Honda steps it up with new Accord

Honda has decided its new Accord is so good that it has outgrown traditional rivals like the Ford Mondeo, Renault Laguna or Mazda6.

Instead, the new Accord has been tasked with taking on premium compacts from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz - so it needs to be good.

Honda has given the European version of the car a new, more muscular look, along with improved levels of cabin comfort and refinement.

Equipment levels are high and the Accord has a number of options usually found only on high-level executive cars.

At launch there will be two trim levels, ES and EX, and each of these can be given a sportier look with the addition of a GT pack. The ES GT is expected to be the top seller.

Naturally, there has been a price rise to reflect the Accord's new 'premium' status - an average of more than five per cent across the range.

The outgoing car currently starts at around £17,000 on the road but when the new version arrives in June only one model will be under £20,000.

A Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI is cheaper on contract hire than a top spec Accord - a fact Honda probably regards as a badge of honour.

The new car looks quite similar to the old one but is wider, lower and more bulked out. These changes are more pronounced in the metal than in photographs and there's also a nod towards the angular look of current Cadillacs about the front end.

While the shape will stand a bright choice of colour, a white Tourer with blacked out windows is arguably the most distinctive.

Inside, the cabin is clearly fashioned from higher quality materials than the outgoing model - but it isn't going to give Audi any sleepless nights.

The dashboard is a more conservative version of the Civic's futuristic 'mothership' look. It's still complex and textured - and lacks the elegant understatedness of the interior of the BMW 3 Series.

The car is good to drive. The wider track, lower centre of gravity and more rigid shell help make the Accord feel very solid on the road, while the steering is sharp, yet stable.

The test route at the launch featured a slightly tedious stretch of motorway - but that's just the sort of journey many Accord owners will be making; so they'll be pleased at the high levels of comfort in the new car.

The front seats are outstanding, the driving position is good, and noise levels are low. Engine noise has been considerably reduced compared with the old car, though there's still a little wind noise from the mirrors.

The car rides superbly and doesn't crash over bumps. Nor is there much roll through bends.

Electronic safety aids include a comprehensive Vehicle Stability Assist programme which now includes a Trailer Stability Assist - useful for anyone with a caravan or boat.

At launch there will be two petrol engines - a 2.0 and 2.4 - but the bulk of sales will be of the i-DTEC diesel. This is a cleaner, more powerful and refined version of Honda's current 2.2 oil-burner. It proves smooth and quiet in operation, with no torque steer to worry about.

But it is when features are taken into account that the Accord starts to come into its own. ES models are reasonably well specified to start with and diesel GT versions add sports suspension, half leather upholstery, an 'aero' kit and 17-inch wheels for a fraction under £22,000.

To this you'll want to add the £1,100 advanced navigation pack, which has bluetooth, an easy-to-operate DVD sat nav system with eight-inch screen and voice recognition, and a six CD changer. Oh yes, and the sat nav screen turns into a rear park camera when reverse gear is selected.

Move up to EX trim and you get all the above as standard, along with leather seats and an 'intelligent' climate control system which can detect which side of the car the sun is on and adjust its cooling accordingly.

High end Accords also have the Advanced Driver Assist System option - a state-of-the-art safety package.

Costing from £1,500 to £2,000, depending on model, the system includes xenon lights, adaptive cruise control, a collision mitigating braking scheme (CMBS) and a lane keeping assist system (LKAS).

CMBS gives a couple of tugs on the driver's seatbelt before braking the car if there is no reaction, while LKAS steers the car back into its lane if driver loses concentration at the wheel.

These are the sort of features which may appeal to drivers who clock up seriously big miles. They use high-end technology which has previously been available only on high end executive cars like S-Class Mercs.

And they help reinforce the impression that the Accord remains pretty good value for money - despite the price hike.

The new Honda Accord goes on sale in the UK on June 1. The Tourer arrives in September.

By Peter Carroll