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Estate

Honda is a company that doesn’t like to follow the crowd. So, while it competes in most of the traditional sectors of the car market, in each case it does something a little bit different.

The Jazz, for example, might look like just another rival to Britain’s best-selling car, the Ford Fiesta, but it’s actually much more practical than its rivals, with a flexible boot and Tardis-like interior.

The bigger Civic is also a practical choice, but it’s mainly distinguished by having eye-catching, love-it-or-hate-it styling, despite competing in a sector of the market that’s usually more conservative than a blue rosette.

And while it may not seem so radical now, Honda’s large SUV, the CR-V, was one of the first to forego any pretence of being an off-roader and instead focus on on-road driving dynamics.

HONDA

ACCORD

The fine drive, good boot and high equipment levels are great, but it's a pricey car

Used Honda Accord Tourer 2002 - 2008

No big estate is going to be cheap to run, but the Accord will cane your finances harder than many.

Servicing is dearer than for a Mondeo or Vectra, while insurance ratings are a group or two higher. The Tourer spans groups 11-14.

Spares parts cost more than average, too, although Honda's excellent reputation for reliability promises that you'll seldom need to buy more than routine items such as tyres, brakes and exhausts.

The fuel economy looks good on paper, and the 2.0 should achieve up to 33mpg overall and 24mpg in town; the 2.4 records 29mpg and 21mpg, and the diesel 48mpg and 36mpg. However, plenty of owners complain theirs are far thirstier in real life.

If the financial picture looks bleak so far, take comfort in the Accord's depreciation figures, which show it losing value more slowly than the equivalent Ford or Vauxhall. The price you get come trade-in should, at least, return the smile to your face.

The fine drive, good boot and high equipment levels are great, but it's a pricey car

Honda makes cracking petrol engines but has only lately put much effort into its diesels. The one in the Accord is terrific, though. It's powerful, smooth and a miser with fuel, packing plenty of the low-rev power that makes it perfect for a load-hauler.

If petrol is your thing, then the smaller of what's available - the 2.0 - does a fine job. So good, in fact, that it's barely worth stepping up to the alternative 2.4.

Even the cheapest Tourer, the SE, has alloy wheels, climate control, a good stereo and full safety kit, so it is hardly worth straying beyond that, although the splashes of silver-finish trim that comes with the Sport do brighten up the cabin.

The top-trim Type-S and Executive models aren't worth the bother unless they're for sale cheaply.

A mild face-lift in 2006 improved the look of the dash a touch. For top value, buy from a car supermarket.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

Honda beats the pack for reliability and has comfortably established a top-five placing in the What Car? Reliability Index. Customers have for years sung the make's praises in the JD Power satisfaction survey.

However, neglect oil-level checks at your peril. The diesel has a thirst for oil that'll run the engine dangerously low if you're too lazy to top it up.

Otherwise, owners report few problems, although several have had the remote tailgate release fail. The anti-lock brakes can also play up and a few cars have needed wheel bearings replaced before time.

Finally, Honda has issued a couple of recalls, to check that wiring in the boot is safe, and to ensure the rear seat belts work as they should. Check with a dealer that yours has had all the work done that it needs.

It's a big, slab-sided load-swallower. Its party trick is to pop open and raise its hatch when you press the remote plipper - great when your arms are full of parcels. The load bay is huge, and the seats drop at the click of a catch to leave a flat floor.

The cabin is a generous size, too, and even low-end models have pretty much all the kit you'd want. The driver's seat is comfortable.

Thick screen pillars, however, limit the view out, and a similarly poor view to the rear makes easing back into a tight space awkward. Find a car with parking sensors fitted - you'll need them.

All engines are lively and it's sharp to drive, if not the best in class. Safety kit includes multiple airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and even the option of auto-steer to keep you in lane.

However, it scored only four stars from Euro NCAP for protecting those inside - several rivals have a maximum five.

Used Honda Accord Tourer 2002 - 2008 reliability

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Used Honda Accord Tourer 2002 - 2008 review

Honda beats the pack for reliability and has comfortably established a top-five placing in the What Car? Reliability Index. Customers have for years sung the make's praises in the JD Power satisfaction survey.,However, neglect oil-level checks at your peril. The diesel has a thirst for oil that'll run the engine dangerously low if you're too lazy to top it up.,Otherwise, owners report few problems, although several have had the remote tailgate release fail. The anti-lock brakes can also play up and a few cars have needed wheel bearings replaced before time.Finally, Honda has issued a couple of recalls, to check that wiring in the boot is safe, and to ensure the rear seat belts work as they should. Check with a dealer that yours has had all the work done that it needs.

What to look for when buying a Honda Accord 2002 - 2008, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability.

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