Hello! The 2024 used market says otherwise now, finding a V6 Coupe Manual is very hard, finding one at a decent price is even harder. People "know what they have" and are charging for it. We are realizing that with this push for EV's and this being the (correct me if I'm wrong) last Honda V6 manual, people want it before they're all gone. But wait there's more! The next gen Accord after this will be appreciated for the 2.0 Turbo detuned Type R engine and can actually be found with a manual transmission will be regarded as the last great Accord and those will retain value and be ridiculous on the used market eventually. Stop waiting till it's too late and over paying for old cars. If I've learned anything it's that people rush to buy the cool fun enthusiast cars that are rapidly going away on the used market, we appreciate them when they are becoming hard to get, we realize "It's now or never, I need it before it's gone!". This tells me you need to appreciate what the good cars are today, what do we have now that isn't old yet, is a great car, not overpriced yet and people will be scrambling to pick up on the used market for way more than it's worth just because it's that great. Appreciate the good cars we have now before you find yourself scrambling to pay 25K for a 10 year old Honda.
@christopher-gardner you got that right. CarMax got me paying $600/month for 6 months for a 2015 EXL V6 Accord Coupe.. first time car buyer problems, I was an idiot for signing without looking at all the numbers...
The Accord V6 is actually pushing closer to 300 HP if you look at the dyno tests. Honda underrates the power output of the Accord for fear of getting too close to Acura figures.
Shouldn't be that surprising considering both have essentially the same engine, but the TLX V6 AWD is 300 pounds heavier. Doesn't excuse Honda for making the TLX slower than the two previous gen TLs. Yeah, it's slower. TLX should be doing 60 in the low 5s.
Man I love my accord coupe v6 exl. Such a tragedy that Honda discontinued it. It's fast, it's handsome, it has a nice throaty exhaust growl. It will go down in history as a collector car like the integra type R, Acura NSX & S2000
not really I own a HFP Accord and I spent about 4k on the car in the past year for timing belt? who the heck uses a timing belt at this day n age. Tires, new brakes and rotors and some misc stuff that it needed. I want to go back to German cars. My e39 M5 was more reliable and cheaper to run the 2 years I had it.
Sebastian Rogers I have a 2012 Jetta and it has a timing belt. German cars are generally more expensive to repair compared to the Japanese, so if you paid 4k just for timing belt changes, you got robbed...or either you drove your car too long with the belt. If it gets worn out , it can destroy the components it supports, now that's an expensive repair. With that money, you can replace my timing belt, yours, and another vehicle.
@@djzyx im about to get my water pump, timing belt and a few other parts replaced. The shop wants a $1,000. You probably drove the car too much before maintenance. Do you know what parts had to be replaced?
I just picked up a 2014 v6 coup accord for 16,700 with 46k miles. Honda sold me a 5 year 100k warranty for 2 grand. I’ve never been behind the wheel of any sports cars just luxury cars like bmw, Infiniti, and this is the fastest car I’ve ever driven
Just until the German cars approach 90,000 miles. Repair costs will resemble car note payments. The Honda will happily continue on to the double century mark with little repairs.
I loved this review - seeing the Accord coupe being compared to its German luxury competitors; finally. Thanks Everyday Driver. Coming from a 2.7L bi-turbo Audi A6 and making the switch to the Accord V6 coupe; I can honestly say that I, too, was very impressed with what I was getting for the money. Yes, the Honda may not be as "flashy" as its German competitors, but it by far kicks their ass in the dependability / reliability / maintenance categories. My Audi costs me thousands of dollars in maintenance after reaching the 100k mile mark and its resale value plummeted over the years. Honda is one of the highest ranked cars for maintaining resale value and has engines that are known to soar over the 300k mark with minimal maintenance costs. :) On a long road trip, my V6 Accord easily averages 30-32 mpg highway (avg speed 70-75mph). My Audi averaged 22, MAYBE 25, on a good day. I do not regret going with the Accord V6 coupe one bit.
I have to agree with some of the comments here about the reliability of German cars past the 100,000 mile mark. I own a 2008 BMW 335I Coupe and I have spent tons on repairs. Just this past weekend the thing overheated and I was stuck on the freeway. I'm done with it and I'm looking at this Honda Accord Coupe. I owned a 1998 Honda Civic that I drove for 10 years till I got the BMW and not a single major issue on that car.
TheDvsoldier I too have a BMW 335i coupe (2007) that I have spent a ton of money to repair. The water pump failure that left me on the side of the freeway cost $1200 to repair. Then there's the control arm bushing, tensioner and serpentine belt replacement, vacuum line replacement, and now it needs the valve cover gasket and the oil filter housing gasket replaced as it is leaking oil. All of this at 88,000 miles. I'm trading this car in for an Accord Coupe and running far away from BMW.
Shane Phelps I ended up getting a Accord Coupe V6 a few days after the 335i died on me and so far so good. The car runs great since its new and all but I know that I have a car for years to come. One thing that made realize that I made the right call was saving money on gas. I run the car the same miles I did on the BMW which I used to gas up at least twice a week and had to use premium. I can run the Accord for over a week with one fill up and I use regular gas! So I'm happy!
The Accord V6 6MT has been an unsung hero for a very long time, I'm glad you guys gave it some attention! That being said, man that CLA seems appealing doesn't it? A FWD M-B just seems to be such an affront, yet the results speak for themselves.
I love German cars and I'm sick in the head for BMWs and Porsches, but in this mashup, I will take the accord coupe over the Germans. You cannot beat Honda's VTEC engines for sheer response and N/A excitement and nobody does manual transmissions like Honda. I will continue to support Honda and if I'm honest (subjective), the Honda looks better than the overly-aerodynamic German cars. Audis should always be AWD and Benz should either be rwd or awd. FWD cars is where Honda takes the cake. Awesome mash up guys !
WoW! I really thought the Accord coupe V6MT would have been better. I'm a Honda fan, and from my Prelude and S2000 I know that they are supposed to take a corners at unbelievable speeds with great feel through the wheel and seat! It's unfortunate that new Hondas do not have the same driving spirit they once had. You guys are so honest and say it how it is, best car reviews on the net! Have a good one guys.
Paul and Todd, i feel like this mashup is clearly missing one point where how the car is more liveable everyday as a daily driver. It seems to me that because you guys are so much enthusiastic in driving that you guys almost forgot to outlay the comfort suspension huge difference between the CLA and the A3. People don't buy these cars just to drive at the canyons (or even go to the track). They drive them around town and get stuck-ed in traffic as well. We know you guys are eager about driving dynamics of the cars, but how liveable the car is, is very to important to a lot of people as well.
Amen to that, if you're like most people you're mostly concerned with whether you can live with a car as a daily driver and how much you'll enjoy being stuck in it in heavy traffic instead of how much steering feedback you get on the "twisties"(I hate that term so damn much)
Excellent comment, I got my 2014 v6 coupe because the maintenance on the g37 coupes and the 370z wasn’t as affordable as the Honda, a lot of people want fast cars so they don’t have to push the engine hard to go fast, the v6 coupe I have yet to punch because it’s already insanely fast
I have a black 2010, 250,000 kms, not one problem and I see the mechanic once a year to fix anything that needs it. He never finds anything except regular maintenance
I like the earlier body style too. But, couldn't find one and bought a 2012 EXL V6 coupe. It's a bit larger than previous but that turned out to be a plus.
I love your reviews guys! U rock! I´m from Lima-Perú and I have a Mercedes Benz A 200 which is like the hatch back version of the CLA with a manual gear box and I just love it, I have always been a BMW fan but when I tested the 118 i and the A3 I just found out that overall the A 200 was the best of the three even though the bmw is the only rear wheel drive of its class. Keep up doing this amazing reviews! Cheers!
Got mine (V6 manual, the only way to go on a coupe imo) and put the matching HFP 19" wheels with sport tires on it and added the HFP struts. It performs on cornering much better than with stock options.
As an owner of the Accord, the biggest problem with the car are indeed the tires. Grippier tires and 1" drop springs made the car feel like a completely different car. Way better.
Paul and Todd make awesome VIDEOS as we all know. They need to not agree on everything or else this would not be as much fun to watch. Great Job guys and I know you take the money you guys make and reinvest into the next videos. Can't wait to see what's next!
Interesting comparison, i have 2 of these vehicles in my garage, the A3 and the Accord and i agree in all aspects... A3 is a solid well assembled german car, it is a shame the tires it has, they are bad quality tires (Dunlop Sport Maxx RT). Power is not bad but you can fell the turbo lag under 2000 RPM. Accord Coupe, awesome engine, very powerful and comes with all gadgets, even more than my Audi. I shall say it is a fun car, even though you can fell the chassis rolling. For regular users with sports mood like me this is a good commuting car.
