MotorMouths

The EX-L V6 sedan isn’t just the expensive Accord. It’s now a transcontinental, luxury-class cruiser, an adult touring machine. Of course, this ninth-generation Honda Accord still looks like an Accord, so your neighbors won’t be jealous. But they should be.

What we like about the 2013 Accord is the subtle execution. It doesn’t reset the bar with edgy styling at the cost of rear-seat room. Tradeoffs and compromises are hard to find where they exist at all, so the Accord will remain a favorite in family sedans.

The fully redesigned 2013 Honda Accord returns to the top of the family-sedan class with a mix of excellent packaging, superb fuel economy and rewarding performance.

It’s hard to argue that the Accord’s additional performance, efficiency and feature content aren’t worth the bump in cost. That Honda needs a winner in the new Accord is clear. After our drive, we would say it has one.

All the things that made my 1996 Accord such a great car have returned: Space efficiency, fuel efficiency, and a simple control layout. The value-for-money equation is excellent, and it’s a lot of fun to drive.

The Accord isn’t flashy or trendy, but it’s clearly designed to give midsize sedan customers what they want. It’s comfortable; it drives well; it’s easy to get yourself, your kids, and your stuff into and out of; it can get out of its own way; and it still gets good gas mileage.

If you want a capable, roomy, high-quality sedan with hardly any faults to be found, you’ll be doing just fine with this new Accord.

The new Accord brings welcome improvements in interior ergonomics, connectivity features, and projected fuel economy while maintaining its well-balanced character. The midsize-car class is as competitive as ever, and with its redesign, the Accord still runs with the best.

Substantially upgraded inside, outside and underneath, the 2013 Accord pushes all the right buttons, especially in its new high-value lower specification models.

Though the noise cancellation could use a little more work, the new Accord is generally quiet, comfortable, and refined, with a generous dollop of fun-to-drive.

Big, but not too big; attractive, but too familiar to be provocative; well-appointed, but incapable of igniting sustained envy. The Honda Accord strives not for superlatives in any one category but a portfolio of general excellence in all.

The new Accord is a smaller, quieter, more fun to drive and more refined package than the outgoing model. It’s a clear nod to drivers who thought the sedan grew a little too large. But when it comes to fuel economy, the Accord doesn’t offer best-in-class numbers.