been around since the 1970's economy car boom, starting off as a small, practical sedan for eco-minded buyers. Then, in 1982, its nemesis the Toyota Camry, was born. Ever since, the two have been dueling it out in the ever growing family sedan market, endlessly trying to top the other as the best family sedan money can buy. Over the years, the Accord has grown from a tin can into a substantial full-size sedan, making it more comfortable and practical, whist trying to retain it's inherent sporty driving characteristics. How does the new 2016 model stack up?
Styling: When the 9th generation Accord came out in 2013, it was a conservatively styled large sedan. After 3 years on the market, Honda decided that the overall look of the Accord needed some bling to bring it up to snuff with the new, sexy bodies of the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry, and man did they deliver. The old trick of piling on the chrome certainly worked here, there is chrome trim on the grill, around the side windows, on the deckled, and even the rear bumper. There are new LED strips that surround the outside of the headlights, giving the Accord a mean, yet upscale appearance. I also love how the reversing lights on the Accord look like strips of chrome. The 17inch alloy wheels add a mixture of class and muscle with the black accents on each spoke. Honda definitely succeeded with vamping up the Accord's appearance, but what about the powertrain?
Performance: For 2016, Honda hasn't done much to the powertrain of the EX-L V6. Power comes from, as you'd probably guess, a V6! This 3.5 liter EarthDreams unit produces 278 horses and 252 lb-ft of torque, hooking up with a 6 speed automatic. It features cylinder deactivation for better fuel economy, giving rating of 21 mpg city, 34mpg highway, for a combined 27 mpg. Not bad for a V6 providing this much performance. If performance isn't your thing and you're looking for better fuel economy, you can get a 2.4 liter engine coupled with a CVT that delivers 27mpg city, 37mpg highway. Those are almost economy car figures, impressive given the size and luxury available in the Accord. The 185 horsepower produced should be enough to satisfy most buyers that aren't interested in 0-60's. Overall, both engine packages provide impressive fuel economy for the class, with the V6 delivering the extra grunt desired by the enthusiast minded buyer.
Interior Features/Comfort: Honda really
went all out when designing the interior of
this Accord. To start, it's huge! There is tons of room everywhere for the driver and all of his/her passengers. The leather seats in the EX-L are very comfortable, offering tons of adjustment, and the rear feels like they stuck a sofa in the back. The front seats are heated, a feature that would be welcomed in the back. In terms of style, the dash is very attractive on appearance, with tons of wood swooping across the entirety of the dash, chrome accents around main controls, and the 7inch touchscreen display. However, when looking closely I realized that there weren't as many soft touch surfaces on the dash as I would have liked in a car of this price point. Thankfully, there is leather trim on the armrests on the doors, making it comfortable to relax your arm whilst cruising. In terms of controls, I love how the HVAC controls are set up. They have a luxury feel to them, but some may find them mounted low down, making them tricky to use whilst driving. In the EX-L, there are two display screens. There is a 7inch touch display, and another display set back in the dash. The 7inch display is the one to focus on, since it is the main control unit for the given functions. It is mainly used to operate the 360 watt, 7 speaker stereo, and Honda's latest feature, Apple CarPlay. This system allows you to access apps such as Phone, Music, Maps, and Messages. It turns the display into copy of an iPhone app display, making it easy to access certain apps on your phone. The fact that you can use your phone navigation on the car display renders the Navigation package offered by Honda useless. Besides Apple CarPlay, Honda offers some built in apps such as a calculator, so you can do your math homework as you drive home from school. My only gripe with the system are the small touch sensitive buttons that are hard to see while driving, and the volume controls. Instead of having a volume knob, Honda gives you a touch sensitive volume adjuster which is cool but finicky to use while driving. Another cool feature offered by Honda is the multi view rearview camera that allows you to adjust the camera angle to make reversing into tight spots a breeze. There is also a sideview camera that turns on whenever you indicate a right turn, eliminating any blind spots. I also love the 3 ring gauge cluster that glows red when you step on the gas and green when you drive efficiently. Overall, the 2016 EX-L has a stylish interior that is loaded with goodies, but lacks features such as built in navigation and blind spot monitoring, features that should be standard at this price point.
Driving Experience: The Honda Accord's big leg up on the Camry has always been its sporty driving characteristics, and the 2016 Accord EX-L V6 maintains there characteristics. Performance from the 3.5 liter EarthDreams engine is lively, giving effortless acceleration. The 6 speed automatic shifts smoothly, and it is quick to shift to get the best performance from the engine. The steering is well weighted, but a lack of backroad driving will refrain me from further judgement. The ride was definitely firmer than that of competitors, but is was still comfortable and remained composed over smooth and roughish road surfaces. One big issue with Honda's of the past was road noise, and they seem to have addressed that here. At speeds up to 55mph, the cabin remained hushed and fairly isolated from the road. Overall, the Accord combines and engaging driving experience with a firm yet comfy ride, and good cabin isolation.
So What Do We Think? I came back from the test drive a changed man. I had always loved the Toyota Camry, but driving the Accord put my love for the Camry to the test. Sure, the Camry has a better ride and feels more isolated, but in the Accord I felt connected to the drive, and the big V6 provided effortless performance that I loved. The Accord also seems to be more stylish, combining modern bling with an attractive body in just the right way. Sure, the 7inch display may be finicky to use, and features such as Blind Spot Monitoring and Navigation were't equipped, but the overall experience won me over. For $31,521, it may be on the pricier side, with fully loaded Touring models touching $39,000, but stay within reason on the options list and it really isn't that bad. If you are looking for the sporty yet comfortable family sedan, the Accord is the one to buy. If you want the best in luxury and value for money, check out the Hyundai Sonata, a review on that one coming soon.
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