Over the weekend I had to park our 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6 in one of those really tight parking garages -- the kind where if a couple cars aren't pulled in straight, the space between them is useless unless you have a Mini or Smart. It was then that I realized just how big the Accord now is. "That won't fit, that won't fit," I murmured to myself as I drove down the aisles. Then, I watched a 1st-gen Sienna pull out of this spot and was determined to make it work. The Accord just fit, and I folded in the mirrors to give my neighbors a few extra inches.

Later, though, while loading items into the trunk, I looked in the backseat and couldn't believe how much room there was.

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This was my first time in the 2008 Honda Accord sedan, and it was generally what I expected.  Simple, functional, not-so-flashy, not-so-sporty.

The ride was smooth enough but I kept wanting a little something from the engine for passing, etc. that it was never able to deliver.  It isn't gravely underpowered but it would be nice to have a little more back-up the times I needed it.  It is a V6.

I was more excited about the interior, which I think manages to keep things simple while looking  pretty stylish.  The controls are a bit too clustered together to the point of confusing, but once you get used to it, the center console is very easy to navigate.

My single biggest gripe is the seats.  To me, they felt inordinately stiff and non-comforting.  And I don't mean this in a racing seat way.    More in an old VW seat that needs more padding kind of way.  If this car was a 1998 instead of 2008, it would be a forgivable, but I think most any new car should feel relatively comfortable after a single night of driving.

Glenn McClanan, Broadband Video Producer, Edmunds.com @ 11,770 miles

Pictured is the right-front wheel of our long-term Honda Accord. Please note the wheel curbing near the top of the photo. While I'm not sure who did it, it's pretty clear how it happened. It's equally clear that it's going to happen again and again and again.

Why? No, not because we're careless drivers, but because of the wheel design. Check the second picture. Not only are these wheels really ugly, but the middle of the spoke bows out from the tire. Traditionally the tire is the first thing that would contact a curb -- some tires even have handy hard rubber guards at the widest spot to absorb such uh-ohs -- not here, it's wheel-first, baby!



Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 11,510 miles.

Three months and 4,200 miles have passed since we last updated our long-term Honda Accord’s fuel log. High time we gave you the digits, no?

Our lifetime average is 21.1 mpg, so we’re still not quite hitting the EPA’s estimate of 22 mpg for combined driving, despite my husband’s determination to keep the green ECO dash light lit during a stint behind the wheel this weekend.

Our best tanks are generally in the mid 20s, worst tanks drop into the 16-17 range. We've used 436.1 gallons of fuel and have driven it more than 9,000 miles since we took ownership of the Accord last fall.

Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com @ 11,263 miles

"It’s NOT a TOO-mah!"

Well, alright. But how else to explain the protruding headlights on the current-gen Accord? Does anyone think this was a good stylistic move? I grimace every time I see an Accord from this angle. What is going on here?

Otherwise, I really like this car. Steering feel and accuracy are spot-on, body motions are nicely controlled, and the mandatory slushbox is smooth and responsive. This is a family sedan for people who like to drive, even if the V6’s lack of low-end torque and uninspiring fuel economy make a compelling argument for sticking with either of the available fours. Too bad Honda still insists on letting an intrusive amount of road noise filter into the cabin -- Honda aficionados will tell you this is part of “driver involvement,” but to me it just seems unrefined. The ride’s pretty flinty over pockmarked pavement as well; I don’t mind so much, but the average family sedan buyer might.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 10,751 miles

I get a lot of satisfaction out of driving our 2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6. Partly, this is because its personality and cabin layout bear many similarities to the previous Accord, which I also liked. My favorite detail is the amazing feeling of spaciousness when you're seated in the cockpit -- something that no other manufacturer has quite managed to copy over the years.

Larger physical dimensions undoubtedly help out the current-gen Accord in this regard, but all that extra weight shouldn't be good for the driving experience. Yet, somehow it's not a problem at all. The Accord turns in more crisply than ever before and has excellent steering feel. I never liked the highway ride of previous Accords, but this one has an excellent blend of comfort and control -- something like a premium-brand sedan.

Here's the thing, though. I think the car loses some of its Accordness when loaded with a V6, leather and navigation. It gets expensive, obviously, and for no good reason when the base 177-hp four-cylinder engine is so capable. (Yeah, we only got a 9.3-second 0-60 and a 17.1-second quarter-mile out of an LX-P tester, but it felt quicker than the numbers.) Plus, I think the cloth seats are more comfortable.

Erin Riches, Senior Editor

This weekend, I refueled the Honda Accord and it cost more than $52 even though it had a quarter tank of gas. Yikes. And that's nothing compared to what it costs to fill up an SUV.

So, I have some questions for you:

How are you coping with the sky high price of gasoline?
Have you changed your driving habits?
Are you paying more attention to things like tire pressure?
Are you driving less?
Are you thinking about getting a more fuel-efficient car?

Have you read this article on Edmunds.com?
We Test the Tips

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 10,140 miles

 

For the most part, I'm a fan of the Honda Accord's seats and the driving position. I find the leather-wrapped front buckets supportive in both aggressive driving and generally comfy over long distances. However, if I'm going to nitpick, there's just too much upper lumbar. Every time I get into the car and set my seat just right, I press the lumbar button but it deflates only the seat's lower portion. Although the set-up produces proper posture, it takes a while for me to get used to it -- which I eventually do, since I forgot about it during several long-distance journeys in the Accord. Our Cadillac also makes me press the lumbar button in vain, making me feel like I'm sitting against a board.

This is certainly one of those personal preference situations since both cars' seats have been generally well-lauded -- perhaps lumbar enthusiasts would take a different view than I.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 9,919 miles

A pet peeve of mine, automotively speaking, is when a vital display washes out.  In this case "vital" being the display for the XM satellite radio info.  Driving into work this a.m., as I crept along the freeway at 10-20 mph, I flicked through a few of the "decades" radio stations and couldn't see the upper half of the display that shows song title, artist, etc.  I soon discovered that there was an easy solution....

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There was one moment this weekend that was emblematic of what I like best about our Honda Accord.

I was waiting to make a right turn that would take me east on Olympic Boulevard. Coming at me from the west of said boulevard was a phalanx of cars, bearing down with the speed and urgency of fighter jets. I had a choice to make. Should I wait a few minutes for the deluge of cars to pass? Or did I have enough juice on tap to make the turn and gain speed quickly enough so as not to disrupt the flow of traffic?

Well, when the car is our Accord V6, replete with 268 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque, juice, I had learned, is never a problem. So I mashed the gas pedal and went for it, and the Accord rose to the challenge. An ordinary family sedan wouldn't inspire that kind of confidence, but with cars like the Accord, the 270-hp Altima V6 and the 268-hp Camry V6, the family sedan segment simply isn't that ordinary anymore.

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor