relax a titch, courtesy of a longer wheelbase and a new rear suspension. Whats more, the single gaping nostril in the grille will disappear, a styling cue loved only by its creator.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $18,620
ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 150 cu in, 2457cc
Power (SAE net): 173 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 166 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 99.4 in
Length: 175.8 in
Width: 68.5 in
Height: 56.7 in
Curb weight: 3037 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 23.1 sec
Zero to 110 mph: 34.1 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 9.0 sec
Standing -mile: 16.0 sec @ 86 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.80 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22/29 mpg
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Ninth Place: 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS
-to-60-mph time: 7.8 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.3 sec @ 87 mph
Its hard to believe that this is the ninth-generation Mitsubishi Lancer, because the Lancer nameunless its attached to the trunk of an Evoremains about as well known as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. This latest Lancer is a first cousin to the Dodge Caliber, sharing both its platform and 2.0-liter 152-horse engine. For 2009, the Lancer adds the 172-hp 2.4-liter engine, also from the Caliber, as an option.
With its convex swath of faux carbon-fiber trim, the dash looks classy, and the three rotary HVAC controls are a paradigm of logic. The front seats are aggressively bolstered without being intrusive, all controls are intuitive and correctly located, and the back bench is roomy for two adults.
The steering feels natural, with appropriate heft at all speeds, and body motions are nicely damped. But the ride is firmperfect for Californians but noticeable in the frost-heave states.
What detracts most from an otherwise compelling package is the edgy engine noise making its way through the firewall, plus the somewhat flinty road noise filtering up through the suspension. Its a beef weve likewise aired upon stepping out of the Caliber.
This latest Lancer nonetheless looks the parthunkered down and urgentand the name may now finally register on buyers collective consciousness. What it still lacks, however, is the Nissan Altimas refinement and the Mazda 3s smile-per-mile quotient.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $18,115
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998cc
Power (SAE net): 152 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 146 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 103.7 in
Length: 179.9 in
Width: 69.3 in
Height: 58.7 in
Curb weight: 3050 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 8.3 sec
Standing -mile: 16.3 sec @ 87 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 170 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 21/29 mpg
Eighth Place: 2007 Honda Civic
Base Price: $15,605
0-to-60-mph time: 7.7 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
The latest Honda Civic is radically raked to direct air over a windshield as vast as a minivans, and its front apron looks about as aerodynamically massaged as that of Dale Jr.s Chevy.
The George Jetson treatment continues inside, with a two-part instrument cluster. First, theres a red, white, and blue tach on the lower half of the dash. Then theres a huge digital speedo on the upper half, perched just below the windshield like a pulsing neon eyebrow. The layout polarized C/Ds editors into two warring camps.
Otherwise, traditional Civic attributes abound: a light clutch and shifter. Supportive front seats. Crisp handling. Steering that involves you with road textures while isolating you from kickback. Fit and finish that no manufacturer can top at this price. And C/D-observed fuel economy of 33 mpgamazing for an engine we were endlessly zinging to its 6800-rpm redline.
In a six-car comparison test called <LINK>Sensible Shoes, a Civic LX finished third. It would have scored higher were it not for the wild dash and for one very un-Honda-like trait: noise. At wide-open throttle, our Civic made more racket than all but one in that group. And at idle, it was noisier than all of them. Hondas NVH engineers need to retake their Civics exam.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $15,605
ENGINE TYPE: SOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 110 cu in, 1799cc
Power (SAE net): 140 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 128 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 106.3 in
Length: 176.7 in
Width: 69.0 in
Height: 56.5 in
Curb weight: 2701 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 8.6 sec
Standing -mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 125 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 191 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 30/38 mpg
Seventh Place: 2007 Hyundai Tiburon GT
Base Price: $19,995
0-to-60-mph time: 7.6 sec
Quarter-mile time: 15.7 sec @ 88 mph
We first sampled a Hyundai Tiburon in 1997. Back then, it was an ungainly little coupe that was long on economy but short on refinement. A decade later comes the freshened 2007 edition. Bit by bit, Hyundai has massaged the initially personality-impaired Tiburon into a composed commuter, an accomplished tourer, and an acceptably sporty back-roads burner.
The GTs 172-horse V-6 is virtually vibrationless at idle and revs smoothly and urgently, never sounding like its breathing hard. The five-speed linkage moves more cleanly than before, and the clutch is light, although engagement is near the top of the pedals travel. Indeed, all three pedals are closegreat for heel-and-toeing but a problem if youre wearing Doc Martens.
The steering is accurate, although its almost too quick upon turn-in and is occasionally disrupted by mild torque steer. The Tiburon nonetheless tracks like a much-longer-wheelbase car. Whats more, all of the interior surfaces are now satisfactorily renderedif a little dourwith a center stack that is a picture of clarity.
Despite the Tiburons 17-inch Kumhos, its ride is sufficiently cushy to satisfy most over-40-somethings. Theres more body roll than wed prefer, but the oingo-boingo rarely seems to upset the chassis, which can eke out a satisfying 0.84 g on the skidpad. And the brakes are phenomenal, stopping this handsome coupe in the same distance as the last Honda S2000 we tested.
The biggest knock against the Tib is that large Americans may not fit in it. The seat cushions are narrow. The footwells are cramped. Headroom is so meager that youll want to bypass the optional sunroof. And the rear seat is useful only for four bags of groceries.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door coupe
BASE PRICE: $19,995
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 162 cu in, 2657cc
Power (SAE net): 172 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 181 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 99.6 in
Length: 173.0 in
Width: 69.3 in
Height: 52.4 in
Curb weight: 3114 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 20.9 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 37.1 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 7.7 sec
Standing -mile: 15.7 sec @ 88 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 136 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 163 ft
Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 19/27 mpg
Sixth Place: 2007 Honda Accord
Base Price: $19,220
0-to-60-mph time: 7.5 sec
Quarter-mile time: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
If a pro athlete made it onto the all-star squad 21 times, youd either call him Your Holiness or on steroids. In the last quarter-century, the Honda Accord has qualified for 10Best honors in all but four years, yet its never landed on that list by dint of force.
Instead, the Accord earns accolades for being relentlessly agile and fluid. It offers a cushy ride but never wallows. Its steering is light but insistently transmits little e-mails informing of road texture and available grip. The 166-horse i-VTEC four delivers right-now throttle response and squirts to its redline like a spaniel fetching a mallard. The clutch is nearly frictionlessno problem holding it through an entire red light. And the shifter is easy to readslick and positive, such that you make heel-and-toe downshifts not because you have to but because Mr. Honda figured you might want to.
After sampling decades worth of Accords, well just fall back on all the hackneyed descriptors: Solid. Dependable. An ergonomic all-star. Voted most likely to hold its value.
Of course, we werent contemplating resale values when an Accord prevailed in a recent comparo earlier this year. We were just thinking about what wed most like to drive.
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
BASE PRICE: $19,220
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 144 cu in, 2354cc
Power (SAE net): 166 bhp @ 5800 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 160 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 107.9 in
Length: 189.5 in
Width: 71.5 in
Height: 57.1 in
Curb weight: 3120 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.5 sec
Zero to 90 mph: 17.4 sec
Street start, 560 mph: 7.9 sec
Standing -mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 125 mph
Braking, 700 mph: 185 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.77 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 26/34 mpg
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