2008 Honda Accord

One journalist at a press introduction of the all-new 2008 Accord asked why in the world, in an era of increasing fuel economy consciousness, Honda had made it bigger than the previous model. "Was the old one inadequate?" he demanded incredulously. "Did customers complain it was too small?" After all, the two most significant factors in vehicle fuel efficiency are size and weight (followed by aerodynamic shape and powertrain technology).


The Honda reps didn't understand the question. Nearly every all-new model of almost every vehicle in the U.S. market has been bigger than the one it replaced—more spacious interior, bigger trunk, bigger tires and wheels, and a bigger, more powerful engine. That is how you improve and trump the competition. It's the American way.


Honda's first Accord was introduced to U.S. buyers way back in 1976. It was smaller than the company's current Civic, which (of course) has also swelled substantially over the years. Seven generations of Accord have followed, leading to this eighth-generation 2008—each larger, roomier, more powerful and better equipped than the one before.


Classified as "mid-size" for most of those generations, the 2008 version now boasts "full-size" status because its base model's interior dimensions (without a headroom-reducing sunroof) barely boost it into the EPA's "full-size" category for fuel economy testing. And that bottom-rung 177-hp four-cylinder Accord becomes EPA's most fuel-efficient "full-size" car with ratings (using EPA's more realistic 2008 test procedures) of 21 mpg city, 31 highway.

Variations

The new Accord offers several sedan and coupe models with engine choices of two 2.4-liter fours or a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6. A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard with 4-cylinder engines, while a 5-speed automatic is standard on V-6 sedans and optional on coupes. A 6-speed manual is available only on the sportiest EX-L V-6 coupe.