2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman

The new Mini continues its automotive archeology by bringing back the Clubman version. The 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman shares the same powertrain and cabin gadget options with the Mini Cooper S, yet the Clubman gets a bit more cargo space and easier access to the back seats. With its extra length and weight, we expected it to lose that fun Mini driving character, but it maintains its sprightliness. Mini's BMW owners let it share excellent cabin technology, including navigation with live traffic and HD radio. But the only significant cabin tech option on our Clubman was Mini's premium sound system, which didn't impress us nearly as much as we thought it would.

Test the tech: Autocross
We had the opportunity to take this 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman on an autocross course, a short track defined by cones featuring many sharp turns and a slalom. The autocross course was the perfect opportunity to see if the extra weight and length of the Clubman would significantly hurt its maneuverability and acceleration. Other Minis competing on this course included a Mini Cooper and a Mini Cooper Clubman with an automatic transmission. Unfortunately, we didn't have a Mini Cooper S to compare, so our main point of comparison was whether the turbo on the Cooper S Clubman would make up for the 300 extra pounds it carried over the Mini Cooper. The wheelbase of the Mini Cooper is also 3 inches shorter than that of the Clubman.

For the first of our three timed runs, we dropped the Clubman's clutch at the starting line, producing a wheel-spinning start and a quick launch to the first 90 degree right turn. The Clubman flicked around the turn easily, and we shifted up to second, building up speed to enter the next turn. We cut this one too closely, taking out a cone on the inside. We next had to deal with two quick turns--left then right--both at 90 degrees. Coming through here, the back end of the Clubman caught a second cone, and we lost some speed coming into the slalom. The Clubman proved its mettle on the final two 90 degree turns, where we were able to make up some time as we flicked it around.



For our second trip around the course, we still took out a couple of cones, but familiarity with the turns improved our time. By the third attempt, we blasted off from the starting line, trying to keep wheel spin minimal, making the car bolt forward into the first turn. With better knowledge of the course, we upshifted to second and hit the throttle, building up speed to carry through the second turn. The Clubman handled it well, and we jammed the brakes before the next set of sharper turns. We threw the Clubman's wheel back and forth, coming out of the final turn into the slalom. The Clubman made it through the final set of turns without touching a cone, and gave us our best time.

By comparison, the non-turbocharged Mini Cooper's shorter length and lighter weight didn't provide enough gains in maneuverability and acceleration to outstrip the Clubman. Our own staff and other journalists testing out the cars on the autocross consistently found the Cooper S Clubman faster than the Cooper. The Mini Cooper Clubman with the automatic proved the worst of the bunch. Although 55 pounds lighter than the Cooper S Clubman, it handled poorly in the corners and could never duplicate the throttle response of the S version.

In the cabin
From the driver's seat, the only difference in the cabin of the 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman over the standard Cooper is the 9 extra inches of body length you've got behind you. The tachometer is still a pod mounted on the steering column, and the speedometer is still a giant gauge in the center of the dashboard. The sport seats offer the same recline, fore and aft, and height adjustment. However, access to the rear seats is enhanced by a small suicide door on the passenger side, which works exactly like the doors on the Honda Element. You have to open the front door before opening the rear door.



There are a lot of good tech options available that we didn't have in our test car. The navigation system, which uses the same traffic reporting system that BMW gets, mounts in that big circle where the speedometer lives. Bluetooth hands-free cell phone integration is also the same as in BMW models, with the ability to download your contact list into the car. A connector for iPods and USB drives is also part of the Bluetooth package. We've used these systems on other cars, most recently the BMW 135i, and have been very impressed.

Our most significant tech option was an upgraded audio system, which uses 10 speakers over the standard 6. Mini puts a tweeter, a mid, and a woofer on each side in front, and a tweeter and woofer on each side in back, powered by 310 watts of amplification. In practice, we didn't feel that this system produced much better audio than the standard system. It sounded decent, but we didn't hear as much separation or clarity as we would expect from a premium system.

For audio sources, we had a single disc player that can read MP3 CDs, broadcast radio, and Mini's standard auxiliary input. HD and satellite radio are optional, with satellite offering the unique feature of a lifetime subscription. The interface for MP3 CDs is easy to use, but not particularly informational.

As for cabin space, the extra 9 inches in length may not seem like much, but the cargo area looks significantly bigger than that of the standard Mini Cooper. The rear doors open to the sides and are on pneumatic struts that make it seem as if they open automatically.

Under the hood
As we found out at the autocross, despite the extra length and weight, the 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman retains a lot of the handling and zippiness of its shorter brethren. According to Mini's figures, the Cooper S Clubman's 0 to 60 mph time is 7 seconds, just a bit slower than the Cooper S' 6.7 seconds. The Clubman is motivated by the same turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that's found in the Cooper S. It produces 172 horsepower at 5,500rpm and 177 pound-feet of torque between 1,600rpm and 5,000rpm. Behind the wheel, you get satisfying acceleration without torque steer or turbo lag, an impressive feat of engineering.

Our Clubman had a six-speed manual, which we really liked using. It was quick and precise to shift, and had good ratios. Because of the relatively small engine, we had to shift up to fourth on straightaways among the twisties, but third works well for sport driving. We've previously used the optional automatic in a Mini Cooper S and found that it downshifts appropriately when you tap the brakes on an approach to a turn, but the manual is much more fun. There is also a button labeled Sport in front of the shifter, which sharpens the throttle response. We noticed some immediate acceleration when we pushed the Sport button while underway.

For fuel economy, the EPA rates the 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman at 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. Those numbers sound good, but you will have to drive your Mini fairly conservatively to hit them. In our more high-revving driving, we barely made it up to 25 mpg, and that was due to some concerted sixth-gear freeway driving. Still, considering how many cars struggle to get even 20 mpg, we have to praise the Mini for good mileage. For emissions, the Mini Cooper S Clubman meets California's ULEV II standard.

In sum
Our 2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman started out with a base price of $23,450. Some notable options included the Premium package, which brings in an impressive dual-pane sunroof, automatic climate control, and the premium audio system, for $1,500. The Sport package includes sport suspension and xenon headlights for another $1,500, and $500 for a limited slip differential. Along with various cosmetic options and a $650 destination charge, our Mini Clubman came up to a steep $29,700. Given our choice, we would have included the Convenience package, which combines Bluetooth, iPod, USB, keyless start, and a multifunction steering wheel, and dumped a few other options.

