Right before the world economic crisis broke in, Honda unveiled its ninth generation of the mid-size sedan Accord for Europe at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.
The Accord was already known in Europe for its reliability and sportiness sedan capability. Even though it was offered with only three engine choices and an outdated automatic gearbox, its sales were decent. The previous generation, the Accord 8, was highly criticized for its stiff suspension that affected the comfort. The ninth-generation fixed that along with some other issues.

From the outside, the 2008 Accord was bigger than its predecessor. There were more rounded edges and flared fenders and rear quarter panels. It kept the aggressive styling but not that aggressive as the eighth generation. The ninth generation of the Accord fitted innovative safety systems such as the CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System) and LKAS (Lane Keep Assist System), which made the car steer and brake autonomously. Later on, the CMBS system became mandatory for commercial vehicles and extensively used on regular ones. It used a camera and a laser beam to measure the distance to the front obstacle and the speed difference. It warned the driver and braked the car.

Inside, there was a new interior, with a new infotainment unit. It wasn’t touch-sensitive, but it was controlled via a rotary knob on the center console. There was enough room for five adults.

For the engine compartment, Honda offered two naturally aspirated gasoline units and a turbodiesel. The standard gearbox for all the range was a 6-speed manual, while a 5-speed automatic with paddle shifters was available as an option.