A BARGAIN second-hand motor that Jeremy Clarkson once raved about can be yours for under £3,000.
The Type S diesel version of the Honda Accord, perhaps one of the world’s most-popular four-door saloons, was reviewed by Clarkson in 2011 for The Sunday Times – and the Top Gear legend loved it.
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The famous petrolhead seemed initially reluctant to take the Honda for a spin.
For his piece, he wrote: “My shoulders sagged quite a bit when I walked out of the house last Monday morning to find that a brown Accord with a diesel engine was sitting in the drive.”
However, he was soon taken up by its powerful 2.2-litre turbocharged engine – capable of 178 bhp.
He was also impressed with the ride quality, adding: “The Type S package means an ‘aero’ body kit — which I couldn’t spot — bigger wheels, low-profile tyres and sports suspension.
It’s fast, economical, comfortable … and almost unbelievably well made
Jeremy Clarkson
“You would imagine, therefore, that you were in for a bone-shaking ride. But you’re not.”
Clarkson revealed that, after driving over a series of speed bumps, the Accord was so smooth that it was like “trying to park a hovercraft.”
He added: “It’s fast, economical, comfortable … and almost unbelievably well made.”
That’s especially the case with the Accord’s quality on the inside, which he praises for its functionality and reliability.
He wrote: “This is a car that doesn’t feel assembled.
“It feels as though it’s been hewn from one solid block of steel. It’s a Barbour jacket. It’s a Scottish mountain.
“Push a button in a Honda and it feels as if you could push it a billion times and it would still be working.”
He concluded that it’s “pretty spacious” and “lovely to drive”, with his only complaint being that it isn’t available in automatic drive.
“If it were available with an automatic gearbox, I’d be tempted to give it five stars,” he wrote.
“But it isn’t, so, reluctantly, I won’t. Instead I’ll sum it up by saying that it’s nice to find something that just works.”
Drivers on the lookout for a quality set of wheels for a low price might be interested to know that a 2011 example of the Honda Accord Type S in diesel can be bought right now for just £2,750.
And while that might be considered an exceptionally low price, AutoTrader believes it represents just £324 below the average market value.
This isn’t the only bargain motor that’s loved by Clarkson either – as an Alfa Romeo model that he once dubbed the “best looking car that money can buy” can now be bought for less than £6,000 second-hand.
Elsewhere, an iconic car brand is back… and it’s releasing its first hot hatchback in decades.
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