For cabin tech, we give the Clubman a strong score, mostly for its available options. We're also very impressed with its performance. Even with the extra length, it is still a fun and economical car to drive. As for its design, although we like some elements, and still like the general Mini look, we have a problem with the asymmetrical side doors, using a half door on the passenger side but not on the driver's side.

2008 Ford Edge Limited AWD

The 2008 Ford Edge presents a more urban design than a typical SUV, fulfilling part of the crossover credo, yet its all-wheel-drive and towing capability let it take on standard SUV tasks. The Edge's engine pulls reasonably well, but fuel economy isn't great. And while not designed for seven passengers like some larger crossovers and SUVs, the Edge handles five with luggage easily enough.

Ford's raft of tech options is available in the Edge, and our test car came loaded with a navigation system and Sync, this last a standard feature at the Limited trim level. During our time with the Edge, Sync once again proved its usefulness, and we can't imagine seriously considering any car that doesn't have comparable features.

Test the tech: Sync texting
When Ford and Microsoft first demonstrated Sync for us, we got to see how it would read text messages, and even translate common abbreviations such as LOL. But with the past two Sync-enabled cars we reviewed, the Ford Focus and the Mercury Sable, none of the phones we tried worked with the texting feature. So when we got the Ford Edge in, we determined to put this feature to the test.

First, we had to find a phone that worked with Sync's texting feature. We had no luck with an iPhone, a Samsung SGH-D807, or a Samsung SGH-T619 in our earlier reviews. So we did some research, finding a list of compatible phones on the Ford's Sync site. This list showed which phone worked with which features, very useful for our purposes, and we were surprised that only nine phones worked with texting, including the Motorola Razr V3xx, the Motorola Slvr L7, the Sony Ericsson W810i, and the Nokia 6133. Checking around the office, we didn't find these exact phones, but we did come up with a Nokia 6131 and a Sony Ericsson K790a.

Pairing each phone was easy using the onscreen interface, and we particularly like that Sync generated a unique six-digit PIN for each phone, a level of security that is generally unknown in car Bluetooth systems. We tried out the Nokia 6131 by first trying to send a text from the car to the phone. Sync doesn't let you type in an original message, which would be unsafe, but provides some preset phrases, such as "Call you later" and "Be there in 10 minutes." We touched the screen to select one and hit the send command. Moments later the text appeared on the phone we had sent it to, with the postscript, "This message was sent from my Ford." We hope this text is customized for Mercury and Lincoln cars. But when we replied to the text with our unpaired phone, it appeared on the Nokia 6131 but Sync did not pick it up. The Nokia 6131 only had half the equation.

We turned to the Sony Ericsson K790a and repeated the first part of the test, sending the preset text message from car to unpaired phone. Sure enough, the text with its Ford postscript showed up on our phone. Next, we tried to reply with the simple phrase "Let's go. LOL." This time we had full functionality, with a message appearing on the Edge's screen telling us we had a new text. We hit the OK button and Sync read the message out to us, translating LOL into "laughing out loud." In our subsequent texting back and forth, we found that Sync wouldn't translate WTF, merely reading out each letter. We should also note that the K790a also supports Sync's other cutting-edge feature of streaming music over Bluetooth, which is also only supported by a few phones.

In the cabin
Although we liked the stitched leather seats in the 2008 Ford Edge Limited, the dashboard was covered in hard plastics. There were a few nice touches for the interior, such as buttons in the cargo area that make the rear seats fold down. That's the limit of their techiness, however, as you'll need to use muscle to get them back up. We also had the optional Panoramic Vista Roof, which puts one big sunroof over the front seats, extending back into the rear passenger area a little, and a smaller fixed glass pane over the rear seats. We figured about two prom couples could stand through the sunroof, with it fully open. Both roof panes also feature powered sunshades.

With the navigation option present, the LCD sits at the top of the instrument panel, its touch screen within easy reach of the driver. The graphics for this system are generally poor, but big buttons make the interface very usable. Sync gives you voice-command options for connected MP3 players and paired phones, but not for the navigation system. We like the functionality of this navigation system, which makes it easy to find destinations through different methods, such as addresses, points of interest, and freeway on- or off-ramps. Its route guidance is also decent, plus it has text to speech, where it will read out the names of upcoming streets.

The music interface uses the same ugly style of graphics as the navigation system, but again, it is a very intuitive and usable interface. It does a good job of presenting music on MP3 CDs loaded in its six-disc changer, or letting you sift through satellite radio categories. But we didn't spend much time listening to those sources, as its MP3 player integration is so good. We plugged in a Zune and an iPod Nano, and got the same excellent functionality with both. Touching the music library button on the screen let us browse artists, albums, genres, playlists, and songs from our MP3 player. A button labeled Similar Music set Sync to create a never-ending playlist on the fly, based on what it thinks are similar songs to what's currently playing. In practice, we didn't find Sync's DJ work to be all that accurate, and we don't like that it stops the current song to start the new one when you hit the button, but it works OK as a somewhat random playlist.

We weren't terribly impressed by the audio quality in the Edge. The music was loud enough, and a subwoofer in the cargo area adds some good bass, but separation is very poor, leading to a generally muted sound. You won't hear glistening highs or thumping lows with this system.

In our tech test, we covered some features of Sync's Bluetooth cell phone integration. Sync is compatible with a much wider array of phones when it comes to basic features, such as downloading phonebooks and call history. Those features alone put it in with the top systems we've seen from BMW and Audi, but what puts it over the top is how you can use voice commands, speaking any name in your phonebook to make a call. Sync also displays phonebook entries on its screen, so you can choose any contact from the LCD.

Under the hood
The brawny exterior styling of the 2008 Ford Edge seems to make up for the fact that it's not an SUV and hints at its trucklike driving experience. Although the Edge is built on a car platform, it doesn't feel nimble. Plenty of oversteer makes lane changes and other maneuvers a deliberate affair. The 3.5-liter V-6 moves it forward well, but doesn't give a huge push. It boasts 265 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 250 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm, a decent amount for a car of this size. But the six-speed automatic it's mated to keeps the Edge from spending too much time in the high-rpm zone. And although there is a low range on the transmission, there is no manual gear selection.

