2021 Honda Accord sedan only automatic

[Stelcom66]

From Motorweek: 'Honda will be shrinking their car lineup after the 2020 model year, and that includes eliminating the entry level Fit subcompact completely. One of the most fun-to-drive cars in the segment, the Fit will be sorely missed. The other model getting the axe after the 2020 model year is the Civic Coupe. Also buyers will no longer be able to order a manual transmission in an Accord sedan...' I'd consider a manual transmission used Fit if I had to replace my car. Those who own them overall don't seem to mind the short gearing and high rpms on the highway, partly because the MPG results are impressive.

Not that I planned on trading in my 1999 Accord EX 5MT sedan anytime soon, but still disappointed to see the trend continue. Mine passed emissions today. It was somewhat surprising since after having the fuel lines replaced, the P1457 emissions related code returned after the shop reset the CEL. It turned off about a month and a half later (don't drive the car often) and never returned. That may be typical as the system has to do several successful cycles to consider the condition cleared.

My last MPG average was 28.2. That's with less than 50% highway driving. The EPA highway rating is 28. I know others have exceeded EPA ratings inother vehicles, and it's typically with a manual transmission.

[Rope-Pusher]

As Bart Simpson Says,......

Have a FIT!

[bk7794]

That's a huge shame. Although I can't say I'm not surprised. With emissions regulations (rev hang), computerization etc.

I'm hoping in a few years to scoop up a 2.0T and get it tuned.

[Stelcom66]

Yes not surprising. If I won the lottery I'd also consider a 2020 Accord with a 6 speed manual. Seems like turbos are another trend, even the Honda CR-V has a 1.5L turbo. Subaru retired their H6 for a 2.4L turbo. I wonder how they'll hold up.

[potownrob]

From Motorweek: 'Honda will be shrinking their car lineup after the 2020 model year, and that includes eliminating the entry level Fit subcompact completely. One of the most fun-to-drive cars in the segment, the Fit will be sorely missed. The other model getting the axe after the 2020 model year is the Civic Coupe. Also buyers will no longer be able to order a manual transmission in an Accord sedan...' I'd consider a manual transmission used Fit if I had to replace my car. Those who own them overall don't seem to mind the short gearing and high rpms on the highway, partly because the MPG results are impressive.

Not that I planned on trading in my 1999 Accord EX 5MT sedan anytime soon, but still disappointed to see the trend continue. Mine passed emissions today. It was somewhat surprising since after having the fuel lines replaced, the P1457 emissions related code returned after the shop reset the CEL. It turned off about a month and a half later (don't drive the car often) and never returned. That may be typical as the system has to do several successful cycles to consider the condition cleared.

My last MPG average was 28.2. That's with less than 50% highway driving. The EPA highway rating is 28. I know others have exceeded EPA ratings inother vehicles, and it's typically with a manual transmission.

it was only a matter of time. one of the few hold-outs in the save the manuals club. many still available manuals are in cars that typically come with a manual, like the jeep wrangler, mini cooper and ford mustang. a midsize family sedan with a manual is a lot to expect for the US market. honda also seems to have decided to butcher their cars' looks with the latest refreshes - 2016/2017 seems to have been the peak for recent honda designs. i test drove a manual 2015 fit ex, and it was fun to drive and looked cool. i think the reviewer above is referring to the older honda fits with the 5 speed that revved high on the highway; the 2015 and newer models had a 6 speed with better gearing. i also had a 2015 accord sport manual which was fun to drive, but not as comfortable as i expected. rev-hang was also prevalent. ended up trading that in within a year for an automatic golf. 99 accord? i personally wouldn't run one as a daily driver; i had enough fears running a 96 accord ten years ago - nice car, but not without problems. that one had some emissions issue caused by something under the hood towards the back (i forget what; it's been ten years!), which is part of why i didn't keep it - my mechanic couldn't get the bad part out to fix it.

[potownrob]

Yes not surprising. If I won the lottery I'd also consider a 2020 Accord with a 6 speed manual. Seems like turbos are another trend, even the Honda CR-V has a 1.5L turbo. Subaru retired their H6 for a 2.4L turbo. I wonder how they'll hold up.

i'm no engineer or FCA mecanico, but i'd be more worried about the smaller engines with turbos than the big ones, at least of the mainstream cars like the ones you've just mentioned. the 1.5 turbo in the hondas will probably have to work a little harder than the subaru 2.4 turbo, though both are probably dialed in to not use too much boost. i think this is also part of why mazda has gone with a turbo 2.5 rather than a turbo 2 litre - don't have to overwork the engine as much to produce the powers and torques. i've driven both the newer accords and cr-vs (and civic) with the 1.5 turbo, and they feel more like a 3 litre V6 than a 4 cylinder, and definitely more powerful than the old non-turbo K24.

[Stelcom66]

Yes the Honda Fits I was referring to was based on reviews from the 10 year old model. The generation after that had another (6th) gear, but the overall drive ratio was about the same. I haven't looked at the specs of newer ones. The base vehicle that will replace it, the HR-V, was available with a manual transmission on FWD models when it was first introduced, but I think they're all CVTs now.

