2023 Honda Accord: A New Sedan In An SUV World. Will The Accord Still Stand Tall?
2023 Honda Accord Front View
The Honda Accord has been a mainstay in Honda’s lineup since 1976. It has consistently been one of Honda’s top selling models and has won numerous awards on a regular basis. If one word could sum up the Accord, that word would be “consistency”. The Accord is highly regarded and for over 40 years has ranked as one of the best midsize sedans on the market. It is a dependable, reliable vehicle that always seems to be at the top of the sales charts on a yearly basis in the United States and Canada. So when Honda launched a brand new 11th generation of the Accord, I was curious to see how it would fare in an evolving market that favors SUVs. As we all know, SUVs and anything high riding is all the rage in the automotive industry and many of the Accord’s top rivals have been discontinued as demand for sedans continues to drop. Knowing that they have had a winning formula for years, Honda has decided to go ahead and redesign the Accord in a market where strong sedan sales are no longer a sure thing. Will this string of consistent success be challenged or perhaps even end for the Accord?
First things first, the new Accord is a sharp looking and attractive vehicle. It has a clean and somewhat simplistic design that looks good without being bland. The car features a long hood and the sloping roofline gives the Accord a fastback profile. This shape reminds me of a few luxury cars that costs thousands more. Up front, the Accord has a squared and chiseled face with thin headlights. Out back a simple yet attractive tail light design completes the vehicles straightforward look.
On the inside, my base EX trim level tester came with adjustable cloth seats that were firm and comfy. The vehicle comes with a 7-inch touchscreen that sits on the dash. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen is also available on the higher Sport Hybrid and Touring Hybrid trims. In typical Honda fashion the interior fit and finish is great and materials are pleasant to touch, even in the basic trim. The overall look is attractive and resembles other popular Honda’s like the Civic and CR-V. The honeycomb mesh design that spans across the entire dash, cleverly integrates the air vents. I quite like this as I find that this design cue gives the Accord, Civic and CR-V character and helps these products become easily recognized as Honda’s from the inside. Climate controls and other controls are logical and easy to use, resulting in almost no learning curve. Back seats are also comfortable and occupants will have tons of legroom. Trunk space is also massive and the Accord will have absolutely no trouble swallowing a lot of luggage for airport pickups and drop offs. Overall, being inside the Accord is a nice place to be, whether you are the driver or that passenger who got stuck in the backseat, everyone will be pleased.
The EX trim that I drove comes with a 1.5 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, that produces 192 HP and 192 lb-ft of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) comes standard in all Accords. A 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine and two electric motors producing a combined total of 204 HP and 247 lb-ft of torque are available on the higher end hybrid trim levels. For a mainstream midsize sedan, the Accord feels relatively quick off the line. However, make no mistake this isn’t a sports sedan, but let’s say you need to quickly merge onto the highway, then the Accord is good to go. The CVT is very smooth and transfers power nicely. Midsize sedan buyers typically want a car that drives and handles in a pleasant and comfortable manner and this is precisely what the Accord provides. It has enough power when needed, turning is sharp and the suspension handles bumps and imperfections with ease.
The 2023 Honda Accord starts at just under $39,000 for the EX trim level. If you want the Sport Hybrid with more standard content, then that will set you back a tad under $43,000. Finally, the Touring Hybrid costs around $46,000. This pricing is pretty much in line with its main competitors.
Honda Logo
My overall impressions of the new Accord are that it’s a very comfortable car, that looks good and drives well. All the ingredients that has made the Accord so successful is still there and this vehicle is a solid choice for anyone who is in the market for a new car. The Accord is a great vehicle that doesn’t do anything wrong. It is a typical Honda, that feels well built, easy to drive and is a reliable companion for that daily commute. All of these positive attributes lead to this new generation of Accord following the consistent lineage of great Accords from generations past. I am glad that the Accord still exists as not everyone needs, nor wants a crossover or SUV and there are still plenty of buyers in America and Canada who still would prefer a sedan body style. While it’s true the sedan market is shrinking, the Accord is alive and well and fewer competitors should mean a larger percentage of sales for the Accord in the midsize sedan class. You can’t go wrong with buying an Accord and if Honda keeps making all the right improvements to future Accords, it is very likely that buyers will still have sedans well into the future.
A Special thanks to the kind staff at Richmond Honda, located in the Richmond Auto Mall for the vehicle.
Honda Accord Engine
