If you're on the hunt for a family saloon, you have a lot of choice - the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Toyota Avensis, Volkswagen Passat and also the new Audi A3 Saloon all offer a good drive for the price asked of them. The wild card in this mix is the Honda Accord, which doesn't enjoy exemplary sales compared to some of the vehicles above.
Is it really that bad?
No, the Accord is actually an excellent car. It is available with strong diesel engines and the equipment levels are generous. It also offers a good level of refinement, and the seats are incredibly comfortable on longer journeys.
It is on the move that the character of the Accord comes out to play. This is a large saloon, make no mistake, but it doesn't feel heavy and the steering is light - this is one of the most manoeuvrable saloons I have driven over the past year, and at motorway speeds road and wind noise is kept to a minimum - it is perfectly easy to have a conversation without shouting at 70+ mph.
The version I recommend is the 2.2 i-DTEC 150 ES GT 4dr. You can get this Honda Accord from Vertu Honda Boston. It features a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine that develops 148 bhp and 258 lb /ft of torque. It will return 53.3 mpg on a combined cycle according to Honda, and it emits 138g/km of CO2, which translates to a yearly road tax of £125, which isn't bad at all for a car of this size.
I recommend that you avoid the 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine in the Accord because it simply doesn't suit the car all that well, plus it has worse fuel efficiency.
In ES trim, the Accord gets cruise control, climate control, electric heated power folding mirrors, CD player, MP3 / iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and split/fold rear seats as standard. This is a good amount of equipment for the price - the 2.2 i-DTEC 150 ES GT 4dr has an on the road price of £25,915.
Overall
The Honda Accord is a reliable and comfortable family saloon. It isn't as luxurious as a Volkswagen Passat, nor does it have the badge appeal of an Audi or a BMW, but it is a worthy competitor to the likes of the Toyota Avensis, Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia - if you want to be a little different, the Honda Accord will suit you well. Just make sure that you pick your engine right - some are powerful and strong, but they don't offer good fuel efficiency.
Ultimately, there are many competitors to the Accord. I recommend test driving one to see if it is right for you.
