Godwhacker

I was driving down the PA Turnpike, almost to the Ohio line when I looked in my rearview mirror and thought I saw the front end of a Ridgeline. I then realized that it was too low to the ground to be a ridgeline....its the new Accord!

Looking in my rearview, I thought that the front end looked pretty cool....a bit boxy, masculine...kind of like a smaller version of the Ridgeline's. I decided to slow down and let him pass me to get a better look..



The car completely changed. The sides have an odd groove in them, simliar to the TL, but deeper and curved at the ends slightly. Then the rear end. Completely made of curves and not a straight line to be had. So it starts with a masculine, sharp edged front and ends with a feminine curvy butt...Ugh!!! Like a Hundai Elantra melted into a Caddy.

The car looks like it was made by committee. Whoever designed the front end didn't design the back end (and maybe a third did the sides?). I have never seen the exterior of a car so poorly sytled.

My thought was "I hope the same design team doesn't get ahold of the third gen RL!!!" I hope that maybe the RL design will stick more to the front end style of this new Accord, but forget everything from the hood on back.

dwboston

I think it looks pretty good.

TampaRLX-SH

I would agree with most of your points Godwhacker. I am not enamored with the new Accord either. I agree with your points on the styling cues. It is less noticeable on darker colors. I think it looks awful in white. My previous comment is that it appears like a Hyundai design attempting to mimic a BMW.

I am not fond of the snub nose that is returning in car designs. Apparently it is part of the pedestrian friendly (ier) impact crumple zones. It allows the nose and hood to absorb more impact with a pedestrian. It is a requirement in Europe now and Honda has moved toward this design philosophy before it was mandated. But they hardly promote it in the USA. I've read that there is expectation to export the US Accord to Europe (maybe to supplant the LEGEND as the top Honda model. Then which the LEGEND may become exclusively an Acura RL if the Acura brand ever gets exported). The higher hoodline may also allow for the pending diesels. If the Odyssey and Ridgeline get the 3.5 diesels, I would expect it to be also available to the RL & MDX, and eventually the Accord.

I laughed my but off reading an MSN Auto board where an entusiastic poster boasted the new Accord is simply a de-contented RL minus SHAWD. If there is any model that will be more similar, it will be the TL.

Although the LEGEND is a JDM product, likely it had styling input from Acura. The Accord is a US design from Honda NA. I don't think that would translate UP to the Acura brand. I would think Acura styling cues would translate DOWN to Honda products (as noted in the Accord interior). And yet they need to differentiate the brands, so sharing styling is a tricky matter. Especially with cross branded models.

Other than size, engine block size (i.e. 3.5 V6), some interior electronics, the Accord is far from an RL, maybe closer to the TL. This Accord is benefiting SOME from our RL and the TL - now 3+ years downstream. The next RL will likely leapfrog ahead both the Accord and TL and eventually trickle down to the next gen Accord with the TL closer still.

Now I have a headache!

TampaRLX-SH

That is a picture with more flattering angles. But looking down the flanks, the tail curves inward, as Godwhacker mentions, like an Elantra. Also, I find the front & rear overhangs too much. Likely it is nearly identical to the RLs, but the taller nose accentuates the front overhang much more than the RL and the extra 2 inches over the RL must be in the rear. To me it LOOKS like much more overhang than the RL.

I guess the harmony and flow of the RL design is what I love about it and the gripes of boring styling resulted in this Accord?

dwboston

I've seen the car in person (from all angles) and I still think it looks pretty good. It's all personal preference.

TampaRLX-SH

LuvMyTSX

I also still have yet to see one in person. In some pics, I like it, in others, not so much. So I'll just hold off final judgment till I see one in person. And even then, things have a way of growing on me over time.

Roy Cya

Not to be too much of a non-conformer (or piss anybody off!), but it sort off looks like a Saturn, or a Hyundai Sonata... Sorry!