We slugged the Edge around a few mountain roads, seeing how it performed at a brisk clip around the corners. The vehicle stayed reasonably planted as we cut through the turns, its all-wheel drive no doubt adding some traction. We didn't push it beyond its grip on the road, as the Edge feels too heavy and high up for that kind of behavior, beginning to deliver disconcerting body roll as the corners get harder.

For fuel economy, the EPA rates the 2008 Ford Edge Limited with all-wheel drive at 15mpg city and 22mpg highway. During our time with the car, the meter barely budged from 16.8 mpg. This isn't a great number, and we would like to see the Edge push closer to 20 mpg, in the range of other V-6 cars we've tested. But even though its fuel economy isn't great, its emissions aren't bad, with a ULEV II rating from California's Air Resources Board.

In sum
Our 2008 Ford Edge Limited AWD comes in with a base price of $32,070, putting it over the $30,000 mark without options. Our option list included the $395 tow package, $1,995 for navigation, and $1,395 for that nice Vista roof. We also had 20-inch wheels for $895, Sirius satellite radio for $195, and a power liftgate for $490. Sync comes standard at the Limited trim. These options, with the $705 destination charge, bring the total for our Edge up to $38,140, territory that seems a bit high for the Edge. As a point of comparison, the seven-passenger Ford Taurus X goes for about the same price, although we don't care for its body style.

For our ratings, the Edge earns an average score for performance. It's not great, but not bad, and its low fuel economy is made up for by its emissions rating. Sync keeps its cabin tech score above average, as few cars have the capabilities this system offers. As for design, we like the looks of the Edge, and the interior space is very functional.

2008 Toyota Highlander Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 5A)

Product Summary
The good: The 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited comes with an impressive range of interior technology options for a midrange crossover, including a decent navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free calling, and an auxiliary LCD display for its as-standard back-up camera.
The bad: The Highlander's nav system has a tendency to complete guidance before arrival at its destination. The car's faux-wood interior trim is an eyesore, and not everyone will appreciate its "edgy" exterior styling.
The bottom line: The 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited is a well-equipped crossover with some advanced cabin technology and a smooth power train. Aside from some questionable cabin materials, the Highlander is a worthy contender in a competitive segment.
Specs: Body style: SUV; Trim levels: Sport; Available Engine: Gas

Price range: $31,400.00

The redesigned 2008 Toyota Highlander Limited has more Lexus in its DNA than it has Toyota. With its smart key, leather seats, as-standard back-up camera, available voice-activated GPS navigation system, and Bluetooth hands-free calling, the Highlander borders on being a luxury SUV. On the road, the Highlander's smooth V-6 provides adequate power for a seven-seater, while delivering a refined, comfortable ride.
Test the tech: Highlander questThe 2008 Toyota Highlander comes with a very slick-looking optional GPS system, which features one of the biggest in-dash LCD screens we have ever seen. In addition to its monster screen, the nav system has some very sophisticated programming options, including one that lets a driver set multiple stops on a single journey before setting out. We resolved to test this feature on a mission worthy of the Highlander's name. Plugging "Highlander" into Google Maps, we found a surprising number of Highlander-related businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Armed with the addresses for four such locations (Highlander Apartments in Sunnyvale, Highlander Hair Studio in Castro Valley, the Highlander Motel in Oakland, and the Highlander Laundry Center in Albany), we used the car's touch-screen LCD display to enter them into the navigation system. After entering each address, the system gave us an option to replace the destination or add to the current itinerary at a point in the journey of our choosing.

The Highlander's navigation system features a very useful interface for programming multiple destinations on a single trip.

With all four destinations entered, we set out on the 40-mile first leg toward Sunnyvale: if all went according to plan, we would not have to touch the navigation system again until we returned to our office in San Francisco. When under route guidance, drivers are given turn-by-turn voice commands in combination with a bright, user-friendly map. The Highlander shows the suggested route in blue, and reverts to a split screen when approaching an intersection to show drivers a detailed close-up of where to go. While there is no text-to-voice capability for calling out the names of minor roads, the system does name major freeways. On the couple of occasions we veered off course (intentionally, of course), the DVD-based nav system took a reasonable five to ten seconds to recalibrate and suggest an alternate route.

Our first stop was the Highlander apartment complex in Sunnyvale.

We reached the tree-lined driveway of Highlander Apartments without incident, and after jumping out to get a snapshot, we turned our sights on Castro Valley. However, as we left the parking lot in the direction of the suggested blue route on the map, it was clear that voice guidance had been temporarily suspended: having driven a minute or so along the route, voice guidance resumed and we were shepherded to Castro Valley. When approaching the destination, the Highlander's nav system made its second blunder in telling us that we had arrived at our destination some 200 feet before we got there. This is not such a problem for commercial addresses with clear signage (it turned out that the Highlander Hair Center had now changed its name), but for residential destinations on poorly lit streets, this premature completion of route guidance might prove to be problematic.
Upon arriving at our second location, we shut down the Highlander's engine completely and left the car. To our pleasant surprise, when we got back in, the navigation system restarted with our route memorized and directions to our third location displayed. We found our way to our last two stops and back to the office without having to touch the navigation system once. We did notice a couple of niggles on the way: other than the system's tendency to wrap up its guidance prematurely and its radio silence between destinations, it was unable to tell us which side of the road our destination was on. Nevertheless, the Highlander succeeded in its mission, and got us through our journey without any serious problems.

In the cabin
The first thing that strikes front seat occupants of the 2008 Toyota Highlander is its small LCD screen set high at the top of the central stack. This display comes standard on four of the five 2008 Highlander models (including the two hybrid trim levels), with or without the optional navigation package, and serves primarily as a screen for the as-standard back-up camera. When the car is going forward, it also acts as a very useful multifunction display, providing information on everything from trip details and fuel economy to the current A/C temperature and door-open warnings. With our car's optional navigation system, we were faced with the unique prospect of two in-dash LCD screens, one for maps, and the other for general information, which we found extremely easy to use.

The Highlander's secondary LCD screen displays trip information and other general car-systems data.

