But the Honda is extremely willing to rev. Such a blatant disregard for things like economies of scale could only be achieved by a brand with a real passion for performance.Now that the Accord has been fully refreshed for 2016, we set out to revisit our V6/manual hero.Driving Notes This naturally aspirated V6 produces 278 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque, which admittedly isn't as much as you'd get from the slightly larger V6 engines you'd find in the likes of the Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, or Ford Mustang. The company builds a V6-powered, two-door coupe with a six-speed manual transmission that probably accounts for maybe half a percent of the Accord's overall volume. What's even more interesting, is that Honda makes one for the car guys. Honda has been building the two-door Accord for decades, even as virtually every other mainstream brand has abandoned the segment. But there are bright spots: We're finally going to get a Civic Type R in the US, and while the new NSX is a long way from the lightweight original, it's still an extremely impressive specimen.And then there's the Accord Coupe, which doesn't necessarily look like a typical performance Honda on first glance. The company killed the awesome S2000, got away from building low-cost driver's cars like the CRX, ruined the Civic Si (on multiple occasions, most notably in 2002 and again in 2012), and kind of neutered Acura into a listless near-premium brand devoid of its original charm. ![]() Popular opinion is that Honda has not been a friend to enthusiasts in recent years. The Accord rolls too heavily, and squat and dive are too pronounced, although the overall ride comfort … The MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension is too soft and forgiving to feel truly sharp or entertaining on the road – this might be a sporty car, but it's still got mainstream sedan bones, remember. Our only complaint is that the shift knob itself is too small for the size of the vehicle – a minor thing, sure, but it just doesn't feel substantial enough to not seem flimsy. Once you adjust, heel-and-toeing this front-drive coupe actually becomes an entertaining activity. The clutch pedal is light and the catch point is almost too broad, meaning it's easy to ride the clutch until you get used to this setup. The buttery smooth, six-speed manual transmission has a light action, making this a true case where all you need to shift is a flick of the wrist. It simply sounds like, you know, an engine – and a very good one at that. It sounds spectacular too, with a howly, Civic Si-worthy exhaust note and a notable lack of any piped-in induction silliness. Low-end grunt is easy to access, despite the 6,200-rpm torque peak, while the throttle response is relatively sharp for what you might expect in an Accord. ![]() That, combined with a startlingly smooth, linear torque curve, means the 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V6 is remarkably composed in both normal and aggressive driving.
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