Later,

dug-mac

I agree that the style seems somewhat derivative. I see the Ridgeline in the grill, Camry in the front headlight area, the Hyundai Sonata in overall stance, some model of Saturn in the back with a hint of BMW 5 series for good measure... I guess it is asking a lot of a manufacturer to come up with something completely different, though I think Acura did well with the 3rd Gen of the TL...

neuronbob

I like the new Accord. Planning on test-driving it soon just to get the new-car jollies out of me. I'm sure the leather will be as cheap as in our Pilot.

It's not fugly like the 7G Accord. If you want ugly, THAT was ugly, almost as if the designers had been drunk on the job.

The RL will look nothing like the Accord, unless Acura wants to commit suicide.

jhr3uva90

The RL had NO input from Acura. In fact, Japan made up the design and proposed it to Acura in North America as the design for the TL. Acura rejected the design and came up with their own for the TL. Honda Japan took their design and used it for the Legend/RL instead.

If Honda North America (studios in CA) designed the new Accord, I doubt of they will influence Honda Japan, who will most likely design the next Legend/RL like they designed the previous generations.

PortlandRL

What's wrong with the Hyundai Sonata? Better looking car than the Camry, that's for sure.

kirbyflorida

I drove the 4 cylinder, it was really nice for what it is but not EVEN close to the feel of the RL.
I am sure the 6 will be quieter but for those looking for a cheap RL, I say spend the entra money and get Honda's best car.

It will sell VERY well IMO, which is good for my Honda stock.

They get 60 mpg on a test diesel Accord in Europe which I believe is coming next year 09.

Godwhacker

Certainly personal preference no doubt. Its odd, again, at certain angles, when you don't see the discongruency (is that even a word??? ) between the front and back ends, it doesn't look bad, but when you see it in 3 dimensions rolling down the road...

I know I have a preference for cars with pronounced or large rear end (I know....I like big butts, what can I say?) especially up high. I don't like the downsloping rear. For example, I much preferred the Accord mid gen redesign for the back end, which was a bit blockier, than the initial, more sloped back. This new accord needs more.....er....back...

I think the other disappointment is that I do like the front end quite a bit. I think they could have had a very powerful looking car if they had kept those cues throughout the vehicle.

Roy Cya

Nothing wrong with it at all! It's actually a decent car and rides surprisingly well. Don't get me started on the Cam-ImUgly-ry...

I just think that if you want to imitate you should look up not down..... Again, not meant as a diss on folks who own the Sonata or the Camry for that matter, just one man's opinion, and as you all know we all have one..... opinion that is!!!!

Later,

Mokos23

I like it more than the 2003-2007 Accord sedan. The 2003-2005 rearend of the sedan was ugly!

MIKEYDRED

I agree but the leds were nice which didn't make it to the new geneartion

Nutshell

its ok looking. ive seen a few in different colors, it sounds weird but black makes it look a little better. i do agree that there is a big hyundai/ridgeline influence. my biggest probelm with not just this car but most new cars is the fender setup..it seems everyone is "shaving" the edge of the fender around the wheel..as if it were cut off from a mold or something..also the taillights on the accord are gross.

dug-mac

Even though the styling is an amalgam of several cars I still think it is attractive overall. I read a review in Motor Trend comparing the Accord with the Camry. This one is really a no-brainer. The Accord just looks richer and I suspect handles much better. The Camry will still probably out sell it (because Toyota is synonymous with reliability for the non-enthusiast), but it appears Honda has widened the gap between the Accord and Camry...

123456SPEED

Eyeballed the 08 Accord in the metal today. Busy design with too many details IMO, does not have that simple Honda look to me. Most buyers will probably like it okay.
Hope it sells well, Acura needs the money to bring out new Acuras.

Mike_TX

You know, I've heard this before, and I still have some doubts. The reason is that the current Gen RL looks a LOT like the previous one, just updated. I find it difficult to believe Honda/Acura would take something so RL-looking and badge it as the TL. What the heck would they have done for an RL if they did?

I'm not saying you're making this up or anything, but I kinda believe it's urban legend that's become accepted as true.

