Honda Accord Tourer Car INSURANCE

The Honda Accord Tourer

Honda have surpassed them selves and re-written the rulebook on estate cars. Gone are the days of estates being practical road luggers, the Tourers striking aerodynamic silhouette coupled with the exceptionally smooth ride makes this estate a cut above the others.

It is a well known fact that estates do not handle like saloon cars, however the Tourer benefits from a stiff bodyshell which is packed with lightweight and strong sound absorbing materials which minimises vibrations. This also results in excellent balance, greater lateral responsiveness at the front and improved vertical stability at the rear. The excellent aerodynamics and the tauter, more finely tuned chassis add to the Tourers surefootedness.

The Tourer comprises of two petrol engines which use the advanced 1-VTEC technology. This combines both VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) and VTC (variable timing control) to deliver power at the exact moment you need it, with remarkable fuel efficiency. The 2.4 engine compliments the 5-speed automatic gearbox, resulting in an almost seamless gear changes. Once in fully automatic mode, the Hondas’ intelligent Grade Logic Control system provides a series of programs that recognise different styles of driving and varying road conditions. Tourers are comfortable driving both on B roads and motorways. It cruises effortlessly at high speeds, is extremely quiet and comfortable, meaning long distances are no longer a thing to dread in this car.

VSA (vehicle stability assist) comes as standard on the 2.4 models, and is designed to assist the driver in maintaining control during acceleration, avoidance manoeuvres and cornering. VSA also includes a traction control system and can detect wheel slip and adjust power and braking to the affected wheel until traction regains.

All Tourers are equipped with all round disc brakes with ABS (anti lock brakes), EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) and Brake Assist as standard. It also features ETCS (electronic throttle control system) which is Hondas name for drive-by-wire, comes standard on the 2.4 type S and 2.4 Executive. This feature ensures smooth throttle responses. When coupled with cruise control and the automatic gearbox, the ETCS enhances the precision for maximum driver comfort.

The power steering is both responsive and direct. Only when the Tourer is pushed hard does it begin to loose its composure, lacking any feedback. But this is to be expected, the Tourer is an executive estate after all, and not a sports car. None of these problems present themselves under normal driving conditions.

On a practical level, the Tourer offers some great storage space. With the seats up there is no less than 626 litres of space. A particularly useful aspect is the ‘one motion’ single action folding rear seats, which comes as standard in the Tourer. Due to the interlocking design, collapsing them to their folded position to open up the luggage area is simple and quick to use. The Satellite Navigation system is also standard on the Executive model. It incorporates the climate control and audio system as well. Because of this, it can make the navigation system difficult to operate whilst driving.

On a safety level, the Tourer is equipped with a comprehensive range as well as excellent security. These features comprise of duel SRS (supplemental restrain system), airbags in both the front and rear, duel side SRS airbags, duel curtain SRS airbags in the front and rear, front seatbelt pre-tensioners and height adjustment, twin ISOFix child seat anchor fitting with top tether, external temperature monitor, brake assist, high level rear brake light, side impact protection beams, Honda advanced pedestrian safety system, VSA (vehicle stability assist comes standard with 2.4 Type S and 2.4 Executive) CAT1 ultrasonic alarm system with remote control, rolling code ECU engine immobiliser, remote entry including the boot, 2 remote entry keys, lockable glove box, locking wheel nuts, Honda deadlocks, and visible VIN.

As always, Honda have worked very closely with experts in seat design to develop the perfect posture seating position. The leather belts are supportive and adapt themselves to fit to your individual shape. The front seats come with a high and low heat setting and are eight way electronically adjustable. The Tourer also benefits from an adjustable reach and is leather covered, with audio and cruise controls on the left and right respectively, on the wheel.

The Tourer features duel climate control, allowing driver and passenger to select their own preferred temperature. The door mirrors are electrically operated and heated. The DVD touch screen Satellite Navigation System (standard on 2.4 Executive) is a marvellous feature and makes it possible to do away with map reading and wrong turns.

A nice feature that comes into it’s own on the motorway especially, is the rain sensitive windscreen wipers. They automatically activate and adjust the wiper timing depending on the density of the rain. It is useful top have on the motorway due to varying rain conditions, the automatic wipers allow you to forget fiddling with them and concentrate on the traffic ahead. Another useful feature during raining conditions are the xenon gas High-Intensity Discharge headlights. They cut through rain at night, improving visibility immensely.

Finally, Honda’s engineers have designed a bold, fresh and daring new take on an old estate car. The fluid lines of the Tourer are sleek and flow uninterrupted from the front to the back, culminating in a curvaceous car with boldly designed light clusters and duel chrome exhausts, giving it a more aggressive look. The 2.4 i-VTEC Executive Accord Tourer is seemingly good value for money, although, we will have to wait and see how well it will fare in the residual value stakes.

Editions: Accord Tourer