Honda Accord Coupe: The Weekly Driver

Just inside the guard gate, the world renowned 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, Calif., begins with primarily downhill and often winding two-lane road to Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tree-line route features lavish, oceanfront homes and a predominately forest-like setting along California's central coast.

It's a perfect several-mile locale for drivers who like to shift through gears. And it's not-so-surprisingly pleasant while doing so in the 2005 Honda Accord Coupe.

With its V6, six-speed manual transmission offering, the exceedingly popular model crosses categories. The Accord is listed as a midsize vehicle and it's often compared to the Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry.

But the 24-valve, 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower coupe is just as much sports car as it is anything else. And it adds one more reason why the Accord - in its more than 25 varieties - is among the most popular and most often best-buy categorized vehicles on the road.

During my weeklong test drive, I drove the Accord Coupe round-trip from Sacramento to the Monterey Peninsula. The interstate portion of the journey included about 400 miles. I drove the aforementioned section of the 17-Mile Drive six times round-trip on clear, blue sky days and in heavy rain. It made little difference.

In all driving conditions, the Accord Coupe performed with confidence. Steering and handling is responsive and poised. Lane changes are smooth. While not as quick as other vehicles categorized as sports cars, the Accord Coupe accelerates well and finds its ways through gears more than adequately. Its 17-inch wheels further add to the tight road feel. The Accord's ride is also adequately quiet.

Like all Hondas, the Accord Coupe's interior is designed in a straightforward manner. Gauges and all instrumentation are clean and used simply. The navigation systems is likewise efficient and easy to learn.