2008 Honda Accord Review

Honda debuts a redesigned Accord for 2008, available in sedan and coupe configurations with available 177- and 190-horsepower four-cylinder engines, as well as a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 with cylinder deactivation technology. Safety features include the ACE body structure, standard stability control and side-curtain airbags. Prices range from about $20,000 to $31,000.

Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry

Instead of taking the conservative approach to revamping its Accord lineup, Honda took some chances with the 2008 model, and for the most the risks paid off. There are more desirable safety features, the passenger and cargo space are extremely generous, the engines are more powerful, and the sporty EX-L V6 MT Coupe will even make hardcore enthusiasts crack a smile. If there’s a crack in the new veneer it’d have to be caused by the styling, which can be dressed up with subtle spoilers and fancy wheels but nevertheless remains far from beautiful.

Legendary gunfighters and the all-new 2008 Honda Accord both share a similar problem: When you’re successful, everyone wants to take a shot at you. Knowing full well that their bread-and-butter model has a giant target painted on its back, Honda designers and engineers set out to make this eighth-generation Accord coupe and sedan as bulletproof as possible by giving them significantly more powerful engines, roomier interiors, and a long list of advanced safety features. 

Still, the question remains: Does this new Accord have what it takes to defend itself against its two wily archrivals (Toyota, Nissan) and a host of young upstarts looking to steal some of its thunder?  After a day-long drive from Boston to Cape Cod and back, we think the answer is a definite yes.  That said, we did uncover a few areas of potential weakness that should give the Accord’s creators sufficient reason to watch its back. 

While the folks at Honda have a tough fight on their hands, they’re no strangers to high-stakes showdowns.  In fact, the Accord itself has been taking on all comers, and besting most of them, for more than three decades now.  American consumers have driven more than 10 million Accords off dealers’ lots since 1976, a number that says an awful lot about Honda’s ability to beat its competition to the draw. 

Of course, while Honda engineers have been busy making each successive Accord generation bigger and better, the competition has continued to evolve.  At last count there were more than 20 midsize sedans on the market, including all-new versions of the  Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.  Add challengers like the Hyundai Sonata and much-improved entries from American automakers, including the Saturn Aura and Ford Fusion, and the new Accord walks out at high noon into a midsize sedan market that’s ever more fraught with risk.