Some $275 Eibach lowering springs, that 22mm sway bar Hudson Brand mentioned, and some Falken FK453's on the Accord and it's lights out for zee Germans! Nice honest video review though guys, good job!
I have a 2014 Exl V6-coupe in Modern Steel Metallic and love it. No complaints here so far. 278hp n 252 lbs of torque. With a takeda sri I can gain 11-13 hp extra based on the dyno proven results.
TheDvsoldier , sorry for the late reply. Sedans have more parts out . The coupe are limited to find as of right now. Ive looked for parts for the coupes and they dont make many parts out for them yet. Only thing ull find alot out for our cars are the intakes but that is about it. Window visors also. Id give it a yr or two before u starting doing cosmetic builds so that ull have more options.
I bought the Accord coupe V6 because it makes the so much sense on the freeway (passing speed), it'll be as reliable as a carpenter's hammer, and it will retain it's value MUCH better than the German competition.
nastraightsix the 6speed in my opinion was nearly perfect I did some work on the car so it could handle a little better until I sold it couple years ago. Now I drive a 2013 stang the coyote engine is amazing except now I get the stereotype of mustang owners are assholes but that's fine lol they are great bang for the buck and I love it
It's only going to get worse next year when you will be able to buy a better looking, better handling mustang next year. I respect honda for making the accord coupe v6 manual I'm just not sure who they're making it for.
If both of you don't like the tires on the accord you can always get better ones for less 1200 and you still gonna be under the Benz price I'm just saying.
You can buy the Accord EX-L V6 loaded for under 30K. I have had mine with the automatic for 3 years and 90K miles. Zero repairs (brakes once tires twice). Yes it is front drive so 0-60 times suffer, but on the road it is point and shoot with an on center feel that is razor sharp. Let's face it we can hardly ever drive flat out like these test videos. So I will take the much higher horsepower of the Honda which is on demand all the time for acceleration and passing. I have had many cars and sports cars. The Honda is one of my all time favorites. It is fun to drive everyday. Plus, it snows where I live, so I will be on the road while the Mercedes and Audi will be stuck in the garage! The sound system is awesome too!
Just got an EX-L V6 MT for 20k @ 22k miles last month. Such a fun-ish car. It has that capability to play around....but it still for some reason makes you want to drive like an adult. I find myself driving around in Eco mode more than in TCS off. Last week I purchased Exhaust, Intake, and Coilovers to try to wake it up; hopefully this makes the car as fun inspiring as it can be.
Well. I was one hour into writing a great reply with fun metaphors and facts. Then I hit F12 with some other obscure key and lost everything. So I'll write an angry summary instead. You have to love Honda, the idea of one of the best Honda V6's ever, the idea of great shifting feel, and the idea of "if only" in order to get past it's shortcomings. The car is lavished in all sorts of dreams. From old school racing dreams to new school "Earth Dreams" you can sense the feeling of pride built into this car. You can feel that you are doing something special, that you are driving one of the last Honda unicorns, that you are driving a car that took a whole hell of a lot of meetings and people to get a massive business to say "what the heck, do it". A car of which out of 350,000 Accords sold each year in the US only a fraction of those are optioned up to "EX-L". Then only a fraction of a fraction of those are given a V6. Then only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of those are turned into Coupes. Then only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction are given that ever so rare manual transmission. You see, deeper into any Facebook or UA-cam comment about what cars are better based solely on power figures and 0-60 times (of which the Honda Accord V6 MT has 278hp/252lb-ft and uses it for 5.5 seconds from 0-60) is a question that makes most car guys take a deep breath and sigh "wow, that's kind of a big question." "So how does it drive?" Inside of all the dreams of Honda that surround this car there is an overwhelming stench. Like a lover's fart that rips you from your sleep, the car reeks of the biggest problem ever introduced into the car world; budget. Have you ever driven a car that can turn off the steering wheel? This car has that feature. Every time you wind up that beautiful V6, and by god you want to experience it every chance you get, the combination of Honda V6, FWD, an open differential, and terrible stock tires makes each corner through the canyon somewhat scary. You can tell that there's room for improvement on both sides. You can get better as a driver and on the other hand the car can get better. Maybe if I took this car to the track and really pushed it then I could learn its limits because there's no way tires and steering feel is going to teach me. By the way did I mention that my fiance's base model Mazda 3 with some of the cheapest tires on steelies has better steering feel? I get the feeling that even if I put some Hankook R-S3 tires on all four corners that I still would have some anxiety at heart due to the steering numbness. There's another problem that I just don't know how to segway to so I'll say it flat, this car begs for a different suspension setup. I get the feeling that somewhere deep in the bowels of Honda there was a war. Team passion project said, "look, this car can be fun. Let us do it our way." This was closely followed by a check being written for far less than team passion project asked for. So they did the best they could. They managed to create a "new" chassis which is 2" shorter than the sedan but as a result needed to save money while still making the car useful for the possible (but rare) 5 passengers in a coupe. All this meant absurdly stiff rear suspension. Couple that with the lightest trunk I've ever opened and a single rear bench that I swear I could fold and lift with my pinky toe and you get a car that just straight up feels too nose happy. It actually feels more stable with a full load of people. This car needs a new suspension setup badly...but at what cost? You need to ask yourself, why are you getting this car? The power is addicting but rarely usable. The handling is lackluster but any modification without some serious cash might ruin those back seats coming into use....it really is a great car on the highway and for the "if only" game. Unfortunately at its core it's still an Accord; it's still a commuter car and it shows. So why do I have this car? It's the perfect car for me. The car screams "Help, I'm being forced to grow up!" and that suits me perfectly. I'm a 24 year old who just got engaged, a promotion at work, and I convinced my fiance that "hey, this can seat children in the back or I'll sell it to someone for little loss because it's a rare Honda." I like weird shit as my crashed (RIP) 399hp Turbo PT Cruiser, SVT Focus track car, and Chevy Spark EV lease shows and the Honda Accord Coupe V6 MT has some strange personality but some fun bark & bite as well. By the way, I took off the ATLP exhaust because this motor and it were so droney that I thought it was going to hit the brown note. I also took off the intake because I was seeing evidence of heat soak. I have yet to install the coilovers I purchased because I want to get some good rubber and new wheels as well and install that all in one. Sometimes I wonder if I should even do that.
You guys have become my favourite car show after Top Gear mainy because you review the cars based on how they "feel" rather than the numbers. I love the fact that you talk about numbers and figures very little and focus on the more important thing. Another reason is the fact that you drive those cars the way they're meant to be driven (within the limitations of of the law) and not just cruise along b-roads talking about the cars' numbers, which gets pretty boring pretty fast. If ever you have more funds available (which I expect you will) make sure you spend that on a bit of tarmac that's closed to traffic, as more shots of you going sideways will improve the entertainment value immensely. Oh and Todd's analogies are pretty good... not Clarkson caliber yet, but pretty good. :D
+Christian Nelson - We're very thankful for the compliments and appreciate your encouragement. As we've always said "You can't drive a spec sheet" and the numbers often don't tell you if a car is any fun. We're very glad to have you with us and enjoying what we do. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Thanks for breaking the mold by including the 6-6 Accord Coupe in this comparison, it is a car that gets overlooked a lot. That being said, with the 19" wheel option (includes Continental summer tires) and HFP suspension (or a set of Eibach springs combined with the stock dampers) I think some of the slop you are concerned about would go away. You can get the coupe + better tires + HFP sport suspension and still come out ahead on money by a nice amount. Just a thought, and yes, this stuff is available at the dealer, you can get it with the car new.
Yea dude 2014 accord coupe v6 is probably the best one yet. I have that too, and now I look at the 2016 one, they took out the volume knob and made everything touch screen
I am positive you have been asked this before but I need a video comparing 4 door sports sedans like the Audi S4, BMW M3 etc... I find your unbiased honest reviews to be very helpful and fulfilling my request above will help me a lot in deciding what car to buy.
you guys are called EVERYDAY DRIVERS we dont live on those swirly and dynamic roads we get stuck thru downtown and stuff if someone were to use them everday it would be cheaper to maintain that honda than that mercedes !! mercedes parts costs like 3-4 times more than honda parts!!
We know these roads don't represent the typical drive, but we also know that watching cars in traffic is pretty uninteresting. We hope our locations are great to look at and encourage viewers to seek out fun roads. You're absolutely right about the maintenance costs and we hope you noticed the number of mentions about the value of the Honda. You also might enjoy our audio podcast "the car debate" where we help viewers find a car that works for their lifestyles and budgets - we discuss maintenance and commuting driving in those discussions. Thanks for watching and commenting!
hell The show is about practicality AND fun. I love how they talk about both. We may not all live on windy back roads, but why settle for cars with boring dynamics?
