Honda stylists attempted to give the Accord the profile of a cheetah. This isn't easy to repeat without raised eyebrows; however its truth may be mostly a measure of what it means to be a mid-size sedan nowadays. And although no one is going to look at the Accord and say, "Yikes, that looks just like a cheetah!" with a little imagination (and suggestion) you can suspend disbelief.

Although the styling is totally redesigned, the changes are gentle enough that no one will be shocked. The Sedan and Coupe share no sheetmetal whatsoever, although their faces do look alike. They feature a sharpened nose and angular headlamps, reminiscent of an Acura RSX. The corners and sides of both bodies are carefully sculpted with a combination of concave and convex angles, in this attempt to achieve a muscular and agile look, with subtle and unique three-dimensional window glass, also intended to reduce wind noise.

There's been a vast and impressive amount of attention to detail in this redesign, with more new parts than in any of the previous five redesigns. For example, the aerodynamically efficient sideview mirrors are one of the results of the wind tunnel testing.

The drag coefficient is 0.30, a big jump compared to 0.33 in 2002. The length of 189.5 inches is only 0.1 inch longer than the '02 Accord, but the wheelbase has been increased by one inch and width by 1.2 inches. The bottom of the rear bumper has been lowered by one inch, and the sculpted wheelwells have a smaller gap around the tires. The roof has been raised by 0.4 inch, but the car looks lower, thanks in part to a sleeker A pillar. The new roof allows more headroom: 0.4 inch more in the front, 0.8 inch in the rear.

Cheetahs aside, the Coupe is a completely different beast. Its flanks and rear deck are much more shapely, flowing naturally and gracefully from the roofline. Its dimensions are virtually identical to the '02 Coupe, but the high beltline, sweeping door lines, sleek roofline and smooth rear fenders give it striking good looks, especially in red. It yields a very aerodynamic 0.29 drag coefficient (0.32 last year) and makes even the upscale Acura CL look dated (a problem to be solved by a new CL, in the works).

Under the skin, the new unibody is 27 percent stiffer in torsional rigidity, which Honda boasts makes it stiffer than the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and A6, and even the Mercedes S-Class. The doors are built using a new and unique method, invented for the Accord that makes them lighter and much stronger than before. You can clearly hear the quality in the sound when you close them. And feel it in the extremely light touch to open the trunk.

A new front subframe, with hydroformed elements (a state-of-the-art method to create complex shapes from high-strength steel), is designed to reduce noise and vibration from the engine and front suspension. It's also designed to slide back a few inches under the passenger compartment in a head-on crash, which better dissipates forces.

There's also a sophisticated new engine mounting system, designed not only reduce vibration and tighten handling, but to complement the subframe's crash behavior. Honda engineers are particularly proud of the fact that the 2003 Accord with side airbags is expected to achieve the industry's five-star crash rating in front, rear and side collisions, along with only the more expensive Volvo S60 and Lexus IS300.