2006 Honda Accord EX-V6 Coupe (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

The Accord's low-risk exterior styling makes for a stealthy vehicle. A bank robber's delight, should I say. No, I didn't say it was ugly--that's absolutely not the case. It actually looks very classy, and designed like a bullet. But it does go unnoticed. Good luck finding it in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

For 2006, the taillamps have been revised and look better, more aggressive, than those on the 2005 model. However, they resemble a little like the ones on the last Ford Taurus. The decklid has been squared off, replacing the roundish rump of the previous coupe. The front grille has been revised, but you probably won't notice. Overall, it's sleek, sporty, and looks good without any aerodynamic add-ons.

Step inside, and you'll swear someone turned out the lights. Black or dark grey dominates the surroundings. The heated front leather seats are very comfortable and are nicely sculptured to support your hips and backside. The dashboard doesn't have any contrasting trim or materials, so it might be a little depressive for some. Once again, no styling risks from Honda. However, the lack of colour doesn't mean that the instrument panel isn't functional. It is.

2006 Honda Accord EX-V6 Coupe (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

The gauges glow white numbers and red needles, and look very nice. The steering wheel is just the right size, with audio and cruise control buttons within thumb's reach. The heating and ventilation control feature two rotary knobs for the dual-zone temperature settings, and the rest of the controls are similarly-sized black buttons. I was hunting for the various buttons during the whole two weeks I drove the car. Maybe after a while, you get used to it. Other people who tried out the car also criticized this. The same thing goes for the audio controls, although the giant volume knob located right in the centre of the panel is easy to reach while driving. There is some fake carbon fibre trim spread around the cabin. It's actually plastic, and some is located below the ventilations controls, which is extremely shiny. Sunlight and light posts at night constantly reflect on this storage cover, which is quite annoying. Wrap your right hand around the metal-accented shift knob and... Yikes! It's freezing! In winter, of course, the shifter is cold as ice for the first 15 minutes of your drive. It works beautifully, though. My wise advice: below -15° Celsius, don't stick your tongue on it...

2006 Honda Accord EX-V6 Coupe (Photo: Michel Deslauriers, Auto123.com)

Now, I'm about to complain about something that might not even be an issue for you. If you're a 2-door coupe fan, but have young kids to bring to the day-care each morning, your back is going to hate you. If you have one child to strap in, you'd better use the passenger-side door. If you've got two, well, you're going to need the little patience you might have left. The driver's seatback reclines with a simple lever, but moving the seat cushion forward with the power control takes forever. And since you can't reach the seat belts back there without actually hunkering down and setting a foot or two inside the back of the car, you'll be transpiring in no time. For that matter, anyone will say to choose the Accord sedan instead, but you can't get that sweet V6 and manual tranny combo. Darn it!