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2008 Honda Accord Coupe V6 EX-L Navi vs. 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5 SE Comparison Test

The definitive midsize coupe is without a doubt, the Honda Accord. It's the trusty

Two of the hottest coupes on the market are the Altima and the Accord. How do they compare against one another? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

one, the mainstay and has earned its position of most prominent player on the scene for the past decade despite the fact that the midsize coupe segment is even less stable than the San Andreas Fault line. Through the years it's grown up to be one of the best practical coupes that money can buy, and for 2008 it's all new and better than ever. Honda's top-line coupe has seen its fair share of two-door competitors arrive and disappear since its inception, from Toyota, Chrysler, General Motors and other brands, with the newest to arrive being from Nissan. Introduced this model year, the Altima Coupe makes a strong first impression with its true coupe styling, and thanks to its solid base the still-fresh Altima shows plenty of potential.

That's why the cars we've assembled here are essentially fully loaded – toys for big boys... and girls. Both cars sit at the top of their respective hierarchy, powered by strong 3.5-liter V6 engines, and come with features like satellite navigation, leather seats, upgraded stereos and more. Both cars also happen to be spinoffs of very good but nevertheless average run of the mill family sedans, which means they retain their four-door siblings' suspension setups (but different tuning), and front engine, front wheel drive layouts.

The only difference in configuration for our testers is the transmissions; our

A lack of doors changes everything for these cars... (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Honda Accord was fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox versus the Altima which featured Nissan's Xtronic CVT. This wasn't our choice, but rather it boiled down to availability. Besides, we like to think that the transmissions selected here represent strengths of their respective manufacturers.

The midsize Coupe market is one that ebbs and flows, but now is a time when the segment is on the rise. Surprisingly, its growth is driven by the fact that the segment no longer caters just to middle aged folks, but to a younger crowd as well, a crowd wanting space but with no desire to sacrifice the thrill of quick acceleration and the smile-inducing properties of capable cornering. But subtract two doors, and the mix suddenly becomes unexpected and random. Some cars are loud and proud, while others prefer to cosset unequivocally. Others play the sporting card, some less than others.

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