From the November 1997 concern of Automobile and Driver.

They’re feeling a bit of pressured on the manufacturing facility down in Marysville, Ohio, the place Honda has constructed Accords since 1982. Till this all-new 1998 Accord went into manufacturing, this U.S. manufacturing facility had all the time been capable of depend on Japan to ship in further Accords if demand exceeded provide. Issues on the meeting line? Choose up the telephone to Japan, and order some Accords.

However for 1998, Marysville goes “mom­line-less,” which is how plant executives describe the truth that for the primary time, all U.S.-spec Accord sedans will probably be constructed at Marysville, as will all Accord coupes. Interval. If that is not sufficient stress, con­sider this: The coupe and the sedan share just one main exterior half—the top­lights—and surprisingly few inside elements. And this: The 1997 Accord continued to promote so nicely {that a} prolonged plant shutdown to vary over to 1998 manufacturing left some sellers Accord-less. Lastly, the house workplace gave the U.S. manufacturing facility simply 20 days, starting August 19, to go from full manufacturing of ’97 fashions to full produc­tion of ’98s—that is 1750 automobiles a day.

However nobody at Marysville appeared wor­ried. That is, in spite of everything, Honda. And the plant has been getting ready for this 1998 mannequin since January 1993—that is earlier than the redesigned 1994 Accord was launched. Count on no shortages of 1998 Honda Accords.

Which is sweet, as a result of there in all probability will probably be no scarcity of shoppers. The cur­lease Accord is a superb automobile, but it surely appeared barely off-target when launched 4 years in the past. Inside area was tight com­pared with different sedans in its value vary. Solely four-cylinder engines have been initially provided. The 170-horse, 2.7-liter V-6, finally launched, was easy and prepared however smaller than the V-6s in comparable automobiles.

All that modifications for 1998. Vir­tually nothing has been carried over—there is a new physique, a brand new platform, a brand new inside, and a brand new single-overhead-camshaft 3.0-liter V-6 with VTEC, Honda’s variable valve-timing system we have favored on each Honda and Acura that has been so outfitted. Whereas VTEC engines within the Prelude, Integra, or NSX have supplied a noticeable kick-in-the-pants sensation when a sure rpm was reached underneath laborious acceleration, the Accord’s V-6 has a extra family-friendly, linear energy supply. It delivered our check Accord LX to the top of the quarter-mile in a good 16 seconds flat, at 88 mph. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph took 7.7 seconds. A Toyota Camry LE V-6 we examined in August did the quarter in 16.2 sec­onds at 86 mph and the 0-to-60 dash in 8.0 seconds. The final Accord LX V-6 auto­matic we examined (November 1995) posted 16.8 seconds and 85 mph for the quarter and eight.4 seconds for 0 to 60 mph.

Energy from the brand new Accord V-6 comes on so easily—thanks partially to its intuitive digital four-speed computerized trans­mission, which is far much less obtrusive than earlier than—that on the finish of the freeway merge ramp, you may look on the speedometer and be startled to study you are touring some 15 mph sooner than you thought. At 80 mph, the Accord feels so steady and hunkered down that you will need to foyer for an additional speed-limit enhance. Aside from a bit of wind noise from the out­facet mirrors, the Accord sedan is world­-class quiet.

Suspension-wise, this new Accord turns into much less compelling. In a straight line, on sometimes tough Michigan inter­states, the experience is extra jarring than anticipated, with expansion-joint impacts transmitted to the motive force by the steering column and pedals. The suspen­sion design—unequal-length management arms up entrance and multilink on the rear, with gas-pressurized shocks—stays just like that of the earlier mannequin; the LX now will get a rear anti-roll bar, beforehand avail­ready solely on the EX. With the all-weather Michelin P205/65R- 15 MXV4 radials, the Accord sedan corners with out drama, as household sedans are wont to do. It is effi­cient, however not a lot enjoyable.

The Michelins yowl when pressed, giving up in predictable increments as typical front-wheel-drive understeer ensues. Again off the throttle, and the Accord snaps again in line, because it’s presupposed to. Skidpad efficiency was a reliable 0.78 g—similar as that of the aforemen­tioned 1997 Camry LE. The V-6 Accords—insiders ought to know the six is recognizable by its 5 wheel lugs; four-bangers get 4 lugs—have four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes that stopped our 3294-pound sedan from 70 mph in 194 toes, 3 farther than the Camry LE. Anti-lock brakes are elective on all DXs and on the bread-and-butter 4­cylinder LX. They’re normal on the V-6 LX and deluxe EX.

Talking of the DX, the bottom engine is a 2.3-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder with 135 hp. The elective four-cylinder engine is similar displacement, however with VTEC and 150 hp. The bump within the four-cylinder displacement from 2.2 liters in ’97 to 2.3 for ’98 was accom­plished through the use of thinner cylinder liners within the aluminum-alloy block. The 135-horse 4 is out there within the DX and LX; the VTEC four-cylinder and the V-6 could be had solely within the LX and EX. All engines can run on reg­ular fuel. 4-cylinder fashions get the selection of a five-speed guide or a four-speed computerized transmission, however all sixes get the auto field. The DX will get 14-inch tires and wheels; the LX and the EX get 15-inchers, with alloy wheels normal on the EX. None provides traction management.

Inside, the Accord LX sedan provides no surprises. Snug, supportive seats; a pleasant instru­ment cluster (constructed for the V-6 sedans and coupes by Ford, by the way, whereas Delco, which is owned by GM, equipped some electronics); a considerate management format; tasteful if understated material and vinyl trim.

Regardless of a excessive beltline, visibility is great, and the massive windshield provides to a sense of roominess. Though lower than a half-inch longer on the skin than the 1997 V-6 mannequin, and driving on the identical 106.9-inch wheelbase, the 1998 Accord sedan makes exceptionally good use of inside area, making it a real mid-size automobile, thanks partially to a substan­tial enhance in top (virtually two inches) and observe width.

Even with the entrance seats all the way in which again, rear-seat room is beneficiant. All three rear passengers get three-point belts. EPA-­measured inside passenger quantity for the ’97 is 94.7 cubic toes and 101.7 cubic toes for the ’98. The trunk is massive and simply accessible, and the rear seat has a move­by hatch that folds down, or the entire seat folds down if much more lug­gage area is required.

The underhood format is handsomely environment friendly, with all service factors accessible. Crank the V-6 up, and pop the hood. At idle, this is among the quietest engines we have heard.

Exterior, although, we want Honda’s styl­ists had gone a bit additional. The 1998 Accord sedan definitely would not seem like earlier Accords, but when informal feedback made about our check sedan are any indica­tion, it does seem like a couple of different automobiles, with the Chevrolet Malibu essentially the most incessantly talked about. Designers took a couple of possibilities with the Accord coupe. They took none with the sedan.

How a lot will that have an effect on gross sales? Prob­ably under no circumstances. And the Accord needs to be priced proper. No agency numbers have been avail­ready at press time, however Honda guarantees the four-cylinder mannequin needs to be stickered near 1997 costs, and the V-6 will actu­ally be a bit cheaper. Our LX V-6 sedan, properly outfitted with energy equipment however missing a compact disc participant and a sunroof, ought to record for about $21,700.

A future heads-up comparability check will pit the brand new Accord towards the competi­tion, significantly the Toyota Camry. It needs to be a detailed battle.