I was pleasantly surprised by the manual Accord coupe. It's a good example of Honda's knack for building vehicles that appeal to the mainstream consumer but still offer a bit of enjoyment for the enthusiast. The light steering is effortless in daily driving but it also provides enough feedback to be rewarding on the curvy stuff. Even with 271 hp, the 3.5-liter V-6 doesn't often overpower the front tires but it's also no slouch. Plus, it sounds great. Start off slow and you'll hear a nice muffled growl; floor it and that faint noise builds into a roar by the time it reaches redline. The six-speed manual and the clutch pedal require more effort than I expect from a Honda -- particularly the heavy clutch -- but it wouldn't stop me from choosing the manual if I were going to buy an Accord coupe.
From behind the wheel, there's an overall feeling of lightness to the Accord coupe that makes it an easy car to enjoy. It may not be a proper sports car, but it's a good option for those who are ready to move on from their sporty compact but aren't yet willing to commit to a sedate mid-size sedan.
Jennifer Misaros, Production Editor
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