Honda Accord - Variants explained

On sale since the late 1970s, the Honda Accord is one of the most recognizable cars in the United States. In fact, the sedan went on to become one of the best-selling cars in the country, beginning somewhere in the late 1980s. Over the decades, the midsize sedan segment has been filling up with cars from all over the world, though for the most part, it is nigh-on impossible to dethrone the Accord from its high perch.

In the US, other popular cars in the fast-paced midsize sedan genre come in the form of the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata and Mazda 6. As for the Honda Accord, the outgoing model represents the tenth generation of one of America’s most preferred cars. Produced at Honda’s Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio, the latest iteration of the Accord has witnessed the model stepping away from V6 engines -- instead, on offer are two turbo petrol engines and a hybrid as well.

So let’s say that you want to buy a brand-new Honda Accord (since you are here reading this article anyway), which one should you buy? In the US, there are nearly a dozen different variants of the new Accord on sale - including the various engine/transmission options plus trim levels.

Well, let’s try and find out, but first… Here are some basics, first.

Honda Accord dimensions

Measurements	Honda Accord
Length	192.2 in (4,881 mm)
Width	73.3 in (1,862 mm)
Height	57.1 in (1,450 mm)
Wheelbase	111.4 in (2,829 mm)
Boot Capacity	16.7 cu ft (473 liters)

When compared to the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord is a touch bigger in every exterior dimension - be it length, width, height or wheelbase. And at 15 cu ft (427 liters), the Camry’s boot volume is less than that of the Accord as well.

Take a glance at the table below for a quick price breakdown.

 Honda Accord price

Here is a look at the Honda Accord price list:

Variants	Price
LX	$23,720
Hybrid	$25,320
Sport 1.5T	$26,180
EX 1.5T	$27,620
EX Hybrid	$29,220
EX-L 1.5T	$30,120
Sport 2.0T	$30,710
EX-L Hybrid	$31,720
EX-L 2.0T	$32,120
Touring 2.0T	$34,990
Touring Hybrid	$34,990

Now let’s check out what Honda Accord specs sheet features under the hood.

Honda Accord engine and transmission

Specifications	Honda Accord 1.5T	Honda Accord 2.0T	Honda Accord Hybrid
Engine	1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder	2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder	2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder
Transmission	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)	10-speed automatic	Electronically-controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT)
Power	192 hp at 5,500 rpm	252 at 6,500 rpm	212 hp at 6,200 rpm
Torque	192 lb-ft (260 Nm) between 1,600 to 5,000 rpm	273 lb-ft (370 Nm) between 1,500 to 4,000 rpm	232 lb-ft (315 Nm) at 3,500 rpm
Claimed Fuel Economy	33 mpg (14 kmpl)	26 mpg (11 kmpl)	48 mpg (20.4 kmpl)

As is clearly evident, the Accord Hybrid is undeniably the champ when it comes to producing a healthy amount of power without sacrificing fuel economy. In fact, the Hybrid variant of the Accord is rated at an impressive 48 mpg on a combined cycle.

Now onto the variants of the new Honda Accord…

Honda Accord LX

Starting from $23,720, the LX is the entry point into the new Honda Accord range in the States. Under the hood of the Accord LX, there’s a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-popper that puts out 192 hp and 192 lb-ft or 260 Nm of torque.

The motor comes mated as standard to a CVT that drives the front wheels, enabling the Accord to scoot from a standstill to 62 mph (100 kmph) in 7.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 121 mph (195 kmph).

In terms of features and standard equipment, the Accord LX comes with the following items:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlamps
• Smarty entry with push-button start
• Cruise control
• Automatic dual-zone climate control
• 7-inch digital driver’s display
• 4-speaker sound system
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

The LX trim also packs the following safety features as part of its standard gear:

• Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistance suite
• 8 airbags (dual front, front sides, side curtain and driver’s & front passenger’s knee)
• Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with Traction Control (TRC)
• Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA)
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
• Multi-Angle Rearview Camera

Note: The Honda Sensing suite includes tech such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Traffic Sign Recognition System (TSR), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF). LSF is only available on CVT-equipped trims.

