2015 Honda Accord Coupe Road Test & Review

Demonstrating both longevity and a longstanding reputation for excellence, Honda’s Accord has been offered since 1976. One of the most highly acclaimed automobiles of all time, the Accord is also one of the best selling automobiles of all time. Over the course of the model’s lifetime it has been offered as a four-door sedan, a wagon, a hatchback, and starting in the 1989 model year, as a two-door coupe.

Remarkably, when the Accord was introduced, it came to market as a compact hatchback. Over the years, the Accord sedan has steadily grown in size to be considered a mid-size, and is now considered pretty much a full-size sedan. The coupe however is still considered a mid-sized car.

A funny thing happens when a car builds a reputation like the one the Honda Accord enjoys. Once it becomes a darling of the mainstream, people who consider themselves “cutting-edge” have a tendency to look past it. According (sorry, pun not intended) to their logic, if something is so universally adored, like say pop music for example, it must be bland and watered down—right? Well, when it comes to the Honda Accord Coupe, absolutely nothing could be farther from the truth.

Models & Pricing

For the 2015 model year, Honda is offering the Accord Coupe in four levels of trim; LX-S, EX, EX-L, and EX-L V-6. All use four-cylinder engines as standard equipment; save of course, the trim level designated EX-L V-6. With that said, it should be noted V6 power is offered as an option for base EX-L outfitted Accord Coupes as well.

Accord Coupe’s LX-S standard equipment list includes 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a full array of power accessories, cruise control, an eight-inch display monitor for secondary functions, Bluetooth audio streaming and telephone connectivity, a rearview camera, a tilt and telescoping leather wrapped steering wheel, a power adjustable driver’s seat, and shift paddles for the continuously variable transmission (when so equipped). Pricing starts at $23,775

Moving up through the trim range, the EX adds heated rearview mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, and Honda’s innovative LaneWatch blind-spot monitoring system. LaneWatch is essentially a camera mounted on the right side exterior mirror, which activates whenever the right turn signal is switched on to give drivers a view of anything potentially lurking in the car’s right side blind spot. Pricing starts at $25,450.

Accord Coupe EX-L adds leather upholstery, memory functions for the driver’s seat, a power adjustable front passenger seat, heat for both front seats, collision and lane departure warning, an autodimming inside rearview mirror, an upgraded audio system, satellite radio, and smartphone app integration. Pricing starts at $28,495.

Accord Coupe EX-L V-6 gets all of the above plus two-position memory for the driver’s seat, and of course, the V6 engine. Pricing starts at $30,775.

Both EX-L and EX-L V-6 can be had with navigation systems featuring voice recognition. Designated EX-L with Navi, pricing starts at $30,270 with the four-cylinder engine and $32,320 with the V6.

Design

A huge reason the Accord Coupe’s potential gets overlooked is the anonymous styling of the car. Completely redesigned for the 2013 model year, this iteration of the Accord Coupe is arguably a handsome car with its wedge-shaped rear ¾ view and sports coupe silhouette when seen in profile. However, its “innocent” face betrays the potential image the Accord could garner from these advantageous side- and rear ¾ views.

There’s simply nothing really aggressive about the way the Accord Coupe looks when viewed head-on. For this reason, looking at the Honda does not inspire passion the way gazing upon so many other cars with similar levels of performance can do. Nothing about the look of the face of the car gives you a clue about the performance potential hiding behind it.

Now, some people might consider this a blessing—as they can have a powerful car without all of the look-at-me attention cars with strong performance reputations typically reap. But the other side of it is when you’re zipping along your favorite twisty road in the Accord Coupe and come up behind a slower car, nothing about the Honda’s face is going to say “I’m a fast car, get out of my way”.

Now, with that said, for those of you looking for something in a sleeper sports coupe; a ride that’s got the goods under the hood, but doesn’t give the Highway Patrol massive wood, Honda’s got exactly what you’ve been looking for.

And, don’t feel bad if you didn’t notice it before—it’s easily overlooked.

Features & Controls

Owning one of the most logically and thoughtfully laid out interiors you’ll ever encounter, Honda’s Accord Coupe makes driving easy. Even if you find yourself plopped behind the wheel for the first time ever—having never previously been in any Honda product—you will intuitively figure out where everything is and be underway in no time flat. The Accord’s interior layout is a model of ergonomic efficiency.

The thick-rimmed leather-wrapped steering wheel offers controls for the audio system, cruise control, telephone, and navigation system (when so equipped). For models equipped with the continuously variable transmission, paddles mounted behind the steering wheel give you the ability to choose from among pre-selected ratios to add a measure of sportiness to your driving.

Behind the steering wheel resides a highly legible set of gauges for calling out engine speed, road speed, fuel level, and coolant temperature. To the right of the wheel, the center stack contains two monitors. The readouts for the navigation system (if so equipped) and the audio system are displayed in the 8-inch full color monitor atop the dash. The smaller monitor beneath it serves as the intelligent multi information display (iMID), providing information regarding fuel economy, Bluetooth status, time, direction, Pandora, and text messaging. It’s also where the image from the rear view camera is displayed.

