Honda will unveil its facelifted Euro-spec 2011 Accord saloon and Tourer models at the upcoming Geneva show. South Africans can expect to see the fresh-faced newcomers in the second quarter of the year.
Some of the changes for 2011 include a revised exterior, some minor interior detail changes, improved economy and emissions, a new 2,2 i-DTEC engine with CO2 emissions of only 138 g/km, and a few suspension tweaks to improve ride and handling.
In terms of the exterior restyle, the old amber indicators have now been given a clear finish, and the top-end derivatives come equipped with bi-xenon lights that feature active cornering lights – these illuminate when the wheels are turned more than 90 degrees – for improved visibility. The grille receives some minor changes with the two central spars finished in the same chrome material as the outer grille, for a sportier look. Honda states that the cooling ducts and fog lights across the range have been given a more aggressive line in order to create a more planted appearance.
In the cabin, a few simple changes have been made. This includes new seat materials and door linings with the S models getting part-leather upholstered seats. There are metal-look finishes all over the cabin and blue footwell lighting for the more modestly specced derivatives, while the Type S models get red mood lighting.
The upgraded 2,2-litre i-DTEC engine is said to now emit 9 g/km CO2 less than before when mated with the six-speed manual transmission. The automatic variant sees an 11 g/km reduction in CO2 levels. Helping this along is a host of internal engine changes as well as some underbody aerodynamic modifications which include a larger front air dam, along with low friction wheel bearings and low rolling resistance tyres.
Other tweaks includemore refined dampers for better stability and ride quality, as well as a new lighting technology called high-beam support system for all vehicles fitted with bi-xenon headlamps.
Honda explains that this system “is controlled by a CMOS camera fitted to the windscreen in the area of the driver rear view mirror. The camera detects oncoming headlights or the taillights of a vehicle in front and automatically dips the headlights onto their normal setting if they are on high-beam”.
Get the February 2011 issue of CAR magazine to see how the current Honda Accord fares against rivals such as the Hyundai Sonata and Subaru Legacy.