Honda Accord Hybrid

Starting at $25,320, there’s the Honda Accord Hybrid trim. Propulsion comes from a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre engine which works in tandem with a dual-motor system. There’s a total system output of 212 hp with 232 lb-ft (315 Nm) for the company, while transmission chores are handled by an electronically-controlled CVT.

Along with a healthy amount of poke, this hybrid powertrain found in the new Accord also impresses with its combined fuel economy of 48 mpg (20.4 kmpl). So while its performance is plenty decent, it’s the powertrain’s frugal running manners that really make the case for this particular version of the Accord.

As for the new Honda Accord Hybrid’s standard features, the standard kit that’s available are vastly similar to that of the base LX trim in the regular entry-level car. However, there are some additions here which include:

• Active shutters for the grille
• Split-folding rear seats
• 3-Mode Drive System (ECON/Sport/EV)
• Remote engine start

Honda Accord Sport

Next up, we have the Accord Sport trim. Costing from $26,180, the Sport trim of the Accord can be had with either the 1.5-litre turbo-four or the even punchier 2.0-litre turbo four-popper. The latter develops an impressive 252 hp and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm), and is capable of propelling the Accord from 0-62 mph (0-100 kmph) in just 5.8 seconds! Top whack is 127 mph or 205 kmph.

Depending on your preference, both these engines can be had with a wonderful 6-speed manual transmission. However, the 1.5T variant can also be paired to a CVT, whilst the 2.0T variant can be optioned with an advanced & silky-smooth 10-speed automatic. The CVT-equipped 1.5T version clocks in at 31 mpg (13.1 kmpl), whilst the stick-shift returns around 30 mpg (12.75 kmpl)

The Accord Sport adds all of the following features to its list of standard equipment:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Rear decklid spoiler
• Chrome-tipped exhausts
• LED fog lamps
• Sport pedals
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Heated front seats (2.0T only)
• 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
• SiriusXM (2.0T only) and HD radio
• SMS text message function
• 8-speaker, 180-watt audio system
• 8-inch high-definition touchscreen unit
• Power moonroof (2.0T only)

In terms of extra safety kit, the Sport trim gets Blind Spot Information System (BSI) with Cross Traffic Monitor (CTM), though this is only available on the 2.0T variant.

Honda Accord EX

Starting from $27,620, the Accord EX is powered by either the 192-horsepower 1.5-litre turbo-four or the 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain. Irrespective of the engine you choose, the EX trim gets you all the convenience features that the Sport has, but then the following features are now standard:

• 17-inch machine-finished alloy wheels
• Smart-entry with ‘walk-away’ auto lock
• Power moonroof
• Heated wing mirrors
• Heated front seats
• Driver seatback storage
• SiriusXM and HD radio

Honda Accord EX-L

Priced from $30,120, the EX-L is the penultimate trim in the new Honda Accord range in the US. Under the hood, the Accord EX-L can be equipped with the 1.5-litre/2.0-litre turbo-four cylinders or the 2.0-litre petrol-hybrid powerplant, and with their respective gearbox options (sans the manual transmission).

The EX-L carries forward almost all of the standard features found in the EX trim, but then adds the following to the list:

• Leather-trimmed seats & steering wheel
• Front seats with two memory settings
• Front passenger seat with 4-way power adjustment
• 10-speaker, 450-watt premium sound system with subwoofer
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Integrated HomeLink Remote System

Honda Accord Touring

With a sticker price commencing from $34,990, the Touring trim sits at the top of the Honda Accord pecking order in the States. Unlike the EX-L trim, the fully-loaded Touring can’t be had with the smaller 1.5-litre petrol engine. Instead, it is only offered with the hybrid powerplant or the sporty 2.0-litre four-banger.

As expected, the Accord Touring is dripping with loads and loads of standard features. So over & above what’s already available in the EX-L, the Touring adds the following items:

• 19-inch machine-finished alloy wheels (2.0T only)
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• Exterior courtesy lights
• Auto-tilt wing mirrors
• Head-up display
• Satellite-linked navigation with voice recognition and digital traffic assist
• HondaLink subscription services
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• Wireless charging pad
• NFC
• Ambient lighting
• Heated rear seats (outboards)
• Ventilated front seats

Honda Accord is not only an appealing family car with comfort and cargo space but also has a robust performance and super responsive steering.

Also read: Honda Accord - Reasons to buy