Honda Legend
Ratings
3 stars
Summary
Average. Smart and packed with technology - but bland to look at and without the lure of a premium badge.
Review
Honda has tried to sell the previous generations of the Legend in the UK - and pretty much all of them have sunk without trace. This is a large, expensive executive saloon without the sort of premium badge that buyers demand from the segment, so it's always going to struggle in Britain's class conscious marketplace. That said, behind its bland exterior the Legend is a good car - packed with technology and offering a strong dynamic performance.
The drab styling is a disappointment, though - the slabby Legend is pretty much instantly forgettable, with design that lacks the classy good looks of the smaller, cheaper Civic and Accord. The interior also feels a bit old fashioned, with unimaginative design and some very artificial looking wood trim (amazingly it's actually real timber.) There's plenty of space for both front and rear seat occupants, though - plus plenty of room for bags in the deep, hungry boot.
With a very clever four-wheel drive system that's able to proportion torque precisely to each wheel, the Accord drives extremely well - delivering strong traction and feeling far more agile than you would expect from a car in this segment. A central display screen in the cockpit keeps passengers amused by showing where all the torque is being directed. Ride quality is poor over broken surfaces.
Only one engine is available - a 3.5 litre petrol V6 which produces a claimed 292 bhp. Performance is delivered smoothly via the standard five-speed automatic gearbox, but the engine has to be revved surprisingly hard to make rapid progress - which feels counter-instinctive considering the rest of the Legend's relaxed dynamic demeanour.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
2 star
Bland, boring looks aren't really in keeping with the segment - from the back the Legend looks like the US-spec Ford Taurus.
Handling
4 star
The Legend drives well considering its size, with clever all-wheel drive directing torque to where the grip is - but the steering lacks much in the way of feel.
Comfort
4 star
With a brilliant driving position the Legend is a good place to spend time, but the ride feels fidgety on broken road surfaces.
Quality & Reliability
4 star
As you'd expect from a Honda, quality is excellent - although many of the cabin materials feel cheaper than they are.
Performance
3 star
The 3.5 litre V6 engine has to be worked surprisingly hard for keen performance, although it sounds good under hard use.
Roominess
4 star
Front and rear seat occupants enjoy plenty of space and loads of standard-fit toys to play with.
Running Costs
3 star
Fuel economy is poor - under everyday use the Legend will struggle to significantly better 20 mpg. And depreciation is likely to be steep, although limited supply should keep it under reasonably tight control.
Value for money
3 star
Strong standard equipment means the Legend looks like good value on paper - but the lack of a premium badge means it will always struggle against upmarket rivals.
