The 2008 Honda Accord: Bigger, Inside and Out

Accords have a new face with a larger grille opening and a higher hood line.

More Size and More Style

Accord gets bigger for 2008. On sedans, the wheelbase increases 2.3 inches, length is up by 3 inches, width increases by 1.2 inches, and the car is nearly an inch taller. Accord coupes are smaller than sedans, but they are bigger than the previous-generation coupe. The coupe's wheelbase is now 2.8 inches longer, length increases by 3.2 inches, and width is up by 1.2 inches. One thing that didn't increase was the sedan's cargo volume.

Honda wanted the 2008 Accord's styling to be more expressive and dynamic. Designers sought to create a new Accord that is powerful, bold, sophisticated, prestigious, and distinctive. Also, the coupe and sedan no longer share any exterior sheet metal, glass, bumpers, or even details like headlights. According to Honda, the only exterior pieces the coupe and sedan have in common are the door handles and side mirrors.

Styling is more dramatic than the previous-generation Accord's looks. There is more body side sculpting with character lines that have a pronounced front-to-rear rake, and flared wheel arches. Accords also have a new face with a larger grille opening and a higher hood line. The door handles offer one clue to what engine is in a given Accord. Body-color handles are reserved for 4-cylinder models, while V6-powered models have chrome handles.

More Room for Passengers

In back-to-back drives of 2007 and 2008 Accord sedans, one of the most obvious changes is the additional cabin room. The new Accord's larger dimensions really show up in interior space, especially in the sedan. The center console is almost three inches wider than before and the driver and front passenger are spaced 1.6 inches further apart. The front seats are also wider and more comfortable. Rear legroom is also very good, even for a 6-footer seated behind another 6-footer.

The new dashboard groups most controls in an angled center section that sweeps down toward the shifter. Some testers felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of buttons and controls populating this area, especially on models equipped with the navigation system. More modestly equipped Accords have fewer, but larger-sized, buttons spread out over this same piece of real estate.

The new dashboard groups most controls in an angled center section that sweeps down toward the shifter. Some testers felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of buttons and controls populating this area.

Cabin impressions can vary widely depending on the interior's color palette. Some testers thought sedans with the Ivory color interior and its wood-grain trim had a warm, upscale ambiance. Sedans with the gray or black interiors have trim that is painted a matte silvery/gray metallic color. Some testers thought this combination looked lifeless, especially with the gray interior. Coupe interiors vary somewhat from sedans and impart a sportier feel. Materials and assembly are of generally good quality but there is no readily apparent improvement over the previous-generation car.

Sedans have a large and usefully shaped trunk, but the sickle-shaped trunk-lid hinges steal space. The rear seatback folds down, but it is a single piece unit, and it does not have the near-universally common 60/40 split. Also, there is a centered metal bracket that stands off the surface of the folded seatback and interrupts the otherwise nearly flat load floor. Some other cars have these metal brackets recessed into the seatback and placed at the outer corners where they are much less likely to cause problems with cargo.

More Power Under the Hood

Changes to the Accord continue under the hood. The 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine returns, but it is now offered in two states of tune rather than one. The V6 grows from 3.0 to 3.5 liters. Two distinct versions of the V6 are offered, but they have identical horsepower and torque numbers. The gas/electric Hybrid model is no longer offered.

Sedans have a large and usefully shaped trunk, but the sickle-shaped trunk-lid hinges steal space.

Accord LX and LX-P sedans are powered by a 177-horsepower version of the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. Buyers can choose a 5-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic transmission. In suburban driving, this engine paired with the automatic transmission had adequate power from a stop, but the transmission is slow to downshift for more power, and the car vibrated while idling at stoplights with a pronounced quake that was felt through the steering wheel. The shaky steering wheel was visually obvious to the occupant in the passenger seat.

Accord LX-S coupe, and all EX and EX-L coupe and sedan models receive a 190-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder. Again, 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmissions are offered. With the automatic, around-town response feels similar to the 177-horsepower engine, but this engine is much smoother at idle. Some testers thought this engine with the automatic really shined in highway cruising. With the smooth-shifting 5-speed manual transmission, the engine feels quite lively in suburban traffic, and the sedan's personality is transformed with a sportier edge.

All Accord coupe and sedan V6 models that are equipped with the 5-speed automatic transmission have a 268-horsepower 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6. This engine is equipped with Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) variable displacement technology. With VCM the engine can operate in 3-, 4-, or 6-cylinder modes, favoring fuel economy or power as driving conditions dictate. The smooth V6 is noticeably more powerful in everyday driving.

Accord EX-L V6 coupes with the 6-speed manual transmission are powered by a unique variant of the 3.5-liter V6 that is not equipped with VCM. The VTEC valvetrain in this engine enhances low- and mid-range performance, but peak horsepower and torque are unchanged. This combination is especially potent, though one test example had a clutch and shifter that didn't operate as smoothly as the 4-cylinder 5-speed sedan also tested.