Do try and pay attention to this Honda, Bond

Nov 18 2008 Steve Orme

Do try and pay attention to this Honda, Bond

BY now, I am sure, those of you who want to will have seen the new James Bond film, either at the cinema or on one of those cut price DVDs that always seem to feature someone walking in front of the opening titles carrying refreshments.

So I have no fear that discussing some of the plot of Quantum of Solace or, if you bought it down the pub, Four Popcorns and a Fanta, will spoil your future enjoyment.

As ever, this Bond escapade is product placement heaven for car manufacturers.

From the opening sequence when Daniel Craig makes a mess of one of 11 Astons totalled during shooting, it is badge after badge concluding with a shot of a Ford Kuga.

Of course all the pre-match hype was over the new Ka, which is rather like saying you should go and see last Tango in Paris because there is a bicycle in it.

Most obviously lacking are gadgets. No watches that turn into atom bombs, no fountain pen rocket launchers, not so much as a cheese parachute.

If fantasy technology is the sort of thing that makes your Saturday, I would suggest you forget Mr Bond and make your way to the nearest Honda Accord. A car which has more buttons than Cadbury's.

Styling changes to the latest Accord may not be radical but what's under the skin is. The car is lower and wider and the petrol engines revised. It's a beefy drive and aspires to be in the company of BMWs, Audis and the Mercedes C-Class.

Costing £25,260 the 2.4-litre i-VTEC EX has a capable petrol engine, is quite quick at 7.8 seconds to 62mph and smooth as a properly mixed martini. It's not the ultimate performance experience so while you won't be shaken neither will you be stirred.

Unless, that is, you are the sort of person who would swim naked through piranhas to watch the Gadget Show.

For here is a wealth of equipment and technical innovation housed in a quality leather finish. Think of it as Joe 90's briefcase. At a time when some makers are airbrushing out fussiness in the cabin the Accord has enough to keep a boy occupied for hours.

The steering wheel, for a start, has taken its cue from the space station in Kubrick's 2001, with repeater controls for just about everything except the boot release.

There are parking sensors front and rear, an auto dimming mirror as well as the regular electrics. A voice activated

sat nav is more unusual.

What really captures the imagination is adaptive cruise control using radar controlled vehicle recognition, lane keeping assist that reacts to a camera image of the road ahead and automatic braking in a collision.

Soon Honda plans to introduce night vision technology and automated parking, so you may as well stay at home and send the dog shopping.

There is a promise, aided and abetted by an indicator to suggest when is the right time to shift up the six-speed gearbox, that 50mpg is possible. Reality is closer to an average of 38mpg. 204g/km of carbon smoke screen puts it in grand theft auto band F.

If you watched Quantum of Solace and lamented the lack of gas sandwiches and anti-gravity cuff links have a look at an Accord. On the other hand you could bid for the 1976 Lotus Esprit that converted to a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me, going under the hammer next month.

I would be worried it may smell of fish.