Family sedans review: Redesigned Honda Accord excels, Subaru Legacy loses ground

From Consumer reports.org:

SEDANS

Family sedans review: Redesigned Honda Accord excels, Subaru Legacy loses ground

Dec 18, 2012 12:00 AM

Consumer Reports has completed testing several new or updated family sedans, and the results are a bit mixed.

Honda Accord 
The all-new Honda Accord looks very much like last year's model, but the sedan demonstrated a real improvement in our tests. Although Honda has slipped with other models it redesigned in recent years, it nailed this one. The new Accord is roomy, nice to drive, well equipped, and very fuel efficient.

Inside, you are treated to one of the best driving positions available, comfortable seats, and terrific visibility. All Accords have a standard backup camera--rare among family sedans. Uplevel models include advanced safety features seldom found in this category, including forward-collision and lane-departure warning systems, and Honda's new LaneWatch blind-spot camera system.

Honda has also kept the Accord's pricing competitive. Our $23,270 four-cylinder LX and $30,860 V6 EX-L cost the same as or less than many other similarly equipped family sedans.

FOR FULL LINK CLICK HERE.

The All New 2013 Honda Accord is Here!

The All-New 2013 Honda Accord is Now Available at Your Central Florida Honda Dealers

Safety, Technology, & Fuel Economy All in an Elegant, Sleek Design

A stunning, new take on a true classic.

Serious Style

The all-new 2013 Accord Sedan has a refined style that finds the perfect balance of sporty and sophisticated.

An Elegant Statement

Whether you're admiring its impressive, new front grille or its sleek profile, the new Accord is our most elegant design ever.

Details in All the Right Places

From alloy wheels to the Expanded View Driver's countless details come standard on the 2013 Accord.

Safety

The Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™)II body structure features our highest-grade steel yet. ACE is a Honda exclusive body design that utilizes a network of connected structural elements to distribute frontal crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle. This helps reduce the force transferred to the cabin and evenly disperse the forces transferred to other vehicles involved.

Dual-Stage, Multiple-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS)

The Accord is equipped with dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags (SRS). These airbags are capable of being inflated at different rates depending on crash severity, seat-belt usage and/or other factors. Frontal airbags are designed to supplement the seat belts to help reduce the likelihood of head and upper body injuries in frontal crashes.

Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

A small camera mounted at the top of the front windshield or, in the case of the Touring model, a radar system mounted in the front grille can detect the presence of vehicles in front of you. When the FCW system calculates that you are at risk of a collision, it immediately activates visual and/or audible alerts[1]

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

A small camera mounted at the top of the front windshield tracks lane markings on the road, and it can detect when the driver is making an un-indicated lane departure[1]. Visual alerts will light up on the driver’s instrument panel and the system also can provide an audible warning.

An Exceptional Price for an Exceptional Car

The Value of Honda Engineering

We take pride in building cars that retain their value, and no vehicle in our fleet has value in its DNA quite like the Accord. It's been our hallmark since 1976, and the 2013 Accord is our finest effort yet.

A New Standard for What Comes Standard

All 2013 Accords are loaded with a wide range of impressive standard features. Bluetooth^® HandsFreeLink^®[1] calling, the USB Audio Interface[2] and the rearview camera make the drive that much more enjoyable, and the side curtain airbag with rollover sensor module helps give you peace of mind on the road.

High Praise

Each year, Accord is honored to receive a number of automotive awards. Last year, Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds.com honored Accord with their Best Resale Award in the Midsize Car Category[1] and Best Retained Value Award for Sedans $20K–$30K, respectively. We're confident that the all-new 2013 Accord will have the similar effect on industry editors.

Happy Honda Days Are Here Again and The Gifts Are For You!



You're a savvy shopper and you waited all year to buy your new Honda.  Smart decision! Now, during Happy Honda Days, you can take advantage of some of our best deals of the year including low 0.9% APR financing on our most popular models like Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey, and Pilot.  Or if a lease is more what you're looking for, how about $0 Due at Lease Signing, $0 Down Payment, $0 Security Deposit and $0 First Month's Payment on select 2012 Accords, select 2012 Civics, select 2012 Odyssey's, select 2012 Pilot's and select 2012 CR-V's.  Check out www.centralfloridahondadealers.com/honda-specials-1.aspx for all of the specific lease and finance offer details.

Honda Earns Several Category Awards in 2012 KBB Resale Value Awards

You have many factors to consider when shopping for a new car, and one of the most important factors is resale value which helps you determine what your vehicle will be worth down the road.  KBB has just released their winners for the 2012 model year, and Honda has won a number of individual categary awards!  From a recap of the stroy from autoblog.com - "The honors are handed out based on projections crafted by the KBB staff of automotive analysts for cars and trucks expected to retain the largest percentage of their original list price after five years."

• Best Subcompact Car - 2012 Honda Fit

• Best Compact Car - 2012 Honda Civic
• Best Hybrid Car - 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid
• Best Van - 2012 Honda Odyssey
• Top 10 Models - #7 2012 Honda CR-V

Honda Accord also took home second place honors in the mid-size segment as well.  According to the article, "Kelly Blue Book says that residual value should be at the top of car buyers concerns when it comes time to bringing home a new model as depreciation represents the largest potential new-car expense."  For a recap of all the category winners, click here.

You can find your new Honda today at http://www.centralfloridahondadealers.com/

2012 Pilot Wins Cars.com "$37,000 SUV Shootout"

The 2012 Honda Pilot went head-to-head with 6 other SUV's priced under $37,000 and came out on top.  Their reviewere liked Pilot's roominess, refined interior controls, and storage space.  From the article:

"The Pilot remains a nice balance of size, roominess, efficiency and versatility," Wiesenfelder said, "and it appears that Honda is becoming more generous with features for the money." "A great choice for growing families with a sense of adventure," Davis said. "The Pilot is the winner for me because of the high level of quality and comfort teamed to all the great entertainment features," Thomas said. "I'm not sure how you top it."

Features common to all: All models have Bluetooth phone connectivity, power windows and locks, antilock brakes, traction and stability control, and front-, side-impact and side curtain airbags.

Click here to view the full results.

JD Power Site Recaps Honda Initial Quality Awards

JD Power and Associates have put together a site that summarizes the models and segments that Honda took home top honors in the 2011 Initial Quality Survey (IQS) Awards. 

Honda has placed among the top 10 industry brands in the rankings for 21 of the past 25 years, and even took home the 2011 Platinum Plant Quality Award. Visit www.jdpower.com/microsites/honda for all the details on the individaul awards, videos, and overall industry rankings. 

About the Award(s) - Honda is the highest-ranked Non-Premium nameplate in the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS)—a benchmark study of new-vehicle quality after 90 days of ownership. The study has been conducted annually for the past 25 years. Expected reliability continues to be the single-most-important reason why new- vehicle buyers choose one model over another.