I’ll be the first to admit I have an aversion to large vehicles so what better than to tackle that irrational fear on your Birthday? The 2019 Honda Odyssey Touring was my vehicle of choice to ring-in a weekend of low-key celebrations and was it ever a pleasant surprise! I’ve always had it in my head that mini vans were tougher to drive and harder to park, but I learned otherwise. I have never felt more secure driving a vehicle than this and to be honest, it was just the same as driving any Sedan other than that it accelerates just a click slower with its additional weight.
The true test of comfort in this mini van empowered with a 280 horsepower, 3.5-litre, 24-valve, SHOC, i-VTEC V6 engine was driving my friend, who is that back-seat driver who panics at every thing on the road. A car drives along beside you, she freaks-out literally. Not once did she go into panic mode in our travels. Ditto for my mom when driving her to my Birthday dinner. She was safely nestled behind me minding her own business in her sizy chair alongside my dad, both seated in the second of three rows in this ride which seats eight comfortably. The Honda Odyssey Touring offers a feeling of safety and comfort that calms the most anxious of passengers. That is a first for me.
We noticed first and foremost that the Odyssey Touring in gorgeous Obsidian Blue Pearl, was long and large. And with this came the expectation that it was a gas guzzler. Now it does have Honda‘s signature game-changing ECON mode, which certainly helps with fuel economy, tallying-in at 12.2/8.5/10.6L/100 km (city/highway/combined); it also has idle stop aiding our wallets and the environment a bit further. Overall, we were able to fill a tank on just over $60 with these fluctuating gas prices, which is highly-reasonable considering our long journeys from suburbs to city to countryside over six days.
The most amazing features on the Odyssey Touring are its power tailgate and quite possibly the largest and deepest trunk I have ever seen in my life! Passenger doors are powered and close and open on their own at the pull of the latch. So cool! State of the art.
My favourite thing about the 2019 @HondaCanada Odyssey! pic.twitter.com/ZHAhUuTK20
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) October 22, 2019
Don’t be fooled by its mini van pedigree, the Odyssey Touring is packed with pure sophistication and luxury. It is highlighted by a beautiful moonroof, gray perforated leather seats, push-button gears, proximity entry, HD Radio, SiriusXM-capability, ambient lighting, plus heated steering wheel and seats too. If that weren’t enough, the driver and passenger seats have a cooling option as well, because we see basically all the temperatures here in Canada. 🍁
Charging ports are next-level with a variety of options, front and back for driver and passenger, plus a charging plate as well. We wouldn’t expect any less of Honda. Last but not least, passengers in the back are treated to a 10.2 inch screen with the mini van’s Advanced Rear Entertainment System, where they can watch Blu-rays and stream programs and movies!
It’s audio system boasts a 550-watt AM/FM/CD with MP3/Windows Media playback and 11 speakers with subwoofer. The acoustics make my heart sing! 🎶
In addition to feeling safe, the Odyssey Touring is loaded with safety features. Lane Departure, Road Departure Mitigation, Tire Pressure Monitoring, Hill Assist, Vehicle Stability Assist, i-SRS Airbag System, Front-Knee Airbags, SmartVent Side Airbags, Lane-Keeping Assist and let’s not forget that amazing Rear-View Camera which makes reversing and parking so simple! We love that the rear-view mirror adapts to lighting and tints slightly in the sunset, protecting the driver from that blinding glare.
I cannot speak highly enough of the 2019 Honda Odyssey Touring. It is a masterpiece and crowd-pleaser that any family would be honoured to call their own.
The 2019 Honda Odyssey Touring sells at $54,336 CAN. More here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
What a Canada Day weekend it was! We had the sheer joy of driving the 2019 Honda Passport Touring for the occasion and it was magical. While the Passport is just making a comeback after being absent from production since 2002, its return certainly is welcomed, enhanced with sensibilities of the now. The versatile mid-sized five-door SUV is a melding of style, sophistication and practicality. It spaciousness is an embarrassment of riches for a single driver like me, although I can’t deny it was super-handy for running errands and stocking-up for the weekend! Fittingly, we got to drive it in a patriotic Deep Scarlet Pearl for our long weekend adventure!
