B R AK I NG NE W S
New Accord technologies LED daytime running lights (DRLs) ----------------------------------------------- LED taillights ----------------------------------------------- The Accord 3.5 EX and 3.5 Sport offer Honda’s first LED projector headlights for improved visibility ----------------------------------------------- Smart entry and push-button start included on Accord EX and Sport models ----------------------------------------------- The available touch-screen panel offers convenient control of audio, phone and many other functions ----------------------------------------------- Included on Accord 3.5 EX and 3.5 Sport, Honda LaneWatch Blind Spot Display provides an expanded rear view of the passenger side roadway through the intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) ----------------------------------------------- Bluetooth HandsFreeLink, USB/iPod integration and rearview camera ----------------------------------------------- ECON button with Eco Assist ----------------------------------------------- New MacPherson-strut front suspension improves ride and handling qualities, while also reducing interior noise, vibration and harshness. The new, lighter aluminium and steel front subframe also uses a proprietary Honda friction-stir welding process ----------------------------------------------- New side airbags mitigate the risk of excessive airbag deployment force while eliminating the need for the prior Accord’s Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS)
recurring and extremely annoying lyric, I was able to test the brakes and acceleration to great effect. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, as is electronic brake distribution (EBD) with brake assist, a four-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS). From LX grades onwards, vehicle stability assist with traction control and hill start assist are also standard on the Accord. Under the hood As in previous generations, two petrol engines are available in the 2013 Honda Accord Sedan and Coupe. These include a new Earth Dreams 2.4-litre four-cylinder and a new Earth Dreams 3.5-litre V6 with revised VTEC and VCM functions. The base 173-horsepower (hp) four-cylinder engine is coupled to an efficient five-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, Accord V6 models feature a 276hp 3.5-litre engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission.
9 0 Qatar Today
march 2013
Although I didn’t quite manage it, the top speed of the VTEC is 227 kph and it can go from 0-100 kph in eight seconds. Each of the five cars has a very capable entertainment system in the dash. I hadn’t much time to get to grips with the functionality, but I did see some options to change the wallpaper and clock! It’s like configuring your laptop for the first time. There was also an in-built and accurate GPS system, which I kept an eye on throughout my short journey. Later on, when I travelled in the Honda Accord Sport, I noticed a side camera on the display – LaneWatch Blind Spot Display – which pretty much made the right wing mirror redundant. Very useful, I thought. So, after over two hours out on the road, and switching cars three times, we eventually got back to our base at the Ritz-Carlton for a well-deserved luncheon. Not before we lined the cars up in a pseudo-parabolic shape, though, and took some more pictures with the iconic Zig Zag Towers in the backdrop. Of course we did