(The post below was originally placed on the Honda lovers' site, The Temple of VTEC, of which I'm a member.)



I've been an admirer of Japanese iron for decades, and of Honda specifically for years. Our last new car was a Honda, an '03 CR-V for my wife, and I had a big hand in recommending it. More recently, as my beloved '02 Nissan has begun to age, I've looked with increasing lust at the Accord and its big brother the TL.

Finally, this week I test drove three cars, based on the locations of the dealerships: those two, sandwiched around the Hyundai Azera (odd comparo, you say? More on that later). What I expected was to really like the Accord except for marginal headroom (I'm a short-legged 6'2"), to like the TL even better, and to find the Azera wallowed like a Buick.

It didn't turn out that way at all.

By way of background (and because I know what's coming from some of the posters), my last few cars have included my current sedan, a '92 Maxima SE twin can, as well as the '03 CR-V and a VW GTI with a manual. I'm not a raving performance fiend; I think of myself more in the middle. If I could, I'd like flat cornering, instant steering response, AND a ride like a Maybach on a cushion of air. Of course, this is not possible. My reaction to my current ride is that it's just a little short of excellent in both respects.

My first reaction to the 2006 Accord EX-V6 is that it radiated quality inside and out, just as I expected it would. I warmed to the exterior in black with the new bigger wheels, and I liked the stylish gauges and leather-lined cabin right away. My second reaction was that the interior was too damned small, at least for me. My kiester (I wear 41-inch pants, for perspective) was riding on the two ridges at the side of the seat bottom, distinctly uncomfortable. My head was nearly hitting the forward edge of the sunroof-equipped ceiling.

As I drive, the seat heater resolved the headroom problem in short order, settling me down a good inch and finally allowing me to become less conscious of the headliner -- and more conscious of the buckboard-like ride. This "near-luxury" sedan was delivering little jolts over every little frost heave in the typical suburban asphalt behind the local dealership. The turn-in was remarkably flat and tight, much more appealingly sporty than advertised in the likes of Car and Driver. I remarked to the sales guy, "Who thought this suspension and steering weren't sporty enough for them?" In fact, I thought it was TOO sporty. Nothing less than excellent -- just not for me.

The first drive made me suspect that the third one, the TL, would be disagreeably more of the same. It was, in spades. The TL was even firmer, just as advertised. What wasn't advertised was that "even firmer" meant a ride like a '60s muscle car. I wasn't just feeling every frost heave now. I was feeling every pebble in the asphalt. When I reached a low-speed turn, I warned the salesman, then flung my arms around the wheel as idiotically as I could in an effort to make it eithe roll or plow as I stuffed it 90 degrees into the corner. Roll, zero. Plow, just a hair. I'm here to report that the TL is truly sporty. But at a price in comfort I'm simply unwilling to pay. That breaks my heart, because it's even more beautiful inside and out than the very nice Accord, at a very reasonable tariff.

Obviously, I've left the Hyundai Azera for last. To my surprise, it was the only car I could fit my body in -- blatantly roomier front and rear, in all directions including up, than either Honda. For what it's worth, it also had a trunk that would satisfy the Sopranos. To my further surprise, it was a tastefully styled car inside and out (especially out, where I thought it was downright beautiful except maybe for the slightly squarish nose). It had first-rate materials save for the obviously plastic wood (of which the Accord was equally guilty), and thoughtful luxury touches everywhere I looked.

And to my extreme surprise, while it wasn't as quick on its feet as the Hondas, it didn't wallow like a Buick Park Avenue either. It took a moment to take a set, yes, but then it did what you asked in lane changes, ramps and corners. Meanwhile, it didn't isolate away all vestiges of road feel, but it did filter out much more of it than the Accord -- desirably, in my view.

Now, some might say this is an apples-to-oranges comparison. Why not the Sonata? Well, this was MY test drive, and I have a purely subjective dislike of the Sonata's dashboard and gauges that kills the car for me. I won't try to justify it, I just know how I feel. That meant the Azera, and the pricey Limited (electroluminescent gauges) at that. Which brings me to the other part: The Azera is priced right on top of the Accord EX-V6 with Navi. You can say, "yeah, but it doesn't have XM and Navi." True, but it'll have XM or Sirius next year, probably with no great price penalty. If navi is an absolute deal killer for you, foreign market Azeras ("Grandeurs" over there) already have it, so that's also just a matter of time and $2,000. And on the other side of the coin, the Accord doesn't have a power rear sunshade, extra room, extra power, memory seats, power steering wheel and some other Azera toys either. At the top, I call the toy race a wash.

I have completely undiminished respect for the excellence of both Honda and its products. But I've gotten older (sigh). Their sedans have actually gotten more severe in their sporting orientation, based on this pair of experiences. And I'm large.

Depreciation isn't much of an issue for me, since I keep my cars until they're worthless no matter who makes them. That said, I happen to believe that it would be a major mistake to assume this car will depreciate like an Excel. It won't happen, friends. This car is startlingly well made. Hyundai is as serious as you've heard. And as you probably can tell, to my own great surprise, they'll probably get my money this go-round when the time comes.