The Honda Accord has been one of the most popular midsize sedans for decades, but we all know that sedans have recently taken a back seat to SUVs. Ford has already abandoned the sedan segment completely, Chevy only offers the Malibu and Hyundai/ Kia are reportedly going to leave the midsize segment too. The good news is that Honda, Nissan and Toyota have yet to follow the same path. That means we still have the Accord, Altima and Camry for buyers that still want a traditional midsize sedan.
For years, the Accord was Honda’s most popular model, but it’s now been eclipsed by the CR-V and its neck and neck with the Civic. Although the segment is shrinking, Honda has introduced the 11th generation 2023 Accord. The new Accord builds on the successes of the last generation, but adds a more luxurious interior, some changes under the hood and a handsome, but conservative exterior.
Honda is taking a more conservative route with the design of its latest intros, like the latest Civic and CR-V. The same has happened to the Accord, where it looks a bit more refined than the last generation, but it’s styling doesn’t really grab much attention. The styling is attractive, but more tame than the Altima and Camry.
Honda is calling the 2023 Accord “all-new” but it really is just a big refresh of the last generation. It’s based on the same platform as before, but Honda has made some changes to the suspension, powertrain and interior to help it appeal more to sedan buyers. When Honda introduced the new CR-V it reconfigured the lineup to prioritize the CR-V Hybrid, which Honda expects to account for half of all CR-V sales. Honda has done the same strategy for the Accord, where most of the trims now come standard with a hybrid powertrain.
The base 192 hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder has returned, but it’s now the standard engine in the LX and EX trim levels. The other four trim levels (Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring) come standard with a hybrid powertrain. The updated hybrid system features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a two-motor hybrid system to generate a combined 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque. Honda says that the new hybrid system is more responsive and refined. It also estimates that about 50 percent of Accord sales will be the hybrid version.
The 1.5-liter is rated at 29 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined, while the hybrid is rated at up to 51 mpg city, 44 mpg highway and 48 mpg combined. The Sport and Touring trim levels are rated at 46/42/44 mpg.
Sadly you might have noticed that the previous 2.0-liter turbocharged engine has been left out of the discussion. That’s because Honda has dropped it from the Accord. With the earlier deletion of the manual transmission and now the sporty 2.0-liter engine, the Accord has prioritized comfort and fuel efficiency over performance.
The improved hybrid powertrain provides a quieter interior, which was one of the issues with the last system. Push it hard and you were greeted with an unwelcome soundtrack. Now the Accord sounds and feels more refined. The updated hybrid system gets an extra 15 lb-ft. of torque, which helps it pull away from a stop with a little more urgency. At highway speeds, the Accord’s cabin is library quiet without the excessive road noise from the last generation.
Honda also updated the suspension and steering to improve its handling, but we didn’t notice a huge difference. We’ve gotten used to the Accord setting a benchmark in the midsize segment for how well it drives. The Accord continues to be a bit more lively on the road than it’s rivals, but it’s definitely not a sport sedan. The suspension soaks up bumps and keeps body roll to a minimum. The steering is also quick and accurate.
Inside the Accord’s cabin gets Honda’s latest design language, which debuted in the Civic. It’s a more minimalistic design that looks cleaner and more upscale, although it’s not very memorable. All trim levels come standard with a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster. For the infotainment system, the LX and EX trims get a small 7-inch touchscreen, while the other trim levels get a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen. If you go for the top Touring trim level you get a Google based infotainment system, with Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play, in addition to a head-up display, wireless charger and Bose audio system.
The Accord’s cabin is spacious and comfortable with plenty of legroom in the front and rear. The Accord’s sleek roofline does eat into the available rear headroom a bit, but overall the Accord’s cabin is a great place to be.
On the safety front, the Accord comes standard with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, traffic sign recognition and automatic high beams. A blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert is optional and the EX-L and Touring models get parking sensors.
The pricing for the 2023 Honda Accord starts at $28,390 for the base LX trim level. The top spec Touring trim lists for $38,985.
With its refined styling, more upscale interior and improved hybrid powertrain, the 2023 Honda Accord makes a strong case that’s hard to ignore in the segment.
