New 2008 Honda Accord Revealed In Depth (147 Photos)

[Rich]

more info and pictures:

http://www.worldcarfans.com/2070821....ealed-in-depth

For the past 32 years the Honda Accord has been known for its conservative styling and somewhat muted driving experience. However in the U.S., for young couples and empty nesters, who are the ones most attracted to the Accord, these aren't the most important attributes. Instead, they seek quality, reliability and high resale value which has resulted in the Accord being in the top 5 best selling vehicle list for almost 20 years. In other words, the Accord accounts for nearly one-fifth of all midsize vehicles (approx. 2 million per year) sold in the U.S. But for enthusiast the words “dull” and “boring” still come to mind. Perhaps, that's all about to change.

Honda has made the Accord bigger, sportier and more powerful. No longer is the Accord sedan being classified as a midsize car according to EPA standards but rather a large vehicle with 3 more inches in length, 1.1 inches in width and 0.9 inches in height. With design contributions from Honda design studios in Italy, German, Japan and the U.S., styling gets a bit edgy with aggressive looking front and rear ends, never offered before optional 17 and 18-inch wheels as well as a touch of sophistication with some of BMW's flame surfacing down the side. With a 3.5 liter V6 engine producing 268 horsepower, never before has the Accord received such a powerful engine. For a tiny bit more fuel savings, cylinder deactivated or Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) gets upgraded to include a 4 cylinder mode in addition to the existing 3 and 6 cylinder modes of last year's model.

Honda seems to be positioning the Accord slightly upmarket without alienating their existing crowd. In the press release below, Honda uses words like “bold, upscale, sophisticated and prestigious”. Although, somewhat ambitious to be pushing the Honda name into the fast lane with the premium marques, it could serve to be a shrewd move. Styling and performance are the key, and its appears the Accord is making a credible attempt.

the front reminds me of an elantra.

[Mirage85]

The coupe isnt too bad, it isnt too good either, but it isnt too bad.

[cardude007617]

holy crap that thing is ugly.
-wait, i just said an adjective OTHER THAN boring and nothing special when it comes to honda........

[Exodus]

I think if you throw a nice looking kit on the coupe, it'll be more appealing. The sedan is a lost hope.......

[notsoaveragej0e]

Blah. Nothing special, per norm. However, I am sure the press will give it rave reviews and question GM as to why they don't have anything so groundbreaking...

[cardude007617]

Originally Posted by Exodus

I think if you throw a nice looking kit on the coupe, it'll be more appealing. The sedan is a lost hope.......

but out of the 10,000 boring people that will buy one, how many are going to go thru all that?

[stillriza]

wow..i liked the current generation coupe better than this.

[Exodus]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

but out of the 10,000 boring people that will buy one, how many are going to go thru all that?

Very true

[cardude007617]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Very true

i mean im sorry to completely rag on your last statement but you know hardly anyone is willing to do it.
ughhhh just another generation of boring old hondas

[Mirage85]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

i mean im sorry to completely rag on your last statement but you know hardly anyone is willing to do it.
ughhhh just another generation of boring old hondas

Yet they still have great resale value.... I still can't figure that one out.... There are tons of them on the road, and they aren't that special, yet they hold their value better than most other brands.... doesn't make sense to me.

[Pontiac Ninja]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

i mean im sorry to completely rag on your last statement but you know hardly anyone is willing to do it.
ughhhh just another generation of boring old hondas

wow, you talk alot..... ..........not a bad thing, just caught me off guard in this thread for some reason.
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Not what I was expecting to see from Honda on this. The last 2 generations of Accord have been better, thats just sad.....

[cardude007617]

but at least we still win at trucks. i'd NEVER EVERRRR buy a japanese truck; would just feel wrong and wimpy of me. theres nothing like a chevy silverado or ford f-150, its a "man's truck" and a japanese pick up is like a "wannabe man's truck"

[cardude007617]

Originally Posted by Pontiac Ninja

wow, you talk alot..... ..........not a bad thing, just caught me off guard in this thread for some reason.
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Not what I was expecting to see from Honda on this. The last 2 generations of Accord have been better, thats just sad.....

you thought i'd be suckered into all the honda craze being 17? you wouldnt get me to own a honda. hell, i coulda gotton a civic si prbly instead of the grand am; but civics are boring. a grand am is somewhat different and more fun i think. touche?

[silvercoupe]

Some people like efficiency. we have a 3.4 motor with 175 HP, and they have a 3.0 with over 200 and will get better MPG with an engine that will probably last alot longer. the coupe's will sell like crazy.. here in New York, you see te new gen accord AT LEAST once in every block. and they are really reliable which is why they hold their value. its very simple. I knew someone who had an acura legend for a couple of years and only spent $50 on maintenance. and yeah, you might say that some of you dont have problems with your GA's, but with Japs, its much more common. most people dont want to be bothered by checking coolat levels every other week in fear of a lim leak, (even though you just got it fixed),, you digg?

,, bottom line,, Honda makes a good car, especially with the Accord, and its at a very decent price too. stop knocking it

(I own a GA,,, i like it,, but i like honda's too)

[notsoaveragej0e]

Originally Posted by Mirage85

Yet they still have great resale value.... I still can't figure that one out.... There are tons of them on the road, and they aren't that special, yet they hold their value better than most other brands.... doesn't make sense to me.

It is all about perceived value. Americans have a perception that Lexus > Cadillac, and Honda > Pontiac/Chevy/etc. Studies (done by agencies not related to GM) have shown that while in reality GM vehicles last just as long as, and have less problems than imports, people have this idea that imports are still better. This is one of the upcoming hurdles that GM will be focusing their advertising and marketing efforts on.

The best part, is that the same studies were done in the UK, and American brands were dead even with "import" brands... the study spoke for itself.

[notsoaveragej0e]

Originally Posted by cardude007617

but at least we still win at trucks. i'd NEVER EVERRRR buy a japanese truck; would just feel wrong and wimpy of me. theres nothing like a chevy silverado or ford f-150, its a "man's truck" and a japanese pick up is like a "wannabe man's truck"

point and case to my last statement.

[Exodus]

I wont care how long my next car will last b/c I dont plan on buying/financing any time soon, I plan on leasing for several years. I will not be owning a car for no more than 35,000 miles usually when things start to go wrong-I want a new car every couple of years at least for now.

[cardude007617]

and to add to your point^; who keeps their cars SO long that a honda or whatever prooves to be long lasting? not many buy the car new and keep it to over 200,000 miles... i think they call that the american way why fix it when you can by another

[SilverEcstasy]

Front end= looks like the Honda SUV
Interior Shift Knob= looks like the G35/350z gear shift
Dashboard= looks like the dash design of the Honda Van

[SilverEcstasy]

Dash Similarities


Gear shift knob from Z, looks just like the Accord's


As far as the body lines, I can see the Ridgeline in the Accord design. It's not uncommon though for manufacturers to do this. I see the Escalade EXT designs in the new STS. Lemme find pics.