Honda Accord

Is the Honda Accord a Good Car?

Few other cars epitomize the concept of "a good car" more than the Honda Accord. There's a reason it's been around for forty years, has a high rating, and remains one of the top-selling vehicles in the country. When you buy an Accord, you'll get a comfortable daily driver that will keep the entire family happy for years to come, all for a reasonable price. The Accord's only major fault is its oddly shaped trunk, which gets a mixed response from buyers. You may find that it's not as usable as the trunks in some competitors.

Should I Buy the Honda Accord?

The Accord packages decent driving dynamics, loads of family-friendly features, and a low price into a vehicle that will perform admirably as a commuter car, shuttle for your kids, vacation vehicle, or anything in between. If you're in the market for a new midsize car, don't buy until you try the Accord.

It's not the most thrilling car in the class (like the Mazda6), nor does it have the longest list of standard features for the lowest price (check the Hyundai Sonata). However, it is a comfortable and capable daily driver, with a cushioned, relaxed ride, and plenty of power from either of its engines. It's one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the class, too, so you'll spend more time on the road and less time at the pump.

The Accord's cabin features a handsome design, excellent build quality, and lots of light, thanks to its large windows and narrow roof pillars. The seats in sedan models are comfortable in both rows, though the rear seats are a bit cramped in coupes. Buy a high enough trim, and you'll get two infotainment displays, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to hook in your phone's apps. There's plenty of room in the trunk to fit your stuff, though it's oddly shaped, so you'll need to pack it thoughtfully.

Compare the Accord, Mazda6, and Sonata in more detail »

We Did the Research for You: 48 Pieces of Data Analyzed

We know buying a new car can be a stressful experience. Not only do you have to choose one model out of hundreds, but you also have to scour through countless reviews and research all sorts of information when making your decision. That's why we did the work for you. We analyzed nearly 50 different pieces of research to give you a clear picture of the 2017 Honda Accord and help you make the right buying decision. Our research covers not only professional reviews published by automotive journalists, but also crash test and reliability ratings.

Why You Can Trust Us

The Best Cars team has 75 years of combined experience in impartial, consumer-friendly automotive journalism. We've also been ranking cars for nearly a decade now, and we've prioritized our rankings to best match what consumers like you care about. You can rest assured that we don't receive kickbacks or gifts from automakers, so the advice and expertise we provide is based solely upon the facts.

How Much Does the Honda Accord Cost?

The base 2017 Honda Accord LX sedan costs $22,455, which places it right in the middle of the class in terms of starting price. The top-of-the-line Touring sedan is priced at $34,830. Most competitors' base models are priced within $1,000 of the Accord LX sedan. Coupes range from $24,025 for the base Coupe LX-S up to $34,375 for the Coupe Touring. The Accord also comes as a hybrid, which starts at $29,605. 

Calculate the monthly payment on a Honda Accord »

You get a pretty typical list of standard features with the Accord's base trim. If you crave lots of tech features, the $25,730 Accord EX is the model for you. It has an upgraded infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with HD Radio, satellite radio, and a blind spot camera. You could choose the Hyundai Sonata instead, which has a lower starting price and comes standard with nearly all the features available in the Accord EX.

Speaking of features, the Accord's Honda Sensing package of safety features is available in every trim. To get the same features in many rivals, including the Toyota Camry, you'll have to buy one of their priciest trims. The Accord LX with Honda Sensing (which includes active lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking) will set you back just over $23,000. A Toyota Camry with the same safety systems will cost you more than $29,000.

Research the latest Honda Accord deals »

Honda Accord Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Honda Accord or Toyota Camry?

Neither the Accord nor the Camry are going to light your heart on fire with their performance. But that's not really the reason they're among the best-selling cars in the country. What you can expect with either model is a comfortable, affordable, and reliable car for daily driving. When you take everything into consideration, the Accord slightly edges the Camry. The Accord uses less fuel than the Camry: The Camry only gets 24 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, compared to the Accord's 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway (both cars are available as hybrids). Interior styling is another area where the Accord wins out. The Accord's cabin feels upscale and smartly designed, while the Camry's interior seems more utilitarian. Finally, as far as features go, the Camry can't touch the Accord. All Accord models are available with advanced safety systems that are pricey extras in the Camry's most expensive trims. You can also get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay smartphone integration in the Accord. Neither system is available in the Camry. 

Which Is Better: Honda Accord or Nissan Altima?