Boasting a powerful 3.5-litre, 24-valve, Direct Injection, SOHC, i-VTEC® V6 engine, we were king of the road, navigating with its 9-speed automatic transmission with Grade Logic Control, operating at 280 horsepower. The Passport Touring‘s Fuel Economy tallies in at 12.5/9.8/11.3 City/Highway/Combined. We admire Honda‘s commitment to Fuel Economy and the environment with its dealbreaking for many, Eco Assist system, idle-stop engine and ECON mode button, easy on the wallet and the earth we live.
Power and economy aside, the Passport Touring is obsessed with our safety. It possesses 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist, Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system, Honda LaneWatch Blindspot Display, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with Tire Fill Assist and Blind Spot Information (BSI) system with Rear Cross Traffic Monitor system and the ultra-convenient Auto High-Beam which helped greatly in our evening drives, taking us city to countryside. Its Immobilizer Theft-Deterrent System is an added protection and we are notorious for fumbling for our keys and can’t live without Proximity Extry which the SUV has.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Honda‘s Multi-angle Rearview Camera with dynamic guidelines is life-saving and makes us a pro at parking at the trickiest spots. Fitting in between two trucks at the airport? No problem! Parallel parking downtown? Please.
Driving in the Passport Touring is a joy with its powerful 550-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media® Audio playback capability and 10 speakers including subwoofer. Everything from Bluetooth Audio to Sirius XM is an entertainment option and there is an abundance of charging options including 12 and 115-volt outlets, plus USB and wireless charging.
Keeping with our Honda Caraoke tradition, we’re still buzzing with delight after attending the sold-out Ariana Grande show at Scotiabank Arena! I’ll let the sound quality speak for itself!
View this post on Instagram
I’m so into you, into you, into you 🎶 #Caraoke #IntoYou #ArianaGrande #HondaPassport #CanadaDay
The Passport Touring‘s extra-large moonroof was made for this weather we experienced Canada Day weekened, giving our drives pure mood and ambience.
Its Tri-Zone Climate Control and air filtration system is a thing of wonder, keeping my passengers calm and cool amidst the blistering weekend heat, letting them in both front and back, customize their own tenperature settings. Front seats have heating and cooling options as well, the latter which definitely got put to good use.
See some Snaps including our weekend at the historic Queens Plate Festival, our favourite event of the Summer! Strapped for time, we got to preview a smooth ride along the 407 which got us there right in time! Hover cursor on the right of each album to navigate further.
More on the 2019 HONDA PASSPORT TOURING starting at $49,900 CAN here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
There isn’t much to say about the 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring that we haven’t already said in our previous peace. The beauty of a ride soars on all fronts and was just as superb as we recall in our Holiday adventures. More here.
The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring powered by its 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, i-VTEC® turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, offers outstanding fuel economy as our travels took us from the suburbs to the city, to the country! We had a busy, star-studded week at the 2019 Accord Hybrid took us there! With gas prices plummeting once again, we were able to make it through our five-day weekend on less than $40 and believe us, we saw a lot and had the AC on with the car’s highly-efficient Climate Control, as we finally saw some sun once again. Believe me, we put that moonroof to use as well, zipping through Burlington and working on our tan. We earned this amazing weather! We’ve seen this car now through sun, rain, snow, heat and cold and it prevails under all conditions.
One minor quirk we noticed after parking the park in the heat was that multiple alarming alerts with its Active Safety features among others, alerting us to bring the car to a dealer including:
While this took place we also noticed a bit of freezing navigating Display Audio System, which led us to do a Factory Default Reset. After parking the car overnight we noticed the alerts went away for good. If you recall over the winter, the car’s Tire Pressure Monitor System alert came on as well which caused a minor panic on Christmas Day for us, but alas was nothing to be concerned about after verifying tire pressure at the gas station.
We can’t resist the abundance of charging port options and neither could our friends who tagged along and the luxury of the leather-trimmed seats, the driver’s seat adjustable 12 ways , putting you in control of your drive like never before.
