2008 Honda Accord CoupeNot just two doors down.By Matt DeLorenzoNovember 2007Downloads: Data Panel: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe Head-turning styling and hard-charging performance from sports sedans have made coupes almost irrelevant afterthoughts in the great scheme of things automotive. By and large, they are based on the same wheelbase as their 4-portaled siblings and pretty much share the same styling. Some even believe the coupe is a dying breed. Not Honda. When it introduced a thinly disguised concept of the eighth-generation Accord nearly a year ago, the Japanese automaker chose a coupe body to showcase the new design direction. And John Mendel, the senior vice president of American Honda's auto operation, boldly predicted that the coupe segment could grow as much as 34 percent by 2011. With its striking styling and amped-up performance, the Accord Coupe is testimony that Mendel's prediction may not be off the mark. Even though it's not an outright sports coupe in the mode of a BMW 3 Series or an Infiniti G37 (primarily due to its reliance on front rather than rear drive), the Accord Coupe is a stylish, sporty machine in its own right and not just a sedan with two less doors. The differences between the coupe and sedan begin at the root level the 2-door rides on a 107.9-in. wheelbase, 2.3 in. less than the 4-door's. The overall package is more compact as well, with the coupe measuring a tidy 190.9 in. overall, a little more than 3 in. less than the sedan. The coupe sits slightly lower at 56.4 in. and shares the same track and width as the 4-door. The look of the coupe is decidedly more aggressive than the sedan and other coupes in the segment, for that matter. Drivers should have no problem identifying the new Accord as it draws closer in their rearview mirrors. The grille opening is large with a prominent H logo in the center, and the mesh texture is framed by chrome trim. The halogen projector-beam headlamps are nestled deep in lens-covered slits, while the lower fascia sports a generous air intake and auxiliary lights. The sides of the coupe are clean, with a large character line that carves out a cove, while a steeply raked rear window adds to the impression that the car is always in motion. A small rear spoiler is neatly integrated into the decklid. The overall appearance is forceful, yet not over the top. Inside, Honda's attention to materials, fit and finish has paid huge dividends. The cabin has an upscale Acura aura that comes from finely tailored sport bucket seats, a choice of silver or wood accents, a coupe-only 3-spoke sport steering wheel and Honda's trademark straightforward controls and instrumentation. The additional beam of this latest iteration of the Accord allows the front-seat passengers to sit farther apart, which also provides room for a 2.75-in.-wider center console. The flip-and-slide front buckets offer adequate access to the rear seats and while there are three passenger positions aft, the center position is a kids-only zone. For the most part, the mechanical package is shared with the sedan. The Coupe's base engine is the 200-bhp 2.4-liter four and the optional V-6 now displaces 3.5 liters and makes 268 bhp (about 5 bhp less than what was announced at the car's press introduction). Base coupes can be had with either a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission. Our test car, the "L" version, is where the V-6 Accord Coupe shines. It comes with a 6-speed manual and the engine dispenses with the Variable Cylinder Management system, which cycles from three to four to six cylinders depending on load and throttle input. While peak horsepower and torque don't change, Honda says torque is more readily accessible throughout the powerband on the non-VCM V-6. The V-6 is silky smooth and readily spins up to the 6800-rpm redline which is a lot less than you'd expect from rev-happy Honda engines. Yet, even with variable valve timing, the delivery of the engine's output is linear, not peaky, and rewards with ample pulling power throughout the range. We were able to record 060-mph acceleration of 5.9 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.5 sec. at 99.8 mph. The 6-speed manual is precise without being notchy, and the clutch take-up is progressive and nicely weighted. In fact, the controls on this newest Accord seem to have a bit more weight; they are no longer feather-light to the touch and provide much better feedback. The same applies to the steering. Thanks to its variable gear ratio steering, which has wider-spaced teeth at both ends of the steering rack, the wheels turn more with large steering wheel inputs. Conversely, the more tightly spaced teeth in the middle of the rack allow more precise adjustments of the steering angle with small inputs, typically at speed. The result is that the car retains its light touch when parallel parking while being more accurate on-center at speed, without losing or damping the feedback from the front wheels. Although the Accord has grown over the previous model, the Coupe still feels pretty light on its feet. Even though the front-drive setup tends to create moderate understeer, the overall balance of the car is quite good. We were able to wring 0.82g on the skidpad and race through our 700-foot slalom at a respectable 63.4 mph. With its blend of predictable road manners, tidy dimensions, stout yet refined powertrain and handsome styling inside and out, the Accord Coupe stands on its own merits as a distinctive and desirable addition to the Honda line.