The cabin of the 2008 Toyota Highlander is a combination of tasteful materials--supple leather for the seats, clean, bright plastic trim for the steering wheel and dash--together with some awfully cheap-looking fake wood (Toyota calls it "wood grain styled interior trim"), which is slapped onto the central console and doors. One of the most prominent cabin design cues is the shape of the HVAC controllers, which look like cupcakes that have been smushed onto the central stack.
Front- and second-row passengers get a surprising amount of head- and legroom that belie the car's modest external dimensions. The 2008 Highlander comes with third-row seating as standard, and features a design that enables the second-row center console to be removed to create a walkthrough to the back seats. For those who want to use the third-row seating space for cargo, the Highlander comes with Toyota's "Center Stow" seat, which is stored under the two front seats, and can be used to turn the second-row seating into a bench, giving the car room for five plus cargo space.

The "Center Stow" seat can be slotted into the walkway between the second- and third-row seats to make a bench seat.

The Highlander Limited comes with an impressive lineup of available cabin tech, which rivals that of SUVs from luxury brands like Acura and Infiniti. As part of the $2,505 navigation package, our car came with a voice-command feature, operated by a talk button on the steering wheel. In practice, we found the process of using this system to enter destinations to be far more trouble than it was worth, requiring us not only to learn a set of very specific commands, but to wait for ages each time we pushed the talk button for the nice Toyota lady to stop talking. Adding to the frustration was the fact that the system insists on confirming every single step of the destination entry process in a long-winded repetition of entered information and options to correct misheard directions.
Entertainment options in the 2008 Highlander are plentiful: the car comes with an in-dash CD/MP3/WMA single-disc player as standard, which is hooked up to a six-speaker audio system and includes an auxiliary-input jack for playing music from portable media players. Those wanting to upgrade the stereo have two options: a six-disc in-dash changer with satellite radio prewiring hooked up to the same six speakers; or a JBL-branded system with the same six-disc in-dash changer and satellite radio capability with the addition of three speakers (including a subwoofer) and Bluetooth hands-free calling.

Those who option up the navigation system get two fewer disc spaces in the in-dash changer, but the same JBL sound system and Bluetooth. In our experience, the Highlander's JBL audio system delivered a clear, bright output with plenty of bass and good acoustic range. We especially liked the system's ability to display full ID3-tag information for MP3- and WMA-encoded discs, and its folder- and file-list option, which gives users a preview of six folders or tracks at a time.
Under the hoodWhen it comes to exterior styling, the new Highlander is an odd assembly of influences: from the front, it has the same trapezoidal snout as Toyota's brawny Tundra pickup truck while two creases in the hood give the impression of a couple of quizzically raised eyebrows; from the side, its long roofline gives it a station wagonesque profile while its 19-inch alloy wheels are very Lexus RX; and from the back, its bulky rear fenders seem to have been inspired by the Porsche Cayenne.
All nonhybrid 2008 Toyota Highlanders share the same 3.5-liter V-6 engine that impressed us in the 2007 Lexus RX-350. The 270-horsepower plant gives the Highlander decent pickup and some respectable midrange acceleration for a seven-seater. It may not be as responsive as the 2008 Subaru Tribeca we had in recently, but the Highlander matches the 2007 Mazda CX-9 when it comes to "zoom zoom" in the crossover category. A sport-shift mode provides drivers with some control over their ride, but holding any of the five gears past 4,000rpm results in an ugly bleating sound without much in the way of a performance premium.

The Highlander's fake-wood-trimmed shifter has a sport-shift mode.

Around town, the Highlander displays refined road manners thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension, while on the freeway, road and wind noise are minimal--perhaps due to the new, flowing wheel-arch design on the exterior. In our 200 miles of (mainly freeway) driving, the Highlander managed an average fuel economy of 21.2mpg, directly in line with the 2008 EPA estimates of 18mpg city and 24mpg highway.

In sum

Our top-of-range 2008 Highlander Limited came with a host of standard equipment as well as most of the items from the options sheet including: the navigation system with JBL premium audio system ($2,505); power rear door ($400); auto rear air-conditioning system ($585); XM satellite radio ($449); running boards ($649) color-coded rear spoiler ($200); cargo mat for third-row seats ($275); a glass-breaker sensor ($247), and a cargo net ($49). With all these line items added to the Highlander's base sticker of $32,700, the bottom line for our fully loaded tester was $39,144, including delivery. For that price, prospective seven-seat crossover buyers might also consider the 2008 Subaru Tribeca, the 2008 Mazda CX-9, and the 2008 Buick Enclave CXL. The 2008 Highlander holds its own against the sub-$40,000 crossover competition, with a refined power train and some beautifully integrated cabin tech. Now, if only there was an option to get rid of the fake wood trim.

2008 Toyota Highlander Prices

2008 Acura RDX

Product summary
The good: Offering sharp handling and a compact size, the 2008 Acura RDX easily maneuvers over urban and mountain roads. The stereo produces excellent audio quality while the navigation system includes live traffic reporting and a comprehensive POI database.
The bad: The RDX's turbocharged engine sucks down the gas. Acura litters the dashboard with buttons and poorly integrated cabin gadgets.
The bottom line: The 2008 Acura RDX is an excellent compact SUV and tech cruiser with some major flaws, such as lousy gas mileage and a difficult interface.
Specs: Body style: SUV; Trim levels: Base; Available Engine: Gas
Price range: $36,695.00

We zipped around the city and flogged the 2008 Acura RDX through the hills, and in all areas found it an enjoyable ride. Its compact SUV-style body offers practical interior space while giving it carlike maneuverability. With the tech package, Acura throws in just about every cabin gadget imaginable, from an excellent-sounding stereo to its full-featured navigation system. However, while the RDX maneuvers like a car, it drinks gas like a large SUV. We also eagerly await the day that Acura redesigns its dashboard and reduces the ridiculous number of buttons.

Test the tech: Ambulance chaser

The navigation system on the 2008 Acura RDX includes live traffic reporting, fed to the system by XM NavTraffic. This system shows traffic flow on freeways and major roads by highlighting in red for traffic moving less than 20 mph, yellow for traffic between 20 mph and 40 mph, and green for average speeds more than 40 mph. Icons also appear on the map indicating incidents that could cause slow traffic, such as accidents and road construction. For our tech test, we spent a day investigating incidents that showed up on the navigation system.
As we set out, we saw an icon on the map just south of CNET headquarters, so we moved the cursor over it and clicked. The system reported an object on the road, on Interstate 280 South at Mariposa Street. We raced through San Francisco to the freeway entrance and were soon cruising down I-280. There wasn't much traffic around us, and as we passed the Mariposa exit, we didn't see any likely traffic-stopping objects around. That icon stayed on the map throughout the day.

