EmailBest Reviewed
Coupes
- Best compact coupe 2009 Honda Civic Coupe *Est. $15305
- Family-friendly midsize coupe 2009 Honda Accord Coupe *Est. $22405
- Top premium sport coupe 2009 BMW 3 Series Coupe *Est. $36500
- Modern muscle coupe 2010 Chevrolet Camaro *Est. $22245
- Value sport coupe 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe *Est. $22000
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Family-friendly midsize coupe
- Dramatic coupe styling
- Engines balance power, efficiency
- Spacious cabin
- Adult-sized back seat
- Great reliability reputation, strong resale value
- Confident handling doesn't sacrifice ride comfort
- Button-happy center stack
- Back seat access is awkward
- Some road noise intrudes
The 2009 Honda Accord coupe carries over unchanged from 2008, when the new model was introduced. As its name indicates, the two-door Accord is derived from the ever-popular Honda Accord sedan. The New York Times' Lawrence Ulrich points out that the coupe "has often looked like an Accord sedan with two doors erased." This is no longer the case. The Honda Accord coupe shares no bodywork with the sedan, cutting a unique and sporty profile all its own with sleek, stylish body panels that effectively communicate a sportier nature. "It's a knockout," writes USA Today's James Healey. "Classically beautiful," says AutoMedia.com's Mac Demere. Autoblog.com's Dan Roth thinks those positive first impressions will have legs, too: "Honda's design idiom has traded frippery for lines that are classically attractive; this big two-door will look just as sharp in ten years."
The swoopy exterior does force some compromises inside, but critics make it clear that the Accord coupe is still plenty spacious. While it's technically a five-passenger car, it's really best suited for four. "The front-seat area is spacious, but a high, hard middle of the rear seat makes the back seat comfortable for only two occupants. However, the rear area is roomy for two tall adults," writes Dan Jedlicka in a review for MSN Autos. AutoMedia.com's Demere backs up Jedlicka's observation, calling the back seat "adequate" for a pair of adults while adding, "The center rear seat is for urgent situations only." While the rear seats offer comfort suitable for grownups and easily accommodate child seats, getting back there can be a little tricky. Still, rear seat access is about as good as one can expect from a coupe. Autoblog.com's Roth notes, "Climbing over the sill and into the back will never be graceful, but Honda's done about all it could to facilitate ingress and egress."
Up front, reviewers agree that the driver and front passenger get comfortable and well-bolstered seats, which are upholstered in rich-looking leather in the top-level Honda Accord EX-L trim. Most reviewers are impressed with the overall quality and fit and finish on display in the cabin. "The interior of the 2008 Honda Accord coupe impressed us with its materials and fit, and we could find very little difference between it and the interior of an Acura, Honda's upscale brand," writes CNET's Wayne Cunningham.
At the same time, the instrument panel becomes the target of multiple reviewer gripes. Motor Trend calls the dashboard "button-crazy." In its excellent and comprehensive video review, Kelley Blue Book describes the panel as "a little busy." About.com's Aaron Gold also notes the complexity of the interior control scheme, writing, "The A/C and stereo use an array of buttons and dials that would do a German car proud." At The New York Times, Ulrich calls the black interior of his test car "wearily monochrome." Jalopnik.com's Wes Siler observes, "Too much that you touch is cheap plastic, while what you look at is awkwardly unintuitive." Several reviewers say that the optional nav screen can get washed out by sun glare, and one reports that polarized sunglasses have a similar effect.
Shoppers considering the Honda Accord coupe can choose either a 190-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a 271-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. The former boasts an Environmental Protection Agency fuel-economy rating of 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined with the six-speed manual. With the five-speed automatic, subtract one mpg from each of those figures. The muscular V-6 is good for a zero-to-60 time of under six seconds while also delivering respectable fuel efficiency: 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined with the six-speed manual and 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 22 mpg overall with the five-speed automatic. The Accord coupe with the automatic delivers better fuel-economy numbers because in that particular application, the 3.5-liter V-6 is equipped with variable cylinder management, which shuts down two or three of the engine's cylinders when they're not needed, based on driving conditions. Most reviewers test well-optioned V-6 Honda Accord coupes.
