Questions about the Accord Euro

[westy]

Gday everyone.

First post on ozhonda!

I'm a 20 year old from Melbourne and I'm pretty dead set on getting a Manual Euro as my second car.

Ideally, I want to buy an 08-09 model with 60,000km or less on it. I just have a few questions about a few things.

1. Fuel Economy: What's the economy around town like? Hopefully it's better than what I'm getting in my 98' Magna at the moment! I do know that you're supposed to fill up with 95 or higher, that doesn't bother me.

2. Sound System: I've read that the sound system has 10 speakers (with a Subwoofer as well?) I love my music! What's the stock system like?

3. Performance, Handling & Steering: Considering it has a 148kW engine, I'm assuming that performance won't be an issue at all! I've read that it handles very nicely and that it shifts gears like an absolute dream! Should be heaps better than the boat I currently drive.
Apparently the steering is a bit on the light side and lacks a bit of feel, but again... the Magna I drive has no feel in the steering at all, so I doubt it would be an issue for me!

4. Back Seat Space & Comfort: My mates and I do the occasional road trip to Phillip Island, Bendigo etc. We're all around 5' 8" - 6', I know 5 people would really be pushing it comfort wise, but what's it like for 4 people? Particularly comfort for back seat passengers. My dad drives a Mazda 3 sedan and that is too small for my liking.

5. What's it like compared to the competition: If any of you have any previous history with similar cars or with the Euro, I'd love to hear your stories!

If you have any other bits of info that you would like to share, please do so!

Cheers!

Westy.

P.S. Sorry if I haven't posted this in the correct area.

[fillit]

Gday everyone.

First post on ozhonda!

I'm a 20 year old from Melbourne and I'm pretty dead set on getting a Manual Euro as my second car.

Ideally, I want to buy an 08-09 model with 60,000km or less on it. I just have a few questions about a few things.

1. Fuel Economy: What's the economy around town like? Hopefully it's better than what I'm getting in my 98' Magna at the moment! I do know that you're supposed to fill up with 95 or higher, that doesn't bother me.

2. Sound System: I've read that the sound system has 10 speakers (with a Subwoofer as well?) I love my music! What's the stock system like?

3. Performance, Handling & Steering: Considering it has a 148kW engine, I'm assuming that performance won't be an issue at all! I've read that it handles very nicely and that it shifts gears like an absolute dream! Should be heaps better than the boat I currently drive.
Apparently the steering is a bit on the light side and lacks a bit of feel, but again... the Magna I drive has no feel in the steering at all, so I doubt it would be an issue for me!

4. Back Seat Space & Comfort: My mates and I do the occasional road trip to Phillip Island, Bendigo etc. We're all around 5' 8" - 6', I know 5 people would really be pushing it comfort wise, but what's it like for 4 people? Particularly comfort for back seat passengers. My dad drives a Mazda 3 sedan and that is too small for my liking.

5. What's it like compared to the competition: If any of you have any previous history with similar cars or with the Euro, I'd love to hear your stories!

If you have any other bits of info that you would like to share, please do so!

Cheers!

Westy.

P.S. Sorry if I haven't posted this in the correct area.

Welcome, also good luck on finding a manual Accord Euro, they are rather rare.

1. Fuel economy is shockers, you're looking at about 8 - 9L /100km if you are thrifty with your driving.

2. Sound system is acceptable, however an aftermarket system is much better.. also there is a tendency of speakers blowing, mine had to be replaced under warranty. The sub woofer, isn't really a proper subwoofer.. it sits on the parcel tray, not in an enclosed box.

3. Performance, well... it has 148KW which is 8KW more than the CL9 but with 200kg more weight, there's torque, but it's no race car due to the weight, don't expect to leave anyone at the lights. Steering is electronic and it doesn't give much feedback on the road, it's luxury car not a sports car. It does have nice chassis bracing like stock strut bar and when vtec comes in it makes you feel warm and fuzzy momentarily.

4. Back seat space is horrible, I'm 180cm average size and I find it uncomfortable to sit in the back seat, mostly because of the lack of leg room. Also if you are carrying lots of weight the car actually sits quite low, enough to be scraping in and out of driveways.

Overall I love my Euro, as I'm mostly the only driver and only drive my parter/family around. I love the luxuries it comes with and the overall looks of the car. Compared to say, camry, kizashi, liberty etc I would take the Euro. Again I'm didn't purchase the car for performance purposes, solely as a luxury daily driver.