Unless you’ve heard that the Altima has NASA-inspired zero-gravity front seats and you just can’t live without them, there are few reasons to choose a Nissan Altima over an Accord. Sure, the Altima’s front seats are very comfortable, and it uses even less fuel than the Accord, but there are enough downsides to give you pause before signing the paperwork on an Altima. First, the Altima has a higher starting price, with fewer standard features than the Accord. Higher trims add more features, including one of two infotainment systems. The cheaper system has a small 5-inch screen that can't match the Accord's set up. Even the larger 7-inch screen can be cumbersome to use, with much of the display surface covered in menu bars that limit the amount of useful visible space. The Altima's safety features are all locked into the highest trims, which means you'll pay more to get these features than you will with the Accord, which features the Honda Sensing system that's available in any trim. On the road, the Altima tries to feel sporty but doesn't fully succeed. Its handling feels too soft, and the ride feels jittery over broken pavement.

Which Is Better: Honda Accord or Honda Civic?

When you're standing at the Honda dealership, it can be tough to choose between the Accord and its smaller sibling the Honda Civic. Both have fuel-efficient engines, lots of features, and upscale interiors. They even have about the same amount of cargo space in the trunk. Ultimately, your decision should boil down to what you’ll be using the car for. If you think you'll have adults in the back seat frequently, the Accord is the better pick. The Civic has lots of back-seat space for a compact car, but the Accord is bigger, with more room for your passengers (as you'd expect from a midsize car). On the other hand, if it'll just be your dog or couple small bags in the back most of the time, you may be better off with the Civic, especially if you live in a city. The Civic's smaller wheelbase makes it easy to maneuver, and you'll appreciate its smaller size when pulling into a parallel parking space. You'll also save money with the Civic, which starts at $18,740 – around $3,600 less than the Accord. Even though the Accord gets good fuel economy among midsize cars, you’ll also spend less at the pump if you choose the Civic, since it is rated at up to 31 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, while the Accord gets 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

Compare the Accord, Altima, and Camry in more detail »

Accord Interior

How Many People Does the Accord Seat?

The Accord seats five in both coupe and sedan body styles. Those in the front should have no problem getting comfortable, as the seats are spacious and supportive. You can get power-adjustable front seats to find the perfect driving position and heated front seats to keep your backside toasty on chilly days.

You can also get heated rear seats in sedan models to keep back-seat passengers from feeling left out in the cold. Adults in the roomy back seats of the sedan will be very comfortable. That's not the case in coupe trims though, which have much less room in the back. It’s best to leave the coupe's rear seats for short trips, not cross-country journeys.

Accord and Car Seats

There are LATCH connectors to safely install child seats in the back of the Accord. The middle seat only has an upper tether, but the outboard seats have both upper tethers and lower anchors. The lower anchors are mounted deep in the cushion, making them difficult to connect to your child-seat straps.

Accord Interior Quality

The Accord has a stylish interior fitted with top-notch materials. The cabin can be outfitted in black, gray, or ivory cloth or leather upholstery. Cabin build-quality is excellent so you should have minimal problems with wear and tear. You may find that the Mazda6's cabin is a bit more upscale, though. It has one of the sharpest-looking interiors in the class, along with materials that rival those in some luxury cars.

The Accord comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate control in all models, so arguments over temperature settings should be a thing of the past. A moonroof is optional, but even without it, the cabin is airy. Thanks to narrow roof pillars and large windows, visibility is excellent in all directions.

Accord Cargo Space

The Accord sedan is an excellent choice for shopping trips since it has one of the biggest trunks in the class, offering 15.8 cubic feet. Still, you'll find even more space in the Hyundai Sonata. Most of the Accord's trunk is wide enough to accommodate fairly large objects, but between the wheel wells the trunk is much more confined, so you may have issues loading wide, bulky items. Accord coupe models have much less room: 13.7 cubic feet.

The rear seatback in the base trim of both coupe and sedan versions folds down as one piece. This gives you more space to haul longer items, but with the seat folded you lose all seating capacity in the rear. In upper trims of sedan models, a 60/40 split-folding rear seatback is available, which lets you keep a seat or two for passengers while still hauling some longer stuff. It's unusual in the midsize car class for the rear seatback to be a solid piece. Most rivals, including the Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima, come with standard split-folding rear seats.

Accord Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

If you're a fan of high-tech features, the Honda Accord should please you. Some trims have not one but two infotainment screens. The upper display, which isn't a touch screen, is standard in all models and shows basic information like audio settings and fuel economy. Further, hooking up your phone to the infotainment system via Bluetooth is a painless process.

