Honda's new Accord which went on sale this month is roomier and sportier than the model it replaces, thanks to greater co-operation between Japan and this country. Motoring editor MALCOLM BAYLIS reports

Developing the new Honda Accord included an unusual amount of co-operation between the Japanese company and its UK marketing subsidiary.

Both the saloon models, and the Tourers (or estates) which will arrive in May, are built in Japan, but are designed specifically for Europe, in which the UK is the biggest national market for the Accord - especially when it comes to fleet sales, followed by Germany and Spain.

The Accord's handling has been race circuit-tuned, because export models intended for this part of the world need to have a sportier feel than those heading for North America, for example.

But it is at least as important that people from Honda in this country paid several visits to Japan, advising on UK customers' preferences in styling, trim and finish details - even what kind of sound the doors should make when they close.

They also acted as a bunch of dummies. That is, they offered themselves as six-foot real-life models, to make sure that the passenger accommodation was not designed round people at the Oriental norm of about five feet.

That has certainly worked. There is more headroom all round in the new car, while those in the back get more knee room.

Altogether, the new car is a fair bit longer, a little wider and a little higher than the one it replaces, while the front and rear track have both been eased out, although the wheelbase remains unchanged.

You can take build quality, the fit and finish of the body panels and interior trim, and the overall engineering standards for granted. Honda has not lost the plot in any of these areas.

It has also paid close attention to the aerodynamics, claiming a very competitive drag coefficient of 0.26 for the saloon.

Quiet running is increasingly important in this class, and the new Accord has much more in the way of sound insulation than the model it has replaced.

Interior textures and colouring are certainly to European tastes, with the sportier models using more in the way of metal effect trim, and the Accord has rather attractive back-lit instrumentation. The new car is also noteworthy in another way, having been designed with a long overdue proper rake and reach adjustment for the steering wheel, which is also fitted with audio controls.

Top models also have cruise control on the steering wheel.

Overall, specification levels have been increased throughout, including optional navigation system, as well as standard packages of CD-radio, and dual zone climate control air conditioning, which allows both driver and front-seat passenger to select their own preferred temperature.

Honda says the Accord's flat-floor boot provides 459 litres of luggage space and, happily, converts this into more sensible capacities such as room for four large Samsonite suitcases or even four nine-inch diameter golf bags.

At launch, with a turbodiesel to come later in the year, the choice of petrol engines is between two-litre and 2.4-litre examples of Honda's twin cam, balancer shaft i-VTEC design. These power units, of course, just love high revs, reaching and holding them with no fuss or drama.

The two-litre models have 152bhp on tap, an increase of 8bhp over the previous Accords, and using engines very much the same as the ones fitted to the Stream and CR-V. They come with five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmissions, and there is an interesting variant in the 2.0 SE manual, which is geared for improved economy (38.2mpg combined) and much lower emissions at 176g/km, noticeable improvements on the 32.1mpg and 207g/km of its counterpart in the previous range. Other two-litre trim and equipment levels are Sport and Executive.

Honda's DOHC i-VTEC technology makes its first appearance in the drive-by-wire 2.4-litre engine, which peaks at 187bhp, offers 164lb/ft of torque at 4500rpm, and with the latest six-speed manual gearbox lets the larger-capacity Executive and the 2.4-only Type S return 31.4mpg combined.

Both the 2.4-litre models are fitted with Honda's vehicle stability assist system, and the more sportingly presented Type S certainly looks the part, as well as being a quick car on varied types of road.

But that is not to talk down the two-litre models. These cars may be down on power compared with the bigger-engined types, but they do seem well balanced.

For those who like to personalise their cars with a few add-ons, accessory extras available range from sports bumpers and sports suspension, side skirts and a rear spoiler, to extra items of silver or wood-finish trim.

The cost of ownership is, of course, important, and Honda's quest for reducing accident repair bills includes special front and back structures designed to limit any impact damage spreading to the engine and to the passengers, and by sensibly positioning the tail lights above the area most commonly damaged in a rear shunt.

Passenger safety, of course, is paramount, and for the first time the Accord comes with side curtain airbags for front and rear seat passengers.

Two-litre prices start at £16,495 for the SE manual. The Sport costs £17,495 and the Executive £18,995.

With the bigger engine, the Type S is in the catalogue at £19,095 and the range tops out with the Executive at £21,095. Automatic transmission is a £1,000 extra on all models, except for the Type S, whose owners probably would not be interested.

Updated: 10:49 Friday, February 28, 2003