My '99 Accord is a few times a week driver. If I didn't have a company vehicle I would not have bought something that old. I settled on that because it was very difficult to find an Accord with a manual transmission at the time, about 2 years ago. Especially rare is an EX model with the manual, which probably has not been an option for several years now.

Good to see proper punctuation - "cr-vs", not cr-v's. It still would not have been as bad as 'Used Car's for sale'.

[potownrob]

yeah, the hr-v is auto only now, as of last year IIRC. finding a manual fwd hr-v up here would be a wild goose chase... eye test drove an ex-l awd cvt when they first came out; eye was KNOT impressed at all - cramped inside, anemic, not comfy, etc., and this was coming from a 2012 cr-v ex. there was no way i was replacing the cr-v with an hr-v. the fit felt roomier and more powerful. i felt then and still do that the hr-v should've gotten at least the k20 from the new non-turbo civic. not that much more powerful than the 1.8 litre, but more modern and more torque to get the car moving...

[Stelcom66]

Your observations coincide with Consumer Reports, for both Hondas - the HR-V and Gen 6-7 Accords. What's interesting about Fit reviews, especially with the manual - is overall it's generally a quite positive summary. An owner may say it can be rough on certain pavement, noisy on the highway etc. but 'The best car I've ever owned, very reliable, great MPGs...' Re: the gen 6 Accord, the seats are one of the most comfortable I've ever owned. Overall the '99 is a pleasure to drive with the manual. Eye always keep an I open for a 5 speed manual CR-V, available until 2006, but talk about rare. Starting in 2002 they had the 2.4L with the timing chain. The EPA rates the 5 speed automatic with higher MPGs, but I've seen posts by someone on a CR-V forum that at least matches the auto's MPG rating or betters it with his manual CR-V. What I may not like is ~3200 rpm at 65mph. My Accord is relatively relaxed at about 2450 rpm at those speeds. If I did need to replace the Accord, it with likely be with a CR-V, even if it was automatic.

[potownrob]

Your observations coincide with Consumer Reports, for both Hondas - the HR-V and Gen 6-7 Accords. What's interesting about Fit reviews, especially with the manual - is overall it's generally a quite positive summary. An owner may say it can be rough on certain pavement, noisy on the highway etc. but 'The best car I've ever owned, very reliable, great MPGs...' Re: the gen 6 Accord, the seats are one of the most comfortable I've ever owned. Overall the '99 is a pleasure to drive with the manual. Eye always keep an I open for a 5 speed manual CR-V, available until 2006, but talk about rare. Starting in 2002 they had the 2.4L with the timing chain. The EPA rates the 5 speed automatic with higher MPGs, but I've seen posts by someone on a CR-V forum that at least matches the auto's MPG rating or betters it with his manual CR-V. What I may not like is ~3200 rpm at 65mph. My Accord is relatively relaxed at about 2450 rpm at those speeds. If I did need to replace the Accord, it with likely be with a CR-V, even if it was automatic.

Doughn’t forget that Honda offered the element with a manual until later than the cr-v. I like certain aspects of the cr-v better than the element though...

[Stelcom66]

I did research the Element a while ago, I'd prefer a CR-V but an Element with a manual must be interesting to drive. I know at least the first year of the Mazda CX-5 had a 6 speed manual available on the Sport FWD model. I saw two for sale online today. A month ago there was just one. The price of one is very reasonable given the mileage. That could an advantage for us Standard Shifters, dealers may assume no one or very few want a manual and they're priced accordingly.

[IMBoring25]

As they should be. Automatics tend to be more expensive to fix when they go bad, but abusing a manual doesn't necessarily require malice and they have more failure modes that can happen suddenly after showing no signs on a test-drive. I've lost two slave cylinders, both going with no warning and needing to be limped home. The one that was an internal slave revealed a pilot bearing that would have gone next in short order and the one that was an external slave (which at least saved dropping the driveline) turned into a full release system replacement.

[Stelcom66]

Seems kind ironic manuals can have more failure modes, but I've experienced them. The transmission in my first car was automatic and replaced for (as the Rainman would say) about a hundred dollars. That was at Aamco in 1976, a used Powerglide. I've had 2 situations in manual transmission vehicles I've owned. My 1998 Subaru Outback would make a chirping type noise with the clutch pedal depressed, my 2002 Forester did the same and was slipping big time. Didn't have the Outback fixed, traded it in as is. Had the clutch and maybe another component replaced in the Forester. Subarus have a reputation for a particular bearing to go in manuals. Same with their engines, a different subject that can be found on Subaru forums.

[IMBoring25]

Automatics have plenty of failure modes, but most of them tend to give at least enough warning that if you pay close attention on a test drive you can reasonably expect to at least get home without pondering having to remove the driveline.

[Stelcom66]

True - like with my 1967 Chevy Caprice with the Powerglide. It was slipping like crazy when it started to fail but I was able to get home.

At the time my parents had a '67 Impala SS with the 327 V8, dual exhausts. It was also a Powerglide, so not quick off line - but if you floored it at 40mph or so it would throw you back into the seat as it dropped to first gear. Second was the top gear.