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Honda Accord 2.0T Drag Races BMW 330i xDrive, the Word Is Absolute Humiliation

At first glance, these two cars have no business racing against each other for many reasons: first of all, even if they are roughly the same size, and therefore dwell in the same segment, the BMW lives in the top-floor penthouse whereas the Honda is happy with its two-bedroom 1st-floor apartment.
BMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag race 8 photos
Photo: Sam CarLegion / YouTube screenshot
BMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag raceBMW 330i xDrive Vs Honda Accord 2.0T Sport drag race
Then there's the engine bit. Someone less savvy when it comes to the Bavarians' lineup might think the BMW 330i xDrive has a straight-six engine - the 330d diesel one does, and there didn't even use to be a 330i about five years ago, so what's up with that?

Well, think of it as the successor of the 328i and you'll be spot-on. It takes the two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that now makes slightly more power - 255 hp / 258 PS - and tries to wrap this underwhelming package in the "efficient dynamics" mantra that BMW used for a long time. We can't write here what we think about that, but we can say this: it's the kind of word you usually mask with a cough.

What those specs mean, however, is that the BMW 330i xDrive is more than a suitable match for the Honda Accord 2.0T from a performance point of view. The Japanese sedan has a similar two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine making 252 hp (255 PS) and a comparable amount of torque, but it does differ under three very important aspects.

First of all, it's front-wheel-drive, whereas the Bimmer gets the xDrive all-wheel-drive system. That means it will have trouble keeping up when launching, but it also leads us to the second point, which is that it's lighter. Significantly so. There's a difference of over 400 lbs (180 kg) between these two and considering they don't have screaming V8s under their hoods, that can have an impact.

Finally, third, the Accord gets a ten-speed automatic, while the 3 Series has the trusted ZF eight-speed auto that's been equipping BMW models for the past decade or so (with periodic updates and upgrades, obviously). That may not sound like much, but in a world where shifts tend to happen in the blink of an eye, having more gears can provide some extra flexibility.

It sounds like even though it could be closer than any race involving a BMW and a Honda should, the German should have no problem putting this in the bag. It'll have the advantage of a better launch as well as more and more torque that, combined, must be enough to keep it ahead should the Accord try to stage a comeback.

If like us, that's what you're thinking, you're in for a big wake-up call. We tend to give AWD more credit than it deserves, and that's because it usually comes up against RWD cars, and there it really does make a big difference. Against FWD, however, it's not that big of a deal as long as the manufacturer of that car knows how to deliver the power efficiently.

And after years of perfecting this for the front-wheel-drive Civic Type R, Honda is probably one of the manufacturers that are best at it. Anyone who doesn't believe that can take a long hard look at the spanking it's administering to this unsuspecting BMW 330i xDrive.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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