Our next closest incident was an orange construction icon, and the map called it out as Construction I-80 East, Between Bay Bridge San Francisco and Oakland. We quickly found an entrance to I-80, which was reasonably close to our first incident, and headed east over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The height of the RDX gave us a good vantage point from which to observe. We saw that the right lane was closed on the freeway, although the closure started well before the spot where the construction icon had appeared on the map.
Getting back to San Francisco after our trip over the bridge, we found another icon at the beginning of the Golden Gate Bridge. This one reported out as US-101 North at Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza, Disabled Vehicle. Eager to see a disabled vehicle, we started across town toward the bridge. However, this time the city traffic was too slow, and the icon disappeared when we were just halfway there. At least it was nice to see the system update its information.
We had no icon in the immediate vicinity, so we got on US 101 heading south, down the peninsula below San Francisco, a route that usually has some kind of disturbance. We lucked out quickly, as an icon appeared with the report, US 101 South at Airport Boulevard and Broadway, Disabled vehicle. On the highway, traffic slowed to a crawl, comporting with the yellow line highlighting the road on the map. We continued on, looking for confirmation of the incident. Sure enough, right at the Airport Boulevard exit, there was a man refilling the radiator of an old beater on the side of the road. We were happy to see the incident confirmed, but also noticed that the actual icon on the map indicated a spot a mile further down the road.
The traffic cleared up for a bit, and we saw another icon ahead of us on US 101. For this one, the system reported US 101 South at Holly Street/Redwood Shores Parkway, Accident. The report jazzed us up for this one, and kept traveling south as the traffic grew heavy around us again. As we approached the Holly Street exit, we could see three highway patrol cars on the right shoulder along with a couple of passenger cars, one of them a new Ford Mustang with the hood neatly bent upward and the front end crushed. Yes, here was our accident, although again the icon on the map was located further down the road.
We verified several incidents using the traffic reporting system in the RDX's navigation, but found that the system often misplaced the icon indicating the incident on the map. We would wish the car would proactively warn us about trouble ahead.

In the cabin

As Honda's luxury make, the interiors of Acuras have never impressed us. While the cabin of the 2008 Acura RDX is nice and feels well built, on the materials side it falls short of offerings from Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Much of the switchgear has a plasticky feel, and the RDX is missing some tech options common in luxury cars, such as automatic headlights and a power-adjustable passenger seat.
Then there's the interface issue. We've mentioned in reviews of other Acuras how they litter the dashboard with buttons. There is no relief on the 2008 Acura RDX. The steering wheel alone has 13 buttons, with two sets of buttons for two different voice-command systems. The stack is similarly covered, with a whole set of audio controls at the base, topped by the navigation system controls that also have some redundant audio functions. Some day, we hope, Acura will redesign this interface.

As for the actual systems, though, the RDX does very well. The navigation system, while a bit dated, still has some useful features. We mentioned the live traffic above. Although the current system isn't perfect, Acura will come out with automatic traffic rerouting in the new TSX, so that feature should find its way into the RDX. The Zagat ratings are a nice addition, letting you actually find good restaurants in unfamiliar areas. We are still impressed with the voice-command capabilities of this navigation system. We chose to enter a street address and were able to speak the city and street names, and the street number, with the navigation system getting each one right.
Selecting music from MP3 CDs or from XM satellite radio stations isn't particularly easy with the car's interface. For XM, we found it initially difficult to get out of the saved preset stations. To select any station, you have to push the big center knob down and turn it to the tuning option. Similarly, the MP3 CD interface always defaults to selecting the first song on the CD--whenever you push the knob to see folders on a CD, it will immediately select and start playing the first song. The RDX comes with an auxiliary input jack, but no iPod integration.
The audio quality from the stereo is excellent. The RDX uses an ELS-designed system with hardware by Panasonic; the speaker set includes a subwoofer and a center fill. The system impressed us with how much you can tweak the audio quality. We played some bass heavy tracks and appreciated how well the system handled it--instead of rattling the doors the bass came through with a palpable feeling, but always in control. Likewise, the highs and mids were crystal clear as we listened to a modern symphonic piece. We initially found the center fill speaker dominating the cabin, but turned its level down to achieve a more balanced surround effect.

Of course, the RDX also has Bluetooth cell phone integration, with a service called AcuraLink. We paired up our test phone, a Samsung SGH-D807, to the system easily. We generally used voice dialing to make calls, and the voice-recognition system accurately interpreted the numbers about 95 percent of the time. The LCD interface also has a feature that lets you dial phone numbers using the big center knob. Unfortunately, this Bluetooth system doesn't read the phone's address book, so you can't dial people by name.
The RDX also comes with a rearview camera. The image doesn't have any guideline overlays, as we've seen in cars from Infiniti and Audi, but the image is nice and clear, and useful even in a small SUV.

Under the hood

Despite a little turbo lag, the 2008 Acura RDX offers a very responsive driving experience. It gets Acura's super handling all-wheel-drive system, which moves the torque between the front and rear axles as well as from side to side on the rear wheels. If you want to track how the system is working, there is a graphic display on the speedometer showing the torque distribution. The RDX also uses a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with a variable flow turbocharger, designed to reduce turbo lag. All told, this powerplant generates 240 horsepower.

In practice, we found the car's acceleration starts out a bit slow, but rapidly increases as the turbo winds up, resulting in an exhilarating boost. The transmission can be set to normal Drive mode, Sport mode, or manually shifted with paddles mounted on the steering wheel. We didn't feel a huge difference between Drive and Sport, but the paddles work well. We ran the car through some winding mountain roads, putting acceleration, shifting, and the SH-AWD system to the test. In Sport or Drive, we found the car did not aggressively downshift on the approach to a corner, leaving us with little power as we pushed the accelerator into the turn. Using the paddles, we could do much better, with a downshift to second on the approach and a hard foot on the gas into the turn. Under these circumstances, we could feel the SH-AWD doing its part to keep torque distributed, the only drawback being the RDX's center of gravity, higher than with a sports car.
The weakest part of the RDX's performance is its fuel economy. The EPA gives it 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, but we found those numbers optimistic and not even that good for a compact SUV. For our testing period, we balanced out our driving around the city, freeway, and mountain roads. In the city, we saw the average fuel economy drop down to 14.5 mpg, and our average for our test period came in at 16.1 mpg. Seeing these disastrous numbers while we drove, we concluded that the turbo in the RDX was the culprit. We wouldn't be surprised if the RDX would get better mileage using Acura's 3.5-liter V-6. Of course, having only five gears in the automatic transmission is a problem, as a sixth gear would at least increase the freeway economy. On the plus side, the Acura RDX gets a ULEV II rating from the California Air Resources Board for its emissions.

