Mother Proof's view

In the name of full disclosure, I have to put my bias on the table. I am a Honda girl. My first car was a 1971 Honda Civic CVCC, a tiny deathtrap of a car, but my pride and joy, to say the least. My family is also one of “those families” that has five or six Hondas in the driveway when we get together for the holidays. So my history with Honda is long and positive. Being a journalist with some degree of integrity I think that is worth mentioning up front.

Sitting in the driver’s seat of the 2007 Honda Accord, I am struck by the consistency that is Honda. What do I mean by consistency? Let me give you an example. The control switch for lights is pretty much the same as the control switch for my dad’s 1989 Honda Civic, which is the same as the 2006 Honda Odyssey I reviewed last year, which is the same as my mom’s 2002 Honda Accord. The switch is in the same place, it has all of the same features, over that time it hasn’t changed. Boring, one might say, but really I think it is part of what makes Honda one of the brands that always tops the “best of” lists of both critics and consumers. The quality is high, and people know exactly what to expect; it’s consistent.

So, it isn’t a surprise that this Accord meets my expectations. It has a peppy V6 engine that has just the right amount of power for my day-to-day drives around town, enough to pass on the highway (when rushing to pick up my little ones from school) or pull out quickly to merge with traffic (when still rushing to pickup my teenage son from tennis). This model comes standard with leather, front side curtain airbags, ABS and Traction Control. There are plenty of places to store all of my mommy-gear; my favorite is the space in front of the shift lever. This space holds my wallet, my sunglasses, my toll pass, a package of wipes and even a baggie full of Legos. All of these features are expected and a prerequisite for a mom-taxi.

I also have to give Honda some kudos regarding the Honda Satellite linked Navigation System. It is one of the most intuitive navigation systems on the road. The voice recognition interface is great. It understands my commands nine times out of 10. It allows me to concentrate on the road and get directions for where I am going at the same time. I especially love the Point of Interest portion of the system; I use it to find phone numbers as well as addresses. I literally have the 411 without having to run-up information charges on my cell phone. Even the non-techie girlfriends among us can appreciate that!

I do however have a couple of major complaints about the 2007 Accord. First, my kids have a heck of a time getting buckled into their booster seats. The curve of the seats is just enough that their boosters inevitably slide to cover the buckle receptor. Each time they get into the car they have to slide their seat towards the door in order to get buckled. The other bummer is the Latch connectors. They are tucked pretty far between the seat back and the seat bottom which makes removing car seats a challenge. The day all manufacturers figure out how to make a more accessible latch and a rear seat that is comfortable for adults and car seats will be the day I do a serious happy dance.

My last hurrah with this fun sedan is driving through a mountain canyon while the leaves are showing their full autumn colors. What a perfect day, the XM Radio tuned to Flight 26, the navigation system gently reminding me where to turn, and kids completely focused on the color of the leaves. Bliss. I appreciate this very consistent, very smooth ride in the Honda Accord. I think I get it, I think I know why this is one of the best loved cars in America.

*For more information on the Honda Accord and its safety features visit Cars.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

LATCH Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great

Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times