Honda Accord Receives Car and Driver Magazine's '10Best Cars' Award 20 Times

Car and Driver Magazine has named the 2006 Honda Accord as one of the winners of its prestigious and highly competitive annual "10Best Cars" award. Named as the "Best Family Sedan," the Accord has achieved "10Best" status 20 times in the 24 years that Car and Driver editors have been conducting the competition, more than any other vehicle in the award's history.

The full lineup of Accord vehicles - including the Accord Hybrid and the four-cylinder- and V6-powered Sedan and Coupe - have been recognized by the magazine's staff as outstanding vehicles in their respective classes. Honda vehicles have made the magazine's 10Best list 41 times - more than any other automotive brand in the award's history.

"The Car and Driver "10Best' award demonstrates how the Accord leads the family sedan segment with Honda's emphasis on performance, quality and safety," said John Mendel, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Honda is honored to have its vehicles regarded so highly over the years with one of the most coveted awards in the industry."

The seventh-generation of the Honda Accord remains one of the most popular cars in America. For 2006, the Accord has received fresh front and rear styling as well as a long list of enhancements and additional standard equipment. All models have more power, more comfort and convenience features, and a comprehensive list of standard safety features that help make the 2006 model the most exciting and well-equipped Accord in its 30-year history.

"The editors of Car and Driver give the Accord high marks for its excellent road manners, first-rate ergonomics, exemplary reliability, rock-solid construction, and strong value," said Csaba Csere, editor-in-chief of Car and Driver Magazine. "The Accord's consistent ability to flatter average drivers and engage expert drivers helps explain why Accord has made the 10Best list 20 times in the past 24 years, which is more than any other vehicle in the award's history."

Accord Sedan and Accord Coupe styling takes on a dynamic new and sporting character for 2006. Freshened exterior elements on all Accord's include new front and rear styling with new bumper fascias, front grille, trunk lid design with integrated LED brake lamp and LED taillights. Sedans have restyled rear fenders to accommodate the newly styled LED taillights. Available aluminum wheels are new designs as are the exhaust finishers on select models.

For 2006 all Accords also gain a host of interior improvements including a new steering wheel, new automatic transmission shift knob (if equipped with automatic transmission) and a restyled gauge cluster with a new Maintenance Minder function (indicating oil life and similar factors). Additionally, new seat fabrics are applied in all cloth models and extensive application of new lightweight sound deadening material to improve NVH even further. All Accords have a new rear window tray (since the third brake light is relocated to the trunk lid) as well as a front passenger seat belt reminder.

In keeping with Honda's industry-leading "Safety for Everyone" initiative, all Accords come equipped with a comprehensive list of advanced safety features, including dual stage front airbags (SRS), front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes (ABS). For 2006, all Accord models gain standard daytime running lights. Also new for 2006, all V6 models come standard with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA). The Accord is among the few vehicles in its class to offer this level of standard safety features while earning a 5-star frontal impact rating from the U.S. government and a "Best Pick" from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Powertrain improvements abound across the Accord line-up. The V6 engine's horsepower is increased to 244HP (+4 hp, SAE net revised 8/04) and the 4-cylinder engine's horsepower is increased to 166HP (+6HP, SAE net revised 8/04). Horsepower gains were achieved with extensive improvements to the airflow of the intake and exhaust systems. The 4-cylinder engines are now controlled with Drive-By-Wire (DBW), rather than a throttle cable, providing for smooth operation and enhanced throttle response. (Accord V6 engines already utilized DBW prior to the 2006 model year).

Fuel efficiency remains an Accord hallmark. The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder models equipped with the 5-speed manual transmission are EPA rated at 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, while 4-cylinder models equipped with the 5-speed automatic achieve an EPA fuel economy rating of 24 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. The 3.0-liter V6 models with the 6-speed manual transmission are EPA rated at 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway while V6 models with the 5-speed automatic transmission are EPA rated at 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.