Test drive BMW 3 E90 2005 - 2008 sedan

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BMW 320 VS Honda Accord duel

Oh, these low -profile tire addictions. Sometimes it seems that manufacturers who are preoccupied with worthy handling of their products simply save in this way on the refinement of suspension. Why wind up thousands of kilometers at the training ground? Why wise with the intake of levers and select the optimal rigidity of shock absorbers, springs and hinges? When you can exclude the cornerstone component of the poor behavior of the car with one blow. Down with excess rubber in the radial direction! Give a thin hard, almost non -deformed layer! Who thinks about the smoothness of the course? They forget the geniuses of the world automotive industry that their brainchilds are driving not only on smooth, like polished countertop, the roads of Europe, but also to the Russian asphalt lane, which arranges a completely different exam.
With all the apparent image-valuable absurdity of this comparison, I am ready to defend my test choice. The Honda has long been not the quick commoner, which has coexisted unique technologies and budgetary orientation. There is an active set of image heights, accompanied by a departure from simply incendiary equipment and the coming to more understandable wide masses. BMW is always BMW. However, now, thanks to Russified options, it becomes a little more accessible. Well, who will say that from the point of view of running qualities, these companies did not go on one, forgotten by many roads. And now these cars can be compared as never before, putting on different bowls of the scales. At least in the most democratic D-class, at least in the initial two-liter versions. Which we did.
Still, there is something fateful that the leading designer of the Bavarian company is the name of Chris. Chris Bangle. After all, his name is in the transcription of the Indonesians and Malaysians a steel dagger with a serpentine blade. And the BMW-320 and there is a dagger. Sharp, compact, already only capable of stinging in one species. With a long blade, a cabin and a weighty ephez of a salon and stern. Here, for example, the BMW seven is already a double -erace ax. Heavy. Treshka also does not make the impression of a lightweight car, but by modern standards in this segment it is quite visually small.

And it is very wise in the intersection of emphasized faces and sharp corners. I believe that one must be a brilliant designer in order to so organically translate such a complex stylistic structure in a three -dimensional metal space. It can be taken or not, but from the perspective of classic canons, it seems to me that there are no frank failures in it. And in a new look, it was possible to maintain conservative centuries -old proportions: a short front overhang and a salon pushed back. God forbid, the liberal movements will wedge!
Honda Accord is a real breakthrough in the D-class. The most cutting stylistics among him are like. Not a Malay dagger, not a European two -handed man, but a samurai ken who is equally convenient to chop enemy heads and make Harakiri for themselves. Universal! I have not met a single negative review about his appearance either among my friends or in the press. It is a pity that in the process of winning a new image, the car gained extra pounds, which are obvious in smooth, slightly puffy sides. They would cut them with a thin zeal of acute molding, let blood, remove the fat. In the end, what is decorated with a man of scars or authority?
The same would have to be done with the stern, the continuous array of which lacks an inspirational-sustaining designer spark. However, apparently, this was a stylistic idea. To translate aggression in the guise and leave a place for representative solidity. The idea was a success. Accord is equally dynamic and presentable. Without loss, which is especially pleasant, the corporate Honda style. Beautiful car!
He is beautiful inside. The broken lines of the torpedo and consoles are very organically echoing with the exterior and made by Japanese reasons. True, there is no external inflated in the cabin, which is why he only wins. In general, the interior of Accord is a hypersistal thing. Pure, like a baby’s tear, designer simplicity and His Majesty Japanese style! Now it is rarely possible to find such an inner space so verified in all proportions, where each element is located in its place and does not violate the integrity of the overall picture.
Moreover, for the sake of style, the ergonomics of the salon did not suffer at all. Literally for every detail of the interior of Accord, you can put, if not a five, then a firm with a plus of four. A large display in the center of the console gives rise to a mixed of numbers, from which it is necessary to tear out the necessary information about the temperature, the CD trac or the climate control mode, but you get used to this digital diversity

