Once pedestrian in style and strictly family oriented, the Accord has morphed into a four-door sports car with sedan leanings. It has a new turbo-charged engine with 252 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s the same transmission offered in the 2018 Honda Odyssey.
Honda has also upgraded standard technology. The new infotainment center has Android Auto, Apple Carplay and wireless phone charging. There’s also head-up display, built-in Wifi and ventilated cooling seats. The new stealth-oriented exterior design projects a European flair.
Additional standard equipment, includes: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a four-speaker audio system, a 7-inch display screen, and Siri Eyes Free. Features also include a moonroof, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hot spot, an eight- or 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio and an eight-inch touchscreen.
As always, the Honda Accord, like its vast collection of siblings, is available in numerous trims. The fully loaded Touring model showcases all of the new generation’s best attributes. The Accord’s previous V6 option is no longer offered.
With its new engine configuration, the Accord’s performance arrives at a new plateau. The 0-60 miles per hour acceleration is a swift and best-of-class 5.5 seconds.
The new Accord is also slightly shorter and wider than previous years’ models, but the trunk space has expanded to nearly 17 cubic feet. With the V6 jettisoned in favor of the turbocharged four-cylinder, gas mileage averages have been amended. Ratings are now 22 miles per gallon in city driving, 32 miles per gallon on the freeway.
Top competitors like the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata have made interior improvements and Honda has kept the competition healthy. The five-passenger Accord offers supportive, comfortable and spacious seating. The interior material is soft and of top-line quality. It complements the Accord’s easy, tight cornering, adept steering and its overall smooth ride at all speeds.
Operating quality is further enjoyable because the new Honda Accord design presents a clear, unobscured view. Blind spots are non-existent and the window construction provides a feeling of an open cockpit. The new Accord joins a growing list of vehicles immediately comfortable upon first drive.
Top safety ratings is another Honda strength. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives rates Accord an overall five-star rating, with five out of five stars in the frontal crash, side crash, and rollover tests.
The Accord also gets top marks all six crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It earns a rating of Superior for its front crash prevention features and a score of Acceptable for headlight performance. The IIHS named the Accord a 2018 IIHS Top Safety Pick.
There’s not much not to like about the new Accord. It’s upscale and filled with state-of-the-art technology. Its performance is the best in its class. The Accord is at the top or near the top of all safety and driving categories.
One small issue: The 19-inch alloy wheels aren’t reset far enough. If you park near a curb, the wheels will scratch easily and often.
The average price of a new car in the United States has fluctuated in recent years. It’s currently slightly above $32,000. The new top-line Accord has an out-the-door cost of $36,690. It’s certainly worth a few thousand dollars more the average sedan cruising down the road.
Article Last Updated: September 7, 2018.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
