Click for High-Res Photo Gallery: 2008 Honda Accord

Click for High-Res Photo Gallery: 2008 Honda Accord Coupe

My local gourmet shop has an entire wall covered with all the different flavors of ice cream, sorbets and gelatos it offers. Yet despite the exotic offerings, vanilla is still one of the store's biggest sellers. So why should we be surprised to see the same thing in the midsize automotive market, where "plain vanilla" offerings, like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, have consistently dominated the sales charts, year-after-year?

Surprisingly, it's the automakers who seem most worried about being viewed as little more than automotive appliances. With the launch of its most recent Camry, Toyota tried to introduce a bit more styling flair while also upgrading both performance and handling. Now, it's Honda's turn.

With the imminent debut of its eighth-generation Accord, the Japanese maker is hoping to ramp up the flavor quotient. As TheCarConnection.com discovered, during a preview in Boston , Honda's new mid-size sedan is decidedly more interesting to look at, with a bolder, yet cleaner overall look, starting with its aggressive new nose, and flaired wheel wells.

Notably, Honda has chosen to give the Accord Coupe a unique look, for the first time fitting it with completely different body panels. The buzzword, sporty, is quick to the lips, but it's more than just a catchphrase. The two-door is markedly sleeker, with a sexy curve to the roof, the bold character line, sweeping from front wheels to rear lamps, giving the coupe a sense of constant motion.

Under the skin, both vehicles benefit from much-desired improvements to chassis, powertrain, and running gear. Though we were disappointed to learn that Honda overestimated its original horsepower numbers, our time behind the wheel revealed some real performers about to roll into showrooms across the U.S.