The 2009 Honda Accord Coupe: An Owner's Perspective

Author's Rating:

Pros: Beautiful design, multitude of standard and special features, sports car feel.

Cons: Sports car feel is not for everyone.

The Bottom Line: 
This beauty is a pleasure to look at and to drive.  On a smooth mountain highway it is pure magic.

Author's Review
When you keep a car for seventeen years you know it must be special.  Our 1992 Maxima was just such a car—but the 2009 Honda Accord Coupe that replaced it is even more special.  Although we esteemed the Maxima, the Accord Coupe produces a feeling best described as "love."

It was "love" at first sight.  In person, the Accord Coupe is a thing of beauty, especially in this era of truly ugly cars. The angle of the accompanying photo makes the coupe look shorter and less sleek.  Parked in my garage next to my old Rodeo reveals that it is actually a few inches longer than the SUV and ready to race.

Honda offers four models of the Accord Coupe, the LX-S, EX, EX-L, and EX-L, V-6.  Each model is equipped with specific accouterments not offered in other models.  In other words, you can't buy an EX and dress it up with leather and power driver's seat, which are standard on the EX-L.  I had decided on the EX until given a test drive in the EX-L   My aching back had a lot to do with the selection.  Getting the power lumbar support just right is crucial when you have lower back problems.

Once we decided on the EX-L coupe, I was most concerned about which engine to choose, the in-line four or the V6.  Having driven nothing but sixes and eights most of my life, I was skeptical of the kind of performance my Honda owner friends were claiming.  The first demo ride in a four-cylinder coupe removed all doubts.  Every aspect of performance far exceeded my expectations.  Acceleration, response time, and (in the three months since purchase, extensive mountain driving) have proven this 190 horsepower engine isn't the sissy one would normally expect of a four cylinder engine.

During the demo ride I remarked that I couldn't imagine what the V-6 would be like to handle and the salesman admitted that it was probably overpowered.

The main reason I considered a four-cylinder was, of course, gas mileage.  The Accord brochure lists city/highway/combined EPA mileage estimates that varied significantly from my calculations over a thousand mile round trip into the Rocky Mountains. The actual mileage turned out to be a pleasant surprise—and quite the reverse of the old days when you were lucky to get the mileage posted on the window sticker. The EX-L 4-cyl, automatic is posted to get 21/30/24. Our actual trip mileage was 32 mpg in 105-degree desert heat (air conditioning running full time), 38 mpg at a higher, cooler elevation (mostly uphill, air conditioning intermittent), and a whopping 42 miles per gallon on a return leg in rainy, cooler weather.

To go over each and every feature and accessory would consume pages of information that is far more easily obtained online or by taking a test-drive at a Honda dealership, so I'll try to hold it down to those items I consider unique or of special interest to the new car buyer.

As with many new cars, the Accord comes with a remote key transmitter that locks and unlocks doors and trunk and sounds a panic alarm.  An additional feature allows you to open both windows and the moonroof by pressing and holding the unlock button a second time.  This is particularly appreciated here in the Southwest on hot summer days when the temperature is in the hundreds.

Although I didn't order them, I got "stuck" with tinted windows.  Little did I know that getting stuck would be a good thing.  Even though the car has a black leather interior, with tinted windows it never got as unbearably hot in the sun like our other cars have in the past.

Another item I felt I would have no use for was the XM Satellite Radio, which has turned out to be one of features I've really enjoyed, especially on remote New Mexico roads.  To get the full enjoyment from the XM, you program the push buttons for music, news, comedy, talk, or whatever, and use the steering wheel buttons to control volume and select channels to fit your fancy as you as you cruise along.   XM comes free for the first three months.  An additional year of service costs $164. 

Other reviewers have found the dash overcrowded and confusing.  I haven't found this to be true—without the navigation system.  Looking at a picture of the panel that includes navigation makes my head spin. I chose not to have it included because I already had a portable GPS.

Having driven a number of newer rentals in recent years I was aware of some of the newer additions to cars (such as cup holders) so the transition from the Maxima to the Accord didn't require much in the way of learning.  Everything was pretty much where I expected it to be.

Some things that were new to me: Two separate trip indicators can be set and displayed electronically, allowing you to calculate gas mileage and distance traveled at the same time.  Odometer, outside air temperature, engine oil life, "service due," "check fuel cap," and compass headings are also displayed.  Doors can be set to lock and unlock automatically.  The rear seat folds down for trunk access and the high trunk profile permits luggage stacking, a definite plus in a coupe.

Other features in the EX-L package include an automatic air-conditioning system that allows you to set separate temperatures for both driver and passenger. This is particularly nice when the sun is streaming in one side of the car. There are also separate seat heaters for the driver and passenger.

There were a couple of unwanted surprises.  One was the alarm system, which I'm not sure how I set off and had to call the dealer to learn that it can be turned off by inserting the key in the door lock and turning it to the left.  The low tire pressure indicator was another.  Twice it has come on, warning me of dire consequences if I didn't stop and inspect all tires and add air as required.  Both times I found tires to be a few pounds low and both times I believe the cause was due to temperature and/or altitude.  Inflated "cold" on the desert means inflating them at ninety plus degrees. "Cold" in the White Mountains translated to forty degrees—and a warning light.

The only other shortfall I've encountered is ride comfort.  The 2009 Honda Accord Coupe rides more like a sports car.  It's a solid ride that gets a bit uncomfortable on bumpy roads.  The sports car feel also applies to steering, which I have found more responsive in every speed range than any passenger car I've ever driven. On a smooth, winding mountain highway it is pure magic.  I love the feel and the looks of the Accord Coupe.  To be honest, I just like to drive this car—and I haven't said that in many, many moons.