The optional second screen is packed with more features. It's a touch screen, and it's controlled with smartphone-like gestures (think pinching and swiping). It is mounted on the center stack in closer reach to the driver than the standard screen, which is recessed farther into the dashboard. Models with both screens also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can connect your phone and have access to some smartphone apps directly through the infotainment system. Pro tip: Use your phone's maps app through the infotainment system and pass on Honda's optional navigation package to save money. Like the Accord, the Chevrolet Malibu can also be equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the Malibu takes connectivity a step further with an optional built-in Wi-Fi hot spot, a feature that's not available with the Accord.

Lower trims have buttons and knobs on the center stack that control all audio functions, and they’re simple to use. On models with the second screen, however, things get a bit more complicated. The touch screen replaces those physical controls, so you'll have to use the touch screen to change frequently used settings. It's not especially difficult, but you may find it a bit more aggravating than the traditional control format. Redundant audio controls are available on the Accord’s steering wheel, which makes controlling your music a bit easier.

In some models, you'll get a seven-speaker premium audio system along with HD Radio and satellite radio, giving you access to a wide range of music options to keep you entertained while on the road. True audiophiles may find the Mazda6's optional 11-speaker Bose audio system more appealing though.

For more information, read What Is Apple CarPlay? and What Is Android Auto? Then, see the Best Cars With Apple CarPlay and Best Cars With Android Auto.

Read more about interior »

Accord Performance

Accord Engine: Plenty of Power

With the Accord's standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, you should have plenty of power for daily drives. It delivers decent acceleration for pulling away from a stop or overtaking other vehicles on the highway. A six-speed manual transmission is standard with the four-cylinder, while an automatic transmission (CVT) is optional. The CVT is one of the best on the market, delivering more power when you need it without many of the shortcomings often associated with this type of automatic transmission, like excessive noise.

A more powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine is available if you desire more muscle. It's a good choice if you do a lot of long-distance driving, especially if you'll be going up and down mountains. The V6 comes paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. A few automotive critics complain that it doesn't shift as quickly as they'd like. If you like to shift gears yourself, you can get a six-speed manual transmission with V6-powered coupe models.

Rivals like the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima have similar powertrains. Their four-cylinder engines make about the same amount of power as the Accord's. Both models also have optional V6 engines to give you more grunt for higher speeds.

Accord Gas Mileage: Great Fuel Economy

Whether you choose the four-cylinder or the V6, the Accord uses less fuel than similarly equipped competitors. With the base engine, the Accord gets up to 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the freeway, which is better than nearly every gas-only rival. Hybrids, like the Honda Accord Hybrid, are even more fuel-efficient. Even though the V6 uses more fuel than the four-cylinder, getting only 21 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, it's still more fuel-efficient than rivals that have V6 engines, including the Toyota Camry and the Volkswagen Passat.

If you opt for a V6-powered Accord, you'll spend around $200 more in gas per year than if you stick with the four-cylinder engine and CVT, according to EPA estimates.

Accord Ride and Handling: Cushioned Cruising

For daily commutes and normal errands, the Honda Accord drives perfectly. It has a nicely cushioned ride combined with relaxed-yet-composed handling to make sure you and your passengers are comfortable, no matter the road surface. The steering is sharp enough to let you dart around in city traffic, but it's not especially agile. The Mazda6 is a much better option if you like to keep the pedal down around corners.

The Accord, like most other midsize sedans, isn't available with all-wheel drive. If you live in an area with frequent inclement winter weather, you might want to check out rivals like the Subaru Legacy or Ford Fusion, which can be equipped with all-wheel drive to give you extra confidence when roads get slick.

Read more about performance »

Accord Reliability

Is the Accord Reliable?

The Accord earns a reliability score of three out of five from J.D. Power, which is an average rating. This rating is higher than the Mazda6, which gets a 2.5. However, it's lower than the the Nissan Altima, which gets a four, and the Toyota Camry, which has a perfect reliability score of five out of five.

Accord Warranty

Honda covers the Accord with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Most rivals come with similar warranties, though the Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata both have five-year/60,000-mile limited warranties and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties. With the Optima and Sonata's longer warranties, you’ll be off the hook for many repair bills for a few extra years compared with the Accord.

Read more about reliability »

Accord Safety

Accord Crash Test Results

The 2017 Accord earns a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Still, some competitors earn higher safety scores in our rankings because they outperform the Accord in frontal crash tests performed by NHTSA. The Hyundai Sonata and Chevrolet Malibu both earn higher scores in front crash tests, for example.

