Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency:

For the past two days, CheckeredChick and I have been "partying", but now it is time to continue on with our Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency series. I dropped by Checkered Flag Honda today and spent a few minutes talking with salesperson Dennis Anderson Sr. about our Unsung Hero for today, the Honda Accord.

Dennis has a long standing history with Checkered Flag. He has been with the company for 22 years! He is also a proud owner of a Honda Accord, and who better to speak with about a vehicle than someone who knows it personally. Dennis says the Accord for his family was a very a good buy.

Dennis is not alone in his sentiments about the Accord. Car and River named the 2008 Accord on its 10Best for the year list (the Accord has made an appearance on that list a record 22 times). It has also received Best Family Sedan from Motor Week and Sedan of the Year from Road and Travel Magazine. Just on the way to work this morning, I encountered three different Accords.

So what is it about the Accord that makes it so special? Dennis says that it is just one "super car". He says customers like the luxury feel of the Accord, but like the price even more. Starting price is $20,360.

The Accord has been around for decades now. The new 2008 redesign made it bigger than previous model years and has improved engine performance, but still manages great fuel efficiency. The four-cylinder Accord garners 31 highway miles, and 21 in the city. You can get close to 560 highway miles per tank with the Accord (the tank size is 18 gallons).

The Accord is available as a midsize coupe or sedan. There are several trims to choose from, ranging from the entry level LX model to the high end EX-L model. The LX model comes equipped with a 2.4-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, Drive-by-Wire™ throttle system; double wishbone front and independent multi-link rear suspension; air conditioning with air-filtration; and illuminated steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls. The EX-L model includes top of the line features like leather trimmed interior; optional navigation system; leather-wrapped steering wheel; heated front seats; passenger's seat with 4-way power adjustment; a dual-zone automatic climate control system; a 270-watt AM/FM/6-disc in-dash premium audio system; XM® Satellite Radio; and HomeLink® remote system.

The list of safety features on the Accord is a long one including: 3-Point Seat Belts with Automatic Tensioning System; Driver and Front Passenger Active head restraints; Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) Body Structure; Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS); Dual-Stage; Dual-Threshold Front Airbags (SRS); Front Side Airbags with Passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and much more. Fore a full list visit here.

It is well known that the Accord is a great car, but its fuel efficiency may not be as well known. If you are interested in finding out more about the Accord, visit Dennis and the Honda sales team at Checkered Flag Honda, 6541 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach call (757) 490-1111.