2001 Honda Accord EX V6

A wily veteran of the best-seller wars

Bob Nagy / autoMedia.com

There's nothing quite like getting things right the first time around. Except, perhaps, continuing to keep them right over and over. Honda's Accord is a spot-on, real-world example of that adage in action. Now in its sixth generation, this hardy perennial is rolling through the penultimate season of a five-year product cycle. To keep it competitive against its most formidable archrival in the midsize family-sedan segment, the Toyota Camry, Honda has added a few new wrinkles to the mix. Built in Ohio but seamlessly integrating design elements from around the world, the front-drive Accord is available in three distinct trim levels: DX, LX, and EX, which base at $15,100, $18,790, and $21,400, respectively. We recently slipped behind the wheel of a top-line sedan variant: an EX with V-6 and leather.

Resculpted for 2001, the Accord is more muscular than ever. A freshened fascia, grille badging, taillight and trunk treatments are more distinguishable as well. While it commands a somewhat heady $25,100, this flagship four-door of the Accord fleet only comes in a fully-loaded configuration. In addition to its primo engine and organic upholstery materials, that figure also nets a four-speed automatic transmission, power moonroof, keyless remote entry with anti-theft system, cruise control, tilt steering column, dual power front seats, HomeLink garage-door opener, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, and a full array of power assists.

Refinements

Frankly, you've got to look pretty close to note the modest visual changes that distinguish a 2001 Accord sedan from its 2000 counterpart. Up front, a slightly exaggerated "power bulge" in the hood is set off by a more aggressively sculpted fascia and modified grille badging. In the rear, the taillamp lenses have been freshened—albeit ever so slightly. The EX model we drove also carries new body-color side moldings. Beyond that, the Accord's cleanly conservative sheetmetal carries over intact.

Form complements function in the Accord's roomy, well-designed passenger compartment. Inside, the Accord continues to offer a quiet, secure abode that will carry four adults in legitimate comfort and accommodate a fifth for shorter treks. As has become its hallmark, the Accord's basic dash layout displays a distinct driver orientation along with visual cues that were clearly inspired by Honda's premium Acura line. Everything that matters most in the way of command and control elements is easy to read, easy to reach and easy to operate. For 2001, the EX adds floor mats and illuminated power window switches to its already long list of comfort and convenience standards. It also gets a neat 6-shooter in-dash CD player to complement the existing AM/FM/cassette sound system. The front airbags on all Accords now use dual-stage, dual-threshold "smart" technology while side-impact bags have become standard on EX and V-6 models. Although Honda opted for a single-piece folding rear seatback with flip-down armrest instead of the normal 60/40 split unit, it does provide easy access to the car's 14.1 cubic-foot trunk.

Performance

Honda is an acknowledged master when it comes to optimizing powertrain performance, and the 3.0-liter SOHC V-6 in our car was no exception. It turns out a respectable 200 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 195 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,700 revs. Although not quite up to the firm's Formula 1 V-10 in terms of sheer output, it offers a far more enthusiastic alternative to the standard 2.3-liter/150-horse SOHC four found in the baseline EX. Honda's signature VTEC variable-valve timing technology adds welcome mid-range punch, and paired with an electronically controlled "adaptive" autoshifter, it makes daily driving chores more fun, freeway merges less stressful and still nets EPA mileage figures of 20 city/28 highway.