ACCORDING to Honda, the Accord Tourer shows that smart design can satisfy many needs and that the traditional compromises do not have to apply.

The Accord Tourer is an estate car that is practical, but it is also one that people will aspire to own.

Two unique features make it a particularly attractive proposition. It has a power tailgate that can be fully opened and closed at the press of a button and also features an ingenious, one-motion rear seat which can be folded flat to open up the luggage area in a simple and quick, one action, one-handed operation.

The Tourer also features its own unique multi-link rear suspension, which combines extreme compactness with very accurate location and geometry. The result is a class-leading load volume.

Aside from the automatic tailgate opening, one motion rear seat and rear screen wash/wipe - all standard on all UK models - equipment levels mirror those of equivalent four-door models. All Tourers feature alloy wheels, dual zone climate control, outside temperature indicator, six-speaker CD audio systems and blackout 3D dashboard illumination. Front and the largest side curtain airbags in class are also standard.

Safety considerations are not just restricted to occupants, because the Accord incorporates the industry-leading pedestrian-protection features already familiar from the Civic, Stream, Jazz and CR-V. These features include an unobstructed area beneath the bonnet allowing it to deform on impact, bonnet hinges and front wing mounting brackets that compress under impact, energy-absorbing front bumper and energy-absorbing wiper pivots.

Power for the Tourer is provided by the 155 PS 2.0 litre and 190 PS 2.4 litre petrol engines mated to five-speed and six-speed manual transmissions respectively, or a five-speed automatic with Sequential Shift. Both engines use DOHC i-VTEC technology to deliver consistently high output across all engine speeds.

Sales of the Tourer start on May 3 with the new models span the price range £17,495 to £22,095.