Long Term Arrival: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L
Ever since it made its debut over 30 years ago, the Honda Accord has arguably been the best vehicle in its class, providing a roomy, well-appointed interior; sporty yet smooth driving characteristics; and a price tag and fuel economy that were easy on the wallet. Now in its eighth generation, the Honda Accord is longer, wider, taller, more powerful, and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor-traits that every buyer of a midsize family sedan can appreciate, certainly if the family is growing as quickly as gas prices are rising. With that in mind, we added to our long-term fleet a topline 2008 EX-L V-6 sedan, replete with Honda’s fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management system, to determine if the Accord’s step up in size and technology will keep it at the top of its class after 12 months of rigorous duty.
Our fully loaded EX-L V-6 came with one option, satellite-linked navigation, which raised the sticker price to just under $31,000. As many in the car world know, Honda doesn’t offer options as much as it does trim levels-for the Accord, that translates to LX, LX Premium, EX, EX-L, EX V-6, and EX-L V-6. With our premium trim came premium equipment, including a leather-trimmed interior, leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats, four-way power passenger seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, 270-watt premium stereo with six-CD changer, XM Satellite Radio, and HomeLink remote system.
Once we broke in the Accord’s 3.5-liter V-6, we subjected it to our standard battery of instrumented testing. At the dragstrip, the Honda sprinted from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds and clipped the quarter mile in 15.0 at 94.1 mph. Further, our EX-L V-6 proved it could turn as well as it could sprint: Through the figure-eight handling exercise, it recorded a time of 27.4 at 0.64 g, boasting sustained lateral acceleration of 0.81 g.
With just over 6000 miles on the odometer, the Accord is quickly racking up comments in the logbook. Most postings praise the larger, more comfortable interior, while others lament the dash’s busy and confusing center stack, whose sea of gray buttons is proving frustrating to our editors.
That said, we look forward to the Accord’s extended stay with us, a year-long affair that will allow us to appreciate all a family sedan can offer.
[source:MotorTrend]
Other Honda Cars In www Auto Com:
+ The Frugal Five: Compact Crossover Comparison
+ Honda Legend facelift leaks out
+ First Drive: 2009 Honda Pilot
+ 2009 Honda Accord Euro spec in 2008 Geneva Motor Show
+ 2008 Geneva Auto Show Preview: Honda unmasks the Euro Accord
+ First Drive: AutoblogGreen drives the 2009 Honda FCX Clarity
+ LA Auto Show 2007: Honda unwraps the 2009 FCX Clarity!
+ Honda S2000 CR campaigning in 25 Hours of Thunderhill
+ Honda S2000 Type S at 2007 Tokyo Motor Show
+ Honda confirms production FCX and car based on CR-Z Concept
+ 2007 Tokyo Motor Show: 2008 Honda Fit gets Civic-minded makeover
+ LA Motor Show 2007: Honda Civic GX quick test drive
+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007 Preview:Honda CR-X is back
+ Tokyo Auto Show 2007 Preview: Honda CR-Z Concept Car
+ Tokyo Motor Show 2007 Preview: Honda DN-01 motorcycle features automatic transmission
+ A brand new version of Honda’s small car is set to hit the road
+ Tokyo Motor Show-2009 Honda Fit: Now With More Embargo-Breaking Interior Shots! - Jalopnik
+ Bigger, better Jazz ready to call the tune
More Excellent Articles like
Long Term Arrival: 2008 Honda Accord EX-L
Pay Attention to Auto Fans
Recent Auto Articles
- First Drive: 2010 Audi TTS Coupe
- Audi RS7 Concept Artist Design Interpretation
- 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet is a smooth Spanish Fly
- 2011 Nissan GT-R Base Model Dropped for North America
- GM scouring the globe for next Corvette design, first time looking beyond U.S
- First Drive: 2011 Honda CR-Z
- 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools
- 2011 Infiniti M37S and M56S answer many questions
- Audi R8 LMS Evolution Version Announced
- Spy Shots: Will Rhys Millen drive a Hyundai Equus at Pikes Peak this year