+hell Yeah and how much boring it would be to drive that honda :) Come on, everyday driver does not necesarily mean someone who boring everybody with discussions about maintenance costs.
***** Honestly, I'd love any of those :) But I'm really disappointed on how the Honda 'talks' to the driver. From my experience and from what guys here said in the review the steering seems kinda numb.
It's interesting to see that the american Accord materials are now almost as good as german entry-level luxury ones. I mean, they even designed a cheaper Accord for America and sold the european Accord as luxury brand Acura TL. Basically what was pretty much standard in europe was good enough to be sold as luxury in the states. I'm happy to see that finally cars for the american market get good interiors. I'm not in the market for this kind of car, but it almost makes me wish they would bring it over here to Germany. We could use some more affordable coupes.
Despite the counter arguments, I always assumed that front wheel drive cars were better at cornering than rear since the actual driving wheels are the ones you point to where you want to go.
I own an '14 Accord Coupe, frankly ... Take all the Honda bagdes away and put Acura's instead and those base "luxury" shoppers would be fooled in a flash !
I have a 2016 Accord touring Coupe it's an automatic I do agree that there's not much steering feel but it's very flat through the corners, doesn't feel like there's any understeer. now I don't know if that's because I have a strut brace( it looks like it came from the Factory, honestly looks real cheap) but I was surprised how well it was glued to the road
I would definitely get the Honda first but I can't trust Audi. After all these years, they're loaded with electrical issues. After 100,000 they're not the same car. maybe even less
In Canada, I went to a dealership and found a 2016 Honda Accord V6 Touring Coupe with Continental tires instead of the Michelins shown in this video. Not sure if factory or a dealer thing. Gripped really well from my experience with those tires but I don't know everything that they changed between this Accord and the 2016 other than the exterior and some of the new accessories. Really liked the wireless phone charger. Drove a 2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe just before I drove the Accord and honestly I wanted the Accord more, despite usually being more biased towards RWD cars.
For what it's worth I'd pick the accord ... Handling isn't as on point as the Germans but reliability, price, power. And resale value are better that the Audi and Benz... That says a lot for a non-luxury brand competing in a luxury segment ... Great review ... U guys should always have a wild card. I was counting down the days to see part 3
these must be the only guys who would choose the CLA over the A3. most other reviews talk about CLAs poor cabin quality, sloppy engine performance and annoyingly bumpy ride with its stiff suspension. Styling is subjecting, but I thought the A3 would be the better drivers car compared to the CLA
Watched all 3 reviews, well done . I own a CLA and love it. Certainly feel everything on the road and there's a hint of turbo lag but still happy with purchase.
Another great comparison! The Accord Coupe wasn't even a car that i had thought of, let alone considered for my next car, but now i'm at least thinking about it. Leasing one would rule out any mods to improve the handling, so that might still be a deal breaker, but regardless, thanks for throwing another car into the mix! Can't wait for the next video!
where do yall do all of your review runs? ive seen yall on pch, in hollywood and in canyons. also seen yall in snow. but no idea where you are when reviewing. love the show. please keep it up and keep it going. thank you for the information and entertainment.
+kyle gauly - We're very glad you're enjoying what we do! We shoot all over the Los Angeles area, and also around Salt Lake City, where the show is now based. Most press cars come out of LA, so we'll always shoot around there. Thanks very much for watching and taking the time to comment!
I have a honda accord v6 coupe and I gotta disagree with you guys when you say it's not a driver's car. The car is super dynamic and can easily be a daily driver or road tripper, which I think is why you kick it out of that category, but a lot of people want that quality! The Focus RS, wrx STI, Lancer, etc. may be more driver experience-oriented but they're not great cars for making long treks in. They're uncomfortable after an hour or two and can be obnoxious when you're just trying to chill on the freeway. The accord coupe is a comfortable and efficient car, but when you're feeling showy it's super easy to make it a fun and sporty drive. I've modified my accord coupe and made it even more of a driver's car which helps immensely if that's what you're looking for. Borla exhaust, body kit, new rims and tires, duck lip spoiler, and I have people mistaking it for a BMW. Plus it's got a nice deep tone from the v6! This car is totally slept on, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a daily driver with a lot of spunk.
i wish you guys would review a couple more Pontiacs. I know the Pontiac brand was retired. However, they are enthusiast's cars and they're definitely an "everyday driver" I just love Pontiac's performance cars there's not many reviews out there on them, People still buy them used a lot. I have bought 3 of them in the past few years. Anyway, it probably won't happen, I do appreciate your review on the Solstice though! Keep up the great work!
Great comparison overall. Nice to see that a humble Accord can still show up the A3 and CLA and teach the new blood a thing or two. Kudos too to Mercedes-Benz for judging the CLA bang-on. It's also good to see that you don't necessarily need the AMG magic; the base car is plenty good enough as it is.
You guys got this one wrong. I believe that the Accord v6 coupe should’ve won. It’s faster, cheaper, no turbo lag and a screaming 7000 rpm v6 matched with a slick 6 speed which is unique for this segment. the only thing that is holding it back is $1200 or so for some quality tires such a set of Nitto Motivos. You even admit in the video that the factory tires are holding back the handling. Big deal, factory tires are often specced for cost and durability, not performance.
I have a 13 Accord V6. It would be a great sport coupe with a LSD. It totally rapes my A4 in every way but bad weather driving. Open up the exhaust/Intake and tune it on a dyno and it’s capable of low 13 second passes at the drag strip. I use Comp 2 tires but still over power the rubber.
The manual gets the far more reliable non-VCM equipped version of the fantastic J35. I currently have 2 EX-L V6 coupes, a 2012 and 2017. My 2012's engine was taken out by a faulty VCM at 130,047 miles, despite excellent preventive maintenance. I've owned 7 Honda automobiles over the course of the last 30 years, since 1992, and am painfully aware of following a strict maintenance schedule, having blown 2 d-series Civic engines in the 90's when the timing belts let go. The timing belt of my 1991 CRX Si let go at 61,000~ish miles back when Honda recommended a 60,000 mile replacement. Fortunately, I purchased an extended warranty and it 100% covered the repair in 1997. I love the way Honda used to be, an engineering company that built cars for driving. The current iteration of Honda is a marketing firm that pushes meh products and put out a halo Type R to grab magazine covers. The current 2022 line up, well, they have zero on offer for me. IF I were to go with another Accord down the road, it'd have to be another 2017 coupe with the manual and V6. So sweet. What an incredible free revving engine.
i'm trading in my 2013 EX-L V6 Coupe this week for the 2017 EX-L 4 cylinder coupe...same red color etc...Its been a blast driving the V6 but honestly, it came down to wear and appearance and all the upcoming service costs at 108,000 miles: timing belt, tuneup, brakes, radiator fluid, even my remote key functions stopped working etc..i'm avoiding all those costs (estimated at $2K) and literally switching cars and payments. I'm sure i am going to miss the power but the car itself is so easy to drive and its just a fun daily commuter i am getting the same car - just 4 years newer.. .mine has so many small dings, chips, hail dents and wheel scratch/gouges that it looks like i thrash it off-road or something. It took the beating without blinking but it just doesnt feel good driving a car that you know has so many visible flaws. I highly recommend the Accord EX-L Coupe and i'll let you know if the 4 cylinder is a huge letdown!
Tires are the very first thing one should change if a person is not happy with a car's handling. I am willing to bet real money that if one would put a set of Conti ExtremeContacts on that Accord there would be a new order on this list.
Remember that tires don't change handling. Tires improve grip, but handling is something else. Handling is the suspension, the chassis, the damping and rebound in the shocks, the anti-roll bars, the caster and camber settings, the spring rates, all that good stuff. In fact if a car doesn't handle well to begin with, putting sticky tires on it is just going to give it more body roll, not improve the handling.
Vernon Price Handling is combination of factors- I agree with you, but for the price I think the Accord is unmatched. You just can't ignore the value, especially when resale and maintenance costs are considered. Some of the FWD understeer could be dialed back by using a bigger rear sway bar (like the TSX did). Putting the car on wider rims with better tires would improve the steering feel some, but once you put some aftermarket springs or coilovers on the car it should be pretty fantastic all around. Todd/Paul, this review was excellent and spot on. Thanks.