In sum

Acura keeps its car pricing simple. You can get the 2008 Acura RDX with the technology package for $36,695. There are no significant options, only a number of dealer accessories, so, with the $715 destination charge, the total for out test car was $37,410. The RDX is available without the technology package for $33,195, but that version is a much less interesting car.
There is a lot to like about the RDX. Its stereo produces excellent audio and its navigation system offers a points-of-interest database that will help in unfamiliar areas, or even out on impromptu errands. The low-end acceleration isn't marred much by turbo lag, and at the high end the car really moves. And we like the car's compact design. But we start docking it points in our ratings for some of the quirks in its cabin tech, such as the lack of access to cell phone address books, and for its atrocious mileage. We also dock it points for its switchgear interface, which litters the dashboard and steering wheel with buttons, and its software interface, which isn't particularly intuitive.

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2008 Honda Element SC

Product summary
The good: The by-wire-throttle in the 2008 Honda Element SC delivers a good response, while the handling feels sharp. We had fun with the manual transmission.
The bad: The Element's only nod toward working with mobile devices is an auxiliary input--the car lacks iPod support and Bluetooth cell phone integration.
The bottom line: Although we enjoy the driving characteristics of the 2008 Honda Element SC, the lack of cabin gadgets is a big disappointment.
Specs: Body style: SUV; Trim levels: SC; Available Engine: Gas


Price range: $22,775.00





Considering the youthful nature of the 2008 Honda Element SC's intended market, it is surprising the car doesn't offer more in the way of modern electronics. Like the Scion xB, the Honda Element appeals to people who can appreciate an offbeat styling. Unlike the xB, the Element doesn't offer navigation, video screens, or even iPod integration.
The original Honda Element was intended for outdoorsy people who would load it up with surfboards and mountain bikes, while the newer SC trimmed Element goes for the urban crowd already enamored with the Scion xB. You could argue that an Element intended for snow and surf trips doesn't need fancy cabin gadgets (although navigation is always good for road trips), but the urban version should include something more than a subwoofer for the audio system. Instead, what you get is a very practical vehicle with electronics that top out at a decent-sounding stereo.



Test the tech: Manual test battery


Our test car came equipped with a five speed manual transmission, something we hadn't yet seen on a Honda Element. We generally like manuals, but the Element's bus-like nature calls out for an automatic. Since the manual transmission was the most stand-out feature of this car, we put it through several tests.



• Traffic stop and go


Automatics are much easier to drive in dense urban areas with a lot of traffic and plenty of stop lights. But we found the Element's manual transmission relatively painless to use. The shifter sticks out of the dashboard at an odd angle, which initially looks like it would be awkward to use, however, we didn't have a problem with it. The clutch has a high take level, but it offers low resistance, so we didn't strain ourselves in frequent use of it. Likewise, the shifter popped into each gear with ease. With the manual, we could quickly pop it down to second and shoot past other cars for a quick lane change to avoid double-parked delivery trucks.





• Hill start


As we were testing the car in San Francisco, we tried out some hill starts on a very steep street. Hill starts with a manual can be the bane of even experienced drivers, as you have to carefully modulate the clutch and accelerator, and possibly even use the hand brake. We also had to cope with slick streets from rainy weather, which would let the drive wheels spin in place if we applied too much torque. The Element doesn't have any special hill start feature, yet we were able to get going from a stop on very steep hills with minimal rollback. Under these circumstances, we would have liked a lower take on the clutch. We were also able to accomplish our hill starts without relying on the handbrake, although it was well situated and designed for this maneuver. One aspect of the Element that helped us out is its throttle by-wire system, which gave us immediate and easily modulated throttle response, letting us apply just the right amount of gas to keep the tires gripping and pull us up the hill.



• Engine braking


This test was relatively simple, and we didn't expect any surprises. We took the Element on a mountain drive, and used the manual transmission to maintain a safe speed on a downhill slope. Cruising down the hill in second, the Element held a speed of 30 mph. We didn't have to touch the brakes until the traffic ahead slowed to 25 mph.





• Chirps


We noticed early on in driving the Element that a fast start would make the front drive wheels slip with an audible chirp. The engine torque combined with our throttle input and quick clutch drop pushed the tires a little beyond their grip until the car shot forward. For our chirp test, we tried to see how many chirps we could cause in a row as we shifted up through the gears. Starting on a flat road, we hit the gas and dropped the clutch, producing a long chirp from the front tires. As the car built up speed and the rpms climbed, we hit the clutch, made a quick shift to second, and dropped it again, getting a second chirp. Proud of ourselves, we kept hitting the gas and tried the same thing shifting up to third. Although we felt a strong jerk as we shifted to third, the tires kept grip, and didn't produce any sound. We experimented with different rpm levels, making our shift to third earlier as we searched for maximum torque, but the engine just doesn't have the oomph for that third chirp.



In the cabin


The Honda Element's interior is designed for rough use, with tough materials and fabrics that can be easily washed off. But that doesn't mean the materials are ugly--rather, Honda uses a good mix of soft and hard plastics. The interior space is huge, with a ridiculous amount of headroom. Fortunately, the driver's seat has a height adjustment knob. We aren't crazy about the door arrangement, which uses full doors in front and half doors for the rear seat. The front doors must be open for you to use the rear doors, so you can't easily let someone out from the back seat.





The only notable tech feature in the cabin is the stereo. In the SC and EX trimmed models, you get a seven speaker system with XM satellite radio and an auxiliary input mounted in the console. The single disc player reads MP3 CDs and shows track information on the radio display. You can quickly move around folders using the right hand tuning knob. The XM radio is a nice addition, and you can navigate channel categories with two dedicated buttons, while using the tuning knob to find stations. The face plate of the stereo also indicates that it has the capability to connect to a six disc changer, but Honda doesn't offer one as an option. The auxiliary input is nicely placed next to a 12 volt power point in the very deep console. However, we would really like to see full iPod integration in a car so clearly aimed at a youth demographic.
The audio system's speaker arrangement includes tweeters in the A pillars, woofers in each door, and a subwoofer in the dashboard. The system is powered by a 270 watt amp and produces sound quality we consider just above average. The sound production is well-balanced, with neither the high or low range overwhelming the system. We put in our new favorite bass response test CD, a mix from the Eighteenth Street Lounge label, and were impressed that, while we could hear and feel the bass, it never rattled the speakers. The highs came through clearly, but overall, the system didn't blow us away.





