A little background on how this trip came to be. Our eldest son is a student at Eastern Washington University in Cheney WA. We had planned to fly him home for summer break and purchase the new car here in Alaska but adventure presented itself in the form of a road trip through our favorite part of the north. Northern B.C. and the Mighty Yukon Territory called out again and were felt obliged to answer the call.

Craig, our eldest son, and I drove down last September in his Chevy truck taking our time to explore some side roads and to get pleasure from some friendliest people we met along the way. The trip was so extraordinary that any chance to retrace it could not be passed up. So I began searching out Honda Dealers in Washington State that had websites and offered quotes via email. Well times have changed and these dealers were far out in front of us with interactive websites and actual Internet sales people ready to help us. What a great way to shop, provided you already know which vehicle your interested in. WA Honda Dealers responded quickly to our inquiries with information on which vehicles they had in stock, colors, options and more. We immediately had a large group of cars and dealers to choose between. Well, the car is to be used in our marketing business and thus we felt it needed to be something that stood out some. We opted for the Accord EX with the V6. From there we added the rear spoiler, mud guards auto start and more to get things started.

So now the car is waiting us, Craig is undertaking a week of final exams, and our youngest son Michael is beside himself in anticipation of seeing his big brother again and going on a road trip that most will only dream of experiencing.

We will be reporting on gas prices, road conditions, boarder crossings, and fuel mileage of this all new V6 from Honda. So check back often as we Drive to Alaska in a new Honda Accord from a local Spokane WA Honda dealer with internet sales representatives waiting to help you find that car, truck or SUV that your looking for all from the comfort of your own home or office.

The SI version of the new Honda Civic is equipped with a peppy 2.0 liter, I4 putting out an impressive 197 horsepower and still pulls down a whopping 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.
Base Price $21,945 - $30,135

If your looking for a little more in the mileage department and not as interested in this models great performance, check into any of the other versions of the Honda Civic. There is the standard sedan version with the 1.8L I4 pumping out 140 horsepower and an outstanding hybrid version that really gets stingy with the gasoline, up to 45 mpg on the highway, saving you money with every mile you drive.

Note: Cars.com names 2008 Civic Hybrid “An Editor’s Choice for Green Drivers” and Kelley Blue Book rated the Civic Hybrid as the “Gas Mileage Champ” for 2008.

Regardless of which version you choose, gas mileage will very depending upon your personal driving habits.

Here is what we found about the new 2008 Honda Accord EX V6. This car has the competition beat hands down with its stylish and roomy interior that has become a characteristic of Honda cars. From the moment you open the doors it’s obvious that this is no compact car at all. There is plenty of leg room in both the front and back for adults over 6 foot like me. Head room was excellent as was the door size and entry geometry. The Honda Accord has been dubbed as the Worlds Most Perfect Car and so far it seems to be living up to this name.

As for the performance, well, lets just say the acceleration of the vehicle we test drove was very moving. A little to much pressure on the peddle and its off to the races in a very short hurry. Thank goodness the folks at Honda remembered to equip the Accord with first-rate braking as had this not been the case, day one of the test drives could have been a nightmare. The car doesn’t convey the feeling of your actual speed like many of the others we drove. It handled so precisely and with such poise that it was easy to get over-confidence in a hurry. You just get up to speed much faster then expected and the sporty handling instills a confidence that can get you in trouble if your on the lead footed side to begin with. My wife will tell you that I do fit that description and as related to my driving style, well, it’s possible.

The gas mileage on the V6 Accord is also a little lower than I had first anticipated but then a mile or two for all this power is a tradeoff I am happy to make. Provided I can learn to keep my foot off the floor, the mileage figures should come up some over the open roads of the Alaska Highway.

Handling on the Accord excelled when pitted against both the Camry and Impala we tried out. The Nissan Maxima with the 3.5 liter V6 was a close runner up but lacked in traction through the corners. Other then that, the two were always head to head in handling on windy roads.

I like the exterior and interior design, but long for more choices in interior colors. The stereo is acceptable but nothing to brag about. The Nissan Maxima had a more appealing dash and was equal in all other respects as to the interior arrangement and refinement. But overall, I felt the Honda Accord EX V6 is the better car for the money. We will be reporting back as we near the end of our trip to let you know how this car did in the long journey over the wilderness roads to Alaska.