[Fredoops]

^^^ what he said.

Expect 9L+ in the city

[westy]

9+ in the city isn't too much of a deal for me. My Magna is currently running a bit rich and burning 10-12L/100km. In city driving and peak hour traffic, I tend to be rather thrifty. Any other times I like to drive "enthusiastically" as I call it ;)
I still haven't sat in a Euro yet, so I can't really tell a lot about the car. I'll definitely give the sound system in one a work out, as well as test out the back seat and performance. I don't want to be racing or dragging people off at the lights or anything.
I just want a fun car to drive. Something that handles well and is fun in the windy mountain roads, yet have the luxuries that make long car rides bearable for other passengers. The Euro seems to be the best compromise!

[antony]

The Euro is brilliant,as it is fully imported from Japan,which means reliability,build quality,and finish are excellent.

Awesome looking inside and out,with lots of features,and very comfortable.

Fun to drive,excellent sound system,quiet,smooth,powerful enough,and very economical on the open roads.

I love mine,best of the bunch of all the mid sized sedans on the market IMHO

Good luck finding a manual though,most are automatics........

[Jasemas]

The Euro is brilliant,as it is fully imported from Japan,which means reliability,build quality,and finish are excellent.

Awesome looking inside and out,with lots of features,and very comfortable.

Fun to drive,excellent sound system,quiet,smooth,powerful enough,and very economical on the open roads.

I love mine,best of the bunch of all the mid sized sedans on the market IMHO

Good luck finding a manual though,most are automatics........

Pretty sure the old euros were made in Japan
But the recent newer models are now made in Thailand...
Quality isn't there anymore especially the '12 models were defective workmanship has been seen

[fillit]

Pretty sure the old euros were made in Japan
But the recent newer models are now made in Thailand...
Quality isn't there anymore especially the '12 models were defective workmanship has been seen

All accord euros are manufactured in Japan.

I think you are referring to the Jazz or Accord which was previously manufactured in Japan then switched facilities to Thailand.

The only Accord Euro made outside of Japan is for the China market which is made in China.

[Jasemas]

All accord euros are manufactured in Japan.

I think you are referring to the Jazz or Accord which was previously manufactured in Japan then switched facilities to Thailand.

The only Accord Euro made outside of Japan is for the China market which is made in China.
touche i've been proven wrong lol
but theres been a few threads on the newer euro's build quality

[westy]

I've heard that the build quality from Thailand is still pretty decent. I'd assume it wouldn't be as good as a full Japanese import though.
Does anyone prefer the CL9 over the CU2? Because the only reason I decided on the CU2 was because of the added luxuries and a supposedly better sound system. They're also a newer car and more likely to have lower k's on them. The power increase doesn't make a difference considering the CU2 is 150kg or so heavier.

[fillit]

I've heard that the build quality from Thailand is still pretty decent. I'd assume it wouldn't be as good as a full Japanese import though.
Does anyone prefer the CL9 over the CU2? Because the only reason I decided on the CU2 was because of the added luxuries and a supposedly better sound system. They're also a newer car and more likely to have lower k's on them. The power increase doesn't make a difference considering the CU2 is 150kg or so heavier.

I've had a Thai built jazz, quality is very similar as most of the work is done by robots and most of the panels are big and clip into place, hard to make a mess of it.

It would be a bit easier to get a manual CL9 than a manual CU2, if you are considering getting a luxury model CU2 manual is almost impossible to find.

I haven't owned a CL9 but driven it enough, I think that the CL9 is a better drivers car performance wise as it basically has the same engine, but with smaller tyres and lighter chassis makes it feel a little faster. However for something to live with day by day I wouldn't look back from a CU2.

Have you considered an Aurion or Accord? They have heaps of luxury, lots of power and probably would cost less than an equivalent Accord euro, however they are auto only.

These type of cars are generally hard to find in manual, as most people purchase it for the purpose of A to B or luxury cruiser.

[westy]

Yeah I was wondering how poor workmanship would come into the picture when pretty much everything is done by robots!

I managed to get a Manual Magna! Haha :P I wouldn't be in any rush to get it. The more time I have to save money to spend, the better.

Yeah, I'm currently reading another Ozhonda thread from 4 and a half years ago when the CU2 just came out
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?98716-comparing-CU2-and-CL9/.
It looks like the only way I'll find out is if I actually compare them myself.
If I get a Euro, I will hopefully be keeping it for 5+ years (unless something breaks or I have a drastic change in circumstances)

At the moment, I definitely want a manual. That's probably the biggest deal breaker for me. I'm a bit of a MT snob!
Give me another 15 - 20 years and I'll probably be driving an automatic family car with all the bells and whistles.

