2017 Honda Accord Road Test and Review

The Honda Accord has matured since it first appeared as a compact hatchback 40 years ago. The Oldsmobile Cutlass was the best selling midsize sedan in America back then, but Olds is long gone, and today’s midsize sedan class is dominated by imports.

The Accord was most recently redesigned in the 2016 model year and this year’s sales are up nearly nine percent over the same period last year. This Honda was the third best-selling midsize sedan for the first half of 2016, behind the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. While the Accord lags a bit behind these leaders, it continues to deliver exemplary value. The top six sales slots in this hyper-competitive segment were completed by the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, and Hyundai Sonata, all great cars in their own right.

The 2017 Honda Accord is unique in its class, as it continues to be available as either a 4-door sedan or a 2-door coupe. This differentiates Honda from the crowd. No other manufacturer offers a midsize coupe—that isn't a muscle car—at such an affordable price point. The sedan is available with conventional or hybrid drivetrains. Conventional trim levels start with the LX sedan at an MSRP of $22,355 and run through the Sport, Sport Special Edition, EX, EX-L, EX-L V6 and Touring models, topping out at $34,830. The Accord Hybrid starts at $29,605. We tested an EX-L V6 automatic coupe.

If there’s one place the Accord Sedan falls a wee bit short for me, it’s the styling. But then again, I can’t recall a year over the four-decade run when the sedan’s been the looker. The Coupe, on the other hand, tugs at the soul. The lines look more taught, the overall stance tougher. To gaze at both, sitting side by side on a dealer lot or in a showroom, the practical brain will pick the sedan. The heart will beg for the coupe. There’s always been an undeniable coolness in choosing two doors over four, as if to say, “hey, if you want to ride with me, you need to be flexible - as in literally flexible, because you have to climb into the back seat.” But the sedan’s somewhat generic look cloaks the truth that lurks beneath the hood. The V6 is a sleeper, with the trunk badge and dual exhaust the easy tip-offs.

The Accord offers a full gamut of powertrain choices. The base engine is an efficient i-VTEC 2.4-liter inline-4 that produces 185 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft of torque. It’s mated to a CVT in most models, but a 6-speed manual transmission is standard in the LX and Sport models (and that's a very cool thing). The EX-L V6 and Touring models are fitted with an i-VTEC V6 engine that produces a healthy 278 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque, paired with a traditional 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual. The EX-L includes paddle shifters that allow you to take control over gear changes, as needed. If you’re into manuals, the choices are limited. The Mazda6, Volkswagen CC, Buick Regal, and Chevrolet SS are the only other non-luxury midsize sedans that offer a manual transmission. (The potent Chevy SS, of course, is in a different league.)

The Accord is efficient throughout the range, the hybrid exceptionally so. The base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder sedan is EPA-rated at 27 MPG city/36 MPG highway/30 MPG combined MPG with the CVT transmission, while the V6 automatic sedan is rated at 21/33/25. We had no problem hitting the official numbers over a week’s worth of driving in the V6 automatic coupe. By contrast, the Accord Hybrid is rated at 49/47/48. That’s nearly double the stated efficiency of the V6. While savings at the pump might only amount to $50 a month at present, the savings will be substantial when (not if) gas prices climb again. The V6 proved to be exceptionally thrifty on the highway in Eco mode when cylinder deactivation kicks in and the 17.2-gallon fuel tank delivered a generous range.

The Accord delivers a smooth and composed ride worthy of a luxury brand. Take a friend for a blindfolded ride and they'll be hard-pressed to know they're riding in a Honda. Seat-of-the-pants testing showed the V6 Accord automatic to cover the 0-60 MPH sprint in approximately six seconds. Power delivery is smooth throughout the range. Our Accord V6 Coupe test car rolled in on 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped with low-rolling-resistance Michelin Primacy MXM5 Grand Touring All-Season tires. While these are pricey, they provide a good combination of ride and efficiency. This is an important factor when it comes time to replace the originals. Tire Rack lists Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS and Goodyear Eagle LS-2 Grand Touring All Seasons as alternate OEM tires and both are considerably less expensive, the Eagles very much so.

