We admit that after a day of driving the redesigned 2008 Honda Accord, our reporter's notebook was completely blank.
It's not that there's nothing to say about how the 2008 Accord drives. It's that the Accord drives as brilliantly as it always has. In the rising tide of class sophistication, the Accord has maintained its position among competitors. It's smoother than the sometimes coarse Nissan Altima. And it's more alert in its responses than the cushy, isolated Toyota Camry.
And it has been a recipe for success. For more than 20 years the Honda Accord has defined the modern American middle-of-the-road sedan.
Trouble is there's a flipside to all that sensible, middle-of-the-road low-fat goodness and sales success. The Accord has always been bland and ubiquitous.
Not anymore.
All Fancy-Like
Take a look. The 2008 Accord sedan doesn't really look like an Accord sedan. It's, it's...well, it isn't as bland as it used to be. Actually, much like its Accord coupe brother, it's kinda cool-looking.
Gone is the sloping front end that Honda believed made the Accord look like a grown-up economy car. It is replaced by a tall, proud nose that the automaker says makes the car look more upscale. A new six-pointed grille is surrounded by thick chrome trim as if to advertise its new prominence. There is a sharp gouge dug into the flank, rising from the front fender, through the doors and to the tail. It's a dead ringer for the one on the Acura TL. The C-pillar is now more substantial-looking and vaguely BMW-like.
If the collective opinion of a random smattering of Chowderheads is to be taken as gospel then Honda has succeeded. We sampled the car in Boston and every passerby thought the car looked much more expensive than a Honda Accord. It is, no matter your aesthetic sensibilities, categorically not insipid.
Price: $20,360
Source: http://www.edmunds.com
