Honda Accord, 2013: Family sedan turned luxury car

Now approaching middle age, the Honda Accord has been among the top-selling cars in the United States for nearly 25 years.

The first generation was launched on May 7, 1976 as a three-door hatchback with 68 horsepower, a 93.7-inch wheelbase and weighing about 2,000 pounds.

For 2013, after several manufacturers began to match the Accord’s quality and offer better warranties, Honda acquiesced and debuted a complete redesign. Among a vast array of other attributes, the Accord now has a 109.4-inch wheelbase and weighs 3,559 pounds.

The Accord, available in more than a dozen configurations and as a coupe and sedan, has come a long way, including the V6 Touring edition, my weekly driver. It featured a 24-value, 3.5-liter, V6 with 278 horsepower and six-speed automatic transmission.

Yes, it’s still a Honda Accord. But what once was an upgraded Civic known for its gas mileage and low maintenance, is now in its ninth generation and a far different car.

Since The Weekly Driver began, I’ve reviewed the Honda Accord seven times, dating to the 2003 model. With the 2013 model, the aforementioned V6 Touring, I now view the stalwart sedan with a new point of view.

The reliable, keen resale value family sedan has become a luxury car disguised as a sedan. The newly designed Accord features a simple, but hard-to-decipher persona. Its more sleek, chiseled exterior styling makes the Accord appear smaller. Yet the interior is more spacious with room for five adults.

My weekly driver and the EX model feature Honda’s new LaneWatch technology. It’s a small video camera positioned underneath the passenger-side mirror that displays on the eight-inch console monitor what’s in the driver’s blind spot. It’s engaged when the turn signal indicator is activated or it can be adjusted to stay on.