"During the press briefing, Baker made claims that the Accord V6 powerplant would make us forget about the new Nissan Altima's 3.5-liter V6. We beg to differ, having driven our long-term Altima 3.5 SE to the Accord launch. In contrast to the Nissan, the Honda upshifts and downshifts more fluidly and with less kick, but when the Accord's engine is revved, it fails to delight with any eagerness or urgency to rush to speed the way the Altima's V6 does. The Altima is a thrill ride when the go-pedal is mashed; the Accord is not. This, we're certain, is sure to please traditional Accord buyers, but it's not going to appeal to performance-minded folks."