Honda takes honours in battle of the off-roaders

The study examined 28 manufacturers and 100 models, from city cars to 4x4s, registered between September 2005 and August 2006.

Here, we look at how some of the better-known 4x4s got on. It's important to remember that many of these have been replaced by newer models, but for anyone buying secondhand it is a good piece of insight.

It is also important to note that a number of 4x4s were not sampled. Most of those were 'softroaders', as opposed to hard-graft offroaders.

The Honda CR-V (since replaced by a newer version) came top of the 4x4 pile, with four-out-of-five stars and an 81.6pc satisfaction rating. It finished 32nd overall, out of the 100 surveyed. In the CR-V, comfort wasn't highly rated, and neither was the stereo.

The authors say the 4x4 category didn't fare well overall.

The next best 4x4 was the Toyota RAV4, with a score of 81pc and a 38th place ranking.

Owners said they had more problems with interior controls, such as wipers, locks and windows.

2008 Honda Accord EX V6 Sedan Review

Cars are not all equally important. While some might be a lot more exciting to drive, they're often priced beyond the reach of most consumers, who can't do anything else but to dream about owning one of them.

The 2008 Honda Accord is a complete departure from the previous generation. In terms of size, the car is heavier and larger in every respect. Overall length grew by 76 millimeters, while height and width also boast significant increases. The resulting longer wheelbase means interior room is more generous than ever before. Passengers can stretch their limbs more freely, both in the coupe and the sedan.

Of course, this maturing process goes beyond size. The new Accord also gets a pair of more powerful, less thirsty engines. Consumers looking for the best fuel economy will turn to the base LX model (4 cylinders), while performance enthusiasts will definitely prefer the 268-hp EX V6 model, even though it's a bit short on driving excitement. In typical Honda fashion, the 5-speed automatic transmission is highly effective.