1997 Honda Accord Buyer's Guide

Owner Reviews
4.5
2 Reviews
Overall
4.5
Value
4.5
Performance
3.5
Style
3.0
Comfort
4.0
Fuel Economy
4.0
Reliability
4.5

1997 Honda Accord Owner Ratings & Reviews

Write a Review
4.5
Overall
2 Reviews

1997 Honda Accord - Happy Honda owner

Stephen
East Rocky Hill, New Jersey
Overall
5.0
Value
4.0
Performance
4.0
Style
3.0
Comfort
4.0
Fuel Economy
3.0
Reliability
4.0
I like the size of my Honda Accord. It holds four people comfortably, and can handle five in a pinch. There is a firmness to the ride that I like, but the ride is not rough or noisy. Acceleration is excellent -- really better than it needs to be. I especially like the way the car is able to enter the flow of traffic quickly from a standing start. The gas mileage isn't great by current standards, though it was pretty typical for its time (1997). I get about 20 mpg, but my driving consists mostly of short in-town trips that would tend to reduce efficiency. The car has been very reliable, particularly the core components -- engine, transmission, etc. My biggest repairs outside of normal wear and tear have involved items like a power window motor.
Story
My wife and I were in the car trying to enter a very crowded amusement park parking lot. Traffic was at a standstill. I knew that there was shuttle bus service available from a nearby shopping center, but we were stuck. I'm almost always a by-the-book type of person -- and driver -- so my wife was more than a bit surprised when I turned the wheel and drove across the grassy median to the outbo... (more)
Pros
I bought this car because of the strong reliability record of both the manufacturer and the specific model. I chose the version with a V6 engine because it was the only version available with anti-lock brakes at that time. Those are my favorite features. The extra acceleration from the V6 is a bit of a guilty pleasure. It's nice to have, but I know it's costing me a bit in gasoline consumption.
Cons
While I was glad to get a reliable, affordable, comfortable car with ABS -- not an easy combination to get in 1997 -- I was annoyed that I had to pay for the bigger engine in order to get that combination. Tires were initially a big expense, as the bigger engine came with pricey high-speed tires. Eventually I found (or the tire companies started producing -- I'm not sure whether the problem was availability or my own ignorance) less costly tires for this car, so that issue has improved in recent years.

1997 Honda Accord - Reliable commuter car.

Melissa
Lancaster, California
Overall
4.0
Value
5.0
Performance
3.0
Style
3.0
Comfort
4.0
Fuel Economy
5.0
Reliability
5.0
I really like how smoothly it drives and how great the handling is, but it could use some more help with how hot it gets inside even with the A/C on. Overall, it is a grand car and appeals to the needs I have for it! I use it mostly as just a commuter car to get to and from work among other common things like getting groceries, getting food, etc... I feel like this car can stand the test of time as it has over 200k miles and is still running like a beast! I prefer Asian vehicles over American ones, and this Honda has kept me going for a while. I really like the look and feel of it as well as it reminds me of the cars my family had when I was a kid. I also do not like how high tech some of the vehicles are today. I just have quite a bit of nostalgia attached to this car I guess you coul... (more)
Story
I loved cruising down to the beach in this car! It is a fun car to drive all of the twists and turns around the around, especially in Huntington Beach.
Pros
As I mentioned previously, I really like the classic low tech feeling of this car. I feel like it is just a car and not a brand or product in a sense. I also find the seats to be really comfortable. I really like the safety rating on this car compared to other cars as it scores an "A - Acceptable" rating which is better than most cars. I really like how little gas I need to put into it in order to get to places. I really liked how cheap this car was to begin with as I got it for only $500 with only a few problems that I fixed up, mostly replacements like tires, oil, etc... I like the handl... (more)
Cons
One thing that comes into my mind is that this vehicle can seem cramped at times. Sometimes after long rides, my legs will get a little uncomfortable, but all in all, it is not a big deal. One of the biggest problems I have is that the A/C sometimes stops working, and the car can get really hot pretty fast! I do feel like this is improved in newer Honda models, but for the price, this car was worth having a few flaws. I think the radio has some reception problems, and there is no CD player, but that is just nitpicking at this point! I also think that the doors open up in a clunky manner so... (more)

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