The Accord Hybrid synced beautifully with the Huawei P3o Pro we’re testing on its 452-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media® Audio playback capability and 10 speakers including subwoofer, delivered audio magic and we can prove it! We’ve got Elton fever after witnessing the magic that is ROCKETMAN recently. You must see it!
The Blues.💙 pic.twitter.com/5xz0o0cWuM
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 8, 2019
See some more Snaps of our delicious, star-studded weekend:
View this post on Instagram
A Morning in Burlington at our faves, The Sunshine Doughnut Co., Kelly’s Bake Shoppe and meeting our friend Julie‘s cute new pup, Wyatt!
We’re super-stoked about the Queen’s Plate which takes place Canada Day weekend at Woodbine Racetrack and we witnessed some magic in Canadian-born, American-based filly DESERT RIDE romping in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. She solidifies her spot against the boys in the Queen’s Plate and we can’t wait to see what’s next for her!
She came out of nowhere! American-based Canadian-bred filly DESERT RIDE takes the $500k Woodbine Oaks under Steven Bahen for Sam-Son Farm. She is trained by Neil Howard. pic.twitter.com/SoDXtY4GDh
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 9, 2019
SISTER PEACOCK takes the inaugural running of the William D. Graham Memorial under @JockeyJesse, for Team Stuart Simon. pic.twitter.com/t3VPAaICaV
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 9, 2019
Loved catching-up with my Godkids this weekend @APicbyMrWill x @MrWilltheHorse! Check-out their latest update on their Diary!https://t.co/0sbffE7cqP pic.twitter.com/nECVpivWPV
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 10, 2019
Glitches aside, we’re still in love with the 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Mother’s Day is for memories! Mom’s had a tough year and she deserved the best Mother’s Day ever. While Mom’s car’s been in the shop to fix a fender bender, Mother’s Day was saved by none other than 2019 HONDA ACCORD 4D TOURING 1.5L. Who needs red roses when you have this luxurious, sleek and spacious ride in Radiant Red Metallic? Mother’s Day is about spending quality time with the woman we have to thank most and we had the perfect fit. This car took us shopping, to the races and to dinner, doing it with flare! 🌹
In terms of performance, the front-wheel-driving 2019 Honda Accord 4D Touring 1.5L is packed with power, effortlessly gliding on highway or city. It is powered by a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, i-VTEC turbocharged 4-cylinder engine at 192 horsepower @ 5500 rpm and 192 lb.-ft of torque at 1600-5000 rpm. Its ECON mode continues to be a big selling point for Honda, packing-in plenty of value for your dollar.
Style and convenience highlight the car, crammed with various luxuries like heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, plus sophisticated Climate Control that lets driver and passenger customize their temperatures respectively. Folding door mirrors are on-trend as are its automated wipers which activate at the drop of moisture. LED fog lights, daytime running lights, brake lights, tail lights and auto high-beam give us one less to fuss about as does its super-helpful proximity entry. We can’t live without this, to be honest. We ain’t got time to fumble for keys! Above this, we’re sold on its beautiful chrome grille and door handles, plus that one-touch Moonroof.
We love that Honda recognizes that staying connected isn’t a driver-only concern, but passengers need this too. There are plenty USB ports front and back, ensuring everybody’s happy! A wireless charging plate worked perfectly with the Huawei P30 we’re trying, charging it up quickly. The car’s Display Audio System with Honda satellite-linked navigation System and bilingual voice recognition recognize the needs of Canadians. There are a litany of audio menu options and once again, we’re thrilled to listen to SiriusXM Hits 1 on its 452-watt AM/FM Premium Audio system with MP3/Windows Media Audio and 10 speakers with subwoofer. We streamed our Spotify playlists with ease using Bluetooth Audio via HandsFreeLink.
We’re all for keeping mom safe and the Honda knows it. Parallel parking downtown, backing-in and out are a breeze with its multi-rear view camera. Unpredictable Toronto traffic calls for the need for Brake Assist, Blind Spot Information System with Rear Cross-Traffic Monitor System, 4-wheel Anti-Lock Braking System, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Vehicle Stability Assist, Forward Collision Warning System and Lane Departure Warning System. The state-of-the-art Traffic Sign Recognition hologram on the driver’s side windshield are helpful in keeping the driver aware of speed limits. And of course, the i-SRS Airbag System has your back.. and front!