Hashim Azam Rear sway bar = handling. Wider tires = NOT handing. That's grip not handling. Regardless, the point is that if the car's handling is not up to scratch, all stickier tires are going to do is induce more body roll, not make it handle better. If you have to replace all the suspension components to make it handle well, then it's safe to say that it's not a good-handling car from the factory.
Wider tires are grip, you're right- however different tire/rim setups change road feel. Tell me that your car rides the same on a set of 16 inch and 20 inch rims, then I'll agree with you. I'm lumping road feel in with handling and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would.
I owned the original Accord.( first lroper ) Coupe V6 EXL Red 1999 137,000 miles the third transmission was the end I currently own Accord Touring Coupe V6 White ( last top of the line flag ship ) It has larger 19 tires than the EXL, upgrades suspension which made a huge differemce compared to the EX. It has efforrless smooth power, recently I had Flacon tires fitred the grip is immense.
Came back to tgis video after a few years. I watched this video prior to buying my Accord Coupe back in 2017. I test drove maybr 20 vehicles and decided the Accord checked the most boxes. 6 years later and I still love the car. Other opportunities came up to buy different newer vehivles and I just couldnt do it. The Accord Coupe V6 6MT is just too much of a unicorn.
I would have liked to hear some commentary about reliability and maintenance costs. On both counts I believe the Honda would be unapproachable. After 105,000 kilometers on a Honda FIT Sport with all of $38.0 for unscheduled maintenance costs for light bulbs which I changed myself all I have had to do was regular maintenance and one set of tires. No brake or clutch jobs, nothing at all. That has sold me on Honda products. That is one of the reasons it is at the top of the list as my next car.
I've watched this comparison a few times, and I completely disagree with the conclusions. The Honda is the superior "drivers" car. It has a 6 speed manual with too much power for a FWD car. It takes some finesse in and out of corners, and the brakes aren't made for performance, but for an everyday driver car, it is amazing. Flappy paddle gearboxes are nice if you don't want to drive a manual, but if you want the thrill of being connected to your car, then the Accord is simply the best pick out of this bunch. It has one of the best manual gearboxes around, great power bands in all gears, and is a great daily driver or car to take out on the weekends. I agree with the comments about having the Accord HFP package, but that is indeed a dealer add on. It makes a huge difference in the handling, but doesn't fully address the braking (other than tires helping the stopping distance).
These guys are what's wrong with humans. Saying a car sucks because of its tires? It's not only the most powerful car there, it's the most reliable, it has the highest resale value, it won't lose 70 percent of its value in 5 years, it won't cost more than the car is worth to repair it when something goes wrong. They are just salesman, telling you to buy the more expensive item.
You should consider the VW CC for this price range :) Looks better than these 3, is bigger, has the same power, can get a manual, can get a v6 with AWD and is fun to drive!
Accord V6 Guide to making it a better dance partner: 22mm anti-sway bar out back by ULTRA Racing Thicker Strut Brace up front Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 (for all season) and if you're willing to get a 2nd set of tires (summer and winter) Michelin CrossClimate 2 in the winter Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in the summer Watch handling go up nicely.
Great review guys. You guys are some of the best on UA-cam. I own a 4cyl Accord with the manual (which no one ever reviews) and it handles better than the V6 to me, mostly because it's lighter. I think the HFP package would definitely change your opinion of the Accord V6 but at $5k it may push it out of most people's price range when shopping for an Accord.
Being 45, I've owned a variety of cars. Even though Hondas aren't the most fun to drive, they're the most reliable. When I had an MDX, and a Prelude, all they ever needed were oil changes. Still the best all around, are BMWs, for it's balance, braking, feel, speed, and just enough luxury. The way they drive make you happy enough to forget the frequent repair costs.
I've driven that same car on a few different occasions but the one i drove had White paint. Anyways, it has a fantastic Engine and Gearbox but I tell ya what though, if Honda had installed a Limited Slip Differential from the factory and then paired it with that Excellent 6 speed manual transmission, put some sticky race type tires on on it like the Bridgestone Potenza R-01's something like that, and also employed an hydraulically controlled power-assisted steering rack instead of that garbage Electric rack that gives zero road feel with the tires and man....that Accord Coupe would've have been Dramatically improved definitely. Oh yeah, aftermarket lowering springs and damper kit on all corners and in my book, would be the icing on the cake for that particular ride ⛽🔥🚀
I’m so happy with my 2013 Accord EXL V6 Coupe...just over 80k trouble-free miles...even replaced those original Michelin’s with another set why? Because they last forever (70k) and get amazing gas mileage . It really is the perfect commuter car. Passing horsepower alone is worth it: more confidence, quick response with the paddle shifters and you still get 38 mpg!!! I’ve owned 5 new 4 door Accords since 1997 and other than the smaller size (nothing is more spacious than a 2008 accord) this coupe is fun to drive and loaded with features including Honda reliability!
Accord+ better shocks, lowering springs, swaybars, wider, stickier front tyres on lighter rims, better brake pads and ss lines, and an intake for the sound. That would be a super fun GT car.
Really not sure about Honda's steering nowadays. I've driven a new Accord sedan and a new CRV and they are so damn numb. My Integra and my mom's TSX feel way better. I know my integra is an older car, so I guess more feel would be expected. But my mom's TSX is 2008 and that thing feels frickin fantastic.
Price when you take them to the mechanic:
Mercedes: $4000.00
Audi: $3850.00
Honda: $399.00
Well that timing belt on that Honda won't be $399
@@geo745don yeah but that's at 105k! Save 100$ a month for one year! Not hard to do at all and you are good
@@geo745don timing chain in the 4cyl and a more bullet proof engine
@@commandertaco1762
The 6 Cylinder Honda's are Timing Belt
@@geo745don yeah, I am aware of that, I appreciate that too, easier to change than a chain
Accord V6 coupe is still underrated. She can beat so many so called meaty muscle and turbo cars on highways.
Hello! The 2024 used market says otherwise now, finding a V6 Coupe Manual is very hard, finding one at a decent price is even harder. People "know what they have" and are charging for it. We are realizing that with this push for EV's and this being the (correct me if I'm wrong) last Honda V6 manual, people want it before they're all gone. But wait there's more! The next gen Accord after this will be appreciated for the 2.0 Turbo detuned Type R engine and can actually be found with a manual transmission will be regarded as the last great Accord and those will retain value and be ridiculous on the used market eventually. Stop waiting till it's too late and over paying for old cars.
If I've learned anything it's that people rush to buy the cool fun enthusiast cars that are rapidly going away on the used market, we appreciate them when they are becoming hard to get, we realize "It's now or never, I need it before it's gone!". This tells me you need to appreciate what the good cars are today, what do we have now that isn't old yet, is a great car, not overpriced yet and people will be scrambling to pick up on the used market for way more than it's worth just because it's that great.
Appreciate the good cars we have now before you find yourself scrambling to pay 25K for a 10 year old Honda.
@christopher-gardner you got that right. CarMax got me paying $600/month for 6 months for a 2015 EXL V6 Accord Coupe.. first time car buyer problems, I was an idiot for signing without looking at all the numbers...
The Accord V6 is actually pushing closer to 300 HP if you look at the dyno tests. Honda underrates the power output of the Accord for fear of getting too close to Acura figures.
Smoooth too
Shouldn't be that surprising considering both have essentially the same engine, but the TLX V6 AWD is 300 pounds heavier. Doesn't excuse Honda for making the TLX slower than the two previous gen TLs. Yeah, it's slower. TLX should be doing 60 in the low 5s.
I.love my accord exlv6
+JoeBlo2 Its the same Earthdreams V6 in the TLX and MDX/RDX. Classic japanese underselling.
Jampee Saenthongkham me too
Man I love my accord coupe v6 exl. Such a tragedy that Honda discontinued it. It's fast, it's handsome, it has a nice throaty exhaust growl. It will go down in history as a collector car like the integra type R, Acura NSX & S2000
And the Honda will last longer and be cheaper to maintain ;-)
Exactly right! My old Accord and Acura 3.2TL both passed 200,000 miles with ease.
Right, oil, brakes, and fluids and you'll be okay for at least 200k. love my honda
not really I own a HFP Accord and I spent about 4k on the car in the past year for timing belt? who the heck uses a timing belt at this day n age. Tires, new brakes and rotors and some misc stuff that it needed. I want to go back to German cars. My e39 M5 was more reliable and cheaper to run the 2 years I had it.
Sebastian Rogers I have a 2012 Jetta and it has a timing belt. German cars are generally more expensive to repair compared to the Japanese, so if you paid 4k just for timing belt changes, you got robbed...or either you drove your car too long with the belt. If it gets worn out , it can destroy the components it supports, now that's an expensive repair. With that money, you can replace my timing belt, yours, and another vehicle.
