The only thing that might rate more highly than the engine's

It may seem strange for a manual gearbox to be an extra cost option, but a quick spin around the block, and you'll understand why. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

refinement in my books is the six-speed manual gearbox, which verges on perfection. Honda's manual transmissions are always a delight, and the Accord's is business as usual with well-defined gates and a slick action. Some may find the clutch too light, with an odd engagement feel, but it works well with this car. Effortlessness is cool, especially when you're stuck in traffic, or like me, shifting up as early as possible. It's almost no surprise then that Honda, like Acura, Nissan and Infiniti, has taken up the practice in charging a premium for the six-speed manual over the equivalent car with an automatic. In this case, it's a $900 surcharge for the 6MT model over a five-speed auto, but one that's worth the price.

In fact, it's not just the engine and gearbox that are smooth - the car as a whole is just so smooth.  The ride is more taut than the sedan to convey that heart-pounding sporting feel, but it's not at the cost of the ride quality. The Accord glides over roads with a similar firm effect as a BMW or Mercedes-Benz on low profile tires, and what little tradeoff is made by the stiffer springs and dampers is worth it - the Accord Coupe feels much more tied-down and level with less lateral body movement than the sedan. Also on the plus side, the steering is decent; tuned specifically for the coupe with a quicker steering rack, it has the right balance between crispness and weight that makes the car feel quite nimble. Unfortunately, there's not much by the way of road feel; but, that's not part of the Accord's nature, is it?

Over

You'll be surprised at how much of a luxury car the Accord is. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

the years, Honda has really worked to convert the Accord into a luxury vehicle, something that comes out loud and clear with this top of the line Coupe. On the move towards comfort and convenience, the engine conducts its business at whisper levels, and wind noise is, for the most part, effectively muted. I'm not going out on a limb by saying this, but I really think that this Honda provides the kind of refinement you'd expect in a premium brand, like Lexus, and could easily wear the Acura badge with pride, although, if that were the case, it wouldn't command such a modest asking price of just $34,900. Come to think of it, the only thing that really marred it from achieving true premium status were the grumbly Michelin Pilot Tires, something that could be fixed easily by quieter all season rubber.

Equally as important, the Accord Coupe feels like a

See that on the door? That's real stitched leather. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

well-made, high-quality item. All the plastics used are matte-finish and most are soft touch, and the leather used on the sporty, well-bolstered but extra-firm seats is definitely luxurious. I personally find the front seats quite nice, but my colleague Jonathan Yarkony found the front seats unbearable, with excessive amounts of lumbar support in all the wrong places. In fact, on several occasions, he deliberately chose the rear seats, even when offered the front. But back to the quality; there's more of that nice leather on the stitched door panel inserts, on the steering wheel, hand brake lever and across the tiny aluminum shift knob. I'm not one hundred percent convinced on the not-so-nice carbon fibre trim; it just doesn't gel with the rest of the cabin the way aluminum might.