The 2017 Accord’s safety technology is top notch. It carries a National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) 5-star safety rating, and is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick Plus. A multi-view backup camera is standard. The optional Honda Sensing package includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane-Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Road-Departure Mitigation. Lane-Keep Assist actively helps keep you between the lines while traveling at highway speeds with steering input, while Road-Departure Mitigation vibrates the steering wheel to let you know you’re crossing the line. Honda Lane Watch provides a view of the right side of the car on the center Infotainment screen when your right turn signal is used. This is extremely handy on the highway when merging into the right lane. There’s one safety caveat, however: Blindspot mirrors are notably absent.

The cabin is roomy and pleasantly designed, although the dashboard is a bit quirky, with a dual center LCD screen setup that can be a bit distracting. The EX-L’s leather trimmed seats are handsome and supportive. A 10-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar and seat heating is standard in the EX EX-L and Touring. The EX-L includes a power sunroof and dual-zone HVAC controls, while the Touring model adds heated rear seats in the outboard positions.

The Accord is kind to its passengers, in 4-door or 2-door form. The Sedan’s rear seat provides 38.5 inches of legroom, 37 inches of headroom (37.5 in the LX and Sport models), and 56.5 inches of shoulder room. The Coupe’s rear seat provides 33.7 inches of leg room, 37.2 inches of head room, and 55.1 inches of shoulder room. The Sedan’s rear seat includes a fold-down center armrest, while the Coupe's does not. The Sedan’s trunk allows for 15.5 cubic feet of storage (15.8 in the LX, Sport, and EX). The Coupe’s trunk allows 13.4 cubic feet of storage. The rear seats fold down to accommodate longer items—split in the sedan, one-piece in the coupe.

It wasn’t long ago that Honda’s infotainment systems felt a few steps behind. They’ve largely caught up with the crowd with the inclusion of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The head unit is snappy and navigation chores are handled by Garmin. You can stream music via Bluetooth or instantly connect with CarPlay. The 7-speaker 360-watt audio system includes a subwoofer. There are USB ports and 12-volt outlets at the base of the dash and inside the center console.

The lower display is a touch screen, while the upper screen is controlled via steering wheel buttons. My first few days with the system were less than optimal. It took a while to get accustomed to the controls.

A lot has changed over the past four decades. The first 4-door Accord sedan carried a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine under the hood and weighed in at just over 2000 pounds. The little 4-banger produced a scant 72 horsepower and was mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 2-speed automatic transmission. Today’s V6 Accord sedan tips the scales at roughly 3200 pounds, the engine pumps out nearly four times as much horsepower, and the wheelbase has grown from 94 inches to 109.3. With so much less weight to move around (and a 55-mph national speed limit), the original Accord sedan’s highway fuel economy was rated in the mid-40s. The original MSRP was $6365, and technologies such as adaptive cruise control, active lane-keep assist, and Bluetooth were pure science fiction.

Honda continues to carry the torch by offering midsize buyers a coupe version, in addition to the sedan, as well as manual transmissions. You can’t walk into any other showroom and make those choices. If you’re still undecided, you may want to drive the Accord back-to-back with the fully revised Chevrolet Malibu and perennially best-selling Toyota Camry to put it all in perspective. If you hanker for sporty ride and a manual transmission, take a spin in the Mazda6.

The Accord EX-L V6 brings contentment at a reasonable price, with a top-shelf safety rating, and a buttery smooth engine that delivers plenty of punch with reasonable fuel economy. It’s not a luxury car, but the ride says otherwise. When mainstream cars are as good as the Accord, it puts heat on the haughty brands. The Accord sedan delivers a ride that edges into lux territory and the coupe provides a livable back seat.