The 2019 Honda Accord 4D Touring 1.5L is mom-approved.
The 2019 Honda Accord 4D Touring 1.5L starts at $36,190 CAN. More here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It was a Good Friday, indeed! We’ve been looking for a quick escape from the City for a bit and both Mom and I needed a pick-me-up after what’s started as a dismal 2019. Hence, some shopping and family time was in good order and when it comes to shopping, one blessing of living in Toronto is that Buffalo’s array of awesome malls are just a short drive away.
The 2019 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT came to the rescue this Easter Holiday weekend and true to form, it carries on the Civic‘s amazing legacy of practicality and style. And if anything Mom and I needed that jumbo hatchback trunk from our Walden Galleria, Target and Fashion Outlets adventures!
We just drove the 2019 Honda Accord Touring recently, hence we got used to shift gear-free driving that oddly when going back to a shift gear, it took a bit of getting used to. That is the magic of Honda innovation influencing our behaviour! The 2019 Honda Civic 5D Sport with its 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Port Injections, DOHC, i-VTEC 4-Cylinder and 158-hp engine made us a master of the highways, powering us through a torrential downpour of rain on Good Friday and the long weekend Saturday where my parents and I partook in our annual tradition, opening day at Woodbine Racetrack!
While fuel prices have skyrocketed earlier this year, we still were able to fill a tank and drive to Buffalo, plus run errands around the City for $50 only, much thanks to the Civic‘s game-changing ECON Mode.
The Civic‘s style remains untouchable and we felt sheer confidence being seen in Aegean Blue Metallic, giving us a spiritual lift in the gloomy gray weather we experienced this long weekend. Its 18″ dark aluminum-alloy wheels are a scene-stealer. Its one-touch moonroof was made for this improving weather and will come in super-handy. Honda spoils us continually with Proximity Key Entry so that fumbling for keys no longer is in our vocabulary.
Like many recent offerings from Honda, its centerpiece is its 7″ colour TFT centre meter display which acts as a control hub for the roomy ride including Climate Control, which allows the driver and front passenger to customize their temperature. Heated front seats were a warm blanket of snuggles when temperatures dipped this past weekend, while Android Auto/Apple CarPlay have evolved for drivers of the now. And when we weren’t busy being obsessed with SiriusXM Hits 1, we were streaming our new favourite artist, LIZZO with the car’s Bluetooth Steaming Audio. We stayed charged with a variety of charging options.
Your safety is top priority with Honda and the Civic is no different. A Forward Collision Warning System was on-top of things as was its Lane Depature Warning System. Changing to the right lane or backing-out was made easy with its signature Honda LandWatch Blind Spot Display and Multi-angle Rearview Camera. Although we never hope to have to see them, there are the i-SRS Airbag System and SmartVent Side Airbags to protect us from harm’s way. We also will never get bored of its automatic wipers which went to work with the first drops of rain and also its helpful rear-windshield wipers which we feel every car needs.
A first happened, my Mom said “Goodbye” and pat the car after dropping her off. I asked her where she thought I was going and she told me “I wasn’t saying bye to you, I was saying goodbye to the car!”. That’s the Honda effect.
See some our adventures!
The 2019 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT starts at $27,376 CAN.
Click here for more.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
We couldn’t pass-up a chance to test drive the new 2019 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 after catching wind of its arrival. You know how much we adore the Series!
We’ve been a bit down about losing our dear Billy a few weeks back and with there being so little downtime since then with event after event to cover, we really haven’t had a moment to ourselves and time to catch-up with dear friends and the Accord Touring 2.0 gave us exactly this. Time to drive far away, clear our mind and reflect.
The Acccord Touring 2.0 builds on its predecessors’ legacy of style and elegance. We felt elevated driving the Lunar Silver Metallic masterpiece across all terrains: bumpy country roads, highways and city concrete.
Its 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, iVTEC, turbo-charged 4-cylinder engine meant pure power… all 252 horsepower of it! For the first time ever we got to experience its Adaptive Damper System which individually can adjust the shock absorbers’ forces to match the vehicle’s payload, the state of the road surface and even the driving style. State of the art!
