What hasn't changed is Accord's fundamental character: It is still one car that does everything well. The interior is roomy and comfortable, the chassis is responsive and well damped, the brakes are excellent, and both of its VTEC engines-a 3.0-liter V6 and a 2.3-liter four-cylinder-are incredibly smooth. It is a remarkably easy car to drive and every aspect of it is user friendly. Not surprisingly, Accord has been one of America's best-selling cars for the past 10 years.

But we suspect that most people buy Accords for their legendary reliability. An entire generation has grown up with Hondas, and 26 years of Accords have proven the model to be a safe choice, a car that a family can buy and more or less forget, turning their attention back to the other concerns of a daily life.