After test-driving an automatic transmission-equipped Honda Accord over 1,700 kilometres in and out of the city, I wound up with an average of 9.7 L/100 km. That’s roughly a 15-percent difference between laboratory and real-world numbers, which is what consumers should normally expect.

Unlike the Accord LX, the higher-end EX and EX-L models both ride on 17-inch alloy wheels.

All things considered, despite fairly less generous equipment than the other 4-cylinder models, the base Accord LX is hard to make a case for. After all, saving $2,500 or $6,000 in order to get a detuned engine that still burns as much fuel and produces as many CO2 emissions doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

V-a-s-t interior
In terms of liveability, the 2009 Honda Accord stays far from controversy. This sedan can easily and comfortably accommodate four or five adults. The front buckets are very large, while the rear bench seat provides extremely generous room for the feet, knees, hips, shoulders and head.

Interestingly, the Accord’s larger front doors make it easier to step in and out than a Ford Fusion. Moreover, the EX-L model comes standard with heated leather seats, a near must-have in colder regions of Canada.

Following a modern trend in car interiors, the dashboard of the Accord is littered with buttons and controls of all sorts, making for quite an eyeful. I counted 36 in the middle section alone and, sadly, most of them can’t be identified with your fingertips. A rotary knob for the multimedia system adds even more complexity to the operation. Overall, this requires significant driver attention and likely compromises safety.

This sedan can easily and comfortably accommodate four or five adults.