We do like the fact that the stereo head unit sits in a standard double DIN enclosure, which should make it easy to replace it with a full-featured system offering navigation and Bluetooth cell phone integration. Considering that Honda offers an excellent navigation system in its Civic and Accord models, we're surprised not to see that option with the Element.
One other niggle, the button to activate cruise control is down by the driver's left knee, next to the button that turns off stability control. This placement is horrible, as the two buttons have an identical shape, so it encourages you to look under the dashboard while driving down the freeway.



Under the hood


We were more impressed with the driving experience in the 2008 Honda Element SC than with the cabin tech. The car uses a 2.4-liter four cylinder engine producing a 166 horsepower at 5,800rpm and 161 foot pounds of torque at 4,500rpm. Although it doesn't sound like much, it pushes the roomy Element around well. We felt a good boost from the engine during fast starts, with acceleration that continued up to freeway speeds. We found the five speed manual transmission, detailed above, easy to use.

Given its boxy shape, we are surprised to find how well the Element handles.

The Element handles surprisingly well for a car of this ungainly shape, which might be partly because of the fact that the SC version is lower than the EX and LX models. We pushed it as fast as we dared along some winding mountain roads and found that it held the corners well. Of course, having the manual transmission helped, as we could jam it down to second then push it through the turns. Also helping the handling are front and rear stabilizer bars and Macpherson struts on the front wheels. The car includes a checklist of modern safety equipment standard, such as vehicle stability control, antilock disc brakes on all four wheels, and even electronic brake distribution.
For economy, the Element gets an EPA-rated 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, numbers which aren't spectacular considering the size of the engine. During our testing, we came in at the middle of that range, with an observed 20 mpg for combined city and freeway driving. Emissions are rated at LEV II, the minimum under California Air Resources Board regulations.

In sum

Our car, a 2008 Honda Element SC with a manual transmission, goes for a base price of $22,775. Honda doesn't offer factory options, but you can get a range of dealer accessories, such as cargo racks, wheel locks, and a security system. There aren't any major electronics offered with the dealer accessories. So with the $635 destination charge, the total price of the 2008 Honda Element SC is $23,410.
For its rating, we couldn't give the cabin tech many points as Honda offers so few options. The stereo is the only real cabin gadget, and it's a pretty run-of-the-mill configuration with its single disc slot and satellite radio. For its driving technology, we give it a better than average score for its by-wire-throttle and general responsiveness. As for design, many people consider the style of the Element very ugly, but we like its different look. However, we're docking it points for the inconvenient rear half doors.

2008 Honda Element Prices

2008 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 6M)

Product summary
The good: The 2008 Honda Accord Coupe combines attractive styling, a fun six-speed manual transmission, a very useful navigation system with the best points-of-interest database in the business, and a practical voice-command system.
The bad: Most of our critiques are minor. The stereo's audio quality is only adequate and the system doesn't show ID3 tag information from MP3 CDs. The car has two separate voice-command systems, which can lead to confusion.
The bottom line: Fun and practical to drive, the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe is sporty and looks good. Its navigation system, while basic, gets the job done, and it has added features such as Bluetooth cell phone integration.
Specs: Body style: Coupe; Trim levels: EX-L V-6; Available Engine: Gas
Price range: $28,310.00

The beauty of the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe first struck us when we saw a picture of the car on an advertisement in an airport last year. Since then, we've seen a few Accord Coupes driving around, and we've been as impressed with the real thing as the photograph. During our review week with the Accord Coupe, we found it to be as exciting as the Accord Sedan is dull. Of course, we had the top trimmed EX-L Accord Coupe with its V-6 engine and six-speed manual transmission, much more fun than the five-speed automatic in the sedan.
Beyond its good looks, our Accord Coupe also had the navigation package and a set of cabin gadgets we've been impressed with in plenty of other Hondas. Like the Accord Sedan, it adds Bluetooth cell phone integration. Although the navigation system and other cabin gadgets aren't as cutting edge as they could be, they still work very well for running errands or exploring unfamiliar areas.
Test the tech: Local knowledge competitionTo test the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe's tech, we used a modified version of our local knowledge test we previously tried on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK550. In that test, we gave the navigation system a destination in San Francisco, then drove our preferred route and counted how many times it tried to correct us. With the Accord Coupe, we first drove to a destination using our own route, then drove using the navigation system's suggested route, and compared how long each route took. City traffic would obviously be a factor on each route, but that is part of the test, and we would also use our aggressive city driving skills on each route to minimize our driving time.
Our first run involved a time-honored route, traditionally taken in a taxicab, from Houston's, a bar and grill nearby CNET's old headquarters, to the Dovre Club, a bar in the Mission district. This route would take us from the northeast corner of San Francisco down to a central southern area. While it doesn't cover a lot of miles, it does run through the most congested areas of the city.

For our preferred route, we made most of our way south on just three streets: Battery Street, Gough Street, and Valencia Street, with a quick jog west on Broadway Street to avoid the downtown area. We generally made good time, except for slow traffic on Valencia Street. Gough Street, with its steep incline and stoplights, challenged the Accord Coupe. The car required some finesse on these hill starts--with its V-6 the front tires easily spun free. We practiced giving it just enough gas as we let out the clutch, keeping the car from rolling back and the front tires from spinning. The hand brake is conveniently placed on the console to assist in these maneuvers, but we didn't have to resort to it. This route, according to Google maps, was 5.5 miles, and took us 22 minutes and 49 seconds to complete.

