Safer Is Better

Honda has been promoting a "Safety for Everyone" initiative, one largely driven by its Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. Essentially, what this means is that the body structure is engineered so that in the event of a frontal collision, energy is directed to lower and upper structural elements (not just lower, as is often the case in vehicle structural design), including the floor frame rails, side sills, and A-pillars. As vehicles have been rolled out--starting with the '05 Odyssey minivan and the Acura RL sedan--Honda (and Acura) have been utilizing the ACE structure. So the '08 Accord has ACE (the fact that 48% of the Accord unibody is high-strength steel is helpful in this regard, as well). But it has also has standard ABS, electronic brake distribution, brake assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, traction control, dual-stage and dual threshold front airbags, dual-chamber front-seat side airbags, all-row side curtain airbags ... You get the picture.

Although the center of gravity tends to be something of concern to those who are producing (or driving) sport utility vehicles, not sedans and coupes, Honda engineers actually lowered the center of gravity for the new Accord by 10 mm. This was done physically, in part, through the lowering of the engines' centers of mass, 10 mm lower for the V6 and 8.5 mm lower for the inline four. Why? To enhance handling. Remember: one of the attributes of Hondas has long been "fun to drive," and the engineers haven't forgotten that. Speaking of handling, one thing that is interesting about the front suspension is that whereas many vehicle manufacturers are now touting their use of aluminum components, the Accord front lower control arms are forged steel; they attach to a stamped steel box-section subframe. There is a stamped steel upper control arm and a forged knuckle. The front suspension tower brace (on all models except for the base) is a tubular steel component. OK. There is aluminum used in the multilink rear suspension: an aluminum knuckle. The A-arm, lower links and toe-control link are steel.