Option-wise, the Accord SE-i was loaded. It had power windows, door locks, and outside mirrors, leather upholstery, and even a few features the Benz lacked, like remote trunk and fuel filler door releases.
The 190E, on the other hand, had features the Accord didn't offer, such as power seats and antilock brakes.
Interestingly, the Mercedes and Honda both had 5-speed manuals. When's the last time M-B offered a row-your-own transmission on this side of the pond?
Both cars had fuel injected SOHC four cylinders. The Honda's was a 101bhp 1.8L driving the front wheels, while the RWD Benzo's 2.3L motor was rated at 120 horsepower.
The cars' 0-60 times were almost identical: 9.8 seconds for the Accord versus 9.9 for the Mercedes. The Honda also edged the 190E on the skidpad, at .79g to .77g. The Mercedes, at 114 mph, was a bit faster on the top end, and its ABS let it outbrake the Accord from sixty mph by ten feet.
The big difference was in the prices as tested, where the thirteen thousand dollar Honda was over ten grand cheaper than the M-B.
1985 was basically about the dawn of the modern car era: Computer-controlled fuel injection, power doodads becoming increasingly common, expected automotive lifespans increasing...
But it's pretty wild to see how far we've come since then.
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| I remember reading this article in my senior year, in the back row of my AP U.S. Government class. |
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