Like recent evolutions in offerings from Honda, we fully have gotten used to shift gear-free driving. The heart and soul of the vehicle is its intuitive Display Audio System and panel with HondaLink Navigation System. Its HandsFreeLink connected easily to our Android, allowing us to stream our favourite playlists off Spotify when we weren’t vibing-out to SiriusXM Hits 1 or their newly-launched all-hits Pandora channel. Its 452-watt Audio System with ten speakers is magical.
We love some of the things Honda continues to do for user-friendliness in Climate Control, recognizing the different, customized needs of driver and passengers. We adore that there are seat warmers and coolers. The heated steering wheel option came in handy as we transition from the frigid winter to spring. We love that there are several charging ports and a charging plate ensuring everyone is happy!
The ventilated front seats and perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces deliver comfort and purpose and we received several compliments about roominess from our friends who were lucky enough to ride along.
Safety always is first with Honda and we loved its Traffic Sign Recognition, keeping us updated on our travels with changes in speed limits in a holographic manner on the car’s windshield. Its Blind Spot Information System does much work for us so that we can stay focused on the drive and its Collision Mitigation Braking System, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, plus Lane and Road Departure Systems keep us on alert. Upon a few drops of moisture on the windshield we notice our windshields begin to wipe automatically. Now that’s intuition!
Like the 2019 Honda According Touring that we tried over the Holidays, we once again saw that pesky Tire Pressure Low warning light surface again after driving over a speed bump in the country. If you’ve double-checked the tire pressure and all is fine, try re-calibrating by going into Vehicle settings on the Accord‘s touch-screen display and under TPMS Calibration. We selected the Calibrate option which made the warning go away.
We couldn’t avoid rising gas prices this time around after being spoiled all winter long, but we got plenty of value out of a tank of gas on ECON mode driving country to see our namesakes Mr. Will and A Pic by Mrwill, to city for work and Press Junkets, including the one for hotly-anticipated Teen Romance, AFTER which is poised for big numbers.
We created many memories in the 2019 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 with our family (inluding my nephew’s cat Jinx!) and friends and couldn’t have had a better sidekick to do it all in.
The 2019 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 retails from $40,976 CAN. More here.
See some Snaps:
View this post on Instagram
Hijinx with Jinx. pic.twitter.com/knSkV9wypj
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) April 8, 2019
In loving memory of Billy. I’ll never forget all our adventures together in the many Honda vehicles we’ve been in together over the years. Recorded in the 2019 Honda Accord Touring 2.0.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Some cars leave a deeper imprint on your heart than others and while it’s been a while since we’ve previewed a Honda Pilot, reuniting with it was like catching-up with a dear friend allover again this past week. Times have been tough. Those of you who follow me on Social Media know that my mom broke her leg last week amidst the ice and snow pile that blanketed Southern Ontario. It has been stressful figuring out accommodations for her and it hit particularly hard that she would be in the hospital this Chinese New Year instead of home. My dad, now well into his 80s, has been stressed also. Above this, I found out that Billy’s Lymphoma has returned. Hence while my test drive of the Pilot was originally intended to attend my niece and future nephew-in-law’s engagement party out near Niagara Falls, it wound-up serving another purpose. Being there for my family when they needed me most.
While I love the strength and security the Pilot gives me, especially in these unpredictable road conditions, I always have found it a bit excessive for my needs as a bachelor with a dog. This is not to say it isn’t perfect for a young family, of which many of my Readers now have or are starting. In fact, my friend Jennifer, a mother of two after seeing me post about the Pilot, asked me what I thought about it as she was considering it for her family. I had nothing but raves for her. With an optional three rows of seats which would work for her – I drove with two – the Pilot empowers you to be there for your friends and family, seating up to eight. You should see how spacious its trunk is! Mini-Van practicality, SUV style and sensibility.
