I’ve decided on a 2008 Honda Accord. I’ve had a v6 engine in my 2000 Camry. Should I buy the 4 or 6 cyl Honda engine? I do mostly city driving with some long trips. About a $2,500 price difference.
If less power doesn’t bother you and better mileage appeals to you I say go for the 4 cyl. (Note: this depends on weight)
I haven’t researched these two so I don’t know the weight difference.
If they are about the same, you may be better off with the 6.
Reason being, the 4 will have to work harder to get moving than the 6, thus resulting in poor mileage.
Personally, I’d get the 6 for the extra power. However, since you’re doing mostly city driving, it would be best to get the 4, since a good portion of your time will be spent idling or at low RPMs, where the 6 will just be sucking more gas than a 4. And the 4 is plenty powerful enough for long trips.
Drive both and get the one you enjoy more. Make sure to try both up a section of hill on the highway and accelerate. I believe the real world mileage between the two is not that different according to coworkers who have compared. There is no wrong choice here.
19/29 for v6 and 21/31 for i-4 are the EPA estimates for the accord sedan. I just test drove the v6 not too long ago and loved it, except for the seating, and the position of the fan control(who in their right mind would put the fan speed control on the passenger’s side of the center console?)
Save the money and get one of the 4-cylinder options. You don’t need a V6 for city driving, and a 4 is more than sufficient for interstate travel.
My 4-cylinder Accord gets 34-35 mpg on the highway and around 30 mpg combined city/suburban driving.
Drive them both. The 4 has more power than a fews years ago.
As Clic and Clac poited out a few weeks ago, most cars have very adequate power these days for US driving conditions. Most V6s have too mauch power, especially for winter driving. If you take a long term view, and use $3.50-$4.00/gallon as a fuel price over the life of your vehicle, plus the added maintenance of the V6, the dollar difference will likely make you decide on the 4 cylinder model. I predict that if you keep the car 6 years, by the time you trade, the 4 cyl. will be worth more than the V6 due to rising fuel costs.
People like fully loaded cars with all the bells and whistles. How many car manufactures offer a fully loaded car with the base four cylinder? That would be my choice.
Drive it…See if the 4-cylinder has enough power for you. My wifes 96 Accord was the low-end 4 cylinder…and we NEVER lacked power. It had more then enough power for our needs…
It all depends on where you live. If you live at high altitude (Denver, CO for example), and you like to go west into the mountains, the 6 would be a better choice. At lower altitudes, the 4 would be sufficient.
The 4-cyl Accord has about the same horsepower as your 2000 Camry and only 20% less torque. You should notice that the new 4-cyl Accord is slower than the 2000 Camry, but not too much. Test drive the 4-cyl. If it’s good for you, it’s yours.
Both have plenty of power and properly maintained both should outlast the car. Test drive both and buy the one you like best.
Another thing to consider is IF you do your own maintenance…the 4 cylinder is a LOT easier to work on (IN MOST CASES). Especially transversly mounted engines.
However, peak horsepower and torque do not occur at the same rpm.
A V6 has the power lower in the rpm range, thereby providing a much more comfortable and smoother ride.
I4 Honda Accord: 177 HP at 6,500 rpm, 161 lb-ft at 4,300 rpm.
V6 Toyota Camry: 194 HP at 5,200 rpm, 209 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm.
I have a V6 Accord, but I also have the 6-speed manual. I like the power that motor has, but really the 4 was adequate for what you describe and will give you better fuel mileage. Honda builds some of the best 4 cylinder engines in the world. Test drive both and see if you think it’s worth the price difference.