2005 Honda Accord

I fell in love last week. Unfortunately it didn’t involve a man.

It was a little red car that stole my heart. After spending just a few days driving a 2005 Honda Accord, I wanted to write a check and make it my own.

I haven’t driven an Accord for a while, and had nearly forgotten why this car has been one of Car and Driver Magazine’s top picks for 18 years.

Honda does things right, which is why the ’05 Accord hasn’t changed much, aside from minor updates, since it was redesigned for 2003. It just isn’t necessary when something is that good and that successful.

The interior of the 2005 models continues to excel in quality — meeting and sometimes exceeding the high-caliber standards of previous Accords.

The Accord comes in a wide array of trim levels, beginning with the base DX sedan that starts at the manufacture’s suggested retail price of $16,295 and continues with the LX, Hybrid, and EX, which has an MSRP of $28,950. Within each of the model classifications are selections of transmissions, options, luxury levels and prices.

The tester was the top of the line EX V-6 coupe with leather, navigational system and an automatic transmission. The coupe was solid, roomy, comfortable and ergonomically friendly — except for the backseat. Once seated, the passenger is comfortable; however, getting there isn’t a lot of fun unless you’re contortionist or a child.

I pity the poor soul who has to crouch to crawl inside the back of any coupe. However, if you have a frequent passenger you’d rather not have, relegate her to the backseat. A couple times of getting into that embarrassing position and she’ll be catching the bus. Ride on.

No matter where you sit, the Accord provides a smooth, controlled ride, which is a combination of good engineering and quality construction. Double-wishbone suspension in the front and five-link double wishbone in the rear help absorb bumps and reduce the jarring shock of railroad tracks and potholes.

On the highway, the Accord is energetic and steering is sure and quick to respond to the driver. The five-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and nearly imperceptibly as it gains speed. It was a fun car to drive, although the pouring rain kept me from amusing myself too much on the narrow, twisting country roads that hug the inlets of Puget Sound.

The rain also cut into the gas mileage, which the EPA estimates to be 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. After a week of sloshing through large puddles of water and fighting gusting wind, the coupe averaged 26 mpg combined city and highway driving.

Fortunately, especially with the elevated gasoline prices, Honda recommends regular-grade fuel for all its Accords.

The EX is powered by a 3.0-liter, 24-valve V-6 engine that provides 240 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 212 pounds-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. That’s 80 horsepower more than the base model Accord, which makes the EX a lot more fun to drive.

The tester was loaded with features that are standard in the EX. These include the navigation system with voice recognition, leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, exterior temperature gauge, power moonroof and seat-integrated safety belts. There’s also an XM satellite radio, which for a few bucks a month is a great feature for anyone wanting clear reception of more than 100 radio stations.

The EX seems to have power everything, except for heated outside mirrors. The Accord has never had that feature, which quickly defrosts and defogs the rearview mirror, but it should.

All the Accord models have side-curtain airbags, which demonstrated their worth during government safety testing. Not only did Accord earn a five-star rating for frontal impact protection, but the coupe also earned the same rating for side-impact crash protection of both front and rear occupants.

I gave the coupe an equally high rating because of its confidence on the road, precise handling, well-shaped and comfortable seats and luxury interior. It also gained marks for having an excellent record for reliability and resale value.

So, although it wasn’t a man who captured my heart, it was the next best thing — a good car.

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