It boasts a 3.5L engine, 24 valve, Direct Injection, SOHC, i-VTEC V6 engine with Variable Cylinder Management and a nine-speed Automatic Transmission with Grade Logic Control. The Pilot is all about power, dominance and being in control of the road. I’ll never forget picking-up some Roast Pork on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the owner seeing me drive-up asked me what I did for a living to drive a car like that. “Lawyer? Businessman?” , he inquired as he chopped the pork into bite size pieces on his wooden board. The Pilot is about status and prestige and I felt elevated in it, and not just physically!
With a combined 11L per 100 km fuel economy, I honesty was expecting the car to be a gas guzzler but it wasn’t, thanks to its amazing ECON mode option. I had to drive twice this week out to the country in Milton to see historic Sam-Son Farm‘s first foal of 2019 one day and also celebrate sweet Princess’ fifth birthday the next day in Caledon. This, plus also trekking downtown and back to the suburbs twice in a week, totaled just $60, thank you also in due part to low gas prices!
Let’s talk about its opulence. While I speak of power and performance, the Pilot is undeniably stylish. I previewed it in a luxuriant White Diamond Pearl, feeling like royalty in its perforated leather-surface seats (steering wheel too!) with heating and cooling, and was in awe at the climate control options for the passengers at the back too. We love that Honda recognizes the needs of the passenger too, making it a hit for everyone. They even get a 10-inch WSVGA screen to view Blu-rays and media streaming apps. And headphones too! Jealous!
Its audio system is comprised of a flashy 600-watt, 11- speaker and 5.1 Surround Sound capability. The world is at your fingertips with the Pilot’s 7-inch touchscreen display, letting you navigate the roads, your listening experience and whatever menu needs you have.
Connecting through Bluetooth to my Spotify playlists was a cinch and of course it it was Sirius XM-enabled, making it tricky for me to get out of the car at times. Not a bad problem to have!
We love that it has auto headlights so we never have to fuss when driving, our line of vision always being clear. And of course we adore the moonroof, which we wished we could’ve enjoyed under better weather than what we’ve had this past week. Driver’s Seat Position Memory and Proximity Key Entry (we loathe fumbling for our keys!) make our lives that much easier, with one less thing to worry about. Ambient blue lighting can be found within the car, with cupholders lit in the dark. A large storage under armrest is super-convenient, while wireless charging and tons of USB ports are very today in terms of needs to stay connected.
I have never felt safer in any offering from the Honda family than in the Pilot, and considering the Carmaker’s reputation for safety, this is extremely high-praise. Its Forward Collision System, Collision Mitigating System, Lane Departure System, Four-Wheel Anti-Locking Brake System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Advanced Front Airbag System, SmartVent Side Airbags and three-row Side-Curtain Airbags serve their purpose and beyond. Rear-view camera aids in perfect parking no matter what the conditions, even with dirt and slush caked onto it.
While the Honda Pilot won’t solve all my problems in life, it certainly was an honourable sidekick this past week, transporting my dad to visit my mom daily safe and warm. It got me to work without a hitch, hassle-free even in the worst road conditions. And while this might be my last Chinese New Year with Billy, I made it memorable, sneaking into the mall with him to get his favourite Hong Kong Style Egg Waffles. And I got a moment to escape in style to the countryside to visit the horses, letting me forget about my worries for bit. These are things I’ll never forget and memories that are irreplaceable.
The 2019 HONDA TOURING starts at $52,490 CAN. More here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Santa certainly delivered this Holiday season as we had the opportunity to test drive the brand-new 2019 Honda Accord Touring! True to form, this vehicle captures the Accord’s luxe legacy with the practicality and then some, of today’s consumer tastes.
At 192 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque, the Accord comes with a 1.5 litre, 16-valve, Direct injection, i-VTEC turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, allowing us to power through from city to countryside to suburbs in style in a fitting Platinum White Pearl on our Holiday travels.
As gas prices continue to plummet, we took full advantage with the car’s ECON mode, getting the best bang for our buck. Parting with the car was super-tough at the end of it all and we’ll definitely miss this our stylish sidekick and the adventures it took us on. A SPORT mode also is available for performance.
