2008 Honda Accord Coupe vs 2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse vs 2008 Nis

Two decades ago, one couldn't utter the words "front-wheel drive" and "sport coupe" without generating a few snickers from the auto snobs.

There was some justification for these chuckles. Back then, coupes like the one Honda built on the Accord platform were simply line extenders-two-door variants of monster-selling family sedans. Sure, with an added wing, upsized 15-inch alloys, and a five-speed manual transmission, they appeared a bit sportier. But with a maximum of only 120 horsepower available from the "big-block" 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the Honda Accord Coupe was clearly more poseur than racer. A peppy alternative to the family sedan? Absolutely. But a real sport coupe? Never in a million years.