@@djzyx im about to get my water pump, timing belt and a few other parts replaced. The shop wants a $1,000. You probably drove the car too much before maintenance. Do you know what parts had to be replaced?
I just picked up a 2014 v6 coup accord for 16,700 with 46k miles. Honda sold me a 5 year 100k warranty for 2 grand. I’ve never been behind the wheel of any sports cars just luxury cars like bmw, Infiniti, and this is the fastest car I’ve ever driven
Hondas dont break down like zee Germans do...
Agreed
Agreed 100%! I've owned a VW and reliability was awful! I currently own a 2015 Accord coupe EXL V6 and it has been excellent in 5 years!!!
My 2012 EXL V6 coupe has never had a problem.
Facts my Benz gave me hell.... but all my Honda’s were champs I currently have to the 4 cylinder coupe fully loaded and I enjoy it
I've got a 2013 Accord Coupe V6, i like it a lot. Would definitely pick it over an entry level audi a3 or merc cla.
+Ancient
What enthusiast would buy a Mercedes CLA or Audi A3? LOL
Peter Lee you still got it?
this was the best looking Honda since the Prelude
S2000 still the best
@@SIIKAP1 agreed
06 civic coupe
Just until the German cars approach 90,000 miles. Repair costs will resemble car note payments. The Honda will happily continue on to the double century mark with little repairs.
Fry red rrffr crfcf fc cl
I loved this review - seeing the Accord coupe being compared to its German luxury competitors; finally. Thanks Everyday Driver. Coming from a 2.7L bi-turbo Audi A6 and making the switch to the Accord V6 coupe; I can honestly say that I, too, was very impressed with what I was getting for the money. Yes, the Honda may not be as "flashy" as its German competitors, but it by far kicks their ass in the dependability / reliability / maintenance categories. My Audi costs me thousands of dollars in maintenance after reaching the 100k mile mark and its resale value plummeted over the years. Honda is one of the highest ranked cars for maintaining resale value and has engines that are known to soar over the 300k mark with minimal maintenance costs. :) On a long road trip, my V6 Accord easily averages 30-32 mpg highway (avg speed 70-75mph). My Audi averaged 22, MAYBE 25, on a good day. I do not regret going with the Accord V6 coupe one bit.
I have to agree with some of the comments here about the reliability of German cars past the 100,000 mile mark. I own a 2008 BMW 335I Coupe and I have spent tons on repairs. Just this past weekend the thing overheated and I was stuck on the freeway. I'm done with it and I'm looking at this Honda Accord Coupe. I owned a 1998 Honda Civic that I drove for 10 years till I got the BMW and not a single major issue on that car.
Just what I needed, I have been looking into german cars but I think I would keep my 2013 accord.
TheDvsoldier I too have a BMW 335i coupe (2007) that I have spent a ton of money to repair. The water pump failure that left me on the side of the freeway cost $1200 to repair. Then there's the control arm bushing, tensioner and serpentine belt replacement, vacuum line replacement, and now it needs the valve cover gasket and the oil filter housing gasket replaced as it is leaking oil. All of this at 88,000 miles. I'm trading this car in for an Accord Coupe and running far away from BMW.
So far, only oil and gas for my accord with 30K miles. Sounds really bad for a BMW. Thanks for the info though and Im sorry for your experience.
Shane Phelps I ended up getting a Accord Coupe V6 a few days after the 335i died on me and so far so good. The car runs great since its new and all but I know that I have a car for years to come. One thing that made realize that I made the right call was saving money on gas. I run the car the same miles I did on the BMW which I used to gas up at least twice a week and had to use premium. I can run the Accord for over a week with one fill up and I use regular gas! So I'm happy!
Even if you drive it with the econ mode off, it's still very affordable and much more fun.
Why not test the HFP model with the upgraded suspension and tires? Still would be less money right?
The Accord V6 6MT has been an unsung hero for a very long time, I'm glad you guys gave it some attention! That being said, man that CLA seems appealing doesn't it? A FWD M-B just seems to be such an affront, yet the results speak for themselves.
I love German cars and I'm sick in the head for BMWs and Porsches, but in this mashup, I will take the accord coupe over the Germans. You cannot beat Honda's VTEC engines for sheer response and N/A excitement and nobody does manual transmissions like Honda. I will continue to support Honda and if I'm honest (subjective), the Honda looks better than the overly-aerodynamic German cars. Audis should always be AWD and Benz should either be rwd or awd. FWD cars is where Honda takes the cake. Awesome mash up guys !
647killa Mazda does an even better manual transmission.
I loved the shifter in the Mazda RX-8! So fun!
***** Have you ever driven a Mini Cooper? One of the most fun cars on the road.
***** Most Mini's are FWD and they handle amazingly! So fun!
Yea German cars are awesome
I drive a 6mt Honda accord v6 coupe on a daily basis, and it's the best damn car I've ever driven.
I'm actually really impressed at how objective these two reviewers were. Regardless of winner, all three cars are very beautiful machines.
I own that Honda in White Orchid Pearl. I've owned it for 8 years and absolutely love it! Not one problem and it's fun!
I own the red V6 automatic and love it. I like that the dash looks a bit "dated" and old school. It will show beautifully in it's vintage years.
WoW! I really thought the Accord coupe V6MT would have been better. I'm a Honda fan, and from my Prelude and S2000 I know that they are supposed to take a corners at unbelievable speeds with great feel through the wheel and seat! It's unfortunate that new Hondas do not have the same driving spirit they once had. You guys are so honest and say it how it is, best car reviews on the net! Have a good one guys.
I think some lowering springs and sway bar/front strut tower bar and some new tires would make the Accord a really fun car.
Paul and Todd, i feel like this mashup is clearly missing one point where how the car is more liveable everyday as a daily driver. It seems to me that because you guys are so much enthusiastic in driving that you guys almost forgot to outlay the comfort suspension huge difference between the CLA and the A3.
People don't buy these cars just to drive at the canyons (or even go to the track). They drive them around town and get stuck-ed in traffic as well. We know you guys are eager about driving dynamics of the cars, but how liveable the car is, is very to important to a lot of people as well.
Amen to that, if you're like most people you're mostly concerned with whether you can live with a car as a daily driver and how much you'll enjoy being stuck in it in heavy traffic instead of how much steering feedback you get on the "twisties"(I hate that term so damn much)
Excellent comment, I got my 2014 v6 coupe because the maintenance on the g37 coupes and the 370z wasn’t as affordable as the Honda, a lot of people want fast cars so they don’t have to push the engine hard to go fast, the v6 coupe I have yet to punch because it’s already insanely fast
Exactly
I want a 2008 or 2009 accord coupe for my first car. I'm saving up and I hope to get one in about a year or 2
850 Jayy I have one in Laguna blue it’s awesome the interior is tan brown
I have a black 2010, 250,000 kms, not one problem and I see the mechanic once a year to fix anything that needs it. He never finds anything except regular maintenance
get the manual you wont regret it
I like the earlier body style too. But, couldn't find one and bought a 2012 EXL V6 coupe.
It's a bit larger than previous but that turned out to be a plus.
Where my Honda Accord V6 Coupe Manual Owners at???!?!?!?!
I love your reviews guys! U rock! I´m from Lima-Perú and I have a Mercedes Benz A 200 which is like the hatch back version of the CLA with a manual gear box and I just love it, I have always been a BMW fan but when I tested the 118 i and the A3 I just found out that overall the A 200 was the best of the three even though the bmw is the only rear wheel drive of its class. Keep up doing this amazing reviews! Cheers!
Got mine (V6 manual, the only way to go on a coupe imo) and put the matching HFP 19" wheels with sport tires on it and added the HFP struts. It performs on cornering much better than with stock options.
Same. It's a great car, has plenty of power, and handles better with the HFP kit.
Idtelos Hows the Mpg
I actually got 41 mpg in my auto V6 accord on a 120 mile drive from Columbus to Portsmouth Ohio.
LSD and firmer steering would improve the Accord's driving dynamics immensely.
Then you want a TL-S, which has both.
As an owner of the Accord, the biggest problem with the car are indeed the tires. Grippier tires and 1" drop springs made the car feel like a completely different car. Way better.
How’s it holding up ? And what tire setup did u go for
Paul and Todd make awesome VIDEOS as we all know. They need to not agree on everything or else this would not be as much fun to watch. Great Job guys and I know you take the money you guys make and reinvest into the next videos. Can't wait to see what's next!
Interesting comparison, i have 2 of these vehicles in my garage, the A3 and the Accord and i agree in all aspects...
