2004 Honda Accord Coupe New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2004 Honda Accord?
In the New England region, all Accords equipped with a four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission meet Partial Zero Emission Vehicle (PZEV) regulations. Other changes include expanded availability of side curtain airbags on 2004 Accord models; they’re standard on the EX four-cylinder with leather and optional on the EX four-cylinder with cloth. All Honda Accord EX models are equipped with standard XM satellite radio and a free three-month subscription to the service.

Advantages of the 2004 Honda Accord:

• Impeccable build quality
• Extraordinarily comfortable front seats
• Luxury-caliber interior materials
• Impressive acceleration from V6 engine
• Simple navigation system with voice activation
• Spunky PZEV four-cylinder models
• Deserved reputation for reliability
• Proven ability to hold value over time

Objections to the 2004 Honda Accord:

• No stability control option
• Trunk smaller than Altima and Camry
• Muddled secondary function control placement for stereo and climate control
• No auto-down feature for front passenger
• No one-touch open and close for the power sunroof
• Can’t use headlights during the daytime and still read the electronic gauge cluster

Editor's Advice:
Hands down, the 2004 Honda Accord is our favorite midsize car. We had to look closely to find things to complain about, which means that owners who quickly adapt to the Honda Accord’s few quirks will fall in love with their new car. Honda initially tried to market the Accord as a sport sedan, but this is not a terribly good dance partner for the two-lane two-step. Choose the Accord coupe with the six-speed manual for enthusiast driving, but be sure to tighten up the somewhat floaty suspension. Rather, the Honda Accord is our pick for a comfortable daily driver, the kind of car that most people want most of the time. Never have we been so impressed with a family sedan’s combination of performance, comfort, luxury, quality and value. We’d buy the Accord EX with its 160-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder, but it’s easy to become addicted to the acceleration provided by the available 240-horsepower, 3.0-liter V6. Add a leather interior and one of the simplest voice-activated navigation systems on the market today, and the price of a fully loaded Honda Accord EX V6 remains comfortably below the $30,000 threshold. Not bad for a roomy, powerful, reliable, luxurious car that makes you feel like you spent far more than you did.