Honda Accord Or Nissan Altima: Which One Does V-6 Better?
A decade ago, both the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima were offered in base four-cylinder versions. But with the V-6s of that time offering a big leap in performance and smoothness, with fuel economy only slightly lower for the V-6 (yes, gas prices were lower then), the question then was: Why not get the V-6.
Now the question is more along the lines of: Why do you need the V-6?
The reason? Smoother four-cylinder engines now prove their mettle, with surprisingly good acceleration and fuel economy thanks to a host of fuel-saving technologies, plus transmissions that really make the most of them—earning fuel economy ratings that are simply great, at up to 38 mpg highway for the Altima and up to 36 highway for the Accord.
Yet on either of these models—even as rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Chevrolet Malibu, and Ford Fusion have dropped the V-6 option entirely, in favor of turbo fours—you can still opt up to a V-6.
Are these models worth the premium for the V-6, and if you want to go the strong, smooth route with one, which is better? We recently revisited both the 2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring and 2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SL with this question in mind. Between these two, it was a close call, so follow along and we’ll tell you the what and why.
Powertrain. First and foremost, powertrain. The Nissan Altima has a 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6, while the Honda Accord has a 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. Both engines are very strong, smooth, and refined, and it’s now a tossup, even when you consider the engine and transmission. Nissan’s continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) gives the Altima V-6 a laid-back personality, and it gathers speed deceptively fast and easy; the CVT also works far better with this V-6 than in Nissan’s smaller cars, raising revs quickly whenever needed for bursts of power, and offering steering-wheel paddle shifters that let you ‘pretend’ it’s a conventional automatic. Meanwhile, the six-speed automatic in the Accord is smoother than Honda’s previous-generation automatics, as well as more responsive to downshift. While they’re nearly identical in performance, we might give the Accord the edge in sound alone; the Accord snaps through the gears with a sophisticated snarl, while the Altima tends to drone when you push it.
Fuel economy. In real-world fuel economy, we saw much better with the Altima than the Accord, but we put more miles on the Altima. The Altima earns a 31-mpg highway rating, while the Accord’s six-speed automatic allows a 34-mpg highway rating for the V-6—thanks also to Variable Cylinder Management (VCM).
Handling. In handling, we found some surprises. While in previous model years we might have chosen the Accord over the Altima, the new Accord makes some significant advances in steering feel and suspension tune—yes, even though it drops the double wishbones—and it manages to have great body control with a relatively firm ride that can soak up potholes and the most jarring bumps. The Altima, on the other hand, could be a little harsh in its last-generation version; but now it’s on the soft side, and we weren’t big fans of the steering feel, which is too light and doesn’t manage much feel of the road. Both cars are confident, but we’ll give this one to the Accord.
Interface. As you go up the model line for either of these popular sedans, you add features like navigation and upgraded audio, and they take up a little more dash real estate. And in experiencing both of these models, we couldn’t help but notice how refreshingly clean and simple the controls of the Altima are compared to those of the Accord. We give the Altima a big edge in user-friendliness for the interior; the interface isn’t any more complicated than it needs to be, and somehow they cleaned out nearly as many buttons as Honda without adding confusion.
Cabin appointments. And at the top of the line, what you get in the top-of-the-line Accord V6 Touring feels to us to be more warm, plush, and inviting than what you get in the Altima 3.5 SL. We felt better supported in the Accord’s seats, while those in the Altima were a bit slippery and short on lateral support at the thighs. Trims in the Accord wrapped cohesively around to the doors, and there was a damped feel to many of the lesser controls that was missing from the Altima. Simply put, we could see the Accord selling with an Acura badge, but the Altima would never be convincing enough for an Infiniti badge (and we’re not holding one lux brand in more esteem than the other here).
Safety. These cars are both Top Safety Pick+ performers, which means they’re pretty much at the top of their class for safety. And while the top-of-the-line cars we tested each had some active-safety features, it was a feature on the Accord—the LaneWatch blind-spot display—that we found especially useful, for driving around town. And we like the Accord’s somewhat better view outward.
