STRIKING ACCORD (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 121

Given that we've already supplied you with a huge clue, there probably aren't too many prizes for guessing which Japanese car features a coupe variant built in Ohio and a saloon and hatchback range hailing from Swindon. The Honda Accord is a car that for many years had an image as something of a granny chariot, but the fifth generation model, built from 1998 changed all that. Here was a car that was dynamic, good looking, practical and as reliable as a Swiss watch. Used Accords are one of the best buys around - so well built they'll rarely let you down, but not so much in demand that values have gone through the roof. Well, not in the most part

Modelsword count: 64

Models Covered: Fifth generation Oct 1998 - 2002: 1.8 SALOON [S, LS, ES, SE, SE Sport, SE Executive] / 1.8 HATCHBACK [S, SE, SE Sport, SE Executive] / 2.0 SALOON [LS, ES, SE, SE Sport, SE Executive] / 2.2 SALOON [TYPE R] / 2.0 HATCHBACK SE, SE Sport, SE Executive, Type-V] / 2.3 HATCHBACK & SALOON [Type-V] / 2.0 COUPE [ES] / 3.0 COUPE

Historyword count: 264

It wasn't until the fifth generation Accord arrived in 1998 that Honda really had a full-sized class competitive car. Before that Accords had either been too small or too soft and with Korean budget cars eating into that market, the Accord had to shape up or ship out. It shaped up. In Summer 1998, the Coupe was replaced by an all-new US-built model with 2.0-litre four cylinder and V6 powerplants. The saloon range meanwhile, was replaced by an all-new Swindon-built model line-up in October 1998. This, by far the best Accord incarnation yet, offered buyers the choice of 1.8 or 2.0-litre petrol engines, plus a rorty 2.2 in the potent Type R performance variant, which reached the UK early in 1999. Later that year, trim designations for the entire range were changed and five-door hatchbacks became available, matching most saloon versions model for model. However there was no Type-R hatchback nor was there a saloon equivalent of the luxury Type-V hatch. 2001 saw a mild facelift for the Accord range with the amount of models available pared back to simplify things for the customer. That staple item of facelift targets, the front grille, was altered, with a revised 'H' badge and a smarter finish in gunmetal grey. The other facelift favourite, the bumpers, were also made deeper, giving the impression of a lower, sportier car. The rear light covers sport some rather odd horizontal white highlighting. The interior also came in for some minor fettling, with improved seat fabrics and reshaped cushions, a grey metallic instrument binnacle and some improved quality trims and grains.

What You Getword count: 353

This is a car with a disparate range of objectives. It needed the class to compete with BMW and Audi, yet be priced to sell in Ford or Vauxhall volumes. It required the cabin space to cope with a family, yet the compact looks of a sports saloon. And it also needed sufficient character to charm the enthusiast without irritating the older buyers who have bought so many Accords in the past. Given this starting point, you'd expect a compromise in all three respects, particularly from a car which can afford to offend nobody. Older Accords were always this way, usually inspiring nothing more than ambivalent feelings amongst potential owners. You couldn't think of a single reason not to own one; but you always ended up buying something else. The fifth generation car is very different. The previous model looked handsome in a bland kind of way, but modifications to the styling of the current version gave it a little more presence. Make no mistake, it's still not going to worry an Audi A4 in the visual impact stakes, but the overall look is subtly effective. Still, it's possible to see where economies have been made in order to bring you the much-vaunted engineering prowess. The S, Sport, SE and Type-R models feature Panasonic RDS cassette tuner units, which probably won't impress buyers who've dug deep for the Type-R. SE Executive and Type-V models get a superior Bose CD system. As befits a Honda product, the changes to this Accord under the skin were more than just superficial. There's a 2.3-litre four cylinder engine for the plush Type-V model. Plus revised gear ratios for the 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre models in order to boost acceleration. And chassis revision to all models (bar the already excellent Type-R). The interior still lacks a sheen of coherent design and the exterior styling won't turn any heads. Get beyond this and the Accord starts to rack up points. As Honda's advertising stresses, the engines are the stars of the show here. If you place mechanical excellence above glitzy showroom appeal, a used Accord could be just your thing.

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