2008 Honda Accord Coupe - Styling Review

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Most automotive magazines and consumer auto Web sites agree that at Honda, 2008 has brought out the most refined Accord Coupe ever, with new bold styling that distinguishes it from Accords of the past.

The new 2008 Honda Accord Coupe has a larger footprint than the outgoing model. Popular Mechanics notes that it's 3 inches longer, 1.5 inches wider, and a full inch taller, which makes it roomier and more comfortable, but it's still small enough to carry the designation of being a compact car. At a quick glance, the Accord Coupe does look big, but it's more of an illusion caused by the taller, longer nose. Also notably larger are the wheels; the four-cylinder models now have 17-inch wheels, while the V-6 version gets bigger 18-inch hoops.

Cars.com and Edmunds both point out that the Coupe's hindquarters, with a distinctive kink in the C-pillar and taillights that wrap around the side of the body, are reminiscent of the BMW 5-Series. Edmunds goes on to report that the 2008 Accord Coupe "is a genuine attention-grabber, in a sporty kind of way -- something no previous version of the Accord Coupe could be accused of." Cars.com notes that at Honda, 2008 brings a Coupe with “a chiseled look that's highlighted in front by a narrow mesh grille and bulging front fenders."

Jalopnik is not as enthusiastic about the Coupe's exterior or interior esthetics, saying, "In places the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe is woefully bland, in others awkwardly edgy." While they claim that the interior is "positively posh," they're not too crazy about the grayish plastic dashboard and "cornucopia" of buttons, which are "awkwardly unintuitive" and clash with the nice leather.

Motor Trend disagrees about the Accord Coupe's cabin. "Honda has always done tight panels and high quality surfaces, but with the new Accord Coupe they've really outdone themselves." They like the look of the seamless matte finish and silver gray plastics and go on to say that "the new Accord's dash displays are MacBook Pro all the way."

TheCarConnection.com’s editors don’t find much wrong with the new Honda; 2008 brings, for the first time ever, a unique look and completely different body panels for the two-door. The two-door is markedly sleeker, with a sexy curve to the roof, and the bold character line, sweeping from front wheels to rear lamps, gives the coupe a sense of constant motion. The new Accord's cockpit is definitely among the best, too--the dashboard is laid out in a sort of dual-cockpit mode, and gauges and controls are particularly well placed.