instantly. In addition, the screen does not glance, in addition to on the eyes available for the eyes and a safe place in movement. The keys of music and weather are correctly located, and I want to express a special gratitude for the lambs that control the temperature in a two-zone climate control. Moreover, the study of both primary and secondary governing bodies leaves no room for criticism. Ten years ago, such a verification of inclusions, such juicy sounds of clicks could only be found in cars at least one class higher. And here all this is in the segment D, moreover, not the most expensive.
Perhaps I forgive the Accord for the fact that about 190 human centimeters for the driver begins impenetrable growth. I will be lower, and mine with three standard adjustments of the seat and two (by departure and tilt) steering wheel, the location on the left to the front leaves no need to look for a more convenient planting. In this case, I don’t care about the rear passengers. Let the knees of the back with knees. But they can take the third. It will enter even in height. I will not ask him to remove his head somewhere so that he does not interfere with visual communication through the salon mirror. And in the lateral picture is excellent. In addition to such a person-capacity, Accord is not bad, God forgive me, a truck. The sofa back is mobile and divided in a ratio of 60:40. And the extension of the trunk is not just a tribute to a three -breeze body. Load your health.
BMW has a slightly larger luggage compartment, but the transformations in it are not provided. God be with them. It is not for nothing that Bavarians from generation to generation achieve the optimal 50:50 amusing. It is a sin to spoil such kilograms of a banal belongings. And the rear passengers, who are sitting here only a little better than in Honda (the third extra, interferes with a high tunnel), by the way, too. Let's immediately place the front, while driving.
Only crossing from high -quality ACCORD to BMW, you can feel that Honda almost reaches the Bavarian founder of the genre. Here it is, although small, but the difference in price. Where in Accord you can complain about the cost of the front panel material, unconditional quality reigns in a three -lash. The pimpled Kirza plastic looks expensive and in the look and to the touch.

The rest of the plastic also does not cause a desire to change it to something more noble. But when the gaze drops to the music block and climate control, and then rises to the ceiling ... Rough protruding buttons at the central console violate the entire idyll, the red bubble of the anti-theft seems a foreign object in this kingdom of high quality. From BMW I want more elegant performance.
However, the roughness of the above buttons is caused by the need to somehow highlight them. After all, they are too small and are also located at the very bottom of the console. In motion you will have to look to the touch. But I won’t know what to do with three tiny strips-scranes. The indication of the heater modes, the music center and the watch is bad. This is probably one of those cornerstone BMW installations, emphasizing primarily the driver’s character. He would not have forgiven someone else, but the Bavar deserves the remission of this sin. At least for a non -fixed turning lever, which has two modes (short and long) and is included with a pleasant viscous force.
And for that dense, as in the formula car, the landing, which is offered by the apparent car interior. It's hard for me to say what it forms: a chair with developed rollers, a massive door, a tunnel? Apparently all this. As a result, the three before the start of movement is perceived, if you like, more athletic. But at the same time spacious. The mutual location of the steering wheel, seats and pedals is not as strongly as in Accord, limits the vertical minimum of the driver. And the height adjustment at the seat, despite the fact that BMW is below Honda, is carried out in large limits.
There is another paradoxical feature. The Black Salon Honda is diluted with dark gray inserts, while BMW interior dusk diversifies a light silver plastic. Nevertheless, the inner space of the Germans is cloudy, gloomy. It's not about the color scheme of the idealization of the order that Bavarian designers profess. Here everything is laid out on stylistic shelves and there is no place for creative frivolity. In general, who likes what.

