Nearly three decades after its debut, the Honda Accord has maintained its mass appeal. Among the country’s best-selling cars, it combines good value, dependability and efficient economy of design. Driving appeal, of course, is paramount for any vehicle’s success, and the 2003 Accord continues to deliver.
With the Accord, the comfort is not unlike the driving equivalent of wearing a favorite pair of jeans. It’s comfortable and welcomed in most circumstances, just like soft denim.
The test-driven, 4-door Accord EX, the model’s seventh generation in 28 years, included a 5-speed automatic transmission and a 160-hp, 16-valve, 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine. The blue/gray exterior (its official color is “eternal blue pearl”) was nicely complemented by gray leather seats.
Key Takeaways
- Test car: the four-door EX, the model’s seventh generation in 28 years, with a 160-horsepower, 16-valve, 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 5-speed automatic.
- $15,800 to $27,900 base price range for the 2003 Accord.
- 24 mpg city and 33 highway on the original estimates; 21 and 31 under the EPA’s current method.
- Navigation: a satellite-linked system on the dash with a 4×4 screen, a moving map and a female voice for directions.
- Available upgrades: a 240-horsepower V6 and a 6-speed manual transmission, the first for Honda, with antilock brakes standard on all Accords beginning in 2003.
- Performance: While not promoted as the quickest sedan in its class, the Accord’s automatic transmission shifted smoothly and the acceleration was more than adequate while both passing slower vehicles and while ascending.
Driving Impressions
The look and feel of the car provided further fodder for the Accord’s omnipresent stiff competition against the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and a newcomer, the Volkswagen Passat.
During one drive in my week with the vehicle, I visited friends who live in a small Sierra Nevada foothill community in Northern California. The winding country roads were good tests both on the outbound and inbound 50-mile journeys.
While not promoted as the quickest sedan in its class, the Accord’s automatic transmission shifted smoothly and the acceleration was more than adequate while both passing slower vehicles and while ascending.
Several hours later, the hour journey home included periodic stretches in a slight drizzle. With the roads slick, the front-wheel drive and steering handled well and the multi-speed windshield wipers were simple to use and efficient.
Navigation and Equipment
The late-afternoon trip also seemed like the perfect time to initiate a new option for the Accord: its satellite-linked navigation system. Conveniently located on the dash, the 4×4 screen allows drivers to enter a desired zip code and address. A moving map appears on the screen and the vehicle’s en route location is marked and circled.
The system’s directions were easy to follow and the female instructional voice was firm and pleasant.
Increased horsepower, power windows and doors, leather seats, alloy wheels and individually heated seats are all available in some models and are standard equipment in some 2003 Accord models.
Other offerings in some models include curtain side airbags, a 5-speed automatic transmission, a 240-horse power V6 engine and a 6-speed manual transmission, a first for Honda. The antilock braking system (ABS) is standard on all Accords beginning in 2003.
2003 Honda Accord Verdict
One potential problem for midsize vehicles is available leg room. The Accord is listed as a five-passenger sedan. But only four adults can sit comfortably since the leg room for rear-seat passengers is not spacious.
Drivers have ample space, however, and window placement is ideal and without blind spots. Another quickly noticed pleasant feature is the ease and visibility of console controls, particularly the odometer and speedometer. Numbers are big and self-illuminating, not unlike a glowing, large-numbered wristwatch.
Facts & Figures: 2003 Honda Accord
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Price Range | $15,800 to $27,900 |
| Trim | EX |
| Engine | 2.4-liter 16-valve 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower | 160 hp |
| Transmission | 5-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive |
| Fuel Economy (original EPA label) | 24 city / 33 highway mpg |
| Fuel Economy (EPA, revised) | 21 city / 31 highway / 25 combined mpg |
| Fuel Type | Regular |
| Seating | 5 |
| Warranty | Bumper to bumper 3 yr/36,000 mi; corrosion 5 yr/unlimited miles |
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
