ONLY a Honda engineer could haughtily look down at a BMW or Audi diesel model, contemptuously spit into the gutter and walk proudly away with head held high.

The Japanese firm's engine development head honcho, Kenichi Nagahiro, has certainly earned the right to be so dismissive of the Beamer 320d, or Audi A4 TDi 130, after seeing the Accord's 2.2-litre diesel version into British showrooms this year.

There are no two ways about it, Honda's engineers are good - racing pedigree alone shows that, without having to refer to the legions of customers who can attest to steadfast mechanics and long engine life.

But in taking the relaunched Accord range more upmarket last year, the Japanese outfit also put themselves under real pressure to pull quite a cracker out of the bag when it came to producing the first-ever in-house oil-burner.

Locking horns with the Germans, Honda has proven that the badge-chasing syndrome is all bunkum with its all-aluminium common-rail 2204cc diesel.

The secret of Honda's latest engine success is simple - the firm has ironed out anything that is remotely close to a fault.

If you think that's a little OTT, try one. There's nothing to come near the Accord power pack's satin-smooth delivery and total wipe-out of the standard diesel traits of clatter and vibration.

With 138bhp and a torque curve that peaks at just 2,000rpm, the Accord - a Tourer, or estate, in this case - has a potency from the outset that just never seems to fade, particularly in the upper three of the five manual gears.

Top speed is 123mph for the load-carrying version, and the combination of 58.9mpg on the country cycle, a 65-litre tank, and just 153g/km Co2 emissions makes it an obvious company-user choice.

And as it meets the latest Euro IV regulations, it's exempt from the UK's three per cent benefit-in-kind tax penalty for business drivers.

The estate version (pictured) takes 10.1 seconds to reach 62mph, but the lighter saloon is altogether faster, quicker and cleaner.

With a long, low and supple chassis, the Accord Tourer has supreme handling agility and driving responses, and makes the most of the 2.2-litre engine's excellent all-round flexibility. Put simply, executive estates rarely sit this well on the open road.

The Tourer will haul a sizeable cargo and the load area can be laid completely flat with a one-lever operation to drop the rear seats. Clever styling gets the shape well away from the boxy estate look, yet the powered, remote-control rear hatch door can cope with awkward items.

In Executive form, the Tourer 2.2i i-CDTi retails at £21,200, a price designed to take on the upper-class executives rather than Mazda maid or Mondeo man.

In return for that, the kit includes leather seating, electrically-adjustable up-front, automatic dual zone climate control, electric everything else, plus cruise control, front fog lights, rain-sensing wipers and you can take state-of-the-art safety and security measures as read.

For more information, call your local dealer City Honda on 01256 697850.