Honda panicking about MPG? Mods current Accord to boost city & hwy MPG.

[MetroMPG]

I love that carmakers are competing more and more on efficiency...

There have been a few articles recently about the tarnish on Honda's MPG crown and what they're doing to try to get their fuel-economy-mojo back.

eg: MPG Mantra: Honda Aims to Redouble its Fuel Efficiency Efforts - Wide Open Throttle - Motor Trend Magazine

I just read yesterday that they've tweaked the current (2011) Accord (which is at the end of its model run before a redesign, I believe) to boost MPG:



Not many details given other than:

EPA fuel economy goes up to 23/34 city/highway mpg (+2/+3) on some models

[...]

Improvements to vehicle aerodynamics, engine friction and transmission gear ratios all contribute to fuel economy improvements. The EPA fuel-economy ratings1 for Accord 4-cylinder sedan models equipped with an automatic transmission improve by 2 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 3 mpg on the highway, for a city/highway rating of 23/34 mpg.

Source: Honda press release, via ABG

Unfortunately, they don't tell us what the aero mods are.

[RobertSmalls]

It's clear that Honda has re-prioritized, and made fuel economy a more important goal for its upcoming models. I bet it's part CAFE, part higher fuel price forecasts for 2013 and beyond.

To my eye, the 2011 looks about the same aero-wise, except for the wheels. The 2010's wheels make you cringe when you see them in person. Their only saving grace is that the "blender" portion of the wheels is near the hub, where maximum airspeed is slowest.
2010:


2011:

[user removed]

After the founder died in 1991 (I think) the company lost its direction and their products porked up while fuel economy suffered.

They need to get back in the direction of their roots, or the Koreans might hand them a few hard lessons.

Both Toyota and Honda have become GM like in their product line.

regards
Mech

[meekin]

In the past several weeks, I have read a couple articles where Hyundai directly said that they were making Car X to wipe the floor with Hondas Car X as far as MPG. (paraphrasing of course). So, I agree, Honda is under the gun. For an example, the new CRZ looks beautiful, but appears to be a disappointment on MPG, especially since it's a hybrid. Hyundai is claiming to make a competition that will beat it (crz) in gas mileage and not be a hybrid. I love my Civic, but I would love to see Honda and all the MFG's go into a cold war of MPG. I think we need it so we all can have cars that will have MPG's in the spectrum that we want them to be.

[EdKiefer]

I hate to say this but i think its more quick fix to other makes having 23/34 mpg like Hyundai .
This is a mid life update , full redesign probably be around 2013 or so (guess).
The aero change is in front bumper , look at the lower grill opening, the new 2011 wraps around front more so opening is not as wide as 08+ models .
Changing gearing is not really good way, as it makes a already slugish off the line more slugish and now cruise rpm will be even lower than before, which was low already (55-60mph = around 1700rpm for 2.4L ) . What they should of done is bring out 6 speed auto from acura line, this way you get both , improvement in acceleration and mpg .
No idea of what they could do on reduced friction other than lower viscosity oil ( 0-20w ). The engines already use roller rockers now .I doubt they do anything major here, right now .
Honda is dropping the ball lately IMO, once a high tech features is now no more .
IMO they need a lighter model than civic as that's gotten pretty heavy lately (almost 3000 lb) with something like direct injection and eco-boost option for power and mpg .

[texanidiot25]

It's been this way for years. GM's bigger engined cars have been closing the gap in fuel economy on Honda for years now, and many models surpass. The Civic... If you park my CRX next to the Civic coupe you wonder what the hell went wrong. For a car that doesn't feel a ton roomier, it sure has bulked up.

The "fast and furious" crowd has ruined the Civic, instead of being a light wieght/common sense car they've tried to make every version a hip machine.

Their other models have just grown painfully ugly, especially the Accord, which ended up looking like a L200:

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

After the founder died in 1991 (I think) the company lost its direction and their products porked up while fuel economy suffered.

They need to get back in the direction of their roots, or the Koreans might hand them a few hard lessons.

Both Toyota and Honda have become GM like in their product line.

regards
Mech

Nail -> head in that post I think.

Honda traded on two things in my mind - super efficiency and super reliability. Both were based on superb engineering and production but nowadays there is no reason for me to consider a Civic, Accord or indeed anything else Honda vs any other car. I may be looking at a CR-Z but if the local VW people offered me a close deal on a Scirrocco TDi or the PSA people a nice 3-door Citroen C4 I would take those instead.

I remember a shudder going through me in the early 70s as my dad struggled with yet another unreliable Mini at the roadside and a brand new, yellow S1 Honda Civic buzzed past, all of the occupants talking and smiling. I remember thinking that the Japanese basically owned car production and that Leyland were done. That car worked. Ours didn't.

After 20 years or so Rover Group (the last clingers on to the remains of BL) made Hondas under licence and pretended they were British. And tried to sell them for too much money and well past their sell by date.

Wind on 35 years from that original encounter and my neighbour has a brand new European Accord but to be honest I assumed it was a Hyundai until I got close to the back end a few days ago following him down the street.

Nothing special about it at all. In fact too much south korean plastic chrome.

And my neighbour who's 80 year old wife likes to get naked has a Civic Hybrid - which buzzes its (Petrol) engine constantly as he lets her out at the front door each time they come home.

Some Hybrid.

[payne171]

Listen, I am a GM backer, but I have owned 3 CRXs (never again, though; love a rex but two of them tried to kill me). First, ignore EPA #s and see what people are really getting from their cars. GM builds to the EPA test; Honda builds cars for driving. Honda doesn't make cars like those any more because customers have demanded more solid feeling, safer, quieter cars. A CRX isn't safe on the road with the heavier cars that resulted. If you want a fuel economy vehicle maybe Honda isn't as dominant as it used to be, but if eco stands for economical, count insurance, repair, resale, etc. and Hondas are plenty pocket-eco friendly. Check edmunds.com's True Cost of Ownership calculations. It's a handy tool.

[2win2rbo]

The design of the Accord there in the States is not really that nice IMO. The Accord here looks like this:




I think the major setback of the Accord vs Hyundai in the US is the design not much about the mpg.

[EdKiefer]

Originally Posted by 2win2rbo

The design of the Accord there in the States is not really that nice IMO. The Accord here looks like this:




I think the major setback of the Accord vs Hyundai in the US is the design not much about the mpg.

That here in US goes by Acura TSX .