I drove 4 of these models on a sunny day in California, tackling freeways, back roads, and light-traffic suburban streets. Starting with the navigation-equipped top-trim EX-L V-6 sedan, the one engine body combo that can only be had with Honda's six-speed automatic, I immediately noticed an area of improvement I had long awaited: Honda has finally implemented a truly integrated dashboard electronics suite.

It’s been 29 years since Honda first began building the Accord in the U.S., and its 30th year is looking just as good as the first. With its improved styling, aggressive V-6 engine and competent body control, the 2013 Accord both looks and feels like a car that should cost twice as much. Add to that more tech than most competing mid-sized cars and a host of compelling safety features and you have an exceptional vehicle that’s equal parts fun and smart.

The agility index varies according to model—some trim levels are tuned for softer ride quality, and tactile information delivered by the new electric system is programmed for more road feel with the sport suspension package—but even the most basic Accord LX is quick on its feet.

Similarly, body motions are well controlled, inspiring confidence in quick maneuvers—a critical active safety element in any car—and with the firmer suspension and more aggressive tires that go with the performance package, the Accord becomes a credible sports sedan. Or coupe.
2013 Honda Accord
2013 Honda Accord

While the foregoing isn’t surprising , how Honda got there represents a departure from recent practice. The rear suspension is a familiar multilink, but there are MacPherson struts up front, rather than the double wishbone setup that’s distinguished previous Accords.

Heresy? Keep in mind that BMW has been using struts for many years, albeit with rear-drive cars (the Accord, of course, continues with a front-drive layout). And did we mention that Honda claims a 40 percent improvement in torsional rigidity? That’s an almost incomprehensible increase over a chassis that was far from tofu.

The bottom line: it works.

Now's when we should tell you why quite a few shoppers might still consider the V-6: because it earns an astounding EPA highway rating of 34 mpg—the same number as the four-cylinder engine last year, and essentially the same as the Sonata Turbo.

Over several hours of real-world driving with the V-6—a mix of expressways, two-laners, and mountain roads, and some of it spirited—we managed an impressive 29 mpg overall; that's a figure we can't imagine beating in those turbo fours, and we much prefer the smooth, relaxed demeanor of the V-6 most of the time.

In a back-to-back drive with the Nissan Altima and its four-cylinder/CVT combination, we noticed that from about 15-20 mph—effectively rolling around a tight corner—then flooring the accelerator, the Accord managed to take off a lot faster, while it took the revs longer to rise in the Altima. We look forward to comparing these models—and their mileage—in future drives.

Another big change is the front suspension, which has switched from double wishbones to McPherson struts. Normally, I don't write much about this sort of thing; as long as the car drives well, I don't care if they attach the wheels with bananas and paper clips. But the new suspension makes a big difference: While the Accord now handles far more responsively than its competitors, the ride quality has gone down the tubes. It isn't hard, but it's very busy -- the suspension allows the body to move up and down with such great frequency, rapidity and duration that smooth roads feel bumpy and bumpy roads fell like the surface of the Moon. It's as if, in response to charges that the Civic (Honda's last McPherson design) was too soft, they made the Accord too firm. Oddly enough, the Sport version -- which gets more aggressive suspension tuning -- has a slightly more comfortable ride.

2013 Honda Accord 2013 Nissan Altima
0-30 (sec.): 2.5 2.8
0-45 (sec.): 4.1 4.3
0-60 (sec.): 6.1 6.2
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec.): 5.7 5.9
0-75 (sec.): 8.6 8.6
1/4-mile (sec @ mph): 14.3 @ 98.1 14.4 @ 100.1
30-0 (ft): 33 28
60-0 (ft): 128 114
Skid Pad Lateral Accel (g): 0.82 0.86
Slalom: 63.5 66.6

Think of the new Honda Accord PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) as a Chevrolet Volt in disguise, one that recharges in just an hour. The Volt shouts “different” to the neighbors while the Accord plug-in whispers its differences compared to conventional Volts and Toyota Priuses. If you want your PHEV to announce itself, Honda isn’t playing the self-gratification game. That’s a challenge in a country where most people don’t drop a dollar in the barista’s tip jar until she’s watching. For what may be sound engineering and cost reasons, the Accord runs 10-15 miles on battery power while the Volt goes 30-35. All this adds up to a roomy, comfortable car for 4-5 that will be in need of practical-minded buyers. The Accord PHEV looks the same as the 350,000 other new Accords likely to be bought in the US in 2013. As public recharging stations take hold, the Accord PHEV’s quick charge time may turn into a significant advantage. It will probably cost around $35,000 when it goes on sale in early 2013.

A test drive of the Accord PHEV is a non-event. It’s quiet, quick, roomy in back, expends energy going uphill and gets a lot of it back heading downhill. When the gasoline Earth Dreams four-cylinder gasoline engine kicks in, it’s unobtrusive and isn’t buzzy or raspy. On one test loop at a Honda media event, the EV battery was almost depleted. Plug in the industry-standard J1772 charge connector and in less than 10 minutes on 220-volt charge the battery was almost half full. In urban driving, my loop of eight miles should have exhausted the partially charged battery but I finished with three miles of battery juice showing.