Right now, I want a compromise of everything.
The power is similar to what I already have, but I'm craving a bit more luxury/technology and roughly the same space as my Magna.

[fillit]

Yeah I was wondering how poor workmanship would come into the picture when pretty much everything is done by robots!

I managed to get a Manual Magna! Haha :P I wouldn't be in any rush to get it. The more time I have to save money to spend, the better.

Yeah, I'm currently reading another Ozhonda thread from 4 and a half years ago when the CU2 just came out
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?98716-comparing-CU2-and-CL9/.
It looks like the only way I'll find out is if I actually compare them myself.
If I get a Euro, I will hopefully be keeping it for 5+ years (unless something breaks or I have a drastic change in circumstances)

At the moment, I definitely want a manual. That's probably the biggest deal breaker for me. I'm a bit of a MT snob!
Give me another 15 - 20 years and I'll probably be driving an automatic family car with all the bells and whistles.

Right now, I want a compromise of everything.
The power is similar to what I already have, but I'm craving a bit more luxury/technology and roughly the same space as my Magna.

If it's been serviced properly it won't break, it will run until the end of time lol.

Have you considered a Subaru Liberty GT B? Plenty of power, heaps of luxury.

[westy]

I love Japanese cars for that reason! :D

I have actually, but I figured that it would be too much of a drainer on petrol.
What's your experience with it?

[kiat]

Yeah I was wondering how poor workmanship would come into the picture when pretty much everything is done by robots!

They are not mainly assembled by robots. Most of the components are hand assembled, except chassis welding and spray painting. Engine, chassis, doors, etc. and other heavy items use hydraulic lifts/arms and aligned using jigs.

Edit: In fact, not all 100% welding points are done by robots are also. Semi-robots.

[westy]

Oh fair enough.
Thank god that doesn't affect me in this situation!

[cend0l]

This is what I normally do: Pretend to be a interested customer and test drive a brand new CU2 from the dealers. Bring a friend along so you dont feel awkward :D

[westy]

Haha I've been thinking about doing that for a while! Unfortunately I'm only 20 and have my Green P's. Pretty sure they wouldn't be keen on me driving one of their cars!

[redseven]

Hi there, I think the CU2 Accord Euro is a good choice if you want a practical and relatively cheap sports sedan.

1. Fuel Economy: What's the economy around town like?

It sucks... don't get the auto if you want decent fuel economy in town. I usually see 10+ liters/100 km in slow town traffic, but highway cruising gets 7l/100km or lower. Apparently the manual is better but you'll be shifting early everywhere to get better fuel economy.

2. Sound System

It's pretty good but there's a pronounced midrange and treble kick that makes the system sound harsh. A DSP upgrade and better speakers improves things by a lot, some threads on here on that.

3. Performance, Handling & Steering

We get the lower powered engine and auto with paddle shifts here but for me, it's good enough for plenty of twisty-road grins. The handling is pretty flat and stable on 17" wheels. I think the standard stability control system only intervenes when you're about to crash into a tree... The engine needs to be revved above 5000 rpm to get power and torque but the upside is the fantastic noise it makes. VTEC kicked in yo!!! The steering is a bit light because it's an electrically assisted system - you won't get the feel of a hydraulic setup but you get used to it. Expect more feedback from the tires and suspension than the steering.

4. Back Seat Space & Comfort
The back seats are really meant for 2 people, the side seats are deeply sculpted so your butt just sinks in there. The middle seat is an afterthought, reserve it for friends you don't like :) 6-footers might find the legroom a bit cramped unless the front seats are moved up.

5. What's it like compared to the competition?
I guess it goes against luxury compact sedans like BMW 3's, Merc C's, Lexus IS, Buick Regal, Toyota Reis or Camry. My dream car for this segment is a Lexus IS300 but the Euro is a helluva lot cheaper :)

[chunsa]

Owner of 6MT CU2 here for 3+ years. Here's some thoughts

Fuel economy:
Around city driving expect 11-12L/100KMs. No highways etc just strictly start stop madness!! (My avg speed is 22km/h recently.. slowly switching to public transport + cycling). It does dip down lower with some highways thrown in (about 10L/100kms)
I found shifting earlier doesn't improve fuel economy that much in my experience. Shifting a bit later is ok.
Shifting earlier = lugging this 1500KG with no torque = bad fuel economy :P

