

According to the presentation, the Accord's most serious competitors are the Toyota Camry and the Nissan Altima. The '08 is a lot nicer than the one I remember. (Don't ask.) I don't think it was a 1989 model. %Gallery-6593% First thing's first: I haven't been in an Accord since 1989. Follow the jump for the rest of the story, and check out (even more) shots of the exterior and interior from the event. The only question that remains is how do they drive? Honda invited Autoblog to find out, and we weren't disappointed. You've seen the pictures and read the releases on the new Honda Accord sedan and coupe. This latest Accord, the 7th generation, has a wheelbase nearly 17 inches longer, and 200 more horsepower. The first Honda Accord, released in 1976, had a 93.7-inch wheelbase and 68 horsepower.

We didn't spend extended stretches in them, but the seats are plenty comfy and offer all the movements your body could want. The door panels flexed more than expected, and some cars had wider than usual gaps between the IP and the door, which could be explained by the fact that we were in a mix of production and pre-production vehicles. Inside? While all of the dimensions-interior and exterior-have grown, with the Accord's interior growth spurt by 3.3 cubic feet to 106, it's now classed as a large car by EPA standards. It will more than hold its own with its competitors. In the flesh it's a good looking car, with silver and black suiting it exceptionally well in our opinion. Even the side mirror cover curves, seahorse-like, from a gently rounded top to the sculptured flick of a tail near the bottom, then curves again around the lower portion to the trim. Along with the can't-be-missed side cut line and lower door line, there are quite a few instances of very subtly shaped bodywork: the merest hint of lines around the lower front fog lights and on the rear bumpers. "Camber" was the word of the day, in reference to how the front of the car is drawn back at the headlights and the rear corners of the car gently slope into the valance. It has already received a noteworthy share of kudos and knocks, which is what happens any time a design attempts to make a statement. The Accord's new body was meant to give it some in-your-face-ness that would get the attention of the young professionals researching the segment and yet, as ever, wouldn't alienate the Accord lover. The Altima was done so well from the beginning that it drop-kicked the Maxima into some dark, quiet place. The Camry's latest redesign was purposeful enough that you could say it was actually styled. The Altima is considered more sporty, the Camry more luxurious, and the new Accord is meant to slot comfortably, and perfectly, between the two.

