HONDA still sells the latest version of the large Accord in other markets and under other names.

But fairly slow sales towards the end of the last version available here - in 2015 - meant the company decided not to replace it.

Four cylinder engines from Honda were for many years the smoothest you could buy, and some car makers are still trying to catch up with this fantastic refinement.

The 2.4-litre petrol in the Accord is as smooth and powerful as BMW's six cylinder 2.5.

And as well as this petrol with an excellent 198bhp, there is also a smooth and powerful 2.0-litre with 153 that's no slouch.

For most though, the pick of the range is probably the much more plentiful 2.2 turbo diesel with 147bhp - or 177 in the Type-S - which is smooth, quiet and very powerful.

There is rarely any need to push any of the engines hard because they have marvellous response and pull hard from low revs.

The lower powered diesel will dispatch the 0 to 62 miles an hour sprint in 9.3 seconds, and the Type S brings this down to 8.5.

But the quickest of all is the 2.4 petrol, which can do the same benchmark in 7.8 seconds. Petrol economy ranges from 33 to 40mpg, while the diesels should do about 50 with the usual careful right foot.

Handling is top-of-the-tree in both saloon and cavernous estate, with little roll, wonderful balance, vast grip and safe, sure roadholding.

These road manners match the engine's verve perfectly and make the Accord a hugely enjoyable car over short or long journeys.

The ride is excellent at speed, soaking up the worst of surfaces with great ease, but it does get a little unsettled over poor surfaces in town.

A superb, smooth changing automatic gearbox was available with petrol and diesel engines, and a friend of mine swears by his ten-year old auto diesel, which has done over 160,000 miles without a hitch.

Every model in the range comes well equipped with things like climate control, cruise, four electric windows, stability control, aux in and heated mirrors.

ES GT adds bigger alloys, sports suspension and Bluetooth, while the EX gets leather, USB, electric heated seats and auto lights and wipers.

Many will also have the excellent Honda sat nav system, which was an extra across the range.

Pay £5,100 for a '14 14-reg 2.2 i-DTEC litre diesel ES, or £8,300 for a '15 15-reg 2.2 I-DTEC EX diesel auto. Estates will be a few hundred pounds more.