familiar to previous Honda owners. The quality of the materials is excellent, and,

like the exterior, the fit and finish are outstanding.

There is plenty of legroom in the front and rear. Headroom is good in the front,

though tall folks might find it lacking in the rear.

Some drivers may wish for a seat height adjuster because the Accord sits low. However,

that is a feature only available on the EX model.

The cloth-covered front buckets of the tested model were comfortable and supportive,

much improved from past generations of Accords. Like so many midsize cars, the rear

seats technically can accommodate three adults, but the center position is not

comfortable for the third person.

Except for the center rear position, all seats have 3-point safety belts.

Unfortunately, they require a separate locking clip to secure a child safety seat.

The low cowl and thin roof pillars provide good visibility to the front and sides,

always a strong suit in Honda designs. Also in typical Honda fashion, the controls and

gauges are logical, easy to locate and easy to operate. Our only complaint was the

small horn buttons in the steering wheel spokes, which are hard to locate in an

emergency, due to the driver airbag. On any vehicle, we prefer to be able to push the

steering wheel hub and have the horn blow.

The trunk, now much easier to access thanks to a larger opening, can easily

accommodate a few suitcases and a couple of duffel bags. The rear seatback can fold

down to expand the trunk even further. However, the locking release is inconveniently

placed in the middle of the rear package shelf.