Among V-6 sedans, Accord has the edge
So should you go for a top-of-the-line 2013 Accord V-6 or Altima V-6? Between the two, the Accord is narrowly our pick between the two. We like the way the Accord responds and handles, although the Altima may have an edge in ride quality. Inside, the Altima’s cabin just doesn’t feel as high-grade as the Accord’s; and while we like the Altima’s way of presenting a comparable feature set without the dash clutter, the Accord’s LaneWatch feature is everyday-useful.
If you drive them both, we’re eager to hear what you think; let us know in your comments below. And to compare all the points, such as styling, pricing, and other details we didn't cover here, be sure to read both of our full reviews: on the 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Nissan Altima.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Crash Tests Go Viral In IIHS’ New Video Series
Ever wonder what goes on during car crash tests? In a new eight-part video series produced by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), viewers can see footage of actual testing at the Institute’s Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, Virginia.
The first two videos in the series, “Crash test dummies at work” and “Frontal offset testing,” have already been posted to the IIHS' YouTube channel. A new installment will appear each Tuesday from now through early July.
Crash test dummies at work
The first video in the “Inside IIHS” series is a three-minute look at the types of crash test dummies the Institute uses, how they are calibrated and the technology they contain for gathering information.
In the video, Marvin Hatchett, dummy calibration lab manager, gives viewers on a step-by-step overview of what goes on during dummy calibration. Interesting tidbit: A fully calibrated crash test dummy approaches $200,000 in value.
Frontal offset testing video
The second posted video in the “Inside IIHS” series explores the specifics about frontal crash testing conducted by the Institute. This video explains the differences between the IIHS’s two frontal crash tests, the moderate overlap and the small overlap, and demonstrates how structural performance, dummy injury measures and restraint systems affect a vehicle’s frontal rating.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2013 Ford Fusion Energi Earns NHTSA Five-Star Safety Rating
The mid-size 2013 Ford Fusion lineup boasts an additional entry in the top safety ratings arena as the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid earns a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The 2013 Ford Fusion and the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid have already earned NHTSA five-star ratings. The regular version of the Ford Fusion has also earned Top Safety Pick status from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as well at The Car Connection's Best Car To Buy 2013 award.
The NHTSA five-star rating is the government’s highest-possible vehicle safety rating. It is determined after severe testing procedures as part of the NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Crash tests combine scores from frontal, side-impact and rollover crash tests.
The Fusion Energi scored five stars in frontal, five stars in side-impact, and four stars in rollover crash tests. This compares with five, four and four, respectively, for the gasoline and hybrid versions of the Fusion. Ford attributes the difference in scores to crash-test variability, since there are no major structural differences between the cars.
The significance of the NHTSA five-star safety rating for the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi is reflected in the fact that the NHTSA has decided to test plug-in vehicles separately from their gasoline and hybrid counterparts. This comes as the market share of electrified vehicles is beginning to increase.
There are subtle, but very important, differences between the gasoline and hybrid versions of the Fusion and the Fusion Energi plug-in. As Green Car Reports points out, the NHTSA’s separate testing of plug-in vehicles is not only to ensure such cars are thoroughly tested as more of them are entering the market, but also “to determine whether the car’s extra batteries and high-voltage components affect the car’s behavior in a crash.”
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2013 Subaru Outback, Legacy Recalled For Steering Flaw
Subaru is recalling certain 2013 model year Outback wagons and Legacy sedans for a potential steering flaw that could cause loss of steering control.
A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website puts the number of vehicles potentially affected by the recall at 5,379. Affected vehicles were built from February 15, 2012 through June 15, 2012.
The problem
The NHTSA bulletin and documentation from Subaru (PDF) identify the problem as a defect in the steering column assembly. Specifically, the steering column assembly contains splined inner and outer shafts that are intended to be a tight press fit.
However, in June 2012 Subaru discovered during yard operations that the press fit was insufficient to maintain contact between the inner and outer shafts, a condition which could allow the shafts to become disengaged. As a result of this visual inspection, vehicles were either repaired or released.
