The Honda Accord & the Skoda Superb are the typical executive expresses that yearn to ferry the hot shots of the country. Since the people in the backseat are generally in a hurry, Honda sometime ago added the incredibly intelligent and massive 3.5 V6 engine under its hood. That added oodles of excitement and desirability to the Accord. But now, Skoda has responded in kind by adding an equally monstrous 3.6 V6 engine in the Superb. It's game on!
Now both these cars have been on the Indian roads for sometime, but the new engine under the Superb's hood has caused a spike in their rivalry. The Accord comes armed to the teeth with cutting edge technology to make the engine incredibly clean, incredibly smooth and incredibly powerful. And the end result is truly amazing.
The Accord's 3.5 litre V6 develops 271 bhp and is incredibly responsive right off the mark. In fact, its razor sharp engine response takes some getting used to. Acceleration is strong and linear, and the tall gearing makes the Accord V6 gather speed in a measured rather than frenetic way. The gear shift is fairly quick and the paddles give you a decent amount of control. The kick-down isn't as responsive as we would have liked it to be and that's a bit annoying as tall gearing means you have to drop down a gear more frequently than necessary.
The Accord's unruffled engine and quick response impress but don't write off the Skoda Superb. Even though it has only 260bhp to the Accord's 270 and even though it is heavier than the 1.8 petrol Superb by almost 200 kilos it still has a solid punch. Sure, the Superb's 3.6 litre 265 bhp motor isn't quite as responsive as the Accord's, but mid-range grunt is strong and the engine is silky smooth. The shorter gearing and quick shifting 6-speed DSG box makes the Superb feel quicker than it is. There is a bit of delay when you first floor the throttle but the rapid fire up shifts hurtle you towards the horizon with astonishing ease.
Acceleration
Superb
Accord
0 – 60 kmph
3.44 secs
4.14 secs
0-100 kmph
7.64 secs
8.64 secs
20 – 80 kmph
4.98 secs
5.44 secs
40 – 100 kmph
6.34 secs
6.48 secs
Max speeds
225 kmph
214 kmph
The result is a car that hits the 60kmph mark in 3.44 seconds with Accord trailing by just under 1 second. The gap increases to a full second as the cars hurtle on towards 100kmph. And amazingly that's what makes the Superb so much heavier and it also makes it so much quicker - the four wheel drive system.
The Accord claws back ground in the drivability department, but the Superb keeps the edge. In our 20 to 80 run, it was just under half a second difference and things were even closer in the 40 to 100 run.
So overall it is the Czech superb that gets 8 stars to the Japanese Accord's 9.
Now with so much power on tap it's easy to get carried away, which is why it is necessary for the cars to be able to handle well. And this is where the Accord story goes terribly wrong. The suspension remains unchanged from the 2.4, except for slightly wider tyres.
That results in a car that tends to move around a fair bit at high speeds. Despite the meaty steering, when you break heavily or when going over the rough stuff, the Accord just doesn't feel planted. Corner hard and you will find there's lots of under-steer as the front tyres struggle to find grip to cope with the 270 horses.
The Superb is a lot more confident.
The Skoda has an edge thanks to the 4 Wheel Drive, and this is evident when you are powering out of corners. The big Superb claws its way on slippery roads with ease, whilst in the same conditions, the Accord's front wheels are scrabbling for grip with the ESP light constantly flashing. The Accord's weightier steering and good straight-line stability give a lot of confidence but on an undulating surface it can't match the Superb's flat and consistent ride.
So when it comes to chucking around corners the Superb's 8 stars put it ahead of the Accord with 8 stars.
The two cars are expected to ferry around people in reasonable comfort and, in fact, this proves to be the biggest challenge for both these brawny cars.
Both cars have a hard edge to the ride, thanks to low profile tyres and firm damping. Also, the wide grooves on the Superb's tyres drum up a fair amount of road noise. However, the Superb just rides a bit more flat and feels more in control. The Accord tends to move around and so do you.
The Superb's firm suspension will rattle you a bit getting 7 stars, but we prefer that to the tossing around that happens in the Accord that gets 6 stars.
But when it comes to the petrol pump wars it is the Superb that will drain your cash out quicker. The Accord uses variable cylinder management to minimize fuel consumption and this does add up. The Superb returns 6.1 kmpl in the city while the Accord stretches it to 6.7. Out on the highway the Accord is clearly ahead by a little over 1 kmpl.
Accord is the more efficient one here getting 8 stars, while Superb manages 7.
When the two cars come to a stand still and if you had to stare at one you'd invariably find your eye turning to the Accord. Despite the Superb's striking face the proportions seems to have gone awry, giving it a particularly awkward side profile and undistinguished rear. The Accord gets 8 stars to the Superb's 7 stars in the looks department.
Creature comforts and opulent luxurious surroundings are obviously expected inside these cars. And while both the cars are spacious, the Accord gets outclassed by the Superb for a couple of very good reasons! While both cars are very spacious, the Superb has an edge, especially when you take a look at the level of equipment inside the car. Driver's seat with settings memory, touch screen controls, nice dials and display panel, sunroof, et al. The Superb racks up 9 stars to the Accord's 8 stars in the interiors department.
The Accord is the sensible one of the two with its clean lines, straightforward interiors and a smooth and silky shot of power. It eats continents with little fuss and is equally unfussy to maintain. However, it lacks that sparkle, that sense of occasion that the new Skoda Superb delivers.
The Skoda has more of a luxury feel. It's a better drivers' car thanks to its brilliant dynamics, and it can handle the excess power, thanks largely to 4 Wheel Drive, better than the Honda Accord.
This holds particularly true in wet conditions. The 6-speed DSG box works well except for an annoying delay during kick-downs.
The up-to-date 3.6 engine boasting the VW Group's FSI technology is delightfully smooth and potent. The Skoda is a better drive and overall, it just feels so much more exciting than the Honda. It's the thrills the Skoda gives- where the Accord doesn't excite in the same way.