Over the years, Honda has become one of the most dependable names in the automotive industry. The Japanese brand's stellar reputation comes from their reliable cars that sell by the hundreds of thousands, while remaining fun to drive. Furthermore, Honda always think about the enthusiasts as well, churning out sporty models for those with the need for speed. One of Honda's most renowned sedans is the Accord, which has, over its eleven generations, attracted customers from varying backgrounds and markets.
Regardless of the generation, the Honda Accord has always boasted great interiors, top-of-the-line technology, and phenomenal safety ratings. Always the ultimate midsize sedan, the Honda Accord has managed to remain relevant even through its previous generations. Sure, we might be in the car's eleventh generation right now in 2022, but even going as far back as the 8th generation, the Accord is still a viable choice for those looking for an affordable family car that provides excellent value for money. Here are 10 reasons why the 8th-generation Honda Accord proves itself to be a great everyday beater.
10 The Eighth-Gen Honda Accord Offers Generous Interior Space
To this day, the interior space of the Honda Accord sedan is still renowned. As the entire automotive market moves towards crossovers for more space in their family cars, the 2008 Honda Accord still remains a stylish sedan that offers generous amounts of legroom for every single occupant.
Furthermore, the Accord did so without ever skimping on cargo room in the back. The remarkable amount of trunk space and legroom in both the front and rear rows made the 8th-gen Honda Accord a great family car, and it definitely remains one today as well.
9 The V6 Power Unit Of The Eighth-Gen Accord Had Impressive Power Figures
Honda offered two engine options on the 2008 Accord and onwards. One was a 2.4-liter inline-four engine which made 177 or 190 horsepower depending on the trim chosen. Torque didn’t differ much, being 161 lb-ft in the former and 162 lb-ft in the latter.
However, it was the naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine option which was certainly the more fun option to drive. The V6 on the 8th-gen Accord made 268 or 271 horsepower, and torque varied from 248 lb-ft to 254 lb-ft. This engine, in fact, remains a powerful unit even today on the pre-owned market.
8 Eighth-Generation Honda Accords Still Offer Remarkable Cabin Quality
The Accord is not a car that the market considers particularly premium, especially so back in 2008. Despite that, the 2008 Accord still excels when it comes to the cabin’s quality. If you choose a pre-owned 8th-gen Honda Accord, going for a model which has been specced with premium touches would pay dividends.
This would not only make the decade-old Honda feel a lot more modern, but the cabin would feel a much better place to be. Leather upholstery lends to the elegance of the Accord, and well-maintained models of the eighth-generation Honda Accord still refuse to rattle or creak.
7 The 2012 Honda Accord V6 Is Still An Impressively Quick Four-Door Sedan
Any sports car that can go from nought to sixty mph under 5 or 6 seconds is a respectable vehicle, but when a Japanese family sedan does that with just one additional second, commendations are in order.
Equipped with the V6 and making 271 horsepower, the 2012 Honda Accord V6 managed to go from 0 to 60 in just 7 seconds, which were impressive numbers for a family sedan, and still are. While less powered models of the eighth-gen Honda Accord take a little more time to reach the 60 mph mark, the V6 Accord was no slouch, and should make for an impressive daily driver.
6 The 2011 Facelift Of The Honda Accord Made It Even More Modern And Striking
Honda gave the 8th-gen Accord a facelift for the 2011 model year, where the Sedan received visual adjustments to look even more modern and striking. To make the front fascia sharper, Honda took away one horizontal line away from the grille, and it no longer had a chrome border.
A new bumper design also came with the 2011 facelift for the Accord, with a smaller central air dam and more creasing around the fog lights. Over at the rear, the facelifted model received a lightbar that extended from the taillights, becoming more striking visually and a lot less plain.
5 Honda Offered Plenty Of Standard Features In The 2007-12 Accord
Over four trims in the 8th-gen Accord, Honda did offer plenty of features and spread them well across the trim range. Even the base trim, which was the LX model, was quite feature-packed, which makes any Accord on the secondhand market today a good deal by 2022 standards.
Features like remote keyless entry, variable intermittent windshield wipers, automatic headlights, programmable auto-locking doors, cruise control, and a six-speaker sound system came as standard on the 2008 Honda Accord. The base trim, however, could only be had with the 2.4-liter inline-four engine option, and came mated to a five-speed manual transmission.
4 The Eighth-Gen Honda Accord Returns Decent Fuel Efficiency Figures
Fuel efficiency is a major factor for anyone thinking of bringing home a car. The last thing you want is to keep making trips to the pump, and this is where a big four-door sedan like the Honda Accord doesn’t disappoint.
Armed with the 2.4-liter inline-four engine, the eighth-gen Honda Accord returned a combined gas mileage of 28 to 32 MPG. The more powerful V6 option gave around 20 MPG in the city, 30 MPG on the highway, and a combined mileage of 22 to 24 MPG.
3 Maintenance And Service Costs On The Eighth-Generation Honda Accord Are Relatively Cheap
The eighth generation of the Honda Accord came with a nifty feature called the Maintenance Minder system, which uses an onboard computer to inform and remind the user of due services.
If you’re going for an eighth-gen Accord that runs on the 2.4-inline four power unit, you would just be spending somewhere between $100 to and $200 per service. This is certainly a far cry from maintenance costs of modern four-door sedans which come equipped with a lot more electronic parts prone to failure or fault.
2 There Were No Recalls On The Engine, Brakes, Or Steering Of The 2008-12 Honda Accord
The 2008 Honda Accord had gotten off to an infamously bad start, owing to a huge problem with its airbags. The five-speed automatic transmission models weren’t faultless either, and many users had faced problems in them.
However, mechanical parts like the 2008 to 2012 Honda Accord’s engine, brakes, and power steering were rather free of fault throughout the entire generation, and Honda had to make zero recalls regarding the same. Airbag problems were fixed, too, and today, the eighth-gen Honda Accord proves itself to be a great deal as a used family car that can be a daily driver you come to love.
1 A Stellar Safety Rating On The Eighth-Gen Honda Accord Makes For A Great Buy In 2022
Honda’s cars are renowned for their safety, and today, vehicular safety is one of the biggest factors in making any car purchase. The current model year of the Honda Accord boasts a stellar 5-out-of-5 safety rating from the NHTSA, and so does the 2008 Accord all the way back in its eighth generation.
The 2011 and 2012 models of the Honda Accord, both the 2.4-liter and 3.5-liter options, received a stellar safety rating from the NHTSA. Thus, if you’re considering the eighth-gen Honda Accord as a daily driver for either you or any of your loved ones, you couldn’t go wrong with the car.