Comfort & Cargo

The look of the interior is at once classy, high quality, and elegant. Not elegant like say, a Lexus, but elegant in more of a utilitarian fashion. Elegant in that it takes all of your needs into consideration and offers up perfectly tailored solutions.

Accord Coupe’s front seat passengers will find more head and legroom than could ever be required, which makes it easy to break some off for the people relegated to the back seat. As two-door sporty coupes go, this one’s pretty generous in terms of legroom for folks in the back, although as you might expect, that sleek roofline does eat into headroom for rear seat passengers.

While very good looking, Accord Coupe’s front seats, over very long drives, can be a bit less comfortable than others we’ve sampled. A bit more adjustability, longer seat cushions with more thigh support, and a tad more firmness overall would shut us up in this regard.

As you’d expect for a coupe, trunk space is at something of a premium at 13.4 cubic feet. The trunk will readily support carry-on luggage for two with space left over for ancillary items, but don’t look for it to transport kit for a family of four on an extended cross-country vacation.

Safety & Ratings

NHTSA rates the Accord Coupe a five star car for overall protection, side impact safety, and total frontal impact safety. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) says Accord Coupe rates its top “Good” rating in moderate-overlap frontal-offset, side-impact, and roof-strength tests. However, in the very tough frontal offset small overlap testing, Honda’s Accord Coupe scored the Institute’s second-best “acceptable” rating. In all fairness, very few cars do much better in this area.

Standard safety gear on Honda’s Accord Coupe includes four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front seat side airbags, and side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is also standard on every Accord Coupe regardless of the trim level.

When you get a bit more spendy on an Accord Coupe and go for the EX level and above, you’ll get blind spot, lane-departure, and forward-collision monitoring and warning systems. As we mentioned before, Honda’s LaneWatch blind-spot system is also featured on Accord Coupes with EX trim and above.

Engine(s) & Fuel Economy

Accord Coupe relies primarily upon Honda’s 189-horsepower 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine with 182 ft-lbs of torque. A six-speed manual transmission typically completes the front-wheel drive powertrain. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is offered as an option for drivers who eschew lifting their left legs.

Fuel economy with the four and the six is rated at 24 in the city, 34 on the highway, and 27 combined. With the CVT, the four is rated at 26 in the city, 35 on the highway, and 29 combined.

The optional 3.5-liter V6 makes 278 horsepower and 252 ft-lbs of torque. The CVT is supplanted by a conventional six-speed automatic transmission for V6 applications. Happily, Honda also offers the six-speed manual with the V6 across the board. Yes, you can have a full-boat EX-L V-6 with Navi, and a six-speed manual transmission.

Fuel economy with the V6 is rated at 21 in the city, 32 on the highway, and 25 combined with the automatic transmission. The six-speed manual is said to be good for 18 in the city, 28 on the highway, and 22 combined.

All 2015 Honda Accord Coupes are front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive is not offered.

Driving Impressions

As we intimated previously, the driving experience of the Honda Accord Coupe is nothing like what its appearance would lead you to believe. This is not some staid, boring Coupe aimed at empty nesters with fond recollections of carting their progeny around in a Honda Accord Sedan, Pilot, or an Odyssey.

(Well, it kinda is, but not completely.)

This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, genuine sports coupe. Consider this, the base four-cylinder Accord Coupe fitted with a CVT is capable of running to sixty from zero in just under eight seconds. Swap out the four for the six-cylinder and you’ll cut that time to just over six seconds.

These are pretty quick cars.

They also ride very well.

Quiet, smooth and refined, Accord Coupes cosset you with an abundance of comfort and convenience features while drawing no undue attention to themselves—or you. Steering is nice and tight, with great accuracy. Braking is confidence inspiring and easily modulated. And, even under hard acceleration with the V6 and the six-speed manual transmission, torque steer never makes itself apparent. Basically, Honda’s Accord Coupes comport themselves with considerable dignity.

That is, until they are called upon to do otherwise.

Wind a six-speed manual equipped V6 Accord Coupe to 3500 rpm, dump the clutch, and you’ll light up the front tires. We’ve even seen a V6 Accord Coupe get scratch on the 1-2 shift, and chirp the tires again on the 2-3. Of course we don’t recommend you do this, but the capability does exist.

What all of this adds up to is a truly delightful driver’s car when operated with skill and finesse. Honda was one of the first mainstream manufacturers to go with wishbone front suspension systems in popularly priced cars, and the Accord Coupe’s handling benefits mightily from the expertise of Honda’s chassis engineering team. The Coupe turns in nicely, takes a set, and holds resolutely through corners with next to no body roll.

When we say this car is fun to drive, we absolutely mean it.

If only it looked the part…

Final Thoughts

Of course, truly intelligent individuals know it isn’t always necessary to telegraph your potential. The odds of drawing a ”profile’ traffic stop in a Honda Accord Coupe are very low because the car so looks the part of a solid upstanding citizen. Of course, now that we’ve told everybody, this could change—but for now you can have your entry-luxury sports coupe and ride around looking dignified too.

Pros & Cons

Honda’s outstanding reputations for engineering, reliability, and resale value; a nice array of standard features including some cutting-edge-tech; good fuel economy.

Anonymous styling—for a sports coupe; does the centerstack really need two screens?