Honda Accord Saloon 2003 - Present

There are not any classes of car that the best in class position isn't keenly contested but the large family class is the first section where real luxury is felt. Manufacturers are in a rush to make sure that their offering goes more than the extra mile, it needs to go there in comfort, style and with as little effort from the driver as possible.

The 2003 incarnation of the Honda Accord is what you'd expect from Honda, a great car for a competitive market. The new look Accord has sharper styling on the outside and upgraded accommodation on the inside, giving the feeling of business class travel every time you drive. 2004 saw the addition of a diesel engine in the list of options and as with so many cars of the 21 century it stakes a claim to be the premium model in the range.

Sitting in the Accord is a comfortable experience both front and back, although not as capacious as some of it's rivals it should seat five adults with little trouble (bagsey not sitting in the middle). The leg room is ample and headroom too. Shoulder room is slightly compromised so if you're looking to accommodate three adults in the back you may want to be sure that they're all friends. The ride comfort is helped by the feeing of refinement which is engendered by the quality materials used within. The road and engine noise are kept to a minimum and the climate control, fitted as standard is a breath of fresh air.

On the road the Accord feels as comfortable on the road as it does to sit in. Handling is more than adequate for the size and class of car although not quite as sure footed as some of it's rivals. It grips well and corners with confidence but the steering doesn't offer the same sensation as say the Mondeo or BMW and you do feel the cars size when throwing it round corners. The engines all offer reasonable levels of power and economy with a bottom 0-60 around ten seconds and top speed in the mid 130s mph range. The top performer is the 2.4 petrol with best figures of 7.6 seconds and 142 mph. It suffers a little on the economy front with 31 mpg, although it's not much worst than the 2.0 engine which gives back 35 mpg. For decent economy the diesel is the only option as it returns 52 mpg and can still go from 0-60 in nine seconds.

As with any Honda the Accord is sure to be reliable and if the services are all adhered to will offer many trouble free miles. It offers a nice ride and great levels of trim and finish as standard. In some areas it falls a little short of it's rivals but in others it excels, really it's going to be down to preference and with so many good alternatives the customer is spoilt for choice. It was once said that if Honda made people they'd live forever. If they were made like the accord they'd do so with a spring in their step.

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