A3 is a solid well assembled german car, it is a shame the tires it has, they are bad quality tires (Dunlop Sport Maxx RT). Power is not bad but you can fell the turbo lag under 2000 RPM.
Accord Coupe, awesome engine, very powerful and comes with all gadgets, even more than my Audi. I shall say it is a fun car, even though you can fell the chassis rolling. For regular users with sports mood like me this is a good commuting car.
Some $275 Eibach lowering springs, that 22mm sway bar Hudson Brand mentioned, and some Falken FK453's on the Accord and it's lights out for zee Germans! Nice honest video review though guys, good job!
I’ve been searching for a 22 mm sway bar to put on my accord. Do you by any chance have a link or know where I can find the Hudson brand sway bar?
I have a 2014 Exl V6-coupe in Modern Steel Metallic and love it. No complaints here so far. 278hp n 252 lbs of torque. With a takeda sri I can gain 11-13 hp extra based on the dyno proven results.
Jampee Saenthongkham Any good places online to find some performance parts for the 2015 model?
TheDvsoldier Google it..im not sure there's plenty considering this is too new
TheDvsoldier , sorry for the late reply. Sedans have more parts out . The coupe are limited to find as of right now. Ive looked for parts for the coupes and they dont make many parts out for them yet. Only thing ull find alot out for our cars are the intakes but that is about it. Window visors also. Id give it a yr or two before u starting doing cosmetic builds so that ull have more options.
***** I agree
I bought the Accord coupe V6 because it makes the so much sense on the freeway (passing speed), it'll be as reliable as a carpenter's hammer, and it will retain it's value MUCH better than the German competition.
Not to mention when it's time for parts, Honda is going to be typically much, much cheaper.
eavenegas88 hows the car on gas
Don't know why but I want an accord coupe lol must be because an 04 was my first new car and I just want one again I wasn't disappointed
Totally! That generation's J Series SOHC 3.0 litre V6 was such a delightful gem!
nastraightsix the 6speed in my opinion was nearly perfect I did some work on the car so it could handle a little better until I sold it couple years ago. Now I drive a 2013 stang the coyote engine is amazing except now I get the stereotype of mustang owners are assholes but that's fine lol they are great bang for the buck and I love it
It's only going to get worse next year when you will be able to buy a better looking, better handling mustang next year. I respect honda for making the accord coupe v6 manual I'm just not sure who they're making it for.
sage11x I'll take a wild guest, younger buyers!
sage11x I don't leave my cars stock and I live in Chicago, roads are straight for the most part
If both of you don't like the tires on the accord you can always get better ones for less 1200 and you still gonna be under the Benz price I'm just saying.
You can buy the Accord EX-L V6 loaded for under 30K. I have had mine with the automatic for 3 years and 90K miles. Zero repairs (brakes once tires twice). Yes it is front drive so 0-60 times suffer, but on the road it is point and shoot with an on center feel that is razor sharp. Let's face it we can hardly ever drive flat out like these test videos. So I will take the much higher horsepower of the Honda which is on demand all the time for acceleration and passing. I have had many cars and sports cars. The Honda is one of my all time favorites. It is fun to drive everyday. Plus, it snows where I live, so I will be on the road while the Mercedes and Audi will be stuck in the garage! The sound system is awesome too!
Just got an EX-L V6 MT for 20k @ 22k miles last month. Such a fun-ish car. It has that capability to play around....but it still for some reason makes you want to drive like an adult. I find myself driving around in Eco mode more than in TCS off. Last week I purchased Exhaust, Intake, and Coilovers to try to wake it up; hopefully this makes the car as fun inspiring as it can be.
Well. I was one hour into writing a great reply with fun metaphors and facts. Then I hit F12 with some other obscure key and lost everything. So I'll write an angry summary instead.
You have to love Honda, the idea of one of the best Honda V6's ever, the idea of great shifting feel, and the idea of "if only" in order to get past it's shortcomings. The car is lavished in all sorts of dreams. From old school racing dreams to new school "Earth Dreams" you can sense the feeling of pride built into this car. You can feel that you are doing something special, that you are driving one of the last Honda unicorns, that you are driving a car that took a whole hell of a lot of meetings and people to get a massive business to say "what the heck, do it". A car of which out of 350,000 Accords sold each year in the US only a fraction of those are optioned up to "EX-L". Then only a fraction of a fraction of those are given a V6. Then only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of those are turned into Coupes. Then only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction are given that ever so rare manual transmission.
You see, deeper into any Facebook or UA-cam comment about what cars are better based solely on power figures and 0-60 times (of which the Honda Accord V6 MT has 278hp/252lb-ft and uses it for 5.5 seconds from 0-60) is a question that makes most car guys take a deep breath and sigh "wow, that's kind of a big question."
"So how does it drive?"
Inside of all the dreams of Honda that surround this car there is an overwhelming stench. Like a lover's fart that rips you from your sleep, the car reeks of the biggest problem ever introduced into the car world; budget. Have you ever driven a car that can turn off the steering wheel? This car has that feature. Every time you wind up that beautiful V6, and by god you want to experience it every chance you get, the combination of Honda V6, FWD, an open differential, and terrible stock tires makes each corner through the canyon somewhat scary. You can tell that there's room for improvement on both sides. You can get better as a driver and on the other hand the car can get better. Maybe if I took this car to the track and really pushed it then I could learn its limits because there's no way tires and steering feel is going to teach me. By the way did I mention that my fiance's base model Mazda 3 with some of the cheapest tires on steelies has better steering feel? I get the feeling that even if I put some Hankook R-S3 tires on all four corners that I still would have some anxiety at heart due to the steering numbness.
There's another problem that I just don't know how to segway to so I'll say it flat, this car begs for a different suspension setup. I get the feeling that somewhere deep in the bowels of Honda there was a war. Team passion project said, "look, this car can be fun. Let us do it our way." This was closely followed by a check being written for far less than team passion project asked for. So they did the best they could. They managed to create a "new" chassis which is 2" shorter than the sedan but as a result needed to save money while still making the car useful for the possible (but rare) 5 passengers in a coupe. All this meant absurdly stiff rear suspension. Couple that with the lightest trunk I've ever opened and a single rear bench that I swear I could fold and lift with my pinky toe and you get a car that just straight up feels too nose happy. It actually feels more stable with a full load of people. This car needs a new suspension setup badly...but at what cost?
You need to ask yourself, why are you getting this car? The power is addicting but rarely usable. The handling is lackluster but any modification without some serious cash might ruin those back seats coming into use....it really is a great car on the highway and for the "if only" game. Unfortunately at its core it's still an Accord; it's still a commuter car and it shows.
So why do I have this car? It's the perfect car for me. The car screams "Help, I'm being forced to grow up!" and that suits me perfectly. I'm a 24 year old who just got engaged, a promotion at work, and I convinced my fiance that "hey, this can seat children in the back or I'll sell it to someone for little loss because it's a rare Honda." I like weird shit as my crashed (RIP) 399hp Turbo PT Cruiser, SVT Focus track car, and Chevy Spark EV lease shows and the Honda Accord Coupe V6 MT has some strange personality but some fun bark & bite as well.
By the way, I took off the ATLP exhaust because this motor and it were so droney that I thought it was going to hit the brown note. I also took off the intake because I was seeing evidence of heat soak. I have yet to install the coilovers I purchased because I want to get some good rubber and new wheels as well and install that all in one. Sometimes I wonder if I should even do that.
Rollerblader1 The switch to struts from control arms to save $ wasn't Honda's finest decision.
You guys have become my favourite car show after Top Gear mainy because you review the cars based on how they "feel" rather than the numbers. I love the fact that you talk about numbers and figures very little and focus on the more important thing. Another reason is the fact that you drive those cars the way they're meant to be driven (within the limitations of of the law) and not just cruise along b-roads talking about the cars' numbers, which gets pretty boring pretty fast. If ever you have more funds available (which I expect you will) make sure you spend that on a bit of tarmac that's closed to traffic, as more shots of you going sideways will improve the entertainment value immensely. Oh and Todd's analogies are pretty good... not Clarkson caliber yet, but pretty good. :D
+Christian Nelson - We're very thankful for the compliments and appreciate your encouragement. As we've always said "You can't drive a spec sheet" and the numbers often don't tell you if a car is any fun. We're very glad to have you with us and enjoying what we do. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment!
Still own my 2005 Accord coupe v6 181 000 miles. No problems. EVER
Thanks for breaking the mold by including the 6-6 Accord Coupe in this comparison, it is a car that gets overlooked a lot. That being said, with the 19" wheel option (includes Continental summer tires) and HFP suspension (or a set of Eibach springs combined with the stock dampers) I think some of the slop you are concerned about would go away. You can get the coupe + better tires + HFP sport suspension and still come out ahead on money by a nice amount. Just a thought, and yes, this stuff is available at the dealer, you can get it with the car new.
