Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options:

The 2010 Honda Accord sedan comes in LX, LX-P, EX and EX-L trim levels.

Upgrading to EX trim nets 17-inch wheels and a sunroof for both body styles, while the EX sedan gains the in-dash six-CD changer and the EX coupe gets a premium stereo system with a subwoofer. The EX-L trim level adds leather upholstery, automatic headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats and satellite radio.

The EX-L sedan nabs the premium stereo system from the EX coupe, while the EX-L coupe gets the power driver seat. The lone option is a navigation system. It's only available on EX-L models, and it includes voice-activated controls.



Powertrains and Performance:

Available on the EX trim levels is a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 271 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque. Sedans with the V6 can only be had with a five-speed automatic. Acceleration is class-competitive.

In terms of fuel economy V6-powered models receive slightly above-average ratings. The six-cylinder returns 19 mpg city/29 mpg highway (28 in automatic coupes) and 22 mpg combined with the automatic.

Safety:

All Accords come standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Braking performance is underwhelming -- our last test of a four-cylinder Accord resulted in a longish 60-0 stopping distance of 137 feet, with excessive vibration transferred through the brake pedal. A V6-powered model was no better at 133 feet.

In government crash tests, the Accord sedan received a perfect five stars for front passenger protection in frontal and side impacts; however, it received just three stars for rear passenger side-impact protection. The Accord coupe was perfect except for its four-star side-impact protection for front passengers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Accord its top rating of "Good" for both frontal-offset and side-impact crash protection.



Interior Design and Special Features

The 2010 Honda Accord features a tightly constructed interior with generally high-quality materials, though it's no longer head and shoulders above the competition in this regard. The center stack looks sophisticated,and its voice commands, high-mounted screen and multipurpose knob are at least user-friendly.

The top-of-the-line leather seats are very nice must love their bold contours and firm support. This is by far the largest Accord ever, so expect plentiful passenger room, particularly in the sedan's rear compartment.