Honda Accord V6 vs Toyota Camry 2.4

Car shootouts do not get much bigger than Toyota Camry vs Honda Accord. Two heavy hitters from two of the biggest Japanese car manufacturers. Epic cars, epics battles. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for mayhem...

Story : Sameer Kumar Photography : Kunal Khadse

WHAT A CAR THIS IS! OH, what a car...! Err..., these were my first few words after stepping out of the Honda Accord V6. Before this, the last time I'd driven an Accord V6 was almost two years ago. That was a rare example, specially fettled by Mugen, the much respected tuning arm of Honda. While a stock Accord V6 isn't exactly lacking in the grunt department, the Mugen Accord V6, with its huge alloys, butch body kit, remapped fuel-injection and menacing exhaust note, was something else again.

The Camry may get all the attention, but when it comes to flooring the throttle, the Accord V6 rules! The rush of power is addictive and the car feels much more driver-focused than the Camry...

The Accord V6 on test with us this time certainly wasn't in the Mugen's league, but still felt so, so good to drive. Right from the word go, the Accord V6 felt gutsier, sportier and more driver-oriented than the brand new Camry, which the V6 would have to do battle with over two days and many kilometers of testing. And why did we decide to pit the V6-powered Accord against the inline-four Camry? That's because despite having an extra two cylinders, an extra 600cc engine capacity and a 50 horsepower advantage, the Accord V6, on road, is still about Rs 6 lakh cheaper than the Camry 2.4 Automatic. The new Toyota is good, but is it that good?

Haute couture :
Expensive it is, but the new Toyota Camry is also a stupendous car. Fabulous to look at, brilliant to drive and packed with safety features. With this car, Toyota have really stuck their necks out and done what Honda have with their Civic. The old Civic was a hugely popular car, but one that was universally derided as being unimaginative and uninspiring - a car for old people. The current Civic, with its space-age styling and interiors, is a dramatic image makeover. People can't stop raving about the car. In one shot, the Civic has gone from being a frumpy accountant's car to something that MTV VJs and GQ editors want to drive.

Toyota have gone down the same route with the Camry. The last-generation car was a big, smooth blimp. This new one, with its edgy, exuberant lines, is a busty, leggy supermodel. Though I can't make up my mind about the Camry's front grille, I absolutely love everything else about the car. I like the angry-looking headlamps. I like the sculpted rear. I like the car in profile, and I like the fact that from some angles, it has shades of the new BMW 5-series. Without any question, the new Camry looks stylish, confident and reassuringly expensive. While nobody gave a second glance to our shining black Accord V6, we had people falling over each other to catch a glimpse of the metallic light blue Camry. Girls stopped talking to their boyfriends and stared at the Toyota. Men looked on with unabated envy and admiration. Even children pointed at the car and shouted with glee. The Camry is the latest must-have automotive fashion accessory - you're not just buying a car, you're also buying all the attention you can handle, and then some.

Which brings us to the Honda. It's not a bad-looking car, but let's admit this, in terms of styling, the new Camry makes the Accord look half a decade old. The Camry has moved the game to the next level, leaving the Accord far behind. Parked next to the Camry, the Accord's nose looks too long, the tail looks too abruptly truncated, the proportions look wrong and the stance looks indecisive. The Camry's buff, muscular and aggressive shape is very here and now. The Accord's sharp, dart-like styling is very last year and it's time Honda gave the Accord a Civic-style makeover in the looks department.

Source: Car India June 2006.