For me, driving on these cars is not a banal traffic teleportation from one point of space to another. Of course pleasure. Both from the opportunity to touch the stylish quality thing, and from the driverships of these cars. I wonder which of them will be more hot?
It is a pity that the good old 2.2-liter six in Bavaria was replaced with a two-liter four. Everything is in order with vibrations, but the sound is not the same. The key inserted in the slot on the panel and the pressing of the Star Engine button give birth to a non-famous velvet, filled with internal power of the Rock, but quite ordinary muffled noise of the engine, which somehow does not fit with backwear ideology. At medium speeds, the engine wakes up and growls, and with a gas-global bargaining to active gas management. It seems that the Germans reached the acoustics of the new engine to old standards, but not everyone turned out as they wanted.
Fortunately, in the dynamics, a 150-horsepower four with phasor reflectors in the head and a mechanism that regulates the height of the valve lifting is by no means melancholy. The thrust, of course, is not cannon, but it undermines from the coldest revolutions and shoots a transmission of 6250 rpm. There are no reactive pickups, both systems do their job very intelligently with a barely noticeable revitalization in the region of 4-5 thousand rpm. But the engine is spinning very decently, willingly. So the tightness of urban traffic jams becomes torture. Rather, it would be possible to get out of the banned streets and perfume the iron iron under the floor pedal of gas. By the way, the pedal itself is very sensitive, albeit electronic. He reacts instantly to his foot movements, always knowing what the driver wants from her at the moment. A six -speed automatic has the same ability to read thoughts. In any movement modes, the engine has always a necessary transmission. Without six speeds, the motor would hardly boast of such a confident interdiapas rod. At least, with regard to her intelligent order.

Each switching, whether it is upward or jumping down, has a minimum of delays and occurs as smoothly as possible. Of course, in the event that this is not the Kick Down mode, which, by the way, also works quite quickly. But it is better for a more active drive, swinging the lever to the left, go into manual mode. For the first time, he has an honest hardworking character for the current three -year -old. That is, it does not switch arbitrarily to increased, but works from idle revolutions and up to fuel cutting down under seven thousands, near the red zone. In this mode, switching becomes more rigid to the fraction, and the accelerator pedal, as it seemed, is even more sensitive. It is with Manual that the engine reveals its power potential with might and main. Potential ... only two liters and one and a half hundred mares. And how much passion, burning excitement and brought up by smart electronics of aggregate understanding of all the desires of the driver!
According to the mass-model characteristics of Honda C BMW, parity. Accord even five horses stronger. Does not help. And it's not about the engine.
He really has nothing to do with it. In the new series of Honda engines there is no longer the former incendiary, but they are still hot. It is not for nothing that Intelligent VTEC is trying for two for the BEMVASH and Double Vanos, and Valvetronic. Honda engines are still explosive. But you still need to work with electronics.
And with her, Accord is not as smooth as it seems at first glance. Smart motor, thinking five -speed gearbox, electronic gas pedal. With the latter, I think, incomprehensible phenomena occur. Although everyone, of course, is controlled by the processor. One way or another, but the algorithms of disposal of traction have at least two types of combat and apathetic. Moreover, prolonged riding at the first does not mean at all that the brains will be closed on it. You went slowly, and the electronics suddenly decided that the response to the action of the accelerator could be strangled. Once it even seemed to me that I inadvertently put the car on a handbrake. It was just responsive

