Being lower, wider and longer, Accord now looks sporty and muscular, compared to the conservative design of its predecessor. The sleekness, apparent from the side profile, complements the low, squat stance well. The front and especially the rear have been trimmed from the somewhat overweight design of old, now looking neat and tidy. Overall, Accord is powerful-looking with unmistakable road presence. Accord handles even better than its predecessor, which handled well, proving more agile and more composed through corners. The steering feels well-weighted, while grip levels are high. Honda strikes a wonderful balance between ride and handling, the latter not compromised even as the suspension is tuned softer than for most rivals. Accord now drives as sporty as it looks. The ride is soft and supple, enough to cushion the harshest of surfaces. Wind and road noise is impressively kept out of the cabin. The driver-focused cabin is easy to get comfortable in. From the multiple adjustments for seat and steering, to big, comfy front seats, and the unhindered all-round visibility, the cabin is set up for miles-crunching. The dash design however consists of quite a number of buttons and switches, all rather similar, affecting the overall ease of use. Honda has benchmarked the Accord against premium rivals, with the ambition of bringing the Honda brand more upmarket. Indeed, the classy cabin uses premium materials, finished and fitted to high standards. Honda has one of the best, if not the best, reliability record, thus the robust mechanics should stand the test of time with little problems. Three engines are available: 2.0-litre with 154 bhp, 2.4-litre with 178 bhp, and 3.5-litre V6 with 271 bhp. All engines are silky smooth, and equipped with i-VTEC, which boosts power at upper rpm range, but only the V6 benefits from the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM), which controls the number of working cylinders according to driving pattern. The 2.0-litre is actually quick enough for everyday driving, and sounds gratifying under acceleration too. The creamy 3.5-litre provides plenty of thrust with a V6 soundtrack. Five-speed automatic is mated to all three engines, although the 2.0-litre makes do without the paddle-shift. Unlike the rest of its traits, Accord's spaciousness is not class-leading. While the front head- and leg-room are excellent, and the rear headroom is similarly good, the rear legroom is compromised by the huge front seats. The rear seats are however almost as comfortable as the front two. The boot size is average, but should be more than adequate for most people. In a test sanctioned by AAM (Automobile Association of Malaysia), the 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre returned 17.0 km/litre and 17.2 km/litre respectively, which are outstanding figures. Maintenance and depreciation should be reasonable. Honda models are highly reliable, which should lower the servicing and repair costs in the long run. Wearing the Honda badge means strong residual values, especially with Accord's popularity in Malaysia. Honda Accord brings with it an array of abilities and a generous equipment list, and is keenly priced against main rivals. By that, we are referring to Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 and the similar others. But if you compare Accord against premium rivals such as Volkswagen, BMW or Audi, like Honda wants you to, we have an absolute steal on our hands. 2.0-litre gets 16" alloy wheels, front fog light, rear sensors, tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio control, dual-zone air-conditioner, and six-speaker audio system with six-CD changer (MP3 & WMA enabled). Safety kit includes dual front i-SRS airbags, ABS + EBD + BA, pretensioner seatbelts, and active headrests. 2.4-litre and 3.5-litre add 17" alloy wheels, leather interior, 8-way power driver seat, premium audio system with subwoofer, cruise control, paddle-shift, more airbags and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA). The engines offer good performance at lesser expense of the environment, as compared to the rest of the class. The 2.0-litre and 2.4-litre emit 182 g/km and 204 g/km respectively, which when placed beside the excellent fuel consumption figures makes Accord one of the “greenest” in its class.