Sound System:
I'm no audiophile but the sound is really decent. Listening to alot of radio so SQ doesn't matter as much

Performance and Handling:
When you want it to vroom it will vroom. Expect to go all the way to 7000 revs to get more go!
When you see 0-100 times in the ~7.6-8s that's going all out!! When you shift normally expect this car to be a bit slower :P

The weight is really apparent and I feel handling could be more improved. Investigating getting rear sway bar (had one on the CL9 and felt a difference) but not so sure about drilling holes with the Progress 22mm sway bar!! I do feel though it out handles the Holden and Ford sedans but afterwards they catch up with just straight up speed :(

The 6 speed transmission feels really smooth and really good! Always liked the transmission in the Euro.

Back seat comfort:
It's bad. The Jazz has way better back seat comfort and better boot space too!! I've sat in the back seat it's enough for some trips but I find the Jazz much more comfortable. Boot space is a bit and not great for IKEA shopping :P It's good enough for 1 60L icebox and some random groceries though. The rear suspension (I assume) affects the boot shape so much :(

Other thoughts:
When you compare to other brands, you really come to appreciate the Accord Euro alot. The refinement and what you get competes with the luxurious brands. I think it comes down to a mental thing - people associate the Germans with the luxurious tag and hence even the cheaper base model is already luxurious.

I bought the Accord Euro appreciating the value and really compared to the Germans the equipment it has standard is amazing! Little things like ALL auto windows, when reversing, dipping side mirror, dual climate + rear, auto down and up windows, soft touch plastics, etc

The engine itself produces better power than rivals but fuel economy and torque isn't as great as the "turbos". Compared directly with Japanese competitors, IMO, the Accord Euro comes up on top in nearly all categories! I know anthony always roots for the Euro and looks like I'm going to join him too! The Euro is really a great value car!

[westy]

This is all valuable information for me. Thanks guys!
I probably will end up getting an aftermarket Sound System.
The Euro definitely sounds like the top of the market compared to its Japanese and German Rivals (with what it comes with as standard).
I don't really want to be fanging it everywhere, but I do like to push the car when you're driving on an engaging road.
I don't know if I'd bother getting a RSB :P

I'm just keen to take one for a spin! :D One day...

[Jasemas]

Hi there, I think the CU2 Accord Euro is a good choice if you want a practical and relatively cheap sports sedan.

3. Performance, Handling & Steering

We get the lower powered engine and auto with paddle shifts here but for me, it's good enough for plenty of twisty-road grins. The handling is pretty flat and stable on 17" wheels. I think the standard stability control system only intervenes when you're about to crash into a tree... The engine needs to be revved above 5000 rpm to get power and torque but the upside is the fantastic noise it makes. VTEC kicked in yo!!! The steering is a bit light because it's an electrically assisted system - you won't get the feel of a hydraulic setup but you get used to it. Expect more feedback from the tires and suspension than the steering.


They all come with A K24 engine...

[fillit]

They all come with A K24 engine...

Yes, I don't think the CU2s came in Type R, the Type Rs had K20As.

[Jasemas]

Yes, I don't think the CU2s came in Type R, the Type Rs had K20As.

There was a special on GT Channel about the K series (Civic, teg & euro)
If im not mistaken its not actually a Type R but a Euro-R

And if you are after good fuel economy from a 2.4litre that weighs over 1500kgs dont expect it
Buy a prius... And that goes for the performance too
'Its not a 'sports car'
But more of a sport car (i.e new 86)' - Spoon Director

[ChaosMaster]

CL7's all came with K20 while CL9's all came with K24. Australia only ever got the Euro with the 2.4ltr engines. Especially with a heavy CU2, I wouldn't want to have a K20 in it.

[Fredoops]

They all come with A K24 engine...

The power output is different.......

The Chinese CU2s had less power due to fuel quality

Also wih the cl9's the USDM ha 10kw more than the AUDM/JDM

[redseven]

Well in China we get a K24A5 which has 190hp I think, compared to the 200hp that the TSX has. The compression ratio is also lower to run on RON93 petrol.

The new 2013 CU2's here have a 2.0 liter engine option which is probably a K20 variant.

[Jasemas]

The power output is different.......

The Chinese CU2s had less power due to fuel quality

Also wih the cl9's the USDM ha 10kw more than the AUDM/JDM

Under the impression we were talking about OZ Euros :P
Carry on then