Honda: Slicker styling for Euro

A new front bumper, new lights at each end and a fancy chromed two-bar grille help modernise the Euro without going over the top. Photo / Supplied

The sedan battle arena has never been more highly contested - and in order not to get thrown to the ground and stomped on, manufacturers need to ensure drivers are getting some serious bang for their buck.

A look through the current roster shows some pretty strong contenders - the high-spec Camry is a beaut, Kia's Optima was one of this year's big quality surprises and a host of European machines make for a fairly wide choice for saloon shoppers.

Honda's Accord Euro has been making steady inroads into this hotly contested market for eight generations now - and a look around any suburb or city sees no shortage of Honda's four-door which has now been split into two separate models, the V6, and the $51,000 Euro L tested by Driven.

The latest Euro has picked up some styling changes that modernise the car without going over the top - a slick new front bumper, new lights at each end and a fancy chromed two-bar grille, matched with chrome door handles and boot detailing.

It's a good look, wide and wedgy and offers a Euro look to match its Euro nameplate, especially sitting on the better-looking five-spoke 17-inch rims wrapped in 50-profile 225s.

Under the bonnet not much has changed - there's the same responsive 2.4-litre iVTEC as the pre-facelift model, putting out a reasonable 148kW and 234Nm. Around town, in full auto mode at low engine speeds, it's a pretty tame package - standard behaviour for a four-cylinder VTEC engine.

But out on the open road, exploiting the upper reaches of the rev range using the steering wheel paddle shifters, it comes into its own - the Euro is no slouch when given a shove.

Honda's GearLogic trans also does well at keeping it together by itself, holding gears for a decent amount of time before an upshift, and cutting down on vastly irritating up/down shifting - but on winding roads, the reasonably firm suspension and manual shifting ability is a far more entertaining option.

The stability systems and suspension are well matched and the car feels quite sporty when the speed-sensitive steering, which makes the Euro very light around town, backs off and gives more positive feedback. Pushing too hard, however, quickly reminds you that you're driving a large four-door front-driver and that's almost always a recipe for understeer.

But it is, they say, what's on the inside that counts, and befitting a vehicle that wears a very well cut business suit, it's dripping in tech and extras - including very comfortable new eight-way electrically adjustable heated leather seats. The interior design is quite modern, but the number of controls is initially a bit overwhelming - an obvious side-effect of the many bells and whistles.

The bluetooth integration is a welcome update, and pairing a phone to the system was quick and easy, once familiar with the dash layout. There's a beefy USB-friendly 10-speaker stereo system that thumps out the tunes, and renders phone calls fairly clearly. The centre-mounted main screen was a bit alarming, with a large digital-watch style display that, while easy to read and exhibiting a certain 1980s Casio charm, seemed a bit out of place among the other up-to-date instrumentation.

On the safety front, there's the usual host of airbags, including full-length side curtains, ESP modes and brake assists such as brake force distribution, and a new Trailer Stability Assist feature that Honda claims will keep trailers flat when the surface isn't.

The 2011 facelifted Accord Euro is more than equipped to keep pace in the tough sedan market, with a list of comfort features and high-tech options that fit perfectly with the business buyer it's aimed at. The L model has a comprehensive spec, but if you can forgo luxuries such as bum warmers, the S model (also manual) could be worth a look.