What’s new?
Mild styling updates for 2006, including new front and rear bumper, grille, bonnet, headlights and sill detail.
The saloon also gets new tail lights, but the Tourer (estate) keeps the old ones. Both body styles get a new dashboard design with three-dial cluster and exotic new lighting. There’s also a thicker steering wheel and a new design of gearlever knob for both autos and manuals.
A new option (on 2.4 EX models) is the availability of a Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) plus Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). And all Accords can now have a new voice recognition sat-nav system with traffic density info built in.
What’s it like?
As competent as the old Accord, and a bit better-looking.
LKAS uses forward-facing cameras to spot lane lines on the road and keep the car within them. While your hands are on the wheel, the system guides the car on a straight course, but it can be easily overridden by the driver.
And it’s not a hands-free system. Sensors detect minute driver inputs, but if these stop LKAS emits a beep. The ACC cruise is as efficient and ideal for the UK as other radar-based systems.
Should I buy one?
Certainly, as long as you can hack the fairly high prices and the probable lack of a discount. This is a fine car and a class-leader made better.
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