What's New for 2001

Review

The benchmark. The best-selling car in America. The highest resale value in its class. These are all statements that have been made with regularity concerning the Honda Accord, a vehicle that is always on the short list of the most popular cars in this country. The Accord won a loyal base of customers by offering notable performance, room for four, frugal fuel economy and a virtual guarantee that, if cared for properly, it would not break.

This sixth-generation Accord is available in coupe and sedan bodies, equipped with basic DX (sedan only), mid-grade LX, or loaded EX trim. The standard 2.3-liter four-banger in the DX Sedan is worth 135 horses. LX and EX models come with a VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) engine, in your choice of 2.3-liter four-cylinder (which generates 150 horsepower) or 3.0-liter V6 (200 horsepower) configurations.

The spunky fours can be mated to a slick-shifting manual or four-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. The V6, available only with the automatic, is a model of refinement, revving smoothly and silently.

Now that we've praised the living daylights out of this car, here's some bad news: The low price of the DX is accompanied by a low level of equipment. Also, the Accord is easy to drive, but it doesn't reward the driver much for the efforts. You won't mistake this for a performance car -- look to the Nissan Maxima for competent canyon carving. The Accord is suited more to daily driving in the urban jungle, featuring decent acceleration, strong brakes and light, effortless steering.

As with the Toyota Camry, refinement and attention to detail are the Accord's strengths. Almost all interior materials are pleasing to the eye and touch, and are assembled with great care. Gap tolerances are about half what you'd find in competing American products. Storage room abounds; the Accord mimics a minivan with so many places to stash maps, drinks, change, and assorted detritus. Spacious, comfortable and quiet, the Accord will tote many happy campers for miles on end as long as they don't mind the stiff highway ride. The seats are comfortable, both front and rear, and ergonomics are nearly flawless.

While not exactly spicy, the Honda Accord is the definitive family sedan or personal coupe. A low price, a high level of refinement, a cavernous interior, and a well-deserved reputation for reliability put the Accord at the top of the heap. Even a loaded EX V6 model with leather, alloy wheels, power moonroof, automatic climate control, CD player, premium sound, and steering-wheel radio controls struggles to surpass the $25,000 mark. Accord is the benchmark by which all other midsize cars are measured.