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Estate
It's a big, cavernous load carrier. Its party trick is to pop open and raise its hatch when you press the remote control - great when your arms are full of parcels.
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The load bay is huge, and the seats drop at the click of a catch to leave a flat floor. The cabin is a generous size, too, and even low-end models have pretty much all the kit you'd want. The driver's seat is comfortable. Thick screen pillars, however, limit the view out, and a similarly poor view to the rear makes easing back into a tight space awkward. Find a car with parking sensors fitted - you'll need them. All engines are lively and it's sharp to drive, if not the best in class. Safety kit includes multiple airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and even the option of auto-steer to keep you in lane. However, it scored only four stars from Euro NCAP for protecting those inside - several rivals have a maximum five.
Running Costs
No big estate is going to be cheap to run, but the Accord will cane your finances harder than many. Servicing is dearer than for a Mondeo or Vectra, while insurance ratings are a group or two higher. The Tourer spans groups 11-14. Spares parts cost more than average, too, although Honda's excellent reputation for reliability promises that you'll seldom need to buy more than routine items such as tyres, brakes and exhausts. The fuel economy looks good on paper, and the 2.0 should achieve up to 33mpg overall and 24mpg in town; the 2.4 records 29mpg and 21mpg, and the diesel 48mpg and 36mpg. However, plenty of owners complain theirs are far thirstier in real life. If the financial picture looks bleak so far, take comfort in the Accord's depreciation figures, which show it losing value more slowly than the equivalent Ford or Vauxhall. The price you get come trade-in should, at least, return the smile to your face.
Saloon
It tries hard to mix it with the quality German brands, but, despite a fine effort, the Accord is still more posh family car than executive saloon. Worse still, in trying to move upmarket, Honda has junked the hatchback version that was previously the best-selling Accord. Now you get a big cabin and a boot. It's all very roomy and packed with kit, but just not as useful as a hatch. To compound the problems, the chunky screen pillars (to aid safety) and high-set windows towards the rear create blind spots and make reverse-parking tricky. The dash looks classy and is loaded with buttons, but the feel of some materials lets it down. However, Honda has worked hard to create the right executive-car vibe on the move, so road and engine noise are hushed. All the while, the car responds nimbly, grips well and feels balanced. The steering does most things just right, but lacks that final tickle of feedback that would make it spot-on.
Running Costs
Compared with a Mondeo's or Vectra's, the Accord's ownership costs aren't pretty. Servicing by a main dealer costs about half as much again as for the Ford or Vauxhall, while insurance is a group or two higher. Petrol 2.0 Accords are in group 11, the 2.2 diesel is group 12 and the 2.4 petrol group 14. It's a similar story when comparing parts' prices, too. The cost of some items is positively scary. Fuel economy looks good at up to 52mpg combined for the diesel, 38mpg for the 2.0 petrol and 31mpg for the 2.4. However, be aware that more than a few readers have contacted What Car? complaining that their cars can't get close to the published figures. Take comfort in the news that the Accord loses value more slowly over time than most other family cars and, like most Hondas, it won't need much spending on repairs.