On the road, The New York Times' Ulrich says the Honda Accord coupe "delivered the precise handling and sophisticated operation that has made it a benchmark for family cars." Edmunds.com calls it "firm and sure-footed." Jalopnik.com is less enthusiastic, noting a "competent" ride but reporting that handling is "floaty and imprecise at speed." Autoblog.com says that the Accord coupe V-6 is a sharp handler, but that the car's 18-inch wheel/tire package contributes to a "choppy" ride and "a fair bit of roar in the cabin" at highway velocity. While the new Honda Accord is quieter than the previous model, some still complain about noticeable road noise in the cabin.
The Honda Accord coupe competes directly with the Nissan Altima coupe (*Est. $21,750 to $26,390), but comparison tests conducted when the two cars were introduced all give the nod to the larger Honda, which delivers more passenger and cargo space (the trunk holds 11.9 cubic feet of stuff) while still providing on-road dynamics that satisfy the testers at enthusiast publications. A full complement of airbags is standard, as is electronic stability control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the Honda Accord coupe across-the-board five-star safety ratings, but the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not crash-tested the Honda Accord coupe. Its evaluations focus exclusively on the Honda Accord sedan, which is named a Top Safety Pick for 2009.
Three well-written comparison tests involving the Honda Accord coupe are available from Motor Trend, Edmunds.com and Automobile.com. ConsumerGuide.com names the Accord a Best Buy, and gives driving impressions based on four different sedan and coupe models. A variety of informative single-car reviews flesh out critical feedback from sources ranging from newspapers like The New York Times and USA Today, to popular blogs such as Autoblog.com and Jalopnik.com, and go-to sites such as Cars.com, MSN Autos and Kelley Blue Book, which contributes a very useful video review.
Our Sources
1. Motor TrendDetails/Subscribe
The winner in this Motor Trend comparison test is the Honda Accord coupe, which narrowly beats the two-door Nissan Altima. The Accord is the top performer at the track, gets praise for its attractive styling and has the highest fuel mileage.
Review: Comparison: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe vs. 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse vs. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe, Edward Loh, Feb. 8, 2008
2. Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com conducts a comparison test of the Accord and Nissan Altima coupes on the track and on public roads. The winner is the Accord, which Walton says, "felt like it was engineered, designed and built to an entirely different, higher and better standard."
Review: Comparison Test: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe vs. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe, Chris Walton, Nov. 11, 2007
Automobile.com chooses the Accord coupe over the Nissan Altima in this comparison test, saying it is "better to drive day in and day out" and is "one of the roomiest two-door vehicles around."
Review: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe V-6 EX-L Navi vs. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SE Comparison Test, Justin Couture
ConsumerGuide.com editors note that the Accord coupe's firmer suspension and larger tires reduce ride comfort somewhat but conclude that the coupe's "rewarding balance of price, performance and passenger accommodations make it a Best Buy for shoppers in this class."
Review: 2009 Honda Accord: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
5. Car and DriverDetails/Subscribe
The Honda Accord (coupe and sedan) makes Car and Driver's annual 10Best list for the 23rd time in 27 years. Editors say the new, larger Accord is no less enjoyable to drive than any of its predecessors.
Review: 2009 Honda Accord -- 10Best Cars, Tony Swan, Jan. 2009
Writer Mac Demere calls the 2009 Honda Accord coupe a "classically beautiful" two-door that's a set of performance tires away from being one of the top-performing sport coupes.
Review: 2009 Honda Accord Coupe, Mac Demere
TheCarConnection.com's executive editor says the Accord coupe "is one of the best compact coupes to drive, in four- or six-cylinder guise. It handles very well, too." TheCarConnection.com's write-up also includes quotes from credible third-party reviewers.
Review: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe Bottom Line, Marty Padgett
Dan Pund says the current Honda Accord coupe is both a looker ("about 200 percent more dramatic-looking than previous versions") and a runner thanks to a powerful V-6 that's "far smoother" than the one found in the Nissan Altima coupe.
Review: First Drive: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Daniel Pund, Aug. 20, 2007
9. Autoblog.com
Autoblog.com's Dan Roth takes the controls of the 2008 Honda Accord coupe for a week and walks away impressed. It's stylish, roomy and engaging to drive. "As an everyday conveyance, the Accord Coupe extracts virtually no penalty while offering performance when you ask, and definitely weighing in on the cool side of the scale," he concludes.
Review: In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Dan Roth, March 31, 2008
The Times' Lawrence Ulrich drives the Honda Accord coupe. While he finds the all-black interior in his test car to be pretty drab-looking, the overall driving experience serves as a reminder why the Accord is considered the benchmark for its class.
Review: Accord Coupe Lets Its Hair Down, Lawrence Ulrich, Oct. 28, 2007
11. Jalopnik.com
Jalopnik.com's vehicle reviews are split into multiple parts that are published across a number of days, which can make them difficult and frustrating to keep track of. That said, in part two of his 2008 Honda Accord coupe review, road test editor Wes Siler weighs in on a number of clearly labeled categories in a concise, objective fashion.
Review: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe: Part Two, Wes Siler, April 15, 2008
12. MSN Autos
MSN Autos' Dan Jedlicka calls the Honda Accord coupe "a distinct model with its own shape and personality." He notes the wide torque band available on V-6 models with the manual gearbox but wonders if the stick is better paired with the four cylinder to wring out maximum fuel efficiency. As with many other reviewers he singles out the Nissan Altima coupe as a possible alternative.
Review: 2009 Honda Accord, Dan Jedlicka
James R. Healey calls the Honda Accord coupe a "knockout" that offers a "satisfying blend of ride comfort and handling precision, as well as sharp looks, plenty of standard features and unexpected room inside." Healey notes that his V-6, manual-transmission tester is a little hard to drive smoothly, and he thinks the optional five-speed automatic would remedy that.
Review: Test Drive: Honda Delivers a Knockout in Accord Coupe, James R. Healey, June 23, 2008
14. About.com
About.com cars guide Aaron Gold provides commentary on both the 2008 Honda Accord coupe and sedan, which he drove at their media launch. Gold has mostly positive things to say, but he singles out the button-infested instrument panel as an area that could have been done better. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
Review: 2008 Honda Accord Preview Drive, Aaron Gold
15. CNET
Wayne Cunningham's primary focus is on in-car tech, and his loaded Honda Accord EX-L V-6 tester left him impressed. The navigation system has an excellent points-of-interest database and competent voice-command features. As for the car itself, he finds it stylish and fun to drive. He dings the Accord coupe for having a separate voice-command system for its Bluetooth phone integration.
Review: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 Coupe w/Navigation (3.5L 6cyl 5A), Wayne Cunningham, March 19, 2008
16. Kelley Blue Book
Kelley Blue Book editors say the Accord "straddles the sporty-or-sensible divide." The coupe is nearly 3 inches longer than its predecessor, which may be too big for hard-core enthusiasts. Still, it's deemed a "great daily driver."
Review: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book
17. Kelley Blue Book
Posted on YouTube, Kelley Blue Book's informative video review of the Honda Accord coupe is very well produced and demonstrates aspects such as rear-seat access, trunk space and the car's turning circle in a manner that written words can't convey.
Review: Honda Accord Coupe Video Review, Editors of Kelley Blue Book, Dec. 15, 2008
18. Cars.com
Cars.com includes the Honda Accord on its Best Bet list but is not impressed with the V-6 power. Mike Hanley comments, "I'd opt for the four-cylinder because the premium for the less fuel-efficient V-6 isn't worth the so-so performance." This review also includes a video feature that focuses on the Honda Accord coupe.
Review: 2008 Honda Accord, Mike Hanley, Aug. 21, 2007
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