2008 Honda
Accord
EX V6
By Steve Schutz, MD
Wow. It’s bigger. That was my initial
response when I first took a gander at
the all-new 2008 Honda Accord.
I shouldn’t be surprised, though. Since Honda
began selling Accords in the United States in 1976,
their best seller has been growing little by little
with every new generation. So an Accord that has
the exterior dimensions of a Chevy Impala and the
interior space of a Ford Crown Victoria, like this
year’s model, was probably inevitable. (Interesting
aside: the newest Accord is the eighth generation.
The original Accord, which was sold as a threedoor
hatchback only, was smaller than today’s
Honda Civic.)
Another part of the Accord’s evolution involves
a more middle-of-the-road exterior design. The
previous model used angled head-and tail-lights
as well as creased style lines to accent an otherwise
unremarkable family sedan profile. The new one
retains that shape but incorporates more conventional
(and generic) front and rear ends. While
bulged head- and tail-light housings along with a
few creases in the bodywork add visual interest,
the 2008 Honda Accord doesn’t take any design
risks. Not that buyers will care; most soccer moms
and dads appreciate an understated car that does
its job quietly and efficiently.
And the 2008 Accord is both quiet and efficient.
Regardless of whether you choose the standard
four-cylinder motor or the V6 like the one in my
test car, the Accord is quiet. I’ve always marveled at
Honda engines’ hushed smoothness, but driving
this Accord reminded me that their pleasant sound
quality can trick owners into thinking Hondas are even quieter than they actually are.
They’re pretty powerful, too. The Accord’s
SOHC 24-valve i-VTEC V6 is up 0.5 liters to 3.5
and 28 horsepower to 268, numbers that translate
into a zero-to-60 time of just 7.1 seconds. In real
world situations, like merging onto freeways and
accelerating from stoplights, the Accord does well.
Most of the credit goes to the engine, obviously,
but the smooth five-speed automatic transmission
that keeps the engine in the power band helps.
The Accord also does well in the gas mileage
department. An advanced cylinder cut-off system
tells the engine to run on six, four, or three cylinders
depending on how much power is needed, so
the V6 Accord gets excellent EPA fuel economy ratings — 19 MPG city and 29 MPG highway, to be
precise. And, thanks to an 18.5-gallon tank, it’s
possible to go a bladder-busting 450 miles
between fill-ups.
For the record, the 3/4/6-cylinder switching
was done without my ever noticing; the green “ECON” light in the dash was the only tip-off that
it was happening.
For all you eco-warriors out there, Honda made
sure the new Accord was appropriately Green. It
meets Tier-2 Bin-2 certification — don’t you love
government jargon? — and is CARB-certified as a
partial zero-emissions vehicle. Inside, the Accord is
bigger, as noted above. Passenger space has been
expanded to 101 cubic feet, which is just behind
what the Camry has. That’s enough for the EPA to
call the new Accord sedan a full-size car rather
than a compact. The rear seat in particular is spacious,
even for this (just over) six-footer. Trunk
space is 14 ft3.
Interior fit and finish are
superb as always, but the
materials are not significantly
better or different
than last year. Nothing
wrong with that, but some
buyers may prefer the more
stylish (and high quality) Chevy Malibu interior
or the art deco-ish interior in the Toyota Camry.
Ergonomically, it’s hard to fault the Accord.
Buttons and dials are well laid out and intuitive to
use. The big center screen that it seems all cars
(and trucks) have these days is there, but even
that’s simple, thanks to touch screen technology
and a focus on user-friendliness. Having central
controls that are pushed out toward the driver is a
nice touch, too.
On the road, the Accord comports itself well.
Handling over backcountry roads — think Boerne
to Blanco — is excellent, as is in-town cut-and-thrust
driving. No, the Accord isn’t a BMW 3-series
or Lexus IS350, but it’s still very good overall. In
fact, the Accord drives so well it’s easy to forget it’s
FWD unless you really goose it through a tight
turn. Why Honda makes sure its middle-of-theroad
family sedan drives this well — when most
owners will neither know nor care — is a mystery
to me, frankly. But I’m glad they do.
In summary, the 2008 Honda Accord incorporates
all the goodness we’ve come to associate with
previous Accords, but in a larger and more spacious
package. Its understated interior and exterior
design aren’t exciting, but it’s hard to argue with
the quality, value, and performance of this superb
vehicle. Well done, Honda.
