cooling. More insulation has been added to successfully reduce engine and
road noise, and the redesigned automatic transmission is supposed to shift
more smoothly.
A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all sedans with four-cylinder
engines. A four-speed automatic is an $800 option or standard if you take
the optional V6 engine. Although the redesigned automatic is supposed to
shift more smoothly, we didn't notice much difference. It seemed to force
the 2.2-liter engine in our test car to rev higher before upshifting, creating
a little extra noise in the process.
Aside from that very small complaint, we found the Accord effortless
to drive and superbly comfortable. The Accord's double wishbone suspension
is as sophisticated as any of its competitors. As a result, the Accord
is quick and responsive to the wheel. It feels downright nimble as you
maneuver into a tight parking space and you feel only a modest amount of
body roll on corners.
Compared with a car like the Ford Contour, the Accord's suspension gives
a somewhat softer ride, though you can still feel all the bigger potholes.
The tradeoff is that it won't consume a winding mountain road quite as
quickly. Next Page