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EXPERT RATING
8.0
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
3 Nov 2011
3 min read
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When you've hit the mark with a new car, as Honda did with the Accord Euro in 2003, there's little reason to make major changes to it.

So, when it came to renewing it in 2008 Honda chose an evolutionary approach rather than a radical one. The new Accord Euro was longer, wider with a wider track, and sat lower, which gave it a much more stable grasp on the road.

A stiffer body and a new rear suspension helped make it more agile and responsive. Inside, it was roomy enough in the front, but lacked space for rear seat passengers who wanted to stretch out.

One engine was offered, it was a 2.4-litre double overhead camshaft four-cylinder pumping out a useful 148 kW and 230 Nm, which was slightly more than was on tap in the previous model.

Performance was, let's say, sufficient. It wasn't blindingly fast,but was smooth and unfussed with either the six-speed manual gearbox or five-speed automatic that were the available transmission choices. Three models were offered, the base model Euro, the Euro Luxury and the Euro Luxury Navi.

All were well equipped, even the base model, which had cruise, auto air, 10-speaker CD sound, reach-and-rake steering adjustment, active head rests, power mirrors and windows, and cloth trim.

Climb one step on the model ladder and you got the Luxury with sunroof, leather trim, heated seats, eight-way power seats, rain-sensing wipers, fog lights, and front and rear parking sensors. Step up further, to the Luxury Navi and you drove away with an Alpine navigation system, Bluetooth readiness and a reversing camera.

IN THE SHOP

The Accord Euro is well built and to date is proving to be reliable in the field. There's a lack of complaint to Carsguide from owners confirming the car's reputation for reliability. Servicing is a must with Hondas; they don't appreciate being neglected in that area so ask to see a service record. Check also for evidence of a crash, particularly where the repairs haven't been up to scratch.

IN A CRASH

ANCAP handed the Accord Euro four stars out of a possible five, but it was still well equipped with safety features with dual front   airbags, head airbags, side front airbags, ABS brakes and stability   control.

UNDER THE PUMP

The claimed average of 8.9 L/100 km is quite good for its class and size, but the recommended 95-octane fuel requirement takes some of the gloss off.

AT A GLANCE

Price new: $34,990 to $44,990
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder petrol; 148 kW/230 Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual; 5-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Economy: 8.9 L/100 km
Body: 4-door sedan Variants: Euro, Euro Luxury,Euro Luxury Navi
Safety: 4-star ANCAP

Honda Accord Euro 2008: Euro

Engine Type Inline 4, 2.4L
Fuel Type Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency 8.9L/100km (combined)
Seating 5
Price From $5,060 - $7,370
Graham Smith
Contributing Journalist
With a passion for cars dating back to his childhood and having a qualification in mechanical engineering, Graham couldn’t believe his good fortune when he was offered a job in the Engineering Department at General Motors-Holden’s in the late-1960s when the Kingswood was king and Toyota was an upstart newcomer. It was a dream come true. Over the next 20 years Graham worked in a range of test and development roles within GMH’s Experimental Engineering Department, at the Lang Lang Proving Ground, and the Engine Development Group where he predominantly worked on the six-cylinder and V8 engines. If working for Holden wasn’t exciting enough he also spent two years studying General Motors Institute in America, with work stints with the Chassis Engineering section at Pontiac, and later took up the post of Holden’s liaison engineer at Opel in Germany. But the lure of working in the media saw him become a fulltime motorsport reporter and photographer in the late-1980s following the Grand Prix trail around the world and covering major world motor racing events from bases first in Germany and then London. After returning home to Australia in the late-1980s Graham worked on numerous motoring magazines and newspapers writing about new and used cars, and issues concerning car owners. These days, Graham is CarsGuide's longest standing contributor.
About Author
Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication. Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.
Pricing Guide
$4,999
Lowest price, based on third party pricing data.
For more information on
2009 Honda Accord
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