now decisively does not want to go. You press the pedal, but it reacts inadequately. He asks for a greater stroke, greater effort. For a while it may not happen, then it will happen again. The only panacea is not to ride half a half. Constant gas, constant playing electronic nerves. In this case, Accord acquires an incendiary and integral character.
Its engine, like BMW, is spinning in the entire range and comes to life above the average revolutions. The floor gas pedal also becomes sensitive and responsive. Is there enough motor? Oh yeah! Having stirred the sleepy electronics, from Accord you can achieve miracles in the accelerated from the place and from transmission to the transmission of dynamics. And if you go to manual mode ... assertive acceleration on each up to the red zone. Bliss!
And after all, the suspension works qualitatively only at good speeds. The lower permissible limit is 80 km/h. You go faster and do not feel anything that falls under the wheels. The seams swallows, does not swing on the waves. Ideal suspension? But you should get into the city or lose speed, like all the words of gratitude, ready to fly off the tongue, give way to other, more eloquent expressions. With its low wheel profile, Accord probes decisively everything. Even something small, which seems to be confused in numerous Honda levers. To put the wheels with a profile higher, but then, God forbid, the honed controllability of Accord may be distorted. But there is no pickup for her. Minimum rolls, good feedback on the steering wheel and magnificent information content of the brakes. True, the steering wheel eats with active rotation, but, knowing about this, it is not difficult to avoid errors.
Configurations and prices
In terms of the number of optional levels, the third BMW series puts Honda Accord on both shoulder blades. Four engines against two, eleven sets against four. In both cases, we got the second level of equipment. In BMW this is Business, with Accord Sport. The difference in cost is exactly four thousand. True, the first is sold in the euro, and the second in dollars. 35300 and 31300, respectively. As a result, the difference in price reached tangible 370 thousand rubles. What will the buyer get for this money?

Much of a muchness. Heating of the front seats, rain sensor, headlight washing, alloy wheels, a radio with a CD player, signaling, dual-zone climate control system, course stability, multifunctional steering wheel. True, there are some differences. Accord offers the driver cruise control and heated mirrors. BMW designs xenon, fog lights in Parctronics. It turns out here a German-Japanese parity.
What are the treshka small external mirrors! Immediately visible a track car, whose aerodynamics were brought taking into account high speeds. In the city, it is inconvenient to use them, the picture is too small. Yes, and shocks. Not so, however, like Accord. In European. And the BMW suspension has hard, but differently. It has a kind of short -flowing energy intensity, which is for people who do not tolerate the couch comfort, the best in the car in the car. Shobbies shocks, but elastic, assembled, rounded. From the road diversity, which is reported in detail by Accord, BMW will not let everything be inside. And having missed, he lies in high quality this information. They flew over a healthy pit, but it seems that they only felt the shovchik with wheels. Nevertheless, for a car of this segment, the 320th suffers from some lack of smoothness. It is good that this does not affect controllability in any way. That a long gentle, that a short steep turn BMW writes perfectly. The heavy steering wheel drive modes with an electric power with a good reactive effect and a transparent connection with the wheels. The brake drive is filled with good effort, and the mechanisms provide optimal slowdown.
SPECIFICATIONS
Car BMW 320i Honda Accord
Length/width/height, mm 4520/1817/1421 4665/1760/1445
Base, mm 2760 2670
Front/rear track, mm 1500/1513 1510/1510
Clearance, mm 115 130
Working engine volume, cubic meter. See 1995 1998
Power, L.S. at rpm 150/6200 155/6000
Torque, NM at rpm 200/3600 190/4500
Equipped mass, kg 1350 1363
Full mass, kg 1870 1920
Trunk volume, l 460 459
Fuel tank volume, l 60 65
Fuel consumption, city cycle, l 11 10.6
Suburban cycle, l 6.2 6.2
Mixed cycle, l 7.9 7.8
Maximum speed, km/h 215 215
Acceleration to 100 km/h, from 9.7 8.9
Wheel size 205/55 R16 205/55 R16
But what is it? At speed for 140-150 km/h, the BMW steering wheel comes to life and begins to fluctuate quite hard in his hands. What is the fault of this, a gentle asphalt wave, short-flowing suspension or some kind of steering? What difference does it make if in any case it becomes scary above this speed limit. Nothing super -wise happens, the machine continues to be obedient, however, the psychological component does its job.
Steering deficiencies, electronic flaws, suspension disputes. All this fades against the background of quality performance, high -tech engines and excellent automatic boxes. Both cars are burning by nature and technically hot. Even low -profile addictions, I am ready to forgive for the hidden to the tip of Chris and Katana running abilities. As for the differences, they fully fit into a modest price difference and lie within the limits of just a little more expensive decoration materials. For me, both of these cars are idols. Although class D, albeit in the most democratic two -liter performance.