FROM the land of the rising sun comes a car which is so advanced it actually knows where the sun is.
It is one of a number of high tech features which Honda is bringing into play as it takes its latest Accord up market.
On sale in June, the new Accord is out to steal a piece of the action from the likes of BMW and Audi.
Available initially as a saloon with a sleek estate arriving in September, Honda's new family and fleet model will be priced from £19,260 to £25,360.
That's an increase of around ten per cent on the previous range but Honda is stressing the new Accord comes with plenty of kit and will hold its price better than before.
The latest Accord line up features Honda's tried and tested two and 2.4-litre VTEC petrol engines and a stunning new diesel capable of averaging 50mpg.
Honda's reputation is built on reliable and powerful engines but it is a relative newcomer to the diesel market.
Its first home grown diesel went into production only four years ago and has now been superseded by the 150bhp 2.2-litre i-DTEC engine in the new Accord.
Using piezo fuel injectors which are faster and more accurate than conventional systems, the engine is more powerful, cleaner and refined giving the car a 0 to 60 time of around 9.5 seconds and a claimed top speed of 131mph.
Not only is it a top class cruiser it has more than enough mid-range power for overtaking - and it's also remarkably quiet.
Exhaust emissions are down to 148g/km for the saloon and 153 for the Tourer and it already comes up to scratch in terms of the next level of European pollution legislation.
Both petrol engines are smooth and powerful and the new Accord is high on driver fun thanks to a short-throw six speed gearbox. Expect 30 to the gallon from the two-litre but only around 24mpg from the 2.4. Emissions are 170 and 209g/km so they are not as tax friendly as the diesel.
The new Accord is considerably wider than the outgoing model and its lines are sharply cut. It looks good and the Tourer - especially in lighter paint jobs with dark privacy glass - has the potential to become a real 'bling' machine.
The most significant improvements are inside. Not only is it roomier and more comfortable but the dashboard has been reworked in a modern and functional fashion centred around a full colour display screen which is standard on the top specification EX models priced from £22,260.
Those models also feature satnav, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rear parking camera and six disc CD sound system as standard.
With the GPS navigation comes what Honda calls intelligent climate control which creates almost the ultimate in-car environment.
Not only can the driver and front seat passenger dial in their own settings but sensors detect the position of the sun and adjust the climate settings accordingly to avoid hot spots in the cabin.
To make driving as efficient as possible - keeping emissions and fuel consumption low - the Accord features 'change up' and 'change down' warnings in the driver's line of sight.
Honda's high tech armoury on the Accord also includes advanced safety devices to supplement the standard front and side airbags and anti-whiplash head restraints.
The Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) is a £2,000 option on the EX and includes adaptive cruise control which automatically maintains vehicle separation, collision mitigation which primes the brakes and the seat belt restraints if an impact is imminent and a system designed to stop driver's drifting out of their lanes.
Fully specced the new Accord will be carrying as much equipment as a £50,000 Jaguar and still cost less than £30,000.
That is what Honda is pinning its hopes on to make the Accord succeed - executive specification at family car prices, albeit at the top end of the scale.
Drivers who like a busy facia festooned with warning lights and controls will be enthralled by the Accord's dash - not to mention the steering wheel which has more buttons than on Jenson Button's F1 Honda racing car.
Either as a fleet or family car the Accord undercuts the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class when equipment levels are taken into account.
Only Ford's Mondeo offers real competition and Honda is claiming the Accord will be worth more than the Ford three years down the line.
Of the two body shapes the Tourer has the more presence, although both look sporty. The estate also has a more practical maximum luggage capacity of 672 litres although the load space is compromised by intrusion from the rear wheel arches.
Boot space on the saloon is relatively large at 460 litres and the rear seats can be folded for more room.
All round the new Accord is bigger and better finished than before and Honda has put right the old fashioned feel of the interior.
It is sporty and nimble to drive, features top level technology and at last looks the executive part.