The car that (almost) drives itself | Car Reviews

#02#Acronyms - some think they were invented by the Japanese so they could show off all the technology fitted to their cars. Here's a new one: ADAS, short for Advanced Driver Assist System. Sounds a bit scary, but it could have been worse. In reality, ADAS is two more acronyms combined: ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) and LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System). What it means is that this Honda Accord is just one step away from driving itself.

Honda has historically debuted its latest technology at the top of the range, the idea being that introducing new ideas in cars that sell in low volumes (and high prices) is lower risk than jumping straight in and fitting them to the top sellers in the range. Not that this should be a problem; Honda has long been known for productionising high technology ideas and combining them with the highest levels of reliability. An example is that there has NEVER been a warranty claim against the VTEC system fitted to Honda engines.

That's very reassuring, especially in the case of ADAS. Adaptive Cruise Control takes the standard cruise control system a few steps forwards. Rather than just set the speed to a constant, ACC monitors the car in front. Radar fitted behind the grille checks the distance to the next car and adjusts the speed accordingly if the gap closes; car in front slows down, so does the Honda, with no intervention from the driver. When the car in front speeds up again, and thus lengthens the distance in front, so the Honda speeds up until it resumes the speed originally set at. Of course, this is British motorway behaviour we are discussing, so it's good to know that the ACC system caters for being cut-up, or someone pulling into your lane between you and the car in front. The Honda applies the brakes, sounds a buzzer to 'wake up' the driver so he can adjust the level of braking required. Well, you feel you might as well curl up in the back and let the Honda drive even if that isn't a good idea in reality.

The LKAS bit is even scarier. A camera mounted above the windscreen monitors the lane boundaries - the white lines to you and me. The LKAS system then plots a course centrally between these lines and gently helps you steer to this course. If the car starts to stray too close to one of the lines, a buzzer sounds so you know you need to get back in the front and put down that cup of tea. Again, you're not really supposed to be in the back, but someone, somewhere is going to think it a good idea.

#p##02# But party-pieces out of the way, what's the Honda Accord really like? Our top of the range car came in what seemed on the face of things an odd specification, including an automatic gearbox combined with sports suspension. Yet it worked really well; not everyone who prefers not to self-shift all the time is an old duffer who also drives around sedately in some soft, wallowing barge. Indeed as automatics with manual shifting (think BMW M5, think Ferrari F1 gearbox, etc.) become the norm, the more this makes sense. In traffic I prefer not to have to change gears or use the clutch and here an automatic car can be a boon. But I'm as enthusiastic as the next guy and take me out of town, off the motorway to a nice clear open windy road and it's fun time.

So, we've got lots of toys; believe me the ADAS is only the start of it. We also have automatic headlights, drive-by-wire throttle, touch screen satnav, rain sensing windscreen wipers and speed adjusting volume on the stereo. The good news is that the toys don't get in the way of the car underneath. The 2.4-litre engine puts out a very respectable 187bhp and 164lb.ft of torque. Even when mated to the five-speed automatic gearbox in our test car this is enough to give 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds (the manual is quicker at 8.0 seconds) and a top speed of 141mph. But going quickly isn't all this Honda is about. The gearbox is up there with the very best. Gear changes are imperceptible, and at low speed the engine isn't noisy enough to hear them; the only way you know is by watching the rev counter. Accelerate harder and the box holds the gears longer, now you can hear the engine and you'll hear the change in note, but still not feel the change. If I have any criticism, it's that in press-on driving maybe the 'box is a little too eager to change down instead of using the engine's torque. But if it doesn't behave the way you want, there's always the option to snick the lever out of drive and change the gears manually and sequentially.

#p##02# When you do find that country road, free of traffic, and you snick the lever over to manual, that's when you find the sports suspension comes into its own. The Honda Accord doesn't scream at you to thrash it cross country like say the Civic Type-R would, but if that's what you want to do, the Accord rises to the occasion. It's surprisingly agile for its size and the engine is sweet, smooth and high revving, pulling out of corners onto the next straight with alacrity.

Despite the sports suspension, the ride is good too, with most bumps isolated from the passengers. I remember driving an earlier Honda Accord automatic and describing it as a Friday afternoon car - the perfect place to relax when all around are getting stressed with the traffic conditions. The ambience from the interior makes the Honda a better place to be than my living room, and the leather seats, which adjust electrically every which way, are more comfortable than my favourite sofa.

The thing is: do you really need the toys? At £26,305 (plus £375 for the metallic paint), it's not especially cheap. The same basic car, the 2.4 EX without the ADAS, 17-inch wheels and satnav, retails for £22,300. Add in the options and you have to ask, do you need ADAS or do you need £2,000? If you're a high mileage motorway user, then ADAS just might save your life; if you stick to urban and rural roads you might feel better saving the extra cash.

One day all cars will be equipped with these safety gizmos, and they will add as little to the price as do airbags now. Honda should be applauded for developing such systems even if I can't help thinking most buyers will find an alternative use for £2,000 other than almost enabling the car to drive itself. #p##04#

Honda Accord UK range overview

Saloon:
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC SE Manual : £17,030
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC SE Sequential Shift : £18,230
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC Type-S Manual : £18,630
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC Type-S Sequential Shift : £19,830
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC EX Manual : £19,730
- Honda Accord 2.0 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift : £20,930
- Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC Type-S Manual : £19,530
- Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual : £20,630
- Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift : £21,830
- Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift -ADAS : £26,305
- Honda Accord 2.2 i-CTDi Sport Manual : £19,325
- Honda Accord 2.2 i-CTDi EX Manual : £21,130

Tourer:
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.0 i-VTEC SE Manual : £18,230
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.0 i-VTEC SE Sequential Shift : £19,430
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.0 i-VTEC EX Manual : £20,930
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.0 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift : £22,130
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 i-VTEC Type-S Manual : £20,730
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual : £21,830
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift : £23,030
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 i-VTEC EX Sequential Shift -ADAS : £27,080
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 i-CTDi Sport Manual : £20,525
- Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 i-CTDi EX Manual : £22,330