Top Five New Cars for 2008
Honda Accord Coupe
The coupe version of the Accord is a much sportier animal than its sedan counterpart.
Although they share the same name, the coupe version of the Accord is a much sportier animal than its sedan counterpart. Part of the 2-door's unique spirit comes from its styling — it has a more powerful grille, sleeker nose and more menacing slit-like headlamps. The other part emerges from sheer size — the coupe rides on a tidier 107.9-in. wheelbase (2.3 in. shorter than the 4-door) and has an overall length of 190.9 in. compared with the sedan's 194.3 in.
Engines are shared; the base model uses a 2.4-liter four making 200 bhp and is available with a choice of 5-speed manual or automatic, while the high-performance version boasts a 3.5-liter V-6 with 273 bhp on tap. Unlike in the sedan, this engine is available with an optional 6-speed manual as well as the standard 5-speed automatic. With the manual, the V-6 dispenses with cylinder deactivation, fattening up the torque curve on its way to the 250 lb.-ft. peak at 5000 rpm. When coupled with the 18-in. wheel and tire package, the V-6 Coupe raises the fun-to-drive quotient of Accord to new levels.