Should the shafts become disengaged, the driver would lose steering ability, increasing the risk of a crash. Subaru said it had received two customer complaints regarding loss of steering ability in February and April 2013 and began an investigation into the two vehicles, deciding on May 8, 2013 to conduct a safety recall.
What Subaru will do
Subaru will notify owners and dealers will replace the steering column assembly with a new one. The service will be performed at no charge.
The Subaru safety recall campaign, identified as WQI-45, began May 14, 2013. Owners of 2013 Subaru Outback and Legacy vehicles with any questions or concerns may contact Subaru at 1-800-782-2783.
Alternatively, owners of vehicles involved in the campaign may contact NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to http://www.safercar.gov. Reference the NHTSA campaign ID No. 13V194000.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Ford Owners File Lawsuit, Claim EcoBoost Engine Loses Power During Acceleration
Late last year, Ford owners made headlines when they sued the automaker over inaccurate fuel economy claims for the Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid. According to the Detroit News, Ford now has another lawsuit on its hands -- this time, over its acclaimed EcoBoost engine.
The suit has been filed by three Ford owners from Ohio, who say that the company's six-cylinder EcoBoost engine is defective. The three claim that the engine has caused their vehicles to shudder and lose power during acceleration. (Our own John Voelcker noticed similar problems in a test drive of the upcoming 2014 Ford Fiesta, outfitted with a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost.) Two of the plaintiffs (a couple) drive a Taurus SHO, the other owns an F-150 pickup.
There are several interesting things to note about this case:
- The suit involves only the six-cylinder EcoBoost. Ford also produces three- and four-cylinder versions of the engine, and all three variants make use of similar turbocharging and direct-injection technologies.
- According to the lawsuit, more than 100 complaints about the six-cylinder EcoBoost's performance have been filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, though NHTSA hasn't launched an investigation into the issue, nor has Ford recalled any vehicles over those complaints. (The automaker did, however, recall 2013 Ford Escapes with 1.6-liter EcoBoost engines for an unrelated fire risk.)
- A similar lawsuit has been filed in Louisiana. The law firm representing the plaintiffs in that case state that "Many Ford F150 EcoBoost owners have reported that their trucks have stalled, shuddered, failed to accelerate and/or entered into limp mode while driving." The firm claims that the problem is related to the Charge Air Cooler and cites technical service bulletins from Ford intended to address the problem.
Ford has yet to issue a statement about the lawsuit, but you can be sure that the automaker is looking into the matter. After all, the EcoBoost engine is slated to play a big role in the company's future.
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2014 Subaru Forester Aces IIHS Crash Test; Many Other Small SUVs Don’t
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has run a group of 13 small sport-utility vehicles or crossovers through its relatively new small-overlap frontal crash test, and the results aren't pretty.
Only the 2014 Subaru Forester earned a top 'good' rating. In fact, it's the best-performing vehicle yet in the new IIHS test, earning a top rating in every aspect of the new test, according to the IIHS.
The new test has 25 percent of the vehicle's front end strike a rigid five-foot-tall barrier at 40 mph, measuring the forces in a 50th-percentile crash-test dummy (belted) in the driver's seat.
“With the redesigned Forester, Subaru’s engineers set out to do well in our new test, and they succeeded,” commented Joe Nolan, IIHS vice president for vehicle research, in a release accompanying the announcement. “This is exactly how we hoped manufacturers would respond to improve protection for people in these kinds of serious frontal crashes.”
Outlander Sport: Only other one in this group with an acceptable score
Only one other vehicle, the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander, earned an 'acceptable' score in the new test, while the other 11 models run through the new protocol earned substandard scores of 'marginal' or 'poor.'
With the Institute's new Top Safety Pick+ designation requiring 'good' ratings in four of the five tests (small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side, rollover, and rear), both the 2014 Forester and 2013 Outlander have been given that top nod.
The results correspond to a far lower likelihood of injury to a driver of the Forester or Outlander Sport in the type of accident that it simulates--an offset, head-on crash with another larger vehicle, or with a tree, pole, or barrier.
