The Honda Accord is impressive in terms of space and price, but has a bit further to go to overtake its Audi and BMW rivals, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor
WHEN IT comes to premium motoring, the Germans remain the lodestar. Many have tried to imitate: most have failed. The French have cast the odd aspersion at the premium sector, but shared too many features with entry-level variants. The end result can be seen on used car forecourts selling for hatchback prices.
The British know about luxury cars, but never seem able to turn them into a profitable product unless they hand it over to the Germans or, perhaps now, the Indians. Italians understand the passion of motoring, the heartbreaking good looks and engine notes that make grown men drool.
Yet they've always supplied cars more suited to a mid-life crisis than a serious premium threat. Would you want your accountant driving a German or Italian premium car?
The Germans have premium down to an art form. The wishlist for these car buyers would seem to be relatively simple: a solid clunk when you close the door; a sporty design that suggests the car could have left the factory as a two-seater sports car, but opted for rear seats; styling that suggests the car is honed from steel, not moulded from tin; and enough gadgets to make the owner seem tech savvy. All this should come at a premium price, just within reach of potential buyers, but too expensive for their neighbours to afford.
Can anyone claim to challenge the Teutons in this regard? Given the relative importance of build quality and technology, it's the Japanese that make the best fist at it.
Lexus has done a fantastic job of positioning themselves smack bang in the centre of the premium market in less than 30 years. Yet it still has work to do. It may have established itself in the US and, arguably, Ireland. In other markets, however, many people still couldn't pick the brand out from a line-up of soap powder labels.
Now Honda wants a slice of the action, at least at the entry level with its new Accord. With one of the strongest engineering pedigrees in the car industry, there's no question they have the kudos. But can they make the big leap forward? Is it honed from steel, dripping with new technology and priced to keep the riff-raff away? Yes and no.
This latest Accord claims as its rivals the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4. That's pretty heavyweight competition, but Honda believes the mix of price, finish and a decent level of specification might just give it a chance.
From the outside, the new Accord is only slightly different from the outgoing model. It's a case of tweaking rather than transforming and that's not good enough to take on the sharper lines of the Audi A4 or Avantgarde versions of the Mercedes C-Class.
These cars are more sports-orientated than the Honda. The Accord looks like a large Japanese family saloon rather than a sporty premium entry. Even mainstream rivals like the new Opel Insignia could claim to have more head-turning appeal than this. It's not a bad looking car, but the allure of the Accord is not in its looks.
Things get better inside where a couple of well-bolstered leather armchairs cocoon the front seat occupants in a way that rivals many luxury models.
It's just one of many improvements and refinements on offer in the Accord, from the better quality plastics to the little chrome touches on the higher specification models. The rear seats offer adult-sized legroom and more of that soft armchair seating.
There is one particular feature that still lets it down: the switchgear. Standard fare is a plethora of buttons that look dated, while on the higher specification models, the audio system and sat-nav are controlled via a swivelling carbuncle on the central console.
It's a fiddly and poorly positioned affair when pitted against the i-Drive of BMW or Audi's MMI system. Even its position suggests that Honda was more interested in keeping costs down rather than matching its German rivals.
Moving it off the dash would have meant extra wiring for a start.
A plethora of buttons that surround the protruding knob only add to the confusion. It's an annoying flaw in an otherwise solid performer.
There's decent stowage space up front and you do get a Civic-like short-throw gearstick that's matched to a nicely gated manual transmission.
In second and third gear, it packs the sort of diesel punch that makes this second generation of the 2.2-litre diesel the best engine in the range.
It comes with increased horsepower and torque, but lower emissions, but the best news is that there's a wider rev range spread for the torque, which means those thrusts of power you get from diesel engines last a little bit longer with this car. The ride quality has been improved as well, as has the handling.
It's still a sizeable front-wheel drive car that tends to be a little nose heavy in corners, but it's more refined than others in its price bracket.
The steering feels a little disconnected at city speeds, like one of those arcade racing games, but tightens up when you get it out in the open road. It's never going to knock the BMW 3 Series off its perch in terms of cornering ability, but for its size, it's pretty agile.
As to the family practicalities, depending on where you place the Accord on the market, it's either simply spacious in the back or downright enormous. The legroom puts rivals like the 3-Series and A4 to shame. This is a family car, the likes of which you rarely find at the premium end of the market for less than €50,000.
Yet we remain to be convinced that buyers rate the Honda as a genuine rival to the Teutonic trio.
Instead we'd be more inclined to consider it nestled snugly with the Swedes such as the Saab 9-3: upmarket when pitched against the likes of the Avensis or Passat, but not quite in the same league as the Germans. That's still a nice place to be for the Accord, particularly at a time when people are perhaps looking to cut back on their motoring spending.
It's also for people who have the cash, but don't want the stigma that comes with driving some of the German models.
The lasting impressions of the new Accord is a very comfortable family car that has plenty of room in the back, comfortable seats up front, a punchy diesel engine under the bonnet and solid engineering pedigree to assure you of pretty solid resale values after a few years of ownership.
What you don't always get is the impression you're in an established premium car.
It could look sharper on the outside, while being ergonomically smarter on the inside.
Where it does succeed is in its pricing. At €39,995 for the executive model - complete with all the gadgets Honda could muster - is very impressive when compared to the specification sheets for some of its rivals.
Starting at €33,800 for the 2.2-litre also means it's so competitively priced to wow even the most ardent brand snobs once the cold winds of economic downturn begin to nip at their bank accounts.
Factfile
Engine:2199cc turbodiesel engine putting out 148bhp @ 4,000rpm and 350Nm of torque @ 2,000rpm
Specification:Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors; dual zone climate control; pollen filter; front and rear electric windows; radio/CD with speed adjusting volume; 16" alloy wheels; alarm system with remote control; vehicle stability assist (VSA); Trailer stability assist (TSA); electronic powered steering (EPS); cruise control; anti-lock braking system (ABS); brake assist; dual curtain SRS airbags (front and rear); dual front SRS (supplemental restraint system) airbags; dual side SRS airbags; electronic brake-force distribution (EBD); 60/40 folding rear seats
SE version has: tie-down hooks in boot; Bluetooth hands-free telephone (HFT) system; USB connection; 17" alloy wheels; rear screen integrated aerial
Executive version has: automatic lights; rain sensor; rear parking camera; parking sensor; leather multifunction steering wheel; panel and door type - wood and leather; in-dash six CD auto-changer; premium audio system with 10 speakers incl sub-woofer; Pan-European DVD touch-screen satellite navigation; Bluetooth hands-free telephone (HFT) system; USB connection; driver and passenger electric heated seats; leather upholstery
L/100km (mpg):urban: 7.3 (38.7); extra-urban: 4.8 (58.8); combined: 5.7 (49.6)
CO2 emissions:150 g/km
Tax:VRT - 20 per cent; annual motor tax - €290
Price:€39,995 (€32,500 to €42,700)