Courtesy: Ron Amadon -Marketwatch

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (MarketWatch) — The day was perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, and the historic Potomac River shimmered with a blue that would bring tranquility to the minds of the most overstressed executive.

Unable to find the place where George Washington allegedly threw a dollar across the river, we took an in-depth look at the new Honda Accord. We think G.W. would have kept that dollar, added a few more to it, and happily driven the new Accord for a couple hundred thousand miles if he had the chance. (Would it not be cool if his first stop were lunch at the Watergate a few miles up river?)

Honda has come up with another solid winner in its 2008 Accord.

For 2008, the Accord gets a little bigger. Overall length is up to 194.1 inches, a gain of 3 inches over last year’s model. That makes the Accord roughly the same size as the Nissan Maxima. Add 3.6 more inches to the length and you have the Dodge Magnum. The wheelbase on the sedan increases 2.3 inches to 110.2 inches.

However, here is the number that you will notice instantly when you enter the new Accord. Interior volume is now at 120 cubic feet of interior and cargo volume, and that means the EPA considers the inside to be that of a large car. The bucket seats are further apart, and the amount of elbow room given to the driver and passenger up front is extraordinary.

The back seat is spacious as well, with plenty of head, knee, leg, and foot space - even with the front seats set for a six-foot tall driver. The seat may be reclined a bit more than some would like, but it is perfectly comfy back there for a long ride.

You should not come away with the idea that the new Accord is some lumbering giant. It is not. It drives like a smaller car. Performance and handling was top-notch in the short parkway drives that we had in both the six and four cylinder models. The higher horsepower four was particular fun, since it exhibited that wonderful Honda high rev power. Six grand on the tach was nothing.

For 2008, the engine choices have changed. The base power plant is a four with 177 horsepower. Next up is another four with 190 horsepower (a sweet engine). Honda said it delivers an EPA-estimated 21/31 miles per gallon with a five speed automatic and they claim that is the same mileage you would get with the base four.

Moving still further up the power band, there is a 3.5-liter six that delivers 268-horsepower - that Honda says is the most powerful engine it has ever offered in any vehicle. It also has Variable Cylinder Management, which in real English means it will operate in the more fuel-efficient mode of three, four, or six cylinders, depending on demand. The EPA rates the six at 19/26 miles per gallon. All run on regular unleaded.

Transmission-wise, the fours come with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic. The six we mentioned above is only available with a five-speed automatic in the sedan, but a six-speed manual is available in the very sleek Accord Coupe.

Trim levels range from the base LX to the top of the line EX-L as before. Pricing remains in the $20,000 to roughly $30,000 range.

So what is it like to drive? Wonderful! The interiors seem modern and fresh, with easy to reach controls. We did think some of the upscale models were a bit mind-boggling, with no less than 31 buttons on the lower dash. The upscale sound system was fantastic on satellite radio, and we did not mind at all that its controls were on the same screen as the navi system.

With a tilt and telescoping wheel and multiple seat adjustments, it was easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. Wind noise was not a factor, even with the optional sunroof open. The more basic models were equally easy to drive, and in some aspects, we actually liked the seats in the base model a bit better.

While a full comment on handling will have to wait for a week’s worth of test driving, it did seem as though the Accord kept its sporty flavor, which is something we love about them. A nice small steering wheel adds to the sporty touch.

Factor in Honda’s well deserved reputation for long life (the wife’s Accord is now at 117,000 plus miles), and high resale value, and we think Honda has come up with a solid winner.

If you are in the market for a mid-sized (it’s still ranked that overall) car you should trot down to the Honda store and try a 2008 Accord. They are just now trickling in.