2002 Honda Accord Sport VTEC 1.8 petrol from UK and Ireland

Summary:

Nice to drive

Faults:

Really not much beyond the expected wear and tear.

General Comments:

A sporty sedan from Honda, I loved this generation Accord.

Very good looking and great to drive. Still modern looking for 20+ years old.

1.8 is quick and did around 36 mpg.

Repairs and insurance (although expensive initially) were reasonable.

Very comfortable. Ride could be on the firm side however.

Decided to move on as it was two decades old and higher mileage. Nothing lasts forever. I do miss it, it was a fun car, shame there is not much like it these days!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th March, 2024

2002 Honda Accord EX 3.0 VTEC from North America

Summary:

Best car I've owned to date

Faults:

Battery was shot when I picked it up, and after leaving the dealer I realized the ignition switch was bad. Both fixed before taking it home.

General Comments:

I love this car. The build quality and overall fit and finish is 5 times that of my previous Jetta 1.8t. Everything is solid, no squeaks or rattles or anything like that. Love the power leather seats; just wish I could lower the driver's seat a little more. The car only has 106k miles on it and it drives super smooth; I changed out the worn plugs for fresh NGK Iridiums and it's got plenty of get up and go.

Controls are right where they should be, I'm going to add different gauges as the stock ones are pretty dim/dull. Brakes are a little shaky at higher speeds; will probably put all new pads/rotors on soon. Suspension is a lot softer than I'm used to, but the ease of driving makes it worth it. I don't need to take corners at 60 anymore :-)

All fluids look good and the transmission shifts fine, much better than the F-ed up from day one tranny in my Jetta. It's a little jerky sometimes from a stop, but I still need to fine tune the throttle cable slack. I was fortunate that the dealer still had this car 4 months after I test drove it, but I had to have it, an '02 with that little miles in pristine condition is hard to come by, and from driving in one back in the day, that's the generation I wanted.

Just the way it starts as all Hondas do, you can tell it's going to run forever, with proper maintenance of course. Highly recommend this car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 10th July, 2020

13th Jul 2020, 14:26

These are good cars, 1990s Japanese cars are as reliable as it gets.

19th Jul 2020, 03:41

Word to the wise:

Do yearly transmission fluid changes to head off trouble, especially as transmission filter changes are impractical. This kept the transmission in my 1999 Accord V6 alive :)

19th Jul 2020, 21:56

But if a manual trans drive on.

18th Aug 2020, 00:08

Still a good car, but unfortunately shortly after buying the trans starting shifting rough/slipping and subsequently completely died. $1800 repair :-(

2002 Honda Accord DX 2.3L from North America

Faults:

Burns oil since 175k (blue smoke).

2 alternators at 60k and 140k.

Transmission slips sometimes (more now than ever).

General Comments:

Not a bad car. Was an excellent commuter until the oil burning and transmission slip that occurs more now. I think I got a lot out of this car. It was left to me from my uncle who could not drive anymore due to health issues.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 21st August, 2015

2002 Honda Accord SE 2.3L 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Bulletproof - has kept up to my Honda expectations!

Faults:

2 front bushings - 152,000km

Right front wheel bearing, right front control arm, left CV boot - 180,000km.

General Comments:

I have purchased this car after my beloved 1995 Accord got rear ended and written off.

It is bigger than previous generation Accords, but mostly in height. It is not oversized, so it still feels good on the road.

Steering is precise with good feedback, and it is nicely weighted. Not too heavy so your arms fall off, but not light either.

Mileage is OK at best. I average about 9.5L / 100km, of mostly city driving, some highway driving, and some spirited, higher revving driving. The engine is not the most powerful thing out there, but it does well in city driving. However it feels like there is very little torque at any revs, so speeding up (even in third gear) or highway passing can get tricky.

Space in the cabin is excellent. I have three young children, and our whole family fits perfectly inside (2 booster seats and 1 child seat included), and there is still some space between the child seats and the doors.

Trunk space is also excellent. It will hold the stroller and many other large items at once.

It comes with many power features, and they all work smoothly and reliably. The interior is very well laid out, with everything at an arms reach. The materials are mostly soft touch, and the fit & finish is top notch! The interior design is very modern and ages well.

The ride is smooth, but not floaty. It corners very well, and if you upgrade to sports seats and firmer struts (like I did), it can be very fun in the corners.

Sound deadening is not the best, as it does get a bit loud on the highway, but you can still hold a conversation.

Visibility is great!

The body has no rust and seems to be finished / painted well. I do not see many of these Accords with rust issues.

The 5 speed gearbox is a bit clunky, but it could be the previous owner's fault. Sometimes it's tough to get it into first gear or reverse, and I need to release the clutch and try again, which does the trick.

I have done some modifications to it such as Sparco Sports Seats, front bumper lip, 17" rims, aftermarket headlights, leather wrapped steering wheel, Bilstein Struts, car alarm / starter combo, and an MP3 player. These minor mods have sharpened up the car in cornering and looks.

Overall the car is fantastic! It has given me trouble free driving for the last 30,000km and I expect that to continue. I will keep you all posted.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th October, 2013

22nd Aug 2015, 08:02

I am not sure about the 2002 models, but on my 2004 I had gear selection issues after having the clutch replaced.

I found tightening the selector cables cured the problem. You get to them by removing the trim panels / storage box ahead of the gear lever, and rotating the ends of the cable hoses with a pair of grips.

24th Nov 2015, 19:33

I am the person who wrote the original review. Thank you for your feedback on the clunky transmission! I will give that a try!

Just a quick update, the car now has 223,000km and it has been as great as always! I replaced the timing belt at 200,000km and the battery at 210,000km. Also the ECV valve was replaced at about 210,000km (common on these cars).

The car has burned oil since the time I purchased it. It was and still is quite minimal - I sometimes need to add about a liter between oil changes. Switching to a thicker oil helps as well. I read that these 4 cylinder engines are known for oil burning.

I will also be getting the recalled driver's airbag replaced soon - no cost to me.