Honda refresh hits home: Midsize Accord gets new looks, engine

How do you redesign one of the best-selling vehicles in the country? Very carefully and conservatively. Certainly, Honda walks a fine line any time they make adjustments to the Accord; it’s a nameplate that outsells 30 other entire car lines. But for 2018, Honda completely redesigned their midsize mainstay.

Even though the midsize segment has lost some of its luster to the overhyped crossovers, the Accord is still a powerhouse in the midsize segment. And with all the changes for this model year, don’t look for it to lose any of its luster.

There is a lot of styling to the 2018 Accord. A lot. The more conservative fans of the Honda brand may find the changes too much or too garish. Me, I think it works, as the Accord needed some boldness after years of being “good enough.” Now the Accord feels special and looks more modern. The grille is significantly different, for the better. It’s not aggressive or beaked-out like the luxury-minded Acura, but it also isn’t bland as it had been in the past.

The hood and sides have similar indentations and styling that add distinction to the Accord. It now stands out on the street and within the crowded segment. And it needed to as its closest competitor, the Toyota Camry, also had a major redesign. It’s like an incredible game of leap frog or follow the leader.

Even more dramatically different than the exterior is the Accord’s powertrain. Honda makes two, 4-cylinder turbocharged engines for it. One is a 1.5-liter with a continuously variable transmission. This is more in line with where Honda was for the last several years, i.e. playing it safe and close to the vest. There’s nothing wrong with this engine, but it’s not very exciting either.

Thankfully, my tester was the new 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Not having to deal with the quirks of a CVT alone makes this a great engine, but the 252 horsepower is impressive. I actually squealed a few tires off the line; I was surprised at just how quick and powerful this engine was. There was negligible turbo lag, but with how well the new transmission performed, I was forgiving of that. Finally, an Accord that is exciting and exhilarating!

Thanks to the redesign, the interior of the Accord gains passenger and cargo room. There’s a net increase of 2.4 cubic feet inside the Accord including an extra 1.9 inches of rear legroom and nearly an inch more in trunk space. What’s even better is that the interior also gets a major upgrade in overall quality.

The Accord always had a nice interior, now it offers my favorite interior within the midsize segment. Soft touchpoints are found throughout, and the few harder materials that do exist are camouflaged or hidden well.

The Accord now has a trunk cargo area of 16.7 cubic feet and rear passengers now have more than 40 inches of legroom. Stretch out and enjoy yourself. Plus, the Accord’s cabin is quiet with a soft, comfortable ride on supportive seats. It was easy to find a comfortable driving position.

Technologically, the Accord has made huge advancements. The new infotainment interface is fresh and modern, but also remains intuitive. There’s still a good combination of knobs and a touchscreen. Plus, more pertinent information is beamed onto the driving column with customizable information at your fingertips. There’s also a head-up display to keep your eyes forward.

There is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for easy phone pairing. Android users will appreciate one-touch phone pairing using NFC technology on the dashboard (Apple does not yet offer this technology). I’m used to this kind of interface and cutting-edge technology in the European luxury brands, but not in the usually play-it-safe Honda product line.

Between the two engines, there’s four trims offered with various options available for each. My tester was the top-of-the-line Touring trim which is new for the Accord this model year. With this trim you get heated and cooled seats. The aforementioned head-up display and NFC phone pairing technology as well as full LED headlights. Even the rear seats are heated on this trim. My tester had an MSRP of $35,800. The base trim LX with the CVT and the smaller engine has a starting price of just over $23,000, so there’s a lot of pricing options along each trim line.

The 2.0 Accord has an EPA rating of 22 mpg/city and 32 mpg/highway. I averaged much closer to 30 mpg, than the low 20s, even within the suburbs. I’ll take that considering how much more enjoyable the Accord is to drive.

All in all, Honda deserves much praise for nailing the redesign of the Ohio-built Accord. It’s an important car to our state and certainly vital to Honda’s product line.


2018 HONDA ACCORD 2.0 TOURING

  • Price/As-tested price………………………………………… $35,800/$35,800
  • Mileage…………………………………… 22 mpg/city; 32 mpg/hwy
  • Engine……………………………………… 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
  • Horsepower…………………………… 252 hp/273 lbs.-ft.
  • Transmission…………………………… 10-speed automatic
  • Drive wheels……………. Front-wheel drive
  • Final assembly point……………. Marysville, Ohio

About the Author