1 year til I'm out of college.... then I'm gonna buy a 2014 Accord Coupe V6
Yea dude 2014 accord coupe v6 is probably the best one yet. I have that too, and now I look at the 2016 one, they took out the volume knob and made everything touch screen
Did you buy one?
@@sammcg7410 No lol, I ended up buying a Lexus
I have the 2010 Accord. It's amazing.
I am positive you have been asked this before but I need a video comparing 4 door sports sedans like the Audi S4, BMW M3 etc... I find your unbiased honest reviews to be very helpful and fulfilling my request above will help me a lot in deciding what car to buy.
you guys are called EVERYDAY DRIVERS
we dont live on those swirly and dynamic roads
we get stuck thru downtown and stuff
if someone were to use them everday
it would be cheaper to maintain that honda than that mercedes !!
mercedes parts costs like 3-4 times more than honda parts!!
We know these roads don't represent the typical drive, but we also know that watching cars in traffic is pretty uninteresting. We hope our locations are great to look at and encourage viewers to seek out fun roads. You're absolutely right about the maintenance costs and we hope you noticed the number of mentions about the value of the Honda. You also might enjoy our audio podcast "the car debate" where we help viewers find a car that works for their lifestyles and budgets - we discuss maintenance and commuting driving in those discussions. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Truth and get great mpg too.
hell The show is about practicality AND fun. I love how they talk about both. We may not all live on windy back roads, but why settle for cars with boring dynamics?
+hell Yeah and how much boring it would be to drive that honda :) Come on, everyday driver does not necesarily mean someone who boring everybody with discussions about maintenance costs.
***** Honestly, I'd love any of those :) But I'm really disappointed on how the Honda 'talks' to the driver. From my experience and from what guys here said in the review the steering seems kinda numb.
This is my first car I bought on my own out of Highschool and I love every bit of this car such a strong bond Cheap easy to maintain and Fun as well.
It's interesting to see that the american Accord materials are now almost as good as german entry-level luxury ones. I mean, they even designed a cheaper Accord for America and sold the european Accord as luxury brand Acura TL. Basically what was pretty much standard in europe was good enough to be sold as luxury in the states. I'm happy to see that finally cars for the american market get good interiors. I'm not in the market for this kind of car, but it almost makes me wish they would bring it over here to Germany. We could use some more affordable coupes.
Despite the counter arguments, I always assumed that front wheel drive cars were better at cornering than rear since the actual driving wheels are the ones you point to where you want to go.
I own an '14 Accord Coupe, frankly ... Take all the Honda bagdes away and put Acura's instead and those base "luxury" shoppers would be fooled in a flash !
I have a paddle shifter of this and love it for my day to day drive of a hilly environment. The red paint and hood shape does cause a lot of chipping.
I have a 2016 Accord touring Coupe it's an automatic I do agree that there's not much steering feel but it's very flat through the corners, doesn't feel like there's any understeer. now I don't know if that's because I have a strut brace( it looks like it came from the Factory, honestly looks real cheap) but I was surprised how well it was glued to the road
i would put the Honda Accord Coupe 6 speed V6 1ST and Audi A3. 2nd and Mercedes CLA 3rd
I would definitely get the Honda first but I can't trust Audi. After all these years, they're loaded with electrical issues. After 100,000 they're not the same car. maybe even less
In Canada, I went to a dealership and found a 2016 Honda Accord V6 Touring Coupe with Continental tires instead of the Michelins shown in this video. Not sure if factory or a dealer thing. Gripped really well from my experience with those tires but I don't know everything that they changed between this Accord and the 2016 other than the exterior and some of the new accessories. Really liked the wireless phone charger. Drove a 2015 Hyundai Genesis Coupe just before I drove the Accord and honestly I wanted the Accord more, despite usually being more biased towards RWD cars.
For what it's worth I'd pick the accord ... Handling isn't as on point as the Germans but reliability, price, power. And resale value are better that the Audi and Benz... That says a lot for a non-luxury brand competing in a luxury segment ... Great review ... U guys should always have a wild card. I was counting down the days to see part 3
these must be the only guys who would choose the CLA over the A3. most other reviews talk about CLAs poor cabin quality, sloppy engine performance and annoyingly bumpy ride with its stiff suspension. Styling is subjecting, but I thought the A3 would be the better drivers car compared to the CLA
Watched all 3 reviews, well done . I own a CLA and love it. Certainly feel everything on the road and there's a hint of turbo lag but still happy with purchase.
Just pulled my 2015 20,000 mile V6 Accord Coupe out of storage for a summer of fun; looks good standing still, a blast to drive, a bit front heavy.
3.5's are Beasts !
Great review as usual guys. Thanks.
Another great comparison! The Accord Coupe wasn't even a car that i had thought of, let alone considered for my next car, but now i'm at least thinking about it. Leasing one would rule out any mods to improve the handling, so that might still be a deal breaker, but regardless, thanks for throwing another car into the mix! Can't wait for the next video!
I owned a '04 3.5 MT and it is still my all time fav. That engine is just so good!
where do yall do all of your review runs? ive seen yall on pch, in hollywood and in canyons. also seen yall in snow. but no idea where you are when reviewing. love the show. please keep it up and keep it going. thank you for the information and entertainment.
+kyle gauly - We're very glad you're enjoying what we do! We shoot all over the Los Angeles area, and also around Salt Lake City, where the show is now based. Most press cars come out of LA, so we'll always shoot around there. Thanks very much for watching and taking the time to comment!
I choose the Honda and bought a 2012 V6 auto coupe. 8 years later just changed fluids - no problems.
I have a honda accord v6 coupe and I gotta disagree with you guys when you say it's not a driver's car. The car is super dynamic and can easily be a daily driver or road tripper, which I think is why you kick it out of that category, but a lot of people want that quality! The Focus RS, wrx STI, Lancer, etc. may be more driver experience-oriented but they're not great cars for making long treks in. They're uncomfortable after an hour or two and can be obnoxious when you're just trying to chill on the freeway. The accord coupe is a comfortable and efficient car, but when you're feeling showy it's super easy to make it a fun and sporty drive. I've modified my accord coupe and made it even more of a driver's car which helps immensely if that's what you're looking for. Borla exhaust, body kit, new rims and tires, duck lip spoiler, and I have people mistaking it for a BMW. Plus it's got a nice deep tone from the v6! This car is totally slept on, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a daily driver with a lot of spunk.
As usual, I have to through away my preconceptions and really have to think about your discussions. Great fun.
i wish you guys would review a couple more Pontiacs. I know the Pontiac brand was retired. However, they are enthusiast's cars and they're definitely an "everyday driver" I just love Pontiac's performance cars there's not many reviews out there on them, People still buy them used a lot. I have bought 3 of them in the past few years. Anyway, it probably won't happen, I do appreciate your review on the Solstice though! Keep up the great work!
Great video (and podcast) !
Great comparison overall. Nice to see that a humble Accord can still show up the A3 and CLA and teach the new blood a thing or two.
Kudos too to Mercedes-Benz for judging the CLA bang-on. It's also good to see that you don't necessarily need the AMG magic; the base car is plenty good enough as it is.
I’m switching from my Lexus IS250 for this sweet baby really soon!
You guys got this one wrong. I believe that the Accord v6 coupe should’ve won. It’s faster, cheaper, no turbo lag and a screaming 7000 rpm v6 matched with a slick 6 speed which is unique for this segment. the only thing that is holding it back is $1200 or so for some quality tires such a set of Nitto Motivos. You even admit in the video that the factory tires are holding back the handling. Big deal, factory tires are often specced for cost and durability, not performance.
Was looking for a video on the Accord and I found u guys, first time for me, but hick I like u guys...thumbs up...
I have a 13 Accord V6. It would be a great sport coupe with a LSD. It totally rapes my A4 in every way but bad weather driving. Open up the exhaust/Intake and tune it on a dyno and it’s capable of low 13 second passes at the drag strip. I use Comp 2 tires but still over power the rubber.
The manual gets the far more reliable non-VCM equipped version of the fantastic J35. I currently have 2 EX-L V6 coupes, a 2012 and 2017. My 2012's engine was taken out by a faulty VCM at 130,047 miles, despite excellent preventive maintenance.
I've owned 7 Honda automobiles over the course of the last 30 years, since 1992, and am painfully aware of following a strict maintenance schedule, having blown 2 d-series Civic engines in the 90's when the timing belts let go. The timing belt of my 1991 CRX Si let go at 61,000~ish miles back when Honda recommended a 60,000 mile replacement. Fortunately, I purchased an extended warranty and it 100% covered the repair in 1997.
