Getting acquainted with our long-term 2008 Honda Accord
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When the slow operation of the rear defroster and ye olde styling of the gear shifter are the biggest gripes you have with a car, you know you're probably in a pretty good one. And that's how I feel about the 2008 Honda Accord after spending the weekend in our recently arrived long-term ride. Our Accord is an EX-L V-6 Nav model, priced just north of $30,000, with about every feature imaginable checked off on the extensive option list.
The Accord spent some time getting dirty on Saturday in Southern California's inland empire, as yours truly ventured out to watch some friends thrash their cars through mud at a rally cross -- an autocross-style event, but for rally fans, with a short course laid out in a dirt field. Except this field was quite muddy due to recent rains. And it might as well have been called a Subaru Cross, as most of the participants were in a Subaru of some sort. The Accord and its all-season tires handled the parking area's mud respectably, and at no point did I feel like the car would get stuck and force me to humiliate myself by asking for a push, though traction control had to be disabled as it couldn't quite figure out what to do. Although ill-suited for short-track courses due to its size, I'd guess the Accord would have done no worse in the rally cross than some of the Subaru WRX STIs that were there on summer tires. Why someone would bring a car on performance rubber -- especially a lowered one -- to a dirt field is beyond me.
Of course, the amount of people who will be taking Accords into muddy fields intentionally will be in the double or even single digits. But it's nice to know you can. On the freeway, the ride is smooth and the handling is responsive. The 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 provides plenty of punch, and the five-speed doesn't want for an extra cog, but it wouldn't hurt, either. The shifter has another minor annoyance besides its bland looks -- it'll shift into D3 from D without having to press the shift button. I particularly like the steering feel, which is responsive and perfectly balanced, at least for my tastes -- not too heavy, not too light. Compared with the Toyota Camry, which I've dubbed "the most boring 270-horsepower car ever," the Accord is enjoyable to drive.
As for the often discussed issue of the car's size, I think it's a lot of yelling about nothing. It certainly isn't small and it's noticeably bigger than the previous Accord, but it's not actually that much bigger -- 4.8 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider, and 1.0 inch taller, hardly steroid-fueled growth like that of the Scion xB, for example. The exaggerated size is a side effect of its sheetmetal -- the other big complaint about the 2008 Accord. The boxier look is fairly bland in profile, but it's not bad looking. Rather, it's inoffensive modernity, like an Ikea bookshelf, which is probably what appeals to the car's target market.
Bottom line, the Accord has racked up 2700 miles in slightly over a month with us, and that pace isn't likely to decline substantially as it's an excellent choice for long-distance cruising.
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