Car Review: 2017 Honda Accord Sedan Touring V6 Review By Larry Nutson
2017 Honda Accord Sedan Touring V6 Forty years and going strong
By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor and Bureau Chief
Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
Let’s suppose for a minute, just for a minute though, that someone offers me any new 2017 Honda Accord Sedan of my choice for free. Or even a bit more realistically, at half price, or something like that. All ownership and operating costs will come out of my pocket.
Looking at the offerings of the 2017 Accord sedan, there’s a variety of trims, with 4-cylinder and V6 powertrains, 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions, and a continuously variable transmission.
The Accord was significantly updated for 2016 with revised styling and new equipment. For 2017 the Accord Hybrid returns, featuring a new version of Honda's two-motor hybrid powertrain technology with both class-leading power and fuel economy ratings.
Looking deep into my crystal ball, which doesn’t always work well, and considering what may come down the road, the Accord 4-door Touring V6 would be my choice. Yes, that’s the top-of-the-line and you may think I was going for the max. But, the Touring V6 is the car that fits me best and that I would appreciate and enjoy the most.
I’ve always been a V8 over V6 guy, and in the Accord’s case the V6 over the 4-cylinder is my preference. Hybrids work well, but they’re not my game, although some day they may be. And as for the transmission, the Touring V6 has a 6-speed automatic -- not a CVT.
The 2017 Accord Touring V6 is priced at $34,830. It’s got EPA test-cycle fuel economy ratings of 25 combined mpg, with 21 city mpg and 33 highway mpg.
I didn’t make any fuel consumption measurements with the media loaner I drove but getting in the high-20s to thirty should not be too hard.
The 3.5-L V6 pumps out 278 HP and is emission certified at the LEV3-ULEV125-rating. What’s that, you ask? Well, the engine and the Accord sedan overall has really low emissions. This pays off by not only being green, but if you happen to work in a LEED certified building you may get a closer-in parking space that’s required to be reserved to encourage clean-vehicles as part of the LEED rating.
I enjoyed my drive-time with the Accord Touring V6. Acceleration is quite impressive and the fuel gauge never seemed to move. And when pushed, the engine isn’t overly noisy. Zero to 60 mph is in the low-6 second range. Overall ride and handling are very confident and composed and much to my liking. Interstate on-ramps are taken with ease and there isn’t much body roll. Steering has good feel and feedback, being direct and responsive.
The ride is a bit harsh, due somewhat to the 40-series tires on 19-inch wheels. Around the streets of Chicago winter potholes and road heaves could be a challenge. I probably would mount a good set of winter tires on all four corners so as to get around better and safer in cold and snowy weather.
The interior is quite roomy with good seat comfort and an overall high-quality feel. The push button start is easy to locate with its bright red coloring. There’s a 7-inch touch screen for audio control but no physical knobs for tuning or volume. There’s a volume control on the steering wheel that works quite well, but that doesn’t help the front passenger.
Honda’s just introduced redesigned CR-V has just now gotten a physical volume knob. Perhaps a future Accord update will bring one.
I love Honda’s Lane Watch feature that displays an image in the center screen of the right lane next to the car when the right turn signal is on. It’s great for checking for bicyclists.
There’s also heated front and rear seats, front and rear parking sensors and a rear view camera.
The full suite of Honda Sensing safety technology is standard on the Accord Touring V6. It includes Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning with automatic braking, Lane Keeping Assist, and Road Departure Mitigation.
The forward collision alert is a bit sensitive flashing its "Brake!" alarm and causing my passengers to raise their eyebrows a bit. The 2017 Accord Sedan has received the highest available crash safety rating, a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA.
This new safety technology that has become available on more and more new vehicles really is proving beneficial to help reduce even minor collisions. If I had a young teenage new driver in my family I would want them driving a car with this safety equipment.
I mentioned the new 2017 Accord Hybrid. Our publisher here at The Auto Channel recently did some driving with it and you can read his thoughts right here.
More details and information on the 2017 Honda Accord Touring V6 and the entire Accord model line-up can be found at www.honda.com.
With sales of more than 12.7 million units since its debut in 1976, Accord is America's most popular, best-selling car over the last four decades. Honda has produced more than 10.5 million Accords in the U.S. since the start of production in Ohio in 1982. Accord is the top retail-selling car in America for the past three years and most popular midsize car with under-35 buyers for five of the past six years---so says Honda.
For 2017 Honda is introducing the Accord Sport Special Edition sedan with premium features consisting of leather seats with red stitching, heated seats and "Special Edition" badge.
© 2016 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy
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