The BMW X1, Nissan Rogue, Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V, Jeep Wrangler (2-door), and Volkswagen Tiguan were among those to earn 'marginal' scores, while the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Buick Encore, Jeep Patriot, and Ford Escape all earned a 'poor' overall score in the small overlap frontal test.
Encore disappointing for a 'new' model
The Buick Encore and Jeep Patriot stood out as having the most 'poor' scores in sub-categories, ranging from vehicle structure, restraints, and kinematics, to crash-dummy-related injury measures. The Patriot, the IIHS notes, otherwise qualifies as a Top Safety Pick; yet it was among the worst for restraints and kinematics, with the dummy's head sliding off the frontal airbag as the steering wheel pushed off to the side—and the side curtain bag didn't even deploy.
The IIHS notes that Toyota requested a delay in its test so that it could make changes to the RAV4 compact crossover and improve its performance in the test.
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To Combat Drunk Driving, NTSB Wants Tougher Blood-Alcohol Limits
Seeking to toughen the allowable alcohol limit for drivers, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling on states to lower the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) to 0.05 or lower from the current 0.08.
The intent behind the proposed new standard is to cut down on the nearly 10,000 annual deaths related to alcohol-impaired driving.
The NTSB board made the recommendations on the 25th anniversary of this country’s worst drunk driving crash in Carrollton, Kentucky in which 24 children and three adults were killed and 34 were injured when a drunk driver in a pickup truck rammed a school bus returning from a church trip to an amusement park.
The safety board said that one-third of all traffic fatalities today are related to alcohol. It contends that the risk of a crash is lowered by half if the recommended lower level of 0.05 BAC is enforced.
Following the 1982 recommendation by the NTSB to lower the BAC to 0.08 from 0.10, in 1983, Utah became the first state to do so. It took until 2004 before all states fell in line.
Noting that most of the industrialized world – more than 100 countries -- has already adopted the lower standard, Robert Molloy of the NTSB said, “We are behind the world.”
Other NTSB recommendations include increasing penalties for first and repeat offenders, mandating that convicted drunk drivers use an ignition interlock device that requires them to blow into a device to show they are sober before they can start the car, using special DWI courts to handle offenders, and more technology, such as “sniffing flashlights” that can be used by police officers to detect the odor of alcohol.
As reported in The Detroit News, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has not endorsed the NTSB proposal. The paper said the GHSA “agrees with NTSB’s approach of a comprehensive strategy to address drunk driving.” Further, the GHSA said, “We do, however, support the current .08 BAC threshold level. NTSB’s action raises the visibility of drunk driving and we will consider their recommendations.”
Immediate reaction from the American Beverage Institute called the NTSB’s recommendations “ludicrous,” saying that this was “the latest attempt by traffic safety activist groups to expand the definition of ‘drunk.’”
While the NTSB has no authority to change the current standard and can only recommend that each state adopt the lower standard, Congress can make adherence to such standards a requirement for states to receive federal highway funds.
Click here to read the NTSB’s full report, “Reaching Zero: Actions to Eliminate Alcohol-Impaired Driving” (PDF).
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Florida Shortens Yellow Lights, Red-Light Camera Tickets Surge
Do you live in Florida? Have you received a ticket from a red-light camera lately?
There may be a reason for that: according to Tampa's CBS affiliate WTSP, the state recently shortened the legal length for yellow lights. That's caused a surge in red-light citations -- and proved beneficial for Florida's coffers.
WTSP became suspicious of yellow-light times last December, when a Hernando County woman was killed after another motorist ran a red light. Timing of the yellow light revealed that it was shorter than expected, making drivers more likely to run the subsequent red light and making the intersection considerably more dangerous.
After further digging, reporters found that in 2011, a law had been changed to reduce minimum yellow-light lengths throughout the state. Previously, minimum lengths were based on the posted speed limit at the intersection in question or the average speed of drivers, whichever was greater.
