D R I V E N

Have you ever walked past a clothing store, seen a suit that looked so intriguing that you walked in and tried it out?  Then, when you put on the pants and jacket, it felt absolutely perfect?  You know just then that there's no way that you're walking out of the store without that suit in an oversized paper bag. 

Well, that hasn’t happened to me, but I imagine that would be the same feeling when I opened the door of the new Accord VTi-L and plopped into the driver's chair.  Every square centimeter of the seat felt precisely tailored: the seat cushion that extended all the way to the back of my knees, the beefy side bolstering and the firm back support.  Lower back support is so abundant that sliding the lumbar control forward of the minimum position would have given me scoliosis.  The armchair for the front passenger is just as good and it, too, has all-power adjustment.  Both seats been upgraded, of course, from the previous model. 

Much like everything else in here.  Take a look around and the entire cabin has been given the luxury massage treatment.  The black and tan color scheme hits just the right tactile and visual notes and there's plenty of room for all occupants.  The aircon and stereo controls occupy a Darth Vader-face smack in the middle of the dash.  Everything is clear and cleanly laid out.  No gimmicks or multitude of switches here—it's neither a buttonfest nor a single mouse control.  One button per function, and I hope they keep this design for Accords till kingdom come because it is perfect.  The glovebox and grab handles are softly damped and there's a recessed reading lamp for each outboard passenger.  The leather steering wheel both tilts and telescopes.  The quality of the interior can now battle with the midsize offerings from Germany and Sweden.

The traffic-stopping exterior is also a first for the Accord.  Honda has always gone for the mainstream with the Accord's looks, resulting in outer shells that are pleasant if somewhat bland.  What a change this is.  The design brief speaks 4-door S2000; walk anywhere along the front of this car and you know they've nailed it.  The low-slung fenders with the triangular lens cutouts lead to a prominently bulgy hood.  It's a pleasingly complex shape that looks best when you see it in the metal.  The boxy profile and large doors make entry and exit comfortable, and those doors now have a solid, weighty feel.

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