In one Accord…

Spy Photos of the new Honda Accord have been leaked all over the net.

It’s shocking. The exterior design is surprising plain, and when i say plain, words cannot describe it. Lets just put it this way, it looks like a cross between a Hyundai Sonata & a Toyota Camry (Thailand model).

Anyway exterior looks aside please. The accord is powered by a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 engine that produces 268-horsepower - the most ever for any Accord - while introducing a new generation of fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) technology and achieving a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV*) rating. Whatever the hell that means, i’m not very sure.  But a 3.5 l i-VTEC V6 engine wouldn’t do really well in tight city conditions. Your gas/petrol consumption will cost as much as giving a bum your wallet to buy beer.

Inside the vehicle, the new Honda ’spaceship interior’ designs are evident once agian, and steering wheel audio controls are standard on every Accord. For the US market, 3 impressive audio systems are available - all with MP3/Windows Media Audio (WMA) playback capability and an auxiliary input jack. The standard system features 160 watts, a single-disc CD player and six speakers. Right…..that sounds normal.

The 2008 Accord Sedan also comes standard with 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers, or 16 to 17-inch aluminum wheels depending on model.

Safety stuff? Pretty standard. The 2008 Accord integrates sophisticated safety technology that includes the ACE body structure; side curtain airbags; driver’s and front passenger’s dual-chamber side airbags with a passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and dual-stage, dual-threshold driver’s and front passenger’s airbags (SRS). Nope, no fancy stuff like the safety ejection seat in 2 Fast 2 Furious. ABS, EBD and all that stuff come with it.

Hmmm, it’s time to report back to my military camp for the last phase of my training. Military units are boring, having a regimental standard for everything.  Sadly, the 2008 Honda accord just does that. It’s ruthlessly efficient and mechanical, does it’s job, but hardly stands out.