An agreeable day in the Honda Accord

THE word

‘accord’ means

‘agreement’ and I must say that I had a very agreeable few days in the 2.2 litre diesel version of the Honda Accord Type S which I tested last week.

I had driven a petrol version of the Accord some time back, but this was my first time to drive the powerful diesel version.

Honda has been building the Accord since 1976 and there have been many different models for different continents. It was the first Japanese car to be built in the US in 1982 and the current model is the eight generation.

This is huge, comfortable motor with a very attractive front. A mechanic told me the front reminded him of a Cadillac and showed me photographs of a iconic US car to prove his point.

The front is certainly attractive, but it’s also a bit low and you

need to be careful if parking tight against a kerb or you may pick up a few scrapes. The first thing you notice when you sit is the way your back and shoulders fits snugly into the driver’s seat. I don’t think I have ever experienced anything as comfortable. And with the automatic controls it should be easy to find a comfortable position. Hard to believe that my front seat passenger and I still appreciated the heated front seats, even in the month of May. There is plenty of interior space as Honda competes well against the likes of BMW and Audi with this luxury saloon.

The dash is dominated by the Sat Nav. Underneath you have the radio controls which are very well laid out and easy to use. And as we came to the end of the English Premier League this motorist found that the BBC 5Live reception on the medium wave was excellent. Then there is the sporty-looking steering wheel to with various slave controls. The alloy pedals add to the charm of the car and you also get an alloy foot-rest. An USB/iPod connector is located near the handbrake which makes it easily accessible for front or back seat passengers.

Those of us who have experience of driving should know when to change gears. In case you forget to change gears in the six-gear Accord you a green light in the middle of the rev counter prompting you to go up or down a gear as required. You also get a reversing camera in this model, so every need is catered for.

Naturally there is plenty of power in the 2.2 litre engine and you won’t be left behind in the mad dash from the traffic lights. And if need to overtake, the Accord certainly won’t let you down. Plenty of power, but I also found this diesel version very frugal. The boot is massive, but no spare wheel, just a repair kit. I have driven the new Honda Civic earlier this year. The Accord is more powerful and more expensive and it doesn’t have the Civic’s annoying split rear window.

Honda’s advertising strap line is the

‘Power of Dreams’ and you could fulfil some of your dreams if you can find the money to buy this motor, which could be described as a very attractive non-German option for families and fleet operators. The Accord Type S which comes in tax Band C or

?¬330 per annum will cost you

?¬40,220.