Why are Honda Accords rare in the UK?

I am looking to purchase a used car up to £21,000 that is both comfortable and has a good chassis and good steering. I like to be in touch with the road, so a vehicle that is comfortable but drives like a barge would not be suitable. My annual mileage is circa 7000, hence I am considering the purchase of an 18-month old petrol Honda Accord with manual transmission. The dealer tells me that cannot remember the last time he sold a saloon and secondhand saloons are infrequent to him. Am I missing something here?

Asked on 13 April 2013 by DH, via email

Answered by Honest John

Sales of Accords have been so slow in the UK that the model might be dropped from the Honda UK line-up, if it has not been dropped already. You'll find the best chassis in a new BMW F30 3-Series, but a car that is astonishingly good and doesn't look like it would be is a Mazda 5 TS2 on 205/65 R16 Toyo J 48 tyres, 1.6 115PS diesel or 2.0 150PS petrol. It has brilliantly compliant suspension, bags of grip and is never upset by mid-corner bumps (as Accords are).

Tags: manual gearbox performance suspension

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