Overview: It’s safe to say that we’re fans of the Honda
Accord. Honda’s bread-and-butter mid-size car has held a spot on our annual
10Best Cars list more times (30) than any other vehicle. Credit Accord
hallmarks such as excellent packaging, a comfortable ride, engaging handling,
and top-notch build quality for the model’s decades-long reign.
Last year, a significant update brought revisions to the
car’s exterior and interior, as well as a host of new technology and safety
features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the Honda Sensing suite
of safety features (adaptive cruise control, a collision-mitigation braking
system, lane-keeping assist, and more).
Available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan,
the Accord continues to offer four- and six-cylinder engine choices. Measuring
2.4 liters, the standard 185-hp four-cylinder engine is available with a
six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
Accord Sport and Sport Special Edition sedans add 4 horsepower to that total,
as well as a host of other features (including 19-inch wheels, bigger brakes,
side sills, and a rear lip spoiler) to denote the two trims’ more
driver-focused nature. A 278-hp 3.5-liter V-6 is available on the Accord EX-L
and standard on the top-of-the-line Touring. While V-6 sedan consumers must
give shifting control to a six-speed automatic transmission, EX-L V-6 coupe
drivers can choose a six-speed manual transmission. Finally, the new-for-2017,
sedan-only Accord hybrid relies on a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and
two AC motor/generators to deliver a combined 212 horsepower. Fuel-economy
figures span from a less-than-stellar 18/28 mpg city/highway for the V-6 manual
coupe to an impressive 49/47-mpg rating for the hybrid sedan.
All Accords come generously equipped. Features such as
dual-zone automatic climate control, steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise
controls, Bluetooth, and a rearview camera are standard on even the lowliest
Accord LX sedan and Accord LX-S coupe. While Honda Sensing is available
throughout the Accord line (although it can’t be paired with a manual
transmission), Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a navigation system can be
found only on higher-end trim levels.
Prices range from $23,190 for the well-equipped six-speed
manual Accord LX sedan to $36,790 for the loaded Accord Touring hybrid sedan.
For this review, we drove a $35,665 Honda Accord Touring sedan.
What’s New: The Accord hybrid returns to the
lineup for 2017 after a one-year hiatus during which manufacturing was moved
from Ohio to Japan. The new car incorporates the myriad of revisions made