2008 Honda Accord

Generally speaking, things that appeal to the mainstream and try to be all things to all people don‘t hold my interest for very long. I want a car to make a statement other than, ‘I‘m just like everybody else.‘ Because of this preference, best-sellers like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry tend to fall outside my sphere of interest.

From a car-guy standpoint, these automotive appliances lack personality, charisma, and soul.

Ah, but perhaps this will not always be the case. The completely redesigned 2008 Honda Accord breaks from the please-everyone mold with a bold new design and a look that actually stands out from the crowd, at least for the moment (the Accord‘s new design is already influencing the products of the second-tier manufacturers). This new class, style and a range of new upscale options give the Accord elegance and comfort that one might not expect to see in a lowly family sedan.

The new Accord is--dare we say?--rather stylish. It doesn‘t look like an automotive appliance, even though that‘s what it is at heart. A generous dose of chrome on the very squared-up grille contrasts nicely with a sharply angled nose, a silhouette that‘s already being copycatted by other manufacturers. The new design is more complicated, with complex angles and lines that are nothing like the previous Accord‘s smooth flanks. It‘s also three inches longer, an inch wider and an inch taller than the car it replaces, allowing for increased interior room.

The interior‘s different, too; the only things familiar are the texture of the upholstery fabric and the light-footed feeling of the steering and controls. The new Accord is more spacious front and rear; in fact, the rear-seat passengers have almost as much room as those up front. Up front, the design of the underside of the dash improves leg room and a wider console offers more elbow room to front-seat passengers. Several handy cubbies in the console are ready to swallow any necessary small cargo. There‘s a lot going on when it comes to the instrument panel, but the layout prevents it from being confusing. At night, the Accord‘s various controls are lit in different colors to further distinguish them. An eight-inch display screen in the center of the dash carries navigation information in Accords so equipped, and vehicle information in those without. Bluetooth connectivity is available for the first time; dual-zone climate control and a moonroof are also on the options list.

Accords have always been light on their feet and the newest incarnation is no exception to that rule. Variable gear ratio power steering is used to improve on-center steering feel and to reduce the driveline binding that‘s common in front-wheel drive cars. Beneath the skin, the engine and fuel tank have been remounted, lowering the center of gravity and improving the Accord‘s stability. The suspension‘s sophisticated enough, with double wishbones up front and a multi-link rear, but the Accord is more of a family hauler than a sports sedan.

I never did get around to checking to see which engine my tester was equipped with; Honda didn‘t provide a window sticker, and I was never compelled to open the hood. An Accord is an automotive appliance, and doesn‘t invite you to poke around its inner workings. As long as nothing‘s wrong, there‘s no reason to go in there. A choice of four- or six-cylinder power is offered, both with the ubiquitous i-VTEC intelligent variable valve timing. The 2.4 liter four-cylinder is rated at 177 or 190 horsepower, depending on trim, and is good for 31 mpg on the freeway. The 3.5 liter V6 doesn‘t give up much, topping out at 29 on the freeway, and it‘s got 268 horses on tap. The fuel economy figures come thanks to Honda‘s Variable Cylinder Management system, which is able to shut down up to half of the engine‘s cylinders when they‘re not needed. Five-speed manual and automatic transmissions are offered.

That said, you can‘t mess with blandness. "Stylishly inoffensive" is a good way to describe the new Accord. It‘s carefully crafted to leave absolutely nothing to complain about, other than a lack of personality. Which is fine; folks who want a mid-size sedan with character are buying Nissan Altimas, Volkswagen Passats and Subaru Legacies. Accord pricing starts at $20,360 for a base four-cylinder sedan. V6 models start at $25,960.