New Honda Accord is safe as houses

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. In case you haven't already figured that out, those aren't my words. But whoever said that has stated a universal truth. Rich or poor, a person's most valuable asset is his family. But is it possible that a rich man's family is more precious than a poor man's?

It sadly is, at least that's what most of the carmakers, especially Japanese and Korean ones, seem to believe. Why else would they offer the base trims of their family saloons with just airbags in the front, leaving the rear, where the family usually is, unprotected? Shouldn't safety be standard for everyone, and not just for those who have the money to buy the top-end version of a car? It's like going to the corner shop for some water and the grocer handing you an empty bottle, asking you to pay more if you need it filled.

Safety is a car owner's right, and not a luxury. If car manufacturers want to differentiate between their trim levels, they should do it with dispensable features like leather and wood, automatic lights and wipers, the number of speakers, and not with something essential as safety.

Fortunately, someone at Honda appears to have spared a thought for the less affluent car buyer. In what's nothing less than a groundbreaking move, the Japanese carmaker has shown others the way with the latest iteration of its popular saloon. The 2012 Accord now comes with a host of safety features including six airbags right from the lowest trim level, the one tested here.

Apart from the usual front airbags, the base LX variant gets dual chamber side curtain airbags as well. However, it's not just airbags all around that's new about the 2012 Accord. Regardless of trim level, every car gets a Vehicle Stability Assist traction control system, active front headrests and anti-lock disc brakes on all corners with electronic brake force distribution. Add to this the ACE (Advanced Compatibility Engineering) body structure used in all new Hondas that helps dilute impact forces from a head-on collision, and the new Accord is one of the safest cars in the segment. In fact, it's earned a five-star safety rating in each of the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's combined categories.

Everything else remains the same as the previous year's model, which already saw a minor facelift. The chrome grille is new for example, as is the redesigned front bumper and the taillights.

The 178bhp, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed automatic 'box is reasonably smooth, but is a far cry from the silky 3.5-litre V6 that's available in the higher priced models. It also feels a tad coarser than the 2.5-litre lump under the bonnet of its arch rival, the Toyota Camry. Even the ride is a bit bumpier than the latter's at cruising speeds. But as is always the case, it handles better than the Toyota. Also, there aren't many other family saloons out there in the same price range that offer traction control as standard.

Understandably, Honda has skimped on the non-essentials in the entry-level version, so things like sat-nav, rear-view camera, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and Bluetooth are available only in the higher variants. However, an electric sunroof, front fog lights and 17in alloy wheels can be optionally specced in the base LX as well. 

Verdict

The fact that a customer who buys the LX Accord for Dh89,999 gets all the safety features like the person who goes for the Dh119,999 top-end EX SE trim is indeed commendable, and a step in the right direction for Asian carmakers. These new changes suddenly raise the car to a whole new level, making it one of the best buys in the segment. It's high time the others, including Toyota, Hyundai and Kia, followed suit.

Specs

Model Accord LX
Engine 2.4-litre four-cyl
Transmission Five-speed auto, FWD
Max power 178bhp @ 6,500rpm
Max torque 222Nm @ 4,300rpm
Top speed NA
0-100kph NA
Price Dh89,999 as tested 
Plus Safety features, build quality, value for money
Minus Engine isn't the smoothest