We love the Accord‘s Display Audio System with Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System. It understands our obsession of staying connected with wireless charging and charging ports. Connecting to the Bluetooth Audio on our Blackberry Key 2 was simple, as we streamed whatever our heart desired on Spotify. And we always enjoy our morning drives downtown listening to Sirius XM Hits 1 on its 452-watt AM/FM Premium Audio system with 10 speakers including subwoofer, enabling us to hear details on songs we never heard before.
Heated front and rear seats with perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces give the Accord Touring remarkable style and passengers in the back also had charging ports because passengers matter too. We were never cold for long with its heated steering wheel and we’ve totally gotten the hang of Honda‘s unique push-button gears. We’re a huge fan of its easy-clean floor mats and its trunk also had a similar for practicality as our snow brush retained moisture from our messy morning brushes. The moonroof is a thing of beauty and we wouldn’t want to experience the Accord any other way than with the ambient lighting it provides.
Lane Departure Warning, Brake Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Traffic Sign (including speed limit) Recognition, Vehicle Stability Assist, 4-wheel Anti-lock Brakes, Auto High Beam and its i-SRS Airbag System are potential lifesavers. Safety features on the Honda Accord Touring seem limitless and we felt safe and secure always no matter what terrain or conditions this winter threw at us.
Small quirks included the anxiety-inducing Tire Pressure Low warning light appearing suddenly on Christmas Day shortly after driving over a speed bump in the country. When we were finally able to get to a gas station and monitor our tire pressure, all appeared fine. A quick Google search taught us to re-calibrate by going into Vehicle settings on the Accord‘s touch-screen display and under TPMS Calibration, we selected the Calibrate option which made the warning go away. Also amidst the cold to warn transitions, a small crack developed on the windshield already although this easily can be addressed. Otherwise, the car is near-perfection.
The Accord, designed for all conditions
This is the future! We had the pleasure of test-driving the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid and it was pure innovation. The car is a mixture of old school charm (especially in Moonlit Forest Pearl!) complete with velvet trimming and retro air vents and state of the art Honda technology and we’ve never seen anything quite like it. With a 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Atkinson cycle DOHC, 4-cylinder engine, Eco-Assist System and a combined total 212 horsepower, this wide and low-riding vehicle places fuel economy and consciousness first. Would you believe we filled half a tank of gas for less than $15? With gas prices plummeting over the past week, we fully capitalized on this, taking our travels from City to Countryside and the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid was game for whatever we threw its way.
Furnished in a classic style, we got the best of new and old school with this spacious, push-button shift ride which seats five comfortably. USB Charging Ports are tucked away neatly out of view so not to tamper with the vehicle’s sleek aesthetic. And we cannot get enough of that 8 inch display with Honda Satellite-linked navigation, allowing us to control climate, listen to Sirius XM, the radio and also stream Spotify off our smartphone. Our Blackberry Key 2 had no issues syncing here and we were relieved! Its eight-speaker audio system sounded so fantastic, we couldn’t help but do Caraoke with it! More to come on that.
There are a litany of safety features which highlight the Clarity. We love that it has brake assist, a four-wheel anti-locking brake system, hill assist, lanewatch blindspot display, forward collision warning, lane departure and lane-keeping assist. In terms of passive safety, it has Smartvent side airbags and side curtain airbags and even a front driver knee airbag! We felt safe and even on the worst road conditions in our rural driving, we never slid once.
Now for a few quirks, which we ever rarely have had to report about with Honda vehicles. The Clarity‘s deep drink holders are designed specifically for the equivalent of a coffee tumbler or a Venti-sized beverage. This means we fumbled reaching for our Grande-sized beverage, resulting in messy, hot spills as we squeezed our cup a bit to hard trying to grip it out of the holder. One cool thing though, we got a notification to check our smartphone on the display after the connected USB cable became wet from the spilled drink. The car’s acoustic windshield wipers we found a tad loud and jarring when in operation and defogging the rear-view and passenger mirrors was a bit challenging in these wet, frigid conditions. Some rear-window wipers would’ve made a world of difference.
While we applaud the Clarity‘s ambition of encouraging drivers to go the electrical route, one drive home from downtown wiped-out the battery charge completely. While we love the $15 half-tank of gas, we found ourselves having to fill-up more frequently and this takes a bit of getting used to. Admittedly it still is tough to find electrical charging stations around town, especially in our travels outside the City.
