Let's face it, diesels aren't at all as quiet as petrol engines, as some brochures and the press releases might try to convince us they are.

But it's all relative, isn't it? They really have just got so much better than the clattery, smoky and smelly diesels of not so long ago that the difference brings the modern mill very close to petrols in refinement.

And then there's the economy. Which is why rich people buying the richest cars have led the way in segment diesel penetration in the last five years.

That's probably why they stay rich ...

There were a few makers who stayed out of the loop for a long time. Jaguar have only got into the diesel act in the last couple of years, and only this summer with the S Type, thanks to a joint venture with PSA Peugeot Citroen (though the X Type diesel last year was a Ford-based unit).

Lexus is another, but that company has promised to have its oilburner for the next generation IS.

And then Honda. Well, Honda weren't going to buy in anyone else's engine, given that their whole reputation is built on their engine designs. Remember, it is the world's largest maker of internal combustion engines.

(Sure, they did have a flutter with diesel a decade or so ago, but then it was bought-in technology. We mostly forget it.)

So they took their time before joining the party. They were able to get away with it when the Accord was a standard D segment saloon with 1.8- and 2-litre petrol engines that were still OK for where they aimed.

Thing was, when they knew they were going to drive the nameplate upmarket, especially in Europe they also knew they'd be going nowhere without a diesel version.

And so they built their own. Completely. Design, test, and build.

They've dubbed it their 'whispering' diesel. And yes, it IS very quiet. You'd still know, of course. But even if you were a little hard of hearing and didn't catch the deeper tone, you'd certainly know from the thumping torque.

Which is the other benefit of a decent diesel motor under one's hood. The ability to accelerate fast at low speeds.

It is a well thought-out unit. All aluminium, so there's not a massive extra weight to muck up the carefully-balanced ride and handling of the original car. In fact, it's only 100kg heavier than the basic 2-litre and around 30kg up on the 2.4-litre petrol.

The closed-deck cylinder block construction is worth a mention. This has been made possible by an original Honda-developed production technique that uses a semi-solid casting method to create a highly rigid, compact and lightweight engine.

The engine was developed by Honda Senior Chief Engineer Kenichi Nagahiro. Mr Nagahiro created the concept of Honda’s pioneering variable valve timing system; he was also responsible for the Indycar engine design and development programme, which in turn led to the current Formula One programme.

The Accord 2.2 i-CTDi is benchmarked against the Audi A4 TDi 130 and BMW 320d.

It has 138bhp, a 0-100 km/h of 9.4 seconds, and low CO2 emissions – 143 and 153 g/km CO2 for the saloon and Tourer, respectively, something that is going to become a point of interest here after the next Budget.

Sales of the Accord diesel started just a few months ago. The model comes in Saloon and Tourer body styles, with the Executive trim variant only, which makes it the second most expensive version in the car's range at €39,835.

With that you get leather all over, wood on the dash and in the doors, and that snazzy white-backed instrumentation that is much nicer than the red one in the Sport specification cars. Power seat adjustment too, and heats in the seats.

The new Accord has been a sweet drive since it first rolled out, and a sharply-styled and comfortable car too. I've written before about the unexpectedly crisp steering and handling from what has become a large car. None of that is lost in the diesel. And for those of us partial to the deep hum of an oilburner, it is gain all the way.

Projections are around 140 units per annum, or about a quarter of all Accord sales.