2008 Honda Accord Coupe vs 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse vs 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe - 2008 Honda Accord Coupe - Comparison

2008 Honda Accord Coupe EX-L

"Here's the Accord I know and love," crackles St. Antoine's voice over the radio, midway through his 40-minute stint in the Ojai canyons.

And there's a lot to love about the Accord. At 190.0 inches, it's 8.4 inches longer than the Altima and a whopping 11.2 inches longer than the Eclipse, with similar disparity between the wheels as well. All this extra length contributes to a much more open and airy interior, and not just for the pilot and copilot; rear seat room is impressive in this five-seater.

About the only interior criticism is the button-crazy dash; Kiino thinks the Nissan instrument panel has a cleaner, more logical layout. There's no argument the Honda's materials and fit and finish are luxurious in comparison with the others.

This richness permeates throughout the Accord and can be found in unusual places such as the engine bay. Honda is one of the few manufacturers that refuse to hide the engine under yards of plastic covers. Why would it, when it has a V-6 that looks as good as it performs?

"The Accord's V-6 is just phenomenal. Torques up well from low revs, but really runs once VTEC snaps to the performance cam," says St. Antoine. Throttle response and the engine sounds at wide-open throttle are also key; the engine's quick reactions and auditory assault let you know when you're driving it hard.

Like the six-speed manual transmission, this 3.5-liter V-6 engine is exclusive to the coupe-the sedan's six has the cylinder-deactivating VCM system that helps it get better fuel economy. Still, with an observed 17.3-mpg rating, after hours of full-throttle canyon runs and highway cruising, the Accord beats both at the pump, especially because it's the only one that doesn't require premium unleaded.

At the track, the Accord is the biggest winner, picking up every category except braking. St. Antoine sums it up nicely: "Nissan's chassis is a little better sorted over really big whoop-di-doos-the Accord tends to bottom out and then completely uncompress upon rebound. Otherwise, I'd give the edge to the Honda. It has immense front-end grip, and though the Altima carves more precisely the Accord actually tracks through high-g stuff better. Suspension almost never wiggles out of line; it's confidence-inspiring."

The same can be said about the looks: "Styling is worlds better than the sedan version: Headlamps lie flush, wheel arches flare nicely, large trunk is well hidden by the sweep and tuck of the roofline-hard to beat this one," continues St. Antoine. In the waning light of our sunset photo shoot, even the last holdout, Kiino, has to agree that the Accord simply looks more luxurious. The sun's last rays catch the Accord's lines, creases, and chrome in ways that just aren't possible with the Altima's black plastic and character-free curves.