When we got back to Houston's and found the Dovre Club in the navigation system, it gave us a route along the other side of downtown, along The Embarcadero, then a jog down Harrison to the freeway for some more southeasterly distance. The last part of this route took us along Cesar Chavez and then up Valencia Street, ending across the street from the Dovre Club. We slogged through traffic on The Embarcadero, then dealt with more on the freeway. This route was 6 miles, a half mile longer than our route, and took longer, at 24 minutes and 2 seconds.
The second route we tried represented a standard commuter route, going from 24th and Church streets in Noe Valley to CNET's downtown headquarters. For our preferred route, we kept it simple, taking just four streets: Church, 18th, Folsom, and Second. We started off poorly, though, getting stuck behind a slow driver on Church. Eighteenth also proved slow because of traffic, but we got to push the Accord Coupe harder on Folsom Street, using its maneuverability to get around slower traffic and make some time. This 3.5 mile route took us 18 minutes and 9 seconds to complete.

When we plugged our destination into the navigation system, it took us to Dolores Street, a good choice as it has more lanes than Church Street, to which it runs parallel. But then it put us on Market Street for most of the trip, something we consider a very bad choice as you have to share this road with trolley cars, plus a lot of foot, bicycle, and car traffic. The last couple of blocks on Market, before our turn onto Second Street, were especially slow. This route was 3.6 miles, which took us 20 minutes and 14 seconds to drive.
Our preferred routes were faster than the navigation system's for each test, but only by 2 minutes. You could argue that the difference is negligible, but we found some of the roads the navigation system chose, such as Market Street, to be particularly poor. Fortunately, the system in the Accord Coupe recalculates quickly if you go your own way.

In the cabin

The interior of the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe impressed us with its materials and fit, and we could find very little difference between it and the interior of an Acura, Honda's upscale brand. We like how Honda took a fresh look at designing the dashboard and integrating the navigation system. The LCD goes from a touch screen, as in older Hondas, to a unit set deep in the dash that avoids glare. A big multifunction control knob sits front and center below the LCD, which controls most car functions and cabin gadgets on the screen. It's not always the most intuitive, but it works well enough.

Honda set the LCD deep in the dashboard to protect it from glare.

You can use the knob or a voice command to control the navigation system, or a combination of both. We've raved about this voice-command system before. Most of its commands are intuitive, and it has on-screen help to show you the available commands. When entering destinations, we used voice command until we got to a section where we had to enter place names by letter by letter. It was much quicker to start using just the multifunction knob at that point. One thing we particularly like about this navigation system is its full points-of-interest database, which includes every business address. We entered CNET, and it found our corporate headquarters. We entered Dovre Club, and it found our favorite bar. Route guidance gives adequate warning for turns, but offers no advanced features, such as text-to-speech for street names. The navigation system also doesn't have cutting-edge features such as traffic conditions.
The Accord Coupe's audio system was adequate. We like that it included a subwoofer and an in-dash six-disc changer that can read MP3 CDs, but it doesn't show ID3 tag information for MP3 CDs, and there is no iPod integration option. Beyond the disc changer, it has XM satellite radio and an auxiliary jack conveniently placed in the console. Voice command works well for choosing music--we quickly learned how to ask for specific satellite radio channels. Of course, its voice command doesn't work as well as Ford Sync, which we saw most recently in the Mercury Sable. Audio quality was decent, with good bass provided by the subwoofer, but the highs lacked brightness.

Two sets of buttons on the steering wheel control the two voice-command systems.

The other major cabin system in our Accord Coupe was Bluetooth cell phone integration. Honda has improved this system from previous incarnations we've seen. Unfortunately, it still relies on a separate voice-command system, with its own set of buttons on the steering wheel. We paired an iPhone to it, one of the phones listed as compatible on the Honda HandsFreeLink site, and were able to import the iPhone's address book into the car. Using the multifunction knob, we were easily able to access the phone book and choose a contact to call. In older Hondas, you had to know the number you wanted to call, and use voice command to call out the numbers. You can still do that in the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, but it's much easier to find an entry in the stored phone book.

Under the hood

Although the cabin electronics in the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe are identical with those in the 2008 Honda Accord Sedan, the driving experience is very different. Both get power from a 3.5-liter V-6 producing 268 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque. But where the sedan's power is held in check by the five-speed automatic transmission, the coupe's six-speed manual lets you use everything the engine has to give. Honda manages to keep the torque steer to a minimum--we felt it mostly during high rpm shifts from first gear to second gear. This stick is the same close ratio transmission used in the Civic Si, and we like its precise feel. Sixth gear offers a good gas-saving option for long freeway runs, while second and third work for sport driving.

To really test out the Accord Coupe, we took it along some of our favorite roads, giving it a workout in the twisties. This is a car that can handle the hills, with its V-6 producing enough power to get us through the turns and up the inclines. However, while its steering is responsive, it had more oversteer than we would care for in a sporty car like this. Around the hairpins we had to crank the wheel over a few times to make the turn, but with a downshift to second before the turn we had plenty of power on the other side. The suspension felt tuned more for sport than comfort, as the Accord Coupe stayed relatively flat in the corners. Over rough pavement in the city, though, we felt every vibration.
As for fuel economy, the EPA rates the Accord Coupe with 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, quite a step-down from the automatic Accord Sedan's 19 mpg city, 29 mpg highway rating. During the city driving for our tech test, we observed an average all the way down to 16.6 mpg, but our overall rating was comfortably within the EPA range, at 20.1mpg. It's not a stellar rating, but still better than many other cars with 3.5-liter V-6 engines. The Accord Coupe also gets a worse emissions rating than the Accord Sedan. Where the latter came in at a very impressive PZEV rating from the California Air Resources Board, the Accord Coupe only earns a ULEV II, still good, but not quite as impressive.

In sum

The 2008 Honda Accord Coupe we tested, with the technology package, V-6 engine, and EX-L trim, is a top-of-the-line model and goes for $30,510. Its $635 destination charge puts the total at $31,145. You can also opt for the 2.4-liter four-cylinder EX-L version with the technology package, which goes for $27,360, but the manual transmission in that version is only a five speed. The technology package isn't available at the lesser EX or LX-S trim levels.
Although the Accord Coupe didn't have any over-the-top tech, we really enjoyed our time with it. We think it looks great and drives well, while the technology package offers a lot of useful gear. We would appreciate a better-sounding stereo, but our cabin tech rating is high for the Accord Coupe. We also give it high marks for performance, as we enjoyed the driving experience, only knocking it down some for mileage and emissions that rank below the Accord Sedan's. But we also love its looks and give it top marks for design. Although 30 grand is on the high side for an Accord, few cars give you this much tech and power for the money.

Honda Accord Prices