The redesigned 2008 Honda Accord sedan is more powerful and roomier. It's also sleeker and qualifies, for the first time, as a full-size car.

People are so accustomed to the rival Toyota Camry being the top-selling car in America, that some forget that the Accord -- long the No. 2 seller -- was No. 1 in this country from 1989 through 1991. It was introduced in 1976 as a crisply styled small three-door hatchback. The first Accord sedan didn't arrive until 1979. Second-generation Accords debuted for 1982.

The eighth-generation Accord comes as a sedan or coupe, but most buyers opt for the sedan, which I tested. The new coupe has sleeker styling and is 3.2 inches shorter and 1.7 inches lower than the sedan.

The new Accord sedan barely edges past the mid-size car line to the EPA's full-size auto classification because it's 3 inches longer at 194.1 inch, 1.1 inches wider and about an inch higher, with a 2.3-inch longer wheelbase of 110.2 inches.

A longer wheelbase translates to a smoother ride, and the new Accord has high-tensile steel; it provides greater torsional rigidity that results in a more solid-feeling car.

There is nearly 1.6 inches more room between the driver and front passenger, which contributes to a more spacious interior feel.

The 2008 Accord sedan's interior is quite roomy, especially in the back seat area, where room often counts for a lot with a sedan. There's plenty of space for two tall adults back there; the high, hard rear seat center area makes it uncomfortable for three.

This new Honda has a definite European shape. For instance, a "character line" that runs the length of the bodysides and a "kink" in the rear side pillars makes the sedan look somewhat like a BMW. However, the Accord's nose is overly styled, and front-end lowness makes it susceptible to damage. The hood line looks unfashionably high from the side because the front end must meet new pedestrian-protection requirements.

As for occupant safety, standard are the usual bunch of air bags, an anti-skid system and traction control, besides tire pressure monitoring and anti-lock brakes.

The new Accord V-6 sedan has the general feel of a good European sedan, with quick, nicely weighted power steering with only 2.56 turns lock-to-lock (against 2.98 turns for the 2007 Accord) and a lower center of gravity. There was no body sway when sweeping quickly through curves.

The rather firm-but-supple suspension soaks up road imperfections because there is a performance-inspired double-wishbone front suspension (found on race cars) and a new, compact multi-link, rear suspension. The brake pedal allows smooth stops, and brakes have electronic brake force distribution and brake assist features for surer panic stops.

Helping roadability are 16-wheels with 60-series tires or 17-inch wheels with 50-series tires for sedans, and 17- or 18-inch wheels for coupes, which come with 50- or 45-series tires. (The lower the series number, the wider the tire.)

Four-cylinder sedan trim levels begin at the nicely equipped base LX and graduate to LX-P, EX, EXL and EXL with a navigation system. List prices range from $20,360 to $28,060.

As always, Accord sedan V-6 models are costlier. They go from $25,960 for the EX to $30,260 for the EX-L with a navigation system.

The sedan's power comes from three engines, which are more potent than their predecessors but only require 87-octane fuel.

There is a 3.5-liter V-6 and two 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. The base four-cylinder has 177 horsepower for average performance and the other develops 190 horsepower and considerably more punch for merging and passing.

The 268-horsepower V-6 provides the best performance by far and has a fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management feature that lets it run on three, four or six cylinders, depending on speed and load. Looking back, there hasn't been a three-mode cylinder deactivation system since Cadillac's ambitious but premature 1981 V-8-6-4, which shut down two or four cylinders for better fuel economy in a gas-crisis era.

The sedan's four-cylinder engines work with a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic. While responsive, the automatic would be more up to date with six speeds.

The gas-electric Hybrid model has been dropped. Estimated fuel economy is 22 mpg city and 31 highway with the four-cylinder and manual gearbox and 21 and 31 with the automatic.

The sedan V-6 works only with the automatic. That combination's economy figures are 19 city and 29 highway. (The coupe is the only Accord V-6 with a manual gearbox, which is a six-speed unit and results in 17 mpg city and 25 highway.) Fuel capacity has been increased to 18.5 gallons from 17.2 gallons -- the most ever offered for an Accord.

Accord V-6 models have stylized chrome-plated exterior door handles (instead of body color handles) and richer interior materials. My test sedan's quiet interior almost looked as if from one of Honda's higher-line Acura models.

Gauges can be quickly read. The soft-touch controls initially look complicated, but a driver soon finds they're logically placed and easily used. However, the front console cupholder cover partly blocks a passenger's access to them when open.

Slender windshield pillars made of high-strength steel provide a greater field of vision, and large outside mirrors help rear driver visibility.

The large trunk has a low, wide opening, and a fold-down lockable rear seatback increases cargo capacity.

The new Accord has virtually all ingredients for continued success, but it remains to be seen if it can overtake the Camry.