Models tested: Honda Accord Tourer 2.4 i-VTEC manual, Honda Accord Saloon 2.2 i-DTEC manual
Price as tested: £24,560, £21,060
Range price: £19,260-£25,860
Insurance group as tested: 12E, 10E
Insurance group range: 10E-12E
Date and place tested: April 2008, Vienna, Austria
Road tester: Adrian Higgins

Thinking about choosing an Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series? Honda wants you to think about getting a Honda Accord instead and claims the new version of the car could be the one to convince you.

The Honda Accord has tackled its rivals with German styling, features usually found on larger executive cars and a high-quality drive.

We drove the Honda Accord at the car’s European launch in Vienna, Austria, to give you our verdict.

With more than 30 years motoring on UK roads the Honda Accord has won many friends.

Buyers are loyal and trust Honda to produce a car they can rely on.

View more shots of the 2008 Honda Accord

However, in the battle of the compact executive cars it is the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series which are most likely to be on the shopping lists of the so-called user–choosers, company car buyers, as well as private buyers.

They like the looks, the badge and the image of the Teutonic duo – as well as the fact these models are also very good cars.
 
The first thing you notice about the Honda Accord is in a bid to beat its rivals it has decided to join them, at least in terms of styling.

The Honda designers have created a car which is wider and lower than its predecessor. It has sharper lines, and the way in which the chrome-surrounded windows taper towards the rear on the Tourer, the estate version of the car, is particularly appealing.

More pronounced wheel arches and a high waistband also help achieve the more sporty looks Honda believes buyers are seeking.

Sleek headlights

There is also a nice uniformity of design with sleek headlights complementing the grille well.

Honda’s ambition of giving the Honda Accord more of the feel of a larger executive car continues into the roomy interior.

And it is here that the Japanese manufacturer has made the more substantial revisions to the outgoing model.

Considering the high number of miles Honda Accord drivers are expected to cover, comfort was a primary concern and we found the cabin very easy to live with.

The seat hugs and supports in a way which renders longer journeys ache-free while the substantial steering wheel is adjustable for reach and height.

The wheel also features what initially appears to be a bewildering array of controls with every space used for buttons.

However, within ten minutes of commencing our first trip, from the airport in Vienna to our base 100km to the west, I had managed to locate and operate the many controls far easier than expected.

Premium feel

The central stack forms an integral part of a well-designed dashboard which supports the car’s premium feel and not only are the essential dials easy to read, but the digital display is one of the clearest we have found and the easiest to navigate through.

The gear knob and handbrake all well-positioned with the central armrest also in a good-place for the long distance driver looking for arm support.

The car’s greater width also translates to more shoulder room for occupants and when it comes to luggage space the Honda Accord offers 395-672 litres of space depending on seating configuration while the saloon’s boot can take 467 litres – which Honda says is class-leading among premium saloons.

The case for a premium tag is also enhanced by this being a very quiet car, something which Honda has focussed on by using materials which have strong soundproofing qualities in the dash and elsewhere.

And how’s this for clever? The intelligent climate control takes the position of the sun, and its effect on the cabin into account to ensure the right temperature is maintained.

Three engine range

The Honda Accord gives drivers a choice of three power plants.

There is a choice of two petrol engines, a 150bhp 2-litre model and a 201bhp 2.4-litre version. But the most popular model with cost-conscious motorists will likely be the 150bhp 2.2-litre diesel.

Its average 50.4mpg (47.8mpg in the Tourer) is a much better return than the two petrol-powered models which range from 39.2mpg for the manual 2-litre model to 32.1mpg for the manual 2.4-litre version.

We found the new diesel engine to be excellent and a 9.6-9.8 second 0-62mph time, depending on body style, and 131mph top speed should provide the performance buyers are looking for.

However, despite drinking fuel at a much quicker rate the 7.8 seconds 0-62mph time ensured the 2.4-litre model had more fun up its sleeve and added an extra 10mph to the top speed.

Diesel models are coupled with six speed manual gearbox as standard while petrol –powered models can be specified with a five-speed automatic transmission.

We liked the manual gearbox and the fuel-conscious can ensure maximum frugality by changing gear as suggested by a gear change indicator light on the information display.

The diesel will also ensure the lowest car tax bill with its 148g/km CO2 (band C/£120) emissions compared with 170-209g/km (band E/F £170/£210) for its petrol counterparts.

Hugs the road

Honda firmly set the BMW 3 Series in its sights when it came to producing a chassis to optimise ride and handling while lowering the car’s centre of gravity and making it wider has played its part too.

It also made the car’s body more rigid and we found the car inspired confidence with its ability to hug the road without compromising on the comfort levels.

View more shots of the 2008 Honda Accord

We drove the Honda Accord at the Wachauring track in Southern Austria to experience the benefits of Honda’s Collision Mitigation Braking System.

It delivers a three step response in situations when a collision has become imminent or inevitable which includes alerting the driver, activating the brakes and tightening the seatbelt.

While not necessarily able to avert an accident these are measures which could reduce the chances of injury or the severity of those injuries.

There are a host of other safety features on the car too including anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency brake assist and vehicle stability assist.

Well-specced

Cruise control divides opinion but I find adaptive cruise control with the ability to alter the distance kept between your vehicle and the car in front ticks the boxes and the Accord’s is easily adjusted on the steering wheel - as is the lane keeping assist system which lets the driver know if they are wandering across the white line.

Trim levels offered are ES, EX and EX GT with 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome exhaust, door handles and window surround; body-coloured door mirrors and bumpers, cruise control, trip computer, electric windows and much more available as standard, with higher trim levels offering a huge array of equipment including satnav, automatic headlights and rear parking camera.

If you’re getting the impression we liked this car you’d be absolutely right. Honda is keen to point out the Honda Accord is not designed to compete against the most sporting incarnations of the 3 Series and the Audi A4 but when it comes to the rest of the range, the Japanese manufacturer has updated a car which provides a genuine alternative.

It is a mark of its confidence in this belief that Honda actually provided its competitor’s rival models for journalists to drive at the Honda Accord’s launch.

The question really comes down to whether you’d be as happy with a car sporting a Honda badge as an Audi or a BMW one.

The Honda Accord saloon goes on sale in June 2008 with the Honda Accord Tourer due to follow in September 2008.

View more shots of the 2008 Honda Accord

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