1997 Honda Accord It's really good at everything. By Trish Robb, New Car Test Drive .com

When you think of the Honda Accord, think of that hard-working guy in the corner

of your office whose first name you hardly remember, the one who isn't

really brilliant at anything but who succeeds because he can do absolutely

everything quite well.

That same kind of versatility is responsible for the Accord's incredible

success. The Accord has redefined the family sedan by offering a near-perfect

combination of performance and comfort. It's durable, and it's really good

at everything. It's big enough to haul the kids to school without everyone

feeling cramped, but small enough for commuting and parking convenience.

On weekends, the Accord is like your favorite traveling clothes; it

goes anywhere. The trunk is big enough to hold all the soccer or skating

gear. It's quiet and comfortable enough on the freeway to make a long weekend

trip enjoyable, and stylish enough for even a formal evening on the town.

Every part of the car has been repeatedly refined through five major

redesigns, the most recent in 1994. Refined is the key word here; the development

of the Accord has definitely been evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

But even though 1997 will be the last model year for this generation, there

are still several notable improvements.

The result of Honda's continuing efforts is a thoroughly refined mid-size

entry that has been one of the top two selling cars in the U.S. since 1989,

and has been repeatedly praised in quality studies and car enthusiast magazines.