I love the way Honda used to be, an engineering company that built cars for driving. The current iteration of Honda is a marketing firm that pushes meh products and put out a halo Type R to grab magazine covers. The current 2022 line up, well, they have zero on offer for me. IF I were to go with another Accord down the road, it'd have to be another 2017 coupe with the manual and V6. So sweet. What an incredible free revving engine.
i'm trading in my 2013 EX-L V6 Coupe this week for the 2017 EX-L 4 cylinder coupe...same red color etc...Its been a blast driving the V6 but honestly, it came down to wear and appearance and all the upcoming service costs at 108,000 miles: timing belt, tuneup, brakes, radiator fluid, even my remote key functions stopped working etc..i'm avoiding all those costs (estimated at $2K) and literally switching cars and payments. I'm sure i am going to miss the power but the car itself is so easy to drive and its just a fun daily commuter i am getting the same car - just 4 years newer.. .mine has so many small dings, chips, hail dents and wheel scratch/gouges that it looks like i thrash it off-road or something. It took the beating without blinking but it just doesnt feel good driving a car that you know has so many visible flaws. I highly recommend the Accord EX-L Coupe and i'll let you know if the 4 cylinder is a huge letdown!
Tires are the very first thing one should change if a person is not happy with a car's handling. I am willing to bet real money that if one would put a set of Conti ExtremeContacts on that Accord there would be a new order on this list.
Remember that tires don't change handling. Tires improve grip, but handling is something else. Handling is the suspension, the chassis, the damping and rebound in the shocks, the anti-roll bars, the caster and camber settings, the spring rates, all that good stuff. In fact if a car doesn't handle well to begin with, putting sticky tires on it is just going to give it more body roll, not improve the handling.
Contis? You trippin'. But better tires would only increase the suspension shortcomings.
Vernon Price Handling is combination of factors- I agree with you, but for the price I think the Accord is unmatched. You just can't ignore the value, especially when resale and maintenance costs are considered. Some of the FWD understeer could be dialed back by using a bigger rear sway bar (like the TSX did). Putting the car on wider rims with better tires would improve the steering feel some, but once you put some aftermarket springs or coilovers on the car it should be pretty fantastic all around.
Todd/Paul, this review was excellent and spot on. Thanks.
Hashim Azam Rear sway bar = handling. Wider tires = NOT handing. That's grip not handling. Regardless, the point is that if the car's handling is not up to scratch, all stickier tires are going to do is induce more body roll, not make it handle better. If you have to replace all the suspension components to make it handle well, then it's safe to say that it's not a good-handling car from the factory.
Wider tires are grip, you're right- however different tire/rim setups change road feel. Tell me that your car rides the same on a set of 16 inch and 20 inch rims, then I'll agree with you. I'm lumping road feel in with handling and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would.
I owned the original
Accord.( first lroper ) Coupe V6 EXL Red 1999
137,000 miles the third transmission was the end
I currently own
Accord Touring Coupe V6
White
( last top of the line flag ship )
It has larger 19 tires than the EXL, upgrades suspension which made a huge differemce compared to the EX.
It has efforrless smooth power, recently I had Flacon tires fitred the grip is immense.
Came back to tgis video after a few years. I watched this video prior to buying my Accord Coupe back in 2017. I test drove maybr 20 vehicles and decided the Accord checked the most boxes. 6 years later and I still love the car. Other opportunities came up to buy different newer vehivles and I just couldnt do it. The Accord Coupe V6 6MT is just too much of a unicorn.
Throw some swaybars, pilot sports, and a more aggressive alignment on the accord, that would probably help!
This car is sort of a forgotten beauty
You should do reviews on cheaper, older cars with a Price range from 3 to 10k
The problem with the Accord is also only comes in 4 colors for the coupe! But the Accord is fun to drive.
I would have liked to hear some commentary about reliability and maintenance costs. On both counts I believe the Honda would be unapproachable. After 105,000 kilometers on a Honda FIT Sport with all of $38.0 for unscheduled maintenance costs for light bulbs which I changed myself all I have had to do was regular maintenance and one set of tires. No brake or clutch jobs, nothing at all. That has sold me on Honda products. That is one of the reasons it is at the top of the list as my next car.
I've watched this comparison a few times, and I completely disagree with the conclusions. The Honda is the superior "drivers" car. It has a 6 speed manual with too much power for a FWD car. It takes some finesse in and out of corners, and the brakes aren't made for performance, but for an everyday driver car, it is amazing.
Flappy paddle gearboxes are nice if you don't want to drive a manual, but if you want the thrill of being connected to your car, then the Accord is simply the best pick out of this bunch. It has one of the best manual gearboxes around, great power bands in all gears, and is a great daily driver or car to take out on the weekends.
I agree with the comments about having the Accord HFP package, but that is indeed a dealer add on. It makes a huge difference in the handling, but doesn't fully address the braking (other than tires helping the stopping distance).
These guys are what's wrong with humans. Saying a car sucks because of its tires? It's not only the most powerful car there, it's the most reliable, it has the highest resale value, it won't lose 70 percent of its value in 5 years, it won't cost more than the car is worth to repair it when something goes wrong. They are just salesman, telling you to buy the more expensive item.
Love the channel, thanks for the show.
Great review! I defiantly cross shopped these, I went with a Jetta TDI instead. I think the jetta would be good in this comparison.
Can’t go wrong with Honda.
What an awesome comparison. Keep em coming.
You should consider the VW CC for this price range :) Looks better than these 3, is bigger, has the same power, can get a manual, can get a v6 with AWD and is fun to drive!
Accord V6 Guide to making it a better dance partner:
22mm anti-sway bar out back by ULTRA Racing
Thicker Strut Brace up front
Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 (for all season)
and if you're willing to get a 2nd set of tires (summer and winter)
Michelin CrossClimate 2 in the winter
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S in the summer
Watch handling go up nicely.
Great review! You two are right on the money.... I believe that in this case your opions are actually fact.
Great comparison.... Thinking outside the box works well
Great review guys. You guys are some of the best on UA-cam. I own a 4cyl Accord with the manual (which no one ever reviews) and it handles better than the V6 to me, mostly because it's lighter. I think the HFP package would definitely change your opinion of the Accord V6 but at $5k it may push it out of most people's price range when shopping for an Accord.
I'm a fan of the Accord Coupe v6 ...BIGGER FAN OF THE HFP VERSION
Being 45, I've owned a variety of cars. Even though Hondas aren't the most fun to drive, they're the most reliable. When I had an MDX, and a Prelude, all they ever needed were oil changes. Still the best all around, are BMWs, for it's balance, braking, feel, speed, and just enough luxury. The way they drive make you happy enough to forget the frequent repair costs.
Wonder if this would have turned out the same if all the cars had michelin pilot super sport tires on them.
I've driven that same car on a few different occasions but the one i drove had White paint. Anyways, it has a fantastic Engine and Gearbox but I tell ya what though, if Honda had installed a Limited Slip Differential from the factory and then paired it with that Excellent 6 speed manual transmission, put some sticky race type tires on on it like the Bridgestone Potenza R-01's something like that, and also employed an hydraulically controlled power-assisted steering rack instead of that garbage Electric rack that gives zero road feel with the tires and man....that Accord Coupe would've have been Dramatically improved definitely. Oh yeah, aftermarket lowering springs and damper kit on all corners and in my book, would be the icing on the cake for that particular ride ⛽🔥🚀
Nice review!!! keep going enjoy watching !!!
I’m so happy with my 2013 Accord EXL V6 Coupe...just over 80k trouble-free miles...even replaced those original Michelin’s with another set why? Because they last forever (70k) and get amazing gas mileage . It really is the perfect commuter car. Passing horsepower alone is worth it: more confidence, quick response with the paddle shifters and you still get 38 mpg!!! I’ve owned 5 new 4 door Accords since 1997 and other than the smaller size (nothing is more spacious than a 2008 accord) this coupe is fun to drive and loaded with features including Honda reliability!
Im taking the accord all day, very underestimated car
Accord+ better shocks, lowering springs, swaybars, wider, stickier front tyres on lighter rims, better brake pads and ss lines, and an intake for the sound. That would be a super fun GT car.
Really not sure about Honda's steering nowadays. I've driven a new Accord sedan and a new CRV and they are so damn numb. My Integra and my mom's TSX feel way better. I know my integra is an older car, so I guess more feel would be expected. But my mom's TSX is 2008 and that thing feels frickin fantastic.