Road Test
Honda Legend 3.5 V6 EX
Test date 20 August 2006
Price as tested £36,557
For Agile handling, loads of kit, quality
AgainstHigh price, drab looks, poor economy
Honda is a car maker on excellent form. For the last few years it has brought us the inspired Jazz, the commendable Accord and the bold new Civic, and has grown in stature with every one.
Now, it seems, Honda is ready to do battle with the big boys. The last Honda Legend was a mediocre four-door you’re not very likely to remember, let alone rated very highly. Five years after it dropped that, it has introduced an all-new one aimed right into the mid-sized executive saloon market heartland of the BMW 5-series, Mercedes
E-class, Audi A6 and Lexus GS300.
Competing successfully with such highly regarded models is a tall order. Recognising this, Honda has given its new saloon a unique selling point: technological sophistication. The Legend has one of the most advanced drivetrains of any production car, and it’s also capable of accelerating, braking and even steering for its driver in certain circumstances.
What you must decide is this: would you pay up to £39,000 for a rather anonymous-looking Honda, money that could otherwise be spent on an E350, an A6 3.2 quattro or even a V8-engined BMW 540i? If the answer’s yes, you’re exactly the kind of open-minded individual Honda is looking for - but we suspect you are also in the minority.
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