Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong mechanically. Although, the transmission is a bit and when I mean a bit, I mean like 1 percent of the time if not less... funky. It's hard to explain but it miss-shifts? It might be all in my head. A few squeaks and rattles, odd for a recent vehicle...

General Comments:

It is pretty quick. It has good acceleration. Honda makes very good engines. It is not designed for racing, but man that Vtec kicks in good!

The ride is good although the seats could be more comfortable. It gets decent gas mileage. The driving position is not so good, a weird angle if you're a tall person like myself.

It handles well.

Faults:

After I purchased the car as a certified used car, I found out that a torque converter had been replaced. I only found out because I requested the dealer to check the transmission, because in my opinion it did not shift according to factory specifications. Shifts were accompanied by the feeling of pull or lurch, and on occasion jerks, and this is usually most prominent in cold weather. Of course the answer was that there is no error code. Honda of America wasn't very helpful either, they told me to go to another dealership. The problem in New York City is that honesty is a commodity in short supply, so not much choice. There is a significant discrepancy (>15%) between official fuel consumption data and real world data (16/25 vs 20/29). I suspect Honda just can't make transmissions than can be smooth, which is partly to blame on the design. I am yet to see a Honda transmission that can change gears without jerking and whining.

General Comments:

My second car is 1997 Toyota Avalon. It is old, but frankly I haven't really noticed any significant leap forward in technology (apart from the satellite radio or sheet metal structure). The Avalon had 4 gears, no grade logic control, but it still changed gears in a silky smooth fashion. The engine was quiet, 31 mpg on highway and 3.0 200hp/200 torque V6, impeccable car.

I admit the handling of the Accord is superb and it drives as if made out of carbon fiber, but it comes at a price. The suspension is stiffer, and will likely cause the driver to attend physical therapy in the future.

The aesthetics of the interior is nice, almost Teutonic, suits my taste. I admit I had great expectations before I bought this car, and Honda let me down again. My very first car was an 1991 Accord and its Achilles heel was the transmission. I see that despite 16 years Honda still doesn't know how to make good, reliable transmissions. Their engineers' diplomas should be revoked. This is my 2nd and last Honda.

Faults:

Wheel cover cracked. So far, nothing else has gone wrong.

General Comments:

So far, no problems. I bought this Value Package edition for a great price in 2007 (it had A/C, PW/PL, and CD player with 2 front speakers). I saved $2000 over the SE edition and found that the VP: had no rear speakers, had less sound insulation, had narrower tires, and had no rear sway bar. update 6/2010 - there has been much more body roll than when new. Looking to add rear stabilizer.

I added rear speakers and now the sound is great. Even without the wider tires and sway bar, it handles well, but I do not drive like a maniac. The road noise sometimes can be a little too much.

Gas economy is great. 33 mpg highway and 22-23 city. My next car will be another Honda.