2003 Honda Accord Review
Fuel Economy
21 - 26 mpg
Summary
What Edmunds.com says
Honda fiddles with a successful recipe, leaving out some of the parts people seem to like and adding spice for which nobody asked. The result, to a critic's eye, is questionable, though it will certainly sell to the masses in the same quantities it does today.
Pros
Tight build quality, quiet cabin, refined powertrains, comfortable driver seat, outstanding optional navigation system.
Cons
Missing key features, relatively small trunk, mushy handling with V6.
What's New for 2003
The Honda Accord -- one of America's favorite vehicles -- has been substantially changed for 2003. Continuing as a sedan and a coupe, the 2003 Honda Accord features more powerful and fuel-efficient engines, increased safety and higher levels of interior comfort. A voice-activated GPS navigation system is optional, and a sporty EX coupe debuts in early 2003.
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
2dr- 4cyl- 156k original owner
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Honda Accord EX 2dr Coupe (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Bought the car new in '03...racked up 156k miles since. Overall a great car, minus a few issues. Reliability is great; only issue was a radio display that went out after 100k-Honda paid half. Engine still runs as smooth as when I bought the car. Great acceleration for a 4-banger. The bad: the rattles in the dashboard have been an ongoing issue since the car was new. Sounds like a tap-dancing gerbil lives in my dashboard...seats are pretty stiff, too. Overall, a very good car, minus the rattles. Still getting about 32 mpg- mostly highway. No issues with the manual transmission.
Favorite Features
Great gas mileage; good radio; interior display looks good; Honda reliability; feel like car could last another 100k
Suggested Improvements
dash/sunroof rattles; brakes are average at best; road noise could be better; seats are pretty stiff
Great car for the price
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 9 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Honda Accord LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
Review
Bought mine brand new for $21,000 out the door and very satisfied with the overall car. At 125,000 miles now, this car is rock solid and I commute with it daily. Oil change every 5,000 miles. So far the only major problem was the driver- side automatic door lock mechanism failed at about 105,000 mi which cost me about $600 to fix but that's because I used to keep pressing the unlock button on my key fob to blink the lights as I walk to the car, haha.
Favorite Features
Interior fit and finish is excellent. The engine note is pretty good for its displacement, class, and cylinder count.
Suggested Improvements
Road noise at cruising speed.
Best Overall Value Ever
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 8 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 8 | Interior Design: | 10 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Honda Accord EX 4dr Sedan w/Leather (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
Review
I bought this car new as a year-end model in Jan 04 and it has been nothing short of amazing. Classy looks, decent performance, perfect interior design, exceptional MPG and flawless workmanship. I believe this is the most well rounded vehicle on the market...can do it all while making you look good to boot!
Favorite Features
Interior design is cutting edge and functional.
Suggested Improvements
Would've liked memory switches on the power seat...with multiple drivers makes it hard to re-adjust the seat.
Disappointing
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 7 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 2 |
| Fuel Economy: | 7 | Exterior Design: | 6 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Honda Accord LX 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
Review
Purchased an Accord because of the famed reliability, but over the two years of ownership have found issues constantly creep up, often repeating, even after taking to the dealer to be addressed. It's a fun ride, spacious, and fuel efficient, but the annoyance of sometimes monthly visits to the shop have significantly reduced my trust in the product. Am far less likely to buy a Honda in the future; Toyota's quality seems much higher now.
Favorite Features
Fuel efficiency, good pick up with the manual, lots of room.
Suggested Improvements
Next Honda Is A Camry
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 5 | Fun-to-Drive: | 5 | Build Quality: | 3 |
| Comfort: | 3 | Interior Design: | 3 | Reliability: | 2 |
| Fuel Economy: | 5 | Exterior Design: | 5 | ||
Vehicle
2003 Honda Accord EX V-6 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
Review
This car is the 9th Honda product owned by me and my immediate family. At 76,000 miles with all scheduled maintenance performed, the transmission failed. Honda would not pay for any repair since it was out of warranty. Transmission overhaul cost $2,200. No more loyalty to Honda Motor Company from me. Transmission repair shops will tell you that the torque converter and internal filter are the weak links in all Honda transmissions.
Favorite Features
Suggested Improvements
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