2009 Honda Accord

Those of us who have followed the Accord through its seven previous generations were sure its perpetual growth had finally stopped. Back in 1998, the Accord became a genuine mid-size family sedan with all the size and power anyone could need. Yet here we are ten years later, and Honda's flagship has exploded outward once again.

Today's Accord now measures taller, wider, and longer enough for the EPA to reclassify it as a Large Car -- one that casts a shadow on the mid-size masses. Likewise, its V6 engine has been punched up to a big 3.5 liters and stands 268 horses strong. These moves are a bit odd coming from a company that was founded on smallness and efficiency, but if you fancy the idea of burning rubber in a big, fluffy family ride, the Accord might be your calling.

Traditionally, the Accord more called out to more sensible types attracted to its quality and strong resale value, which are both likely to continue. Honda's high engineering standards are also still in abundance, whether speaking of the Accord's sophisticated double-wishbone and multilink suspensions, its now-standard disc brakes, or a 4-cylinder engine that generates 190 healthy horsepower from just 2.4 liters (except in LX sedans, which pack 177). The Accord's interior also features a new, high-tech-looking dashboard seemingly modeled after Acura designs -- not a bad thing at all.

Basically, everything that made the Accord great is still here, though it's hard to get over the size thing. There are no doubt millions of consumers who found Accords of the 90s to be the ideal size, yet Honda now forces them to choose between the small, modestly-powered Civic and this giant monstrosity. What happened to the happy medium?