Honda’s 2.2-litre Accord diesel engine is such a smoothie that the addition of an automatic gearbox seems a natural evolutionary step – even if it does come a little late, writes Sharon Walters.

It was just a couple of months ago that the four-cylinder, 2,199cc oil-burner, with its 148 brake horses, took the five-speed auto transmission on board.

And while it was a small step forward for the Accord, it was a giant leap for Honda-kind. This, it must be remembered, is the firm whose chief engineer said, some years ago now, that he hated diesels.

Ironic, for the Japanese giant is producing the kind of diesel the business user cannot fail to love.

Quiet and clatter-free, with slick and quick power delivery, it’s one of those engines that pertains so close to petrol behaviour it can easily lull you into misfuelling after a long, hard day on the motorway.

Thank heavens for the modern trend for plastering “diesel” across the filler box and cap – not to mention well-lit filling-station forecourts.

Diesel automatics have been around a long time – first experience of one for me was in the breezy 1.7-litre Citroen BX back in 1989 – so Honda’s late entry into this particular technical sector does reek of a certain reluctance.

But it is here, and the company user-chooser needs to take a close look at it before heading across to a BMW dealership.

Honda’s package works really well in the Accord estate, or Tourer, for this is a true long-distance machine of quality construction, sublime comfort, and those home-from-home touches that prove much pricier when supplied under a German badge.

Safety

The Tourer 2.2 i-DTEC – that’s how Honda describes this diesel – ES GT version sells for £25,740, but the driver and passengers want for nothing by way of safety, essentials, or executive-spec items.

Another great thing about the Tourer is the clever cabin ergonomics. It doesn’t feel new or strange, just the opposite – there’s the sense of always having had the car.

Even the hi-tech stuff, including the voice-recognition satnav, cruise control and Bluetooth hands-free phone system, is fairly straightforward.

And whether it is the drive or loadability, with the Accord it’s compactness that carries the day.

The drive is tight, the motion-sensing power steering brilliant, and it’s nice to be able to forget about working the gear lever when making the most of the Tourer’s pace.

There’s a sub 10 second 0-62mph sprint time, a 126mph top speed, and enough grunt – torque peaks at just 2,000rpm – to tow a caravan and all the trappings.

The Tourer itself doesn’t go big on loads, with the maximum of 1,183 litres put to shame by some superminis.

Reward

But the reward, when you consider longer rivals like the Citroen C5 and Ford Mondeo estates, is the kind of road behaviour a true driving enthusiast appreciates.

Overall mpg leans towards the sporting nature of this car, at 42.8.

Honda is a little more generous with the after-care warranty too – you get 90,000 miles of cover, or three years (most of the competition is still stuck on 60,000 miles).

By Sharon Walters

BUMPER TO BUMPER

Car: Honda Accord Tourer 2.2 i-DTEC ES GT auto five-door £25,740. Tourer range from 2.0i ES (£20,606) to 2.4 EX auto (£28,886)

Bodyshell: 4.74m ´ 1.84m, five-door estate; 2199cc, 148bhp four-cylinder engine, driving front wheels through five-speed auto gearbox

Performance/economy: top speed 126mph, 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds. Official fuel figures: city 32.8mpg, country 52.3mpg, combined 42.8mpg

Warranty: Three years or 90,000 miles

Company car tax liability: 174g per km

CO2 emissions (25 per cent of cost of car when new, taxed)

Insurance group: 10

Website: www.honda.co.uk