The 2011 change eliminated the "whichever is greater" stipulation, giving cities with red-light cameras the opportunity to reduce yellow-light times. In Tampa, WTSP found that times were most often reduced at intersections with red-light cameras or along corridors with such devices.
In Hernando County, that made all the difference. Yellow light lengths had been trimmed by a few tenths of a second, from 4.5 to 4.3 seconds, which likely played a role in the aforementioned woman's death.
The Florida Department of Transportation says that it reaps no financial benefit from red-light cams and had no incentive to trim yellow-light times. A spokesperson went on to say that any reductions in time to the bare minimum were implemented by engineers who didn't fully understand the amended law.
Whether or not that's the case, we can't say. What we can say, however, is that red-light cameras generated $100 million for Florida last year, and they're on track to haul in $120 million in 2013.
And although some studies show that red-light cameras do make roads safer, curtailing yellow-light times can do just the opposite.
Check out the full report on this story in the news clip below.
[h/t Marty Padgett]
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2014 Acura ILX: Higher Price, More Features, And More Luxury Value?
Last year, Acura introduced an all-new entry sedan, called the ILX. And now just in its second year, Acura is giving the 2014 ILX some new standout standard features.
The catch? It's also raising the base price on the ILX by $1,000—to $27,795, including destination. But we'll venture to say that you get more for your money.
Leather upholstery and active noise cancellation are among the new features added to all models of the ILX, which in a press release Acura terms its “gateway sedan.” An eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, and a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera system have also all been added as standard.
Carry-over standard features include a Bluetooth hands-free phone interface; power moonroof; keyless entry with push-button start; rear-view camera; a leather-wrapped steering wheel; dual-zone automatic climate control; and a 12-volt power outlet.
Add the Technology Package and you get premium audio with USB and Pandora integration, a navigation system with voice recognition, a rear-view camera system, and real-time traffic and weather info.
This past year, Honda surprised us all by giving its Civic a very significant refresh—just one model year after a complete redesign that, by some accounts, fell a little flat. It's not all that surprising that with the Civic moving more upscale and refined, Acura made a similar move with the ILX.
In our full review of the Acura ILX, we found it to be a balanced—if a bit compromised—near-luxury sedan that combined fun and style at an affordable price.
Acura cites J.D. Power and Associates data in noting that the ILX is the only luxury-brand model that's on the top-ten list for Generation Y shoppers.
Do these feature changes add up to make the ILX a better value? Let us know what you think, and in the meantime, peruse our review pages on the 2014 Acura ILX.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2014 Acura ILX: Higher Price, More Features, And More Luxury Value?
Last year, Acura introduced an all-new entry sedan, called the ILX. And now just in its second year, Acura is giving the 2014 ILX some new standout standard features.
The catch? It's also raising the base price on the ILX by $1,000—to $27,795, including destination. But we'll venture to say that you get more for your money.
Leather upholstery and active noise cancellation are among the new features added to all models of the ILX, which in a press release Acura terms its “gateway sedan.” An eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, and a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera system have also all been added as standard.
Carry-over standard features include a Bluetooth hands-free phone interface; power moonroof; keyless entry with push-button start; rear-view camera; a leather-wrapped steering wheel; cloth-trimmed front seats (2.0L base and Hybrid); dual-zone automatic climate control; and a 12-volt power outlet.
Add the Technology Package and you get premium audio with USB and Pandora integration, a navigation system with voice recognition, a rear-view camera system, and real-time traffic and weather info.
This past year, Honda surprised us all by giving its Civic a very significant refresh—just one model year after a complete redesign that, by some accounts, fell a little flat. It's not all that surprising that with the Civic moving more upscale and refined, Acura made a similar move with the ILX.
In our full review of the Acura ILX, we found it to be a balanced—if a bit compromised—near-luxury sedan that combined fun and style at an affordable price.
Acura cites J.D. Power and Associates data in noting that the ILX is the only luxury-brand model that's on the top-ten list for Generation Y shoppers.
Do these feature changes add up to make the ILX a better value? Let us know what you think, and in the meantime, peruse our review pages on the 2014 Acura ILX.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