Accord Safety Features

Even though the Accord doesn't earn the highest safety scores in the class, it is available with numerous collision avoidance features to help prevent accidents. The most unique is LaneWatch, a feature that's only available in Honda vehicles. It uses a camera under the passenger-side mirror to let you see if there's a vehicle in your blind spot. The camera feed is visible on the car's screen on the center stack. Other optional driver assistance features include lane keep assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and front and rear parking sensors. Together these features make up the Honda Sensing system, which is available in all trim levels for an additional $1,000. Most competitors, like the Toyota Camry, require you to buy one of the most expensive trims to get similar features.

Want to know more about advanced driver assistance systems? Check out the 8 Safety Features You Shouldn't Skip.

Read more about safety »

Which Accord Model is Right for Me?

Unless you absolutely must have the latest and greatest infotainment features, the base LX trim is probably the best bet for most drivers. Its standard features list is pretty typical for a midsize sedan, and its base price falls in line with most similarly equipped rivals. The Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry both have slightly higher base prices, but they also come with standard automatic transmissions. When you add the optional $800 automatic to the Accord LX, the price difference is negligible.

Drivers who want more advanced features will have to opt for the EX trim, priced at $25,730. However, you can save yourself quite a bit of money by choosing the Hyundai Sonata instead. It starts at $21,950 and comes standard with HD Radio, satellite radio, and smartphone integration through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The EX is the lowest-priced Accord trim available with these features.

You can get the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver assistance features in every trim for $1,000. The system includes active lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. You'd have to buy the top-of-the-line Camry XSE to even have the option to add similar features, for a total price of around $29,000. In the Accord, you can have all the safety features for as little as $23,355.

If you prefer a coupe body style, prices range from $24,025 for the Coupe LX-S up to $34,375 for the Coupe Touring model. Coupe models come similarly equipped to their sedan counterparts.

The Accord was refreshed for the 2016 model year, with updated styling and a new infotainment system. However, it hasn't been fully redesigned since the 2013 model year.

Honda Accord LX

The 2016 Honda Accord sedan starts with the base LX model, which is priced at $22,355, and comes standard with a four-cylinder engine, a manual transmission, dual-zone automatic climate control, a four-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, a USB port, an 8-inch display, and a rearview camera.

Honda Accord Sport

Moving up to the Sport trim (which starts at $24,415) gets you all the standard features in the LX model, plus a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, and larger wheels.

Honda Accord Sport SE

The Sport SE trim is newly available for 2017, and it adds leather upholstery and heated front seats to the Sport model's features, with a price of $25,415.

Honda Accord EX

Starting at $25,730, the EX sedan is equipped with the features found in the Sport trim, along with a moonroof, push-button start, HD Radio, satellite radio, and an additional 7-inch touch-screen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The EX also comes with Honda's LaneWatch blind spot camera.

Honda Accord EX-L

With the $28,820 EX-L trim, you'll get the same features as the EX, plus leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a seven-speaker premium audio system along with a standard CVT. The EX-L is also available with a V6 engine and a six-speed automatic transmission for an additional $2,075. Navigation is a $1,000 option in EX-L models, but if you have a smartphone, skip the optional cost. You can use your phone's maps app through the infotainment system using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

Honda Accord Touring

The Touring model tops out the line at $34,930, and it's equipped with the same features as the EX-L, plus a V6 engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, navigation, front and rear parking sensors, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for great savings at your local Honda dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Honda deals page.

See 2017 Honda Accord specs and trims »

The Final Call

So long as you don't have a need for speed or an insatiable craving to carve up corners, the 2017 Honda Accord is certainly worth a look if you're in the market for a new midsize car. The Accord is perfectly suited for running the kids off to school, taking on vacation, or your daily commute. It has ample power from its base engine, excellent fuel economy, and a cushioned ride. There's lots of available tech features, too, ranging from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to connect your smartphone, to forward collision warning and lane keep assist to keep you safe. All in all, you can't go wrong buying a Honda Accord.

Don’t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• "Long loved for its faithful reliability, great resale value and inherent ability to please a wide palette of buyers, the 2017 Accord remains a highly recommendable car even as rivals clamor for its benchmark status. The Accord just marked its 40th anniversary, and it shows no sign of resting on its laurels." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The Accord's solid build quality and reputation for trouble-free ownership further solidify its position as one of our favorite midsize sedans." -- Edmunds (2016)
• "There are some sweet spots in the Accord lineup. The top-of-the-line Touring Sedan is a high-tech vehicle with near luxury accoutrements at a very reasonable price. Outfit one in a coat of Crystal Black Pearl paint with a gray leather interior, and you've got a sleeper luxury car. Choose a base LX with a manual transmission and Honda Sensing, and you've got a bargain-priced cruiser with advanced safety features usually found only on much higher-priced vehicles." -- Forbes (2016)