We’re glad we got to experience the Clarity‘s sophistication and we’re sure the best is yet to come with this one.
Some adventures from the weekend!
Canadian Christmas Pet Expo
Baby Zeke – I’m an uncle again!
View this post on Instagram
Welcome to the world, Baby Zeke! ❤ Congrats Christine x Franz! I’m an uncle again!! #NikonD3400
Visiting the Godkids!
View this post on Instagram
Picture-perfect day with the godkids @mrwillthehorse and @apicbymrwill. #NikonD3400
Celebrating Cheap Gas!
Flawless in the 2018 @HondaCanada Clarity. $17 to fill half a tank of gas. 👏 pic.twitter.com/z6LB6C7nAe
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) November 27, 2018
Caraoke in the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid: MY GROWN UP CHRISTMAS LIST!
The 2019 Honda Clarity is coming soon. More here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Last TIFF we had the joy of making a splash around town in the Civic 5D Sport and we were so thrilled to be reunited our Birthday Week with the 2018 edition of this gem! Over the course of the week, we practically adopted it as our v. own, learning its intricacies, rhythms and flows.
Fuel economy and performance make for that perfect combination in the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport. We’ve never felt more at home in a vehicle and would seriously consider making it ours. Plummeting gas prices this past week were a double-win for us, taking us far on value. We calculated two return trips from the east end to our day job downtown, barely leaving a mark on its fuel gauge using the car’s famous ECON mode. Not a surprise considering its combined 7.3L/100 km fuel economy. The car took us on many adventures, urban and rural performing with versatility on everything from highway to dirt roads. We were in control with its 180 @ 5500 (MT) / 180 @ 6000 (CVT) horsepower and 1.5-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
The Honda Civic 5D Sport’s six-way adjustable driver’s seat is a new gold standard and we won’t accept anything less than that anymore! Spacious passenger seating (everyone gets heated seats!) meant friends could share in my journeys, including out favourite of all, little Billy! We saw the gorgeous countrysides of Caledon, the stunning Katherine Heigl and even our dream dad Tony Danza in a rare appearance out in Burlington of all places, making time for a stopping-off at one of our favourite spots, Kelly’s Bake Shoppe for a Birthday Cupcake!
Quality Time with the Prince and Princess
The car’s jam-packed with goodies and to us, great acoustics are almost just as important as the drive itself. Now, we were a little annoyed our Blackberry Key 2 simply wouldn’t pair via Bluetooth, fortunately we have our Samsung S8 Plus from which we streamed our Music. The Honda Civic 5D Sport comes with a 180-watt AM/FM audio system with MP3/Windows Media®Audio playback capability and 8 speakers. Our Birthday Week scored pretty much by the amazing A STAR IS BORN Soundtrack, only meant one thing! We had to do Caraoke to our favourite I’ll Never Love Again from the Film! We hope we did Lady Gaga some justice!
We are obsessed with the car’s highly-customizable climate control, which is managed through its 7″ colour TFT display system, giving driver and passenger each options for their own temperatures. A wireless phone charging plate and USB ports give us piece of mind that we’ll always be connected. The car’s deep armrest with slideable drink holders for our Birthday Reward Americano from Starbucks, is a thing of genius and a new standard we’ll hold others to. We love to shop, stocking-up when we have a car and that sizey hatchback trunk nails all the marks in practicality.
Safety as always with Honda vehicles is a priority. Its brake assist, forward collision warning, vehicle stability assist, i-SRS airbag system and SmartVent™ side airbags are life savers. We love that it also gave us sufficient notice that the car we test drove was due for maintenance soon.
We had such a tough time giving this one back, but can you blame us?
Learn more about the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport, starting at $21,790 CAN here.
Superb drive to work today in the 2018 @HondaCanada Civic 5D Sport. Found that perfect traffic-free route to work. Got my @StarbucksCanada, @ladygaga and good to go! pic.twitter.com/sc3ELsXvRB
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) October 16, 2018
It was a Birthday Week for the books and we couldn’t have done it without the 2018 Honda Civic 5D Sport!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com