As for the Accord, the current commercial Honda is running makes it look really good. It's in a dark color, and it's shown mainly from a bird's eye view angle. Interesting that they don't show the rearend, though.

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PortlandRL

Sorry...I'm just tired of the Hyundai flack I usually get from people. I didn't think you were busting on them but it's hard to tell anymore.

I agree though, the Accord looks like it was designed by three different people; one guy did the front, one did the sides, and another did the back. Not very smoothly executed.

jhr3uva90

Actually, I am basing this on a Wall Street Journal article I read about 2 years ago. Maybe the article can be found in the archives.

jhr3uva90

Couldn't find the WSJ article, so here's another one:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06117/685633-185.stm

I love how they imply that the design is the reason why the RL hasn't sold well in the US.

lumpulus

I saw a car carrier load of these last week...they look better in person, IMHO,than on the website. The coupe, however, looks a but too much like a Tiberon(sp)

Mike_TX

"For the Acura TL, Japanese executives were leaning toward a low-risk design drawn up by a team in Japan, a round-edged look intended to appeal to older buyers. But at a planning meeting at Honda's U.S. headquarters in Torrance, California, Erik he meeting, heeded the Americans. That new version of the TL is now the best-selling car in the Acura lineup. Honda also released a version of the more conservative Japanese design as the Acura RL, and it hasn't sold well in the U.S."

Thanks for the reference, and I see your point. I wish we could see the original TL version, so we could see how much it was altered when it was turned into the RL.

I was behind a 1st Gen RL just the other day, and it's obvious to me the current one is an evolution of that design ... a massive one, but an evolution nevertheless, so they appear to have "RL-ized" the design before releasing it.

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Rob L

Agreed that the new Accord is fugly

RL06tech

I really agree with the comitee thing, the design is discohesive, the rear overhang looks like straight out of a 70's impala. The trunk is huge but by god why couldn't they have increased the wheel base to push those rear wheels closer to the bumper????? There is at least 4 inches of extra ass back there! Now instead of boring its ugly too bad.

NavyDoc333

Just followed one home from work... I had read this thread first...so I was inspecting it for all of the 'imperfections' pointed out on here. I don't particularly like the headlights, or tail-lights... dual exhaust would be better (maybe I just saw a 4cyl..and the 6 has dual?)

Much more angular... I do hope that the next RL goes more 'sleek' ...low and wide... and not angular. Maybe they're looking at the success Caddy has had...and trying to follow suit.

g_vros77

I just watched the new Accord commercials yesterday and the rear tailights from the side reminded me of RL.

I don't think they look too bad but I think I'll give a slight edge to Camry in terms of exterior design, especially SE with the ground effects. Interior-wise, I think Accord wins, especially with the Navi. Very Acura like.

Godwhacker

Im not a fan of the Camry's styling either.

In that same class, really the only one that I think is nicely styled exterior wise is the Altima (especially the coupe).

I guess I am also surprised, given the styling of the new Civic, that the new Accord really doesn't look much similar. I like the Civic's styling.

Qatar

Today i had a chance to see the 08 Accord in person, and i agree with whoever said that the car is ugly. I want everyone to stand by the rear right door and look at the headlight, it sticks out too much that it looks like a bug. I'm not a Camry fan, but Toyota won as far as design, but the Accords interior is Nissan/Toyota killer

gavine

I came out of Lowes on Saturday to find a new Accord parked next to my RL. The Accord is nice but it's not even in the same league as the RL. I looked at the two from different angles and distances. I wish I had a camera and took pictures of them side-by-side for you all.

I'm sure it will sell very well and it's 100% nicer than the previous Accord.

Also, I like the "Hold on Tight to your Dreams" song in the ads. It gives a sense of comfort about the car. Most car ads lately use popular songs but Acura doesn't for some reason. I'm not sure when the trend started but I'm thinking it was the Nissan Xterra with that Lenny Kravitz song....can't think of it off-hand..."Fly Away" maybe?

gavine

I noticed that headlight thing too. I didn't like it. It's definitely noticeable, almost to the point that I don't think it was an accident.