Are diesel sales down? It appears no one told Volkswagen - or at least the German carmaker has had more time to get used to it. VW has just announced a new lower-powered version of its 3.0-litre diesel mill for the recently launched Touareg SUV. The 228 bhp V6 joins the 282 bhp version that the car was launched with, and both engines are available across the three trims of the car’s line-up - SEL, R-Line and R-Line Tech. The introduction of the new engine to the Touareg range means a new starting price for the car - the Touareg SEL now starts from the bargain price of £48,995 on the road. The 228 bhp V6 delivers maximum power from 3,250 rpm to 4,750 rpm, with peak torque of 369 lb-ft delivered between 1,750 rpm and 3,000 rpm. Volkswagen says that the new engine manages the same CO2 figure of 173 g/km and the same 3,500 kg towing capacity as the more powerful 282 bhp version. All Touaregs come equipped with an eight-speed tiptronic auto gearbox, 4Motion four-wheel drive and a limited slip differential. The SEL gets 19-inch alloys and LED front and rear lights, while inside there’s VW’s Vienna Black leather trim and LED interior lighting. The gearstick and steering wheel also get a bit of leather trim and there are gloss black and aluminium inlays strewn about the place in a calculated fashion.
From any angle, this is a great-looking car. Even bigger improvements can be found in the cabin. The previous Accord’s ridiculous dual-screen dashboard has been tossed into the dumpster, where it belongs. Replacing it is a dash that is smooth and sleek and modern. Climate controls have been simplified and the stereo finally has freakin’ dials—two of them, even; one for volume and one for tuning, just as God commanded to Moses. The stand-up display stereo also gets accessory buttons for common functions, and while Honda’s graphical infotainment interface still trails the best in the biz, it’s getting better. Though the new Accord is smaller on the outside, it’s bigger on the inside. One of the coolest details is the semi-digital dash. The speedo on the right is the real thing, but the center display and left-side tach are a 7-inch TFT screen. So how is the driving experience? The answer is long, but it can be summed up in three words: Pretty darn good. The big news for the 2018 Accord is its all-turbo engine lineup, the old 2.4-liter four-cylinder and 3.5-liter V-6 having been replaced by 1.5- and 2.0-liter turbocharged fours.
The 2.0T is essentially the Civic Type R’s engine detuned to 252 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, the latter being the highest torque figure ever applied to an Accord. Turbo lag is minimal; some other 2.0Ts stumble when floored from a standstill, but the Accord’s jumps off the line, picks up sharply at 2,000 RPM, breaks the tires loose at 3,500, and spins them all the way to redline. On paper, the 2.0T’s torque curve begins to drop off above 4,000 RPM, closely mimicking the behavior of a traditional V-6. In the real world, pickup is terrific: I dropped the hammer to pass an 18-wheeler on a tight two-laner, and by the time I pulled back into my lane, the speedo was brushing the century mark. Honda may be late to the 2.0T party, but it’s used its time wisely: In my opinion, this is the first four-cylinder turbo that is genuinely better than the V-6 it replaces.
Two-liter Accords with an automatic gearbox get Honda’s new home-grown ten-speed, a dream of a tranny that delivers smooth upshifts and prompt downshifts. Sport models can be had with a six-speed manual and while the shift action isn’t quite as tight as the outgoing Accord Sport, it’s still a pleasure to row. Honda expects about 80% of Accord buyers to opt for the 1.5-liter turbo, which produces 192 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque. Turbo lag is bit more pronounced than that of the 2.0T, but the engine comes alive around 2,250 RPM and pulls strongly and evenly right to the rev limiter, with peak torque delivered right all the way to 5,000 RPM. Sport models can be had with a six-speed manual (the same gearbox paired to the 2.0T engine), while other 1.5-liter Accord models employ a continuously variable automatic. Honda hasn’t tried to make this CVT act like anything but what it is, and while purists may despise the droning engine note, its smooth, shift-free acceleration should be a hit with the masses.
Let’s shift gears to the 2018 Accord’s chassis, which has also been completely reworked. The basic layout is the same, with MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link setup out back. New this year is an adaptive damper system, but it’s only available on the top-of-the-line Touring model, which is a shame; I’d love to see it on the Sport. Also new is a dual-pinion variable-ratio steering system. Out on the open road, the 2018 Accord puts it all together pretty well. The revised electric power steering system is both heavier and stiffer than the outgoing setup, and while off-center feel and precision are excellent, there’s not much feedback when making mid-corner corrections. Grip and balance felt good, though I was prevented from pushing the Accord to its limits by narrow roads, blind curves, and local drivers. Suffice it to say that if you subscribe to this publication’s “No Boring Cars” mantra, you will find the 2018 Accord a very satisfying drive. Honda has retained the somewhat-firm ride of the outgoing Accord, but its gone on a witch hunt for noise, slathering the body with sound insulation and adding a third microphone to the standard-fit active noise cancellation system.
