Honda Accord   Women's view

The Latest Honda Accord Is Pitched Firmly Into Upmarket Territory. June Neary Travels In A Style To Which She Could Grow Accustomed.

Ive driven a few different versions of the Honda Accord down the years so I shouldnt have been surprised when the latest model was bigger, better equipped and far more elegant than previous generations. Its turned into an Accord party trick. If I cast my mind back to when I was at school, I remember a friends father picking her up in an Accord. We joked about it the funny little Japanese hatchback then, but when I picked my niece up from the school gates in the current Accord there were several covetous glances cast by the other parents on the school run.

True, I was in the mildly sporty 2.4-litre Type-S, but even the entry-level car looks a class above mainstream family saloons. Revisions made for the 2006 model year have smartened up the exterior, the most obvious of these is the wide chromed bar running across the front grille where before there was none. The front and rear bumpers have also been subtly resculpted and the sides of the car look a little swoopier, thanks in no small part to the fitment of side skirts.

Perhaps realising that the further the Accord went upmarket, the smaller demand would be for a hatchback version, Honda ditched the hatch and instead offer the Accord as a saloon only. While I do like the practicality of a hatchback, this saloon offers a big boot and a lot of headroom inside. The rear legroom isnt the most generous around, but the seats are comfortable. If you do need to carry more, theres a handsome Accord Tourer estate version which some reckon is even better looking than the saloon.

There are currently three engines available in the Accord line up which limits choice when compared to the masses available if youre after a Vauxhall Vectra or a Ford Mondeo, but they are all well worth having. Otherwise theres little to grouse about. The interior is rather Japanese functional and well screwed together but without a great deal of eye candy. The red backlit dials in the fascia are a nice touch.

Shorter drivers may find it tricky to sit far enough back from the steering wheel to feel comfortable while still being able to depress the clutch fully.

The fact that just three engines are available at present - a 154bhp 2.0-litre, a 188bhp 2.4-litre and a 138bhp CTDi diesel - means that a gap opens up at the bottom of the range once occupied by the 1.8-litre models.

All the engines are sprightly performers with competitive CO2 emissions and decent economy. The 2.0-litre averages 38.2mpg whilst even the 188bhp 2.

4-litre model can manage 31mpg and the diesel churns out a stunning 52mpg. Certain Honda trademarks continue the gearchange is excellent but the electrically assisted steering takes a little getting used to. Accords have never had the best reputation for motorway refinement, but the latest car is a good deal better than its somewhat raucous predecessor. Its still not what youd call whisper quiet though, the wing mirrors, the tyres and the engine all making themselves heard at speed.



All Accord models are very well-equipped. Even the SE is fitted with alloy wheels, a 6-speaker CD-based stereo and front, side and curtain airbags. Nice touches like the outside temperature indicator and the 3D dashboard illumination are also welcome, as are sensible ergonomics. The grouping of the stereo and air conditioning controls is exemplary and the multiple storage bins are similarly easy to access.

Some other inclusions were getting used to on plenty of other cars but are welcome additions. The Vehicle Stability Assist (VAS) and Drive-By-Wire (DBW) throttle system are just a couple of acronyms to get you started. Theres also the option of VASN. Any guesses on that one? Voice Activated Satellite Navigation is your answer there although how it will cope with the profanities I end up directing at most sat nav systems is still open to conjecture.

Next up is HFT. Thats a Hands Free Telephone kit.

Theres a lot to be said for the Accord. Its well built, well equipped, pleasant to drive and as its not a BMW 3 Series, people will let you pull out into the flow of traffic in one. If youre very image conscious, the Accord may not quite make the statement youre after, but that may change if and when sportier versions appear. Perhaps the best thing that has happened to the Accord is that it has